Shehara De Silva headlines SL’s presence at EY annual conference

Shehara De Silva

EY hosted the 2026 ‘EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women’ Asia-Pacific annual conference in Seoul from 18 to 20 May, marking the first time the regional conference took place in South Korea.

The annual conference convened newly recognized women entrepreneurs and alumnae from across Asia-Pacific to exchange strategic insights and explore cross-border collaboration. Hosted by EY, the programme supports high-potential women entrepreneurs in accelerating global growth and strengthening regional networks.

This year’s conference welcomed more than 100 participants, including 23 women entrepreneurs selected for the Class of 2026. Representing Sri Lanka in the 2026 cohort, Shehara De Silva marks a significant milestone on the global stage. As Managing Director of the McLarens Group, she leads a diversified conglomerate spanning shipping, logistics, manufacturing, hospitality, and more. She has driven strategic transformation across its 45 plus companies, championing modernization, diversification, and progressive leadership. She is also the founding President of WISTA Sri Lanka and the first female Chairperson of CASA.

The conference was also attended by EY representatives Anoji de Silva, Partner, Assurance, EY Sri Lanka & Maldives, and Gayanthri Manatunga, Head of Assurance, EY Sri Lanka & Maldives, as well as the EY Winning Women alumni from Sri Lanka: Lakmini Wijesundera, Co-founder and CEO, IronOne Technologies and BoardPAC (Class of 2017), and Jayomi Lokuliyana, Co-founder and CEO, zMessenger (Class of 2019).

The event was designed to drive meaningful interaction and collaboration. Through key events such as the three-day Winning Women Conference and Business Leaders’ Networking Event, women entrepreneurs and global leaders exchanged insights and explored new collaboration opportunities.

It also featured a series of high-impact insight sessions led by EY professionals and external industry experts. A keynote session by a prominent economic expert provided strategies for navigating the rapidly shifting economic landscape in Asia. 

HyunOak (Helen) Han, Founder and CEO of CLIO Cosmetics and a 2019 alumna, delivered a compelling presentation on CLIO’s growth and global expansion, drawing strong interest. Participants also visited CLIO headquarters to gain firsthand insights into its brand strategy and international success as a leading K-beauty company.

Other sessions focused heavily on global business trends and growth strategies.

The Asia-Pacific program is part of the global EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women community, established in 2008, which today connects over 1,200 women entrepreneurs across more than 60 markets worldwide.