AHRP marks 25th year taking HR to forefront

The Association of HR Professionals (AHRP), the conclave of discerning human resource practitioners in the country, celebrates 25 years of shaping the professions’ onward march this year.

Having established in the year 2000 by a futuristic group of practitioners and academics, the association has been the catalyst in opening boardroom echelons to the discipline as a business driver and enabler.

At the Annual General Meeting held on August 1, the new executive committee, led by South Asia Gateway Terminals General Manager Human Resources Thushara Jayawardene, unrolled their futuristic strategic canvas for this year and beyond.

The association is set to complete its passed act of incorporation in Parliament this year to further strengthen the national and international recognition it enjoys. Top in the priority list is anchoring a core capability model of international standards for the practitioners in the corporate sector in the country and launching a professional certification programme with leading bodies of stakeholders. 

The association envisages strengthening relations with its international partner Society for Human Resource Management USA, ably backed by the Indian regional office for professional development, whilst encouraging the government of Sri Lanka to act on the findings of the national HR conference held last year, which found the talent gaps in pivotal economic sectors in the country. 

The new executive committee consists of HR leaders in the top corporates in the country holding the following positions: President Thushara Jayawardana, Immediate Past President Roshan Kulasuriya, Executive Vice President Ravi Jayasekera, Senior Vice President Oshana Dias, Vice Presidents Dinusha Jayamanne, Isuru Gunasekera, Kaushal Mendis and Suresh Muttiah, Treasurer Sampath Alwis, Secretary Dilani Jayalath, Assistant Treasurer Nuwan Jayaweera, Assistant Secretary Rehan Anthonis and Committee Members Darshi Thalpahewa, Thilanka Jayathilake, Ryan Visvanathan, Michelle Senanayake, Chandi Dharmaratne and Chethana Liyange.