SLRA together with PIM launches Retail Leadership Development Programme

Front row – (from right): Dr. Samantha Ratnayake - Senior Lecturer/Faculty, Postgraduate Institute of Management, Dr. Asanga Ranasinghe - Director, Postgraduate Institute of Management, Charitha Subasinghe - President, Sri Lanka Retailers’ Association, Ruvini Kariyawasam - Treasurer, Sri Lanka Retailers’ Association and Shashini Somapala - Secretary, Sri Lanka Retailers’ Association. Abans PLC, Jaykay Marketing Services (Pvt) Limited, Richard Peiris Distribution Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, Singer Sri Lanka and Unilever Sri Lanka Limited are represented at the back

• Retail Industry contributes to 1/3rd of the GDP and 15% of the work force is employed in the Retail industry
• With the boom in tourism Sri Lanka poised to be a “Retail Tourism” destination
• The programme will play a pivotal role to develop the leadership talent needed for the Retail industry

The Sri Lanka Retailers’ Association (SLRA), in collaboration with the Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM), announced the launch of the Retail Leadership Development Programme (RLDP). The programme was launched on 6 February at the inauguration ceremony held at the PIM.

The Retail Industry contributes to approximately 1/3rd of the GDP of the country and employs approximately 15 percent of the work force in the Retail Industry. With the Tourism Industry expected to grow over the next few years, Sri Lanka is poised to be established as a “Retail Tourism” destination. This programme is curated to develop the talent in the Sri Lanka’s retail workers with vital skills, supporting the growth of the industry and advancing the nation’s economy.  

Climbing the career ladder in the competitive retail industry of today requires more than simply expertise. Advanced knowledge and skills in areas including negotiation, public relations, supply chain management, sales, marketing, excellent customer service, financial expertise, merchandising, compliance, risk management, and leadership are required of employees. To meet this requirement, RLDP provides a thorough curriculum designed specifically for the retail sector. 

Over 70 registrations for the course have come in requiring the program to be done in 2 batches. This overwhelming response is an indicator of the need of Retailers wanting to upgrade their skill sets with evolving times. Sessions of the 90-hour RLDP programme are held every two weeks over seven months with the first batch set to start the programme from 16 February, participants will gain from interactive classroom sessions led by PIM faculty and industry experts, real-world case studies that offer useful insights into current retail challenges, and practical skill demonstrations and assessments to highlight their learning. 

Participants gain skills that apply to the industry thanks to the programme’s wide variety of modules. Retail Reimagined: The Digital Transformation Blueprint, Retail Intelligence: Transforming Data into Decisions, Retailer’s Toolkit for Finance, Customer-Centric Processes & Service Excellence, Winning Negotiations & Building Networks in Retail, End-to-End Supply Chain Management, Leveraging the Power of Marketing & Sales, Decision Making & Problem Solving, and Resilient Retail Leadership are a few of these.