Jitto Arulampalam

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Jitto Arulampalam is an Australia-based business executive, investor, and fintech entrepreneur. He is known for his involvement in venture capital, mining, and financial technology, including board-level roles in publicly listed Australian companies and the co-founding of fintech company RedOwl. [1]

Contents

Early life and career

Arulampalam relocated to Australia with his family in the mid-1980s from Sri Lanka. [2]

Arulampalam began his career in the Australian financial services sector, holding operational and strategic roles at Westpac Banking Corporation. He later moved into corporate development and capital markets, working across corporate restructuring, capital raising, and public company management in Australia and international markets. [3]

Business and investment career

In the mid-2000s, Arulampalam was appointed chief executive officer of Newsnet Limited, where he led the company toward a public listing. In 2006, the company was recognised by Australian Financial Review MIS Magazine as one of the “Top 25 Global Rising Stars”. [3]

By the late 2000s, he had held board and chair positions in several Australian listed companies, including Atos Wellness, and was referenced in Australian business media in connection with corporate governance and capital markets activity. [4]

In 2010, he co-founded Fortis Mining Limited, an ASX-listed potash exploration company with assets in Kazakhstan. The company attracted significant attention in Australian business media following its initial public offering, [5] and later received international coverage during its development phase, including a CNBC interview in which Arulampalam discussed its resource potential and strategy, [6] as well as further coverage in Australian business media during its ASX listing period. [7]

In 2013, Arulampalam joined Progen Pharmaceuticals Ltd, an Australian biotechnology company, as a non-executive director and was subsequently appointed chairman later that year. [8] [9]

Arulampalam has held a number of board-level positions in Australian companies. In October 2023, he was appointed Non-Executive Director and Deputy Chairman of Rectifier Technologies Limited, an ASX-listed power electronics manufacturer. [3]

Fintech and RedOwl

Arulampalam is the co-founder and chief executive officer of RedOwl, a Melbourne-based financial technology company focused on artificial intelligence-driven expense management and cash-flow optimisation for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

RedOwl has received independent coverage in Australian and international business media. The Australian reported on the company’s efforts to raise capital to expand its AI-enabled corporate spending platform, quoting Arulampalam on the role of automation and predictive intelligence in financial management. [1]

The company was also selected for Mastercard’s global Start Path Small Business program, which supports fintech companies developing solutions for SMEs. [10]

Venture capital and governance

Arulampalam serves as chairman of SeedX Ventures, an Australian venture investment firm. He has also chaired and advised multiple private and public companies across the technology, diagnostics, and investment sectors. [11]

He is a member of professional governance bodies, including the Australian Institute of Company Directors. [3]

Public and community involvement

Arulampalam has participated in philanthropic and community initiatives, including sponsorship support for post-conflict reconciliation projects in Sri Lanka. In 2014, he was quoted by The Sunday Leader in connection with support for the Murali Harmony Cup, a reconciliation-focused cricket tournament held in Northern Sri Lanka. [12]

He serves as a director of Opportunity International Australia, an international development organisation focused on financial inclusion. [13]

References

  1. 1 2 "Fintech RedOwl to seek $15m for AI-driven costs card". The Australian . 2023. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  2. "Distinguished Sri Lankan Aussies – DFAT Honours". Thuppahis.com. 27 April 2017. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Appointment of Non-Executive Director and Deputy Chairman" (Press release). Rectifier Technologies Ltd (ASX:RFT). 9 October 2023. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  4. "Strange times and capital ideas". The Age . 6 March 2009. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  5. "Fortis float opens doors". Australian Financial Review. 9 July 2011. Archived from the original on 7 November 2014. Retrieved January 6, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. "Fortis Mining: For Success in Kazakhstan". CNBC . 5 October 2011. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  7. "NAB joins muddled Echo party". The Sydney Morning Herald . 7 March 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  8. "Progen Pharmaceuticals Ltd appoints Jitto Arulampalam as chairman". Reuters . 29 November 2013. Archived from the original on 6 November 2014. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  9. "Board and Senior Management Changes" (Press release). Progen Pharmaceuticals Ltd. 12 July 2013. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  10. "RedOwl among global startups selected to join Mastercard Start Path program". Tech in Asia . 2024. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  11. "SeedX Ventures – Team". SeedX Ventures. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  12. "Murali Harmony Cup". The Sunday Leader . 25 October 2014. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  13. "Jitto Arulampalam". Opportunity International Australia . Retrieved January 6, 2026.