SLASSCOM People Summit 2025 concludes successfully

Panel discussion in progress

Mahela Jayawardena speaks on ‘Leadership in Transformation’

SLASSCOM Chairman Nishan Mendis addresses summit

SLASSCOM People Summit 2025, held recently at Cinnamon Grand and themed ‘Engage, Empower, Elevate: The New Playbook’, brought together industry leaders, HR professionals and innovators to discuss the future of work and people-focused strategies, highlighting inclusive leadership, workforce transformation and innovation-driven performance.

One of the most anticipated highlights of the event was the keynote address by cricketing legend Mahela Jayawardena, who shared invaluable insights on leadership, resilience and teamwork, drawing from his illustrious career in sports. His session ‘Leadership in Transformation: From Vision to Victory’ provided attendees with a compelling perspective on navigating change and achieving success.

This was followed by a distinguished line-up of speakers, including Honorary Consul of Georgia Dian Gomes, leadership and business coach Ramindu Randeni, Hexaware Technologies CTO Satyajith M., IFS Chief Customer Officer Cathie Hall and ICF Colombo Chapter Vice President Azeem Saheer. Their insights covered key aspects of leadership, workforce engagement, digital transformation and business scalability.

A panel discussion featured industry leaders such as Commercial Bank of Ceylon CIO and CBC Tech Solutions Ltd MD Sumudu Gunawardhana, Diesel and Motor Engineering PLC Chief HR Officer Dilrukshi Kurukulasuriya and Hemas Holdings PLC Acting CEO and Chief People Officer Ravi Jayasekera, moderated by Dialog Axiata PLC Head of International Services Tharindra Goonaratne. The discussion focused on bridging strategy with execution to drive sustainable business growth.

The engaging fireside chat ‘Beyond the Finished Line: The Future of Retirement’ featured CAL Senior VP and Head of Equity Capital Market Ashvanth Vijayaram and was moderated by Fortude Chief People Officer Oshana Dias. This session challenged traditional notions of retirement and redefined it as a phase of continuous contribution, personal growth and financial security.

Breakout sessions were led by industry experts, including Ranil Rajapakse, Surani Amerasinghe, Sanjeev Jayaratnam, Srinivasan Panchapakesan, Angelo De Silva and Jayani De Silva, with moderators such as Ajmal Hussain, Shanaka Fernando and Shane Ferdinandus. These sessions provided practical insights into fostering workplace connections, empowering employees and inspiring high-performance leadership.

SLASSCOM Chairman Nishan Mendis stated, “People Summit 2025 brought together industry leaders to share insights on adaptability, resilience and human-centric strategies. SLASSCOM remains committed to fostering innovation, collaboration and continuous learning to empower our community for the future of work.”