LECO DEPLOYS MISSION CRITICAL PUSH-TO-TALK SOLUTION FROM DIALOG ENTERPRISE Colombo, September XX: Dialog Enterprise, the corporate ICT solutions arm of Dialog Axiata PLC, recently deployed a customized mission-critical push-to-talk (MCPTT) solution for Lanka Electricity Company (Private) Limited. The rapid-response arm of the Ceylon Electricity Board, LECO was established in 1983 to provide electrical service to underserved areas. This MCPTT project, awarded to Dialog Enterprise after a competitive bidding process had the objective of providing a state-of-the-art radio telecommunications system based on mission-critical push-to-talk over 4G-LTE technology to cover the LECO service grids in Galle, Moratuwa, Kalutara, Negombo, Kelaniya, Kotte and Nugegoda. The solution had to be able to fulfill LECO’s current and future requirements, with radio telecommunications features and services in voice, data and video, and with future-ready devices that worked right out of the box. The hardware package that Dialog Enterprise provided consisted of a central dispatch unit with voice and video dispatching, geolocation, and recording, plus 65 vehicle-mounted and 60 hand held devices with voice, video streaming and messaging capabilities. These rugged handheld devices come with 5-inch screens, front and back cameras, GPS positioning and supersensitive DMR antennas, and are so reliable that they are even used in tunneling and mining operations. Mission-critical user communications have a higher priority than public user communications as per 3GPP telecommunication standards. Therefore, mission-critical users can communicate with each other and with the control center uninterruptedly even when network traffic is orders of magnitude greater than usual due to unforeseen circumstances--for instance, during a national emergency or natural disaster, when unprecedently high call volume can overwhelm even the highest-capacity network. The MCPTT devices provided by Dialog Enterprise feature a device-to-device communication mode that functions in the absence of cellular network coverage. This failsafe feature enables LECO users to communicate with each other within a specified radius albeit if a disaster like a tsunami takes down the cellular tower infrastructure and renders the network completely unavailable. “This MCPTT solution operates at a higher priority than Internet services, and also having a device-to-device communication mode are huge pluses for LECO,” said Athula P. De Silva - Chairman, LECO. “Because when connectivity is interrupted due to unforeseeable circumstances--like a sudden violent storm, for instance--we are the professionals whose job it is to bring the network back up. With this, our dispatchers and field engineers are in constant touch since we are in complete control of our own internal communication channel. And since this solution uses GPS technology, dispatchers know exactly where the repairpersons are at all times. So, in the event of an outage, power can be restored much faster. If we had chosen the generic mobile voice service or push to talk over cellular (POC) instead, our rapid response team’s communications would have been vulnerable to the same disruptive factors and service interruptions as the general public--and that was totally unacceptable. We are the first line of defense against power outages. Dialog Enterprise’s MCPTT solution is a perfect fit for our requirements.” Apart from price and quality of service, one of the primary reasons why LECO chose Dialog Enterprise as their MCPTT solution provider is because this cutting-edge technology only works in 4G LTE and the best 4G coverage is with us,” said Navin Pieris, Group Chief Officer-Dialog Enterprise, Dialog Enterprise, Dialog Axiata PLC. “It is the fourthgeneration wireless standard that offers increased network capacity and speed for cellphones and other cellular devices when compared to second-generation (2G) and third-generation (3G) technology.” Dialog has by far the most wide-ranging 4G LTE coverage among Sri Lankan mobile operators, with network coverage encompassing 94% of the country’s population and 78% of its geographical area—statistics confirmed by independent analytical reports such as Open signal. As a result, we’ve been approached by other service industry giants looking for solutions specifically designed for their specific requirements and we guarantee that this is the ideal solution for civil engineers, field technicians, and military service personnel.” Dialog Enterprise’s MCPTT solution is massively scalable, with on-demand expandability depending on customer needs. It is connected through a separate Enhanced Packet Core (EPC) network and is not connected to the internet. Therefore, the Dialog Enterprise solution provides tighter security against external cyber threats. Dialog’s network availability is quantifiably the best among Sri Lankan mobile operators. Dialog has an island-wide maintenance depot network that enables it to respond to network failures faster than any other service provider in the country. Additionally, it maintains a dedicated enterprise support team trained for rapid response to enterprise customer issues and requests.

Contents 01/23 PUBLISHER’S NOTE PUBLISHING PANEL 12 14 In Every Issue *Interview Articles 54 16 NEWS A round-up of inspiring news from around the globe Leader 20 NANDANA EKANAYAKE Taking momentous strides up the corporate ladder 31 KAUSHALI KUSUMAPALA The young team of leaders at atlas Axillia transforming the learning landscape of Sri Lanka 42 DR.KEN VIJAYAKUMAR Fortifying the people management profession in Sri Lanka 48 DR. NUWAN WIMALANA Driving business transformations amid the economic crisis THE BIG OPPORTUNITY BEHIND SMALL BUSINESSES 20

Contents 01/23 Lavish DISCOVER CHLOÉ SIGNATURE FRAGRANCES 70 NEWS The latest and greatest global innovation announcements Customizing unique solutions within the interior designing industry CHAMINDA RAJASPAKSE 68 Uplifting the Nation’s Healthcare Education DR. LASANTHA KARUNASEKARA 62 58 31 42 48 62

78 Enhancing spaces with 360 Degrees of conceptual thinking “Wellness for kids” ROSHAN DE SILVA NEWS Bringing out the best finance experts Leverage 80 Union Assurance names Senath Jayatilake as Deputy Chief Executive Officer SENATH JAYATILAKE WHAT WILL THE GLOBAL ECONOMY LOOK LIKE IN 2023? 82 74 SANDARUWAN MADDUMA BANDARA Thriving with confidence and sustainability in the Digital Marketing industry 92 INDIKA KIRIWADDENIYA An endearing thrust within the insurance industry! 94 Live Tech 90 NEWS Showcasing the innovators and change makers to explore today’s world LOSING DIGITAL TRUST WILL HARM TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION: HERE’S HOW TO EARN IT AGAIN 96 68 78 92 94

Shobiya Clinton Publisher One chaotic, disappointing year is ending. Another one is likely in store. In October, the IMF released its annual economic outlook projecting weak growth across the world in 2023. It placed particular emphasis on three issues: high inflation and central bank tightening, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the continued effects of Covid—especially in China. The global economy surpassed $100 trillion for the first time in 2022 but will stall in 2023 as policy makers continue their fight against soaring prices. “It’s likely that the world economy will face recession next year as a result of the rises in interest rates in response to higher inflation. The battle against inflation is not won yet. We expect central bankers to stick to their guns in 2023 despite the economic costs. The cost of bringing inflation down to more comfortable levels is a poorer growth outlook for a number of years to come.” The findings are more pessimistic than the latest forecast from the International Monetary Fund. That institution warned in October that more than a third of the world economy will contract and there is a 25% chance of global GDP growing by less than 2% in 2023, which it defines as a global recession. Even so, by 2037, world gross domestic product will have doubled as developing economies catch up with the richer ones. The shifting balance of power will see the East Asia and Pacific region account for over a third of global output by 2037, while Europe’s share shrinks to less than a fifth. Saying that we have Nandana Ekanayake for January 2023 edition who is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Siam City Cement Lanka, a man who never fails to capture the essence of all the right circumstances,. Switching his education stream from mathematics to commerce is a decision that has led him this far in his journey with all his outstanding achievements and accomplishments. Possessing the art of shaping his own future and he continues to reach greater heights despite all odds in the market. Hope you have a great read!!!

94 776 699 947 Published By NO. 155/3, BAMBALAPITIYA ROAD, COLOMBO 4 HONOURING LEADERSHIP Publisher SHOBIYA CLINTON Executive Director SUJEEV VICTORIYA

eader A ROUND-UP OF INSPIRING NEWS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE WHEN I LOST MY HAIR TO ALOPECIA, I STARTED SELLING WIGS. IN ‘ALL MY BALD GLORY,’ I’VE HELPED OVER 2,000 WOMEN. Sometimes, a painful diagnosis leads to a career calling you never imagined.

Leader news CONFUSED ABOUT WEB3? STEVE AOKI DISSECTS HIS BUSINESS TO SHOW HOW YOU CAN MAKE MONEY. The DJ-turned-digital-entrepreneur has a gift for seeing the potential in strange things. Now, he’s making a case for navigating the wild west of Web3.Most people heard noise. Steve Aoki heard music. It was just, in his words, “intentionally abrasive” music. What’s the difference between noise and intentionally abrasive? This was back in the 1990s, when Steve Aoki was a kid growing up in the California punk and hardcore music scene. Bands were playing loud, cacophonous stuff. His parents called it “devil’s music.” But Aoki was intrigued, because although this music turned most people off, it also drew a community together. It wasn’t just garbage; it was a barrier to entry, and an appealing puzzle. “It didn’t fit with the world, and that was what spoke to me,” Aoki says. “You have to climb through the noise to find the gem.” INVESTORS SUE GEMINI CRYPTO EXCHANGE, WINKELVOSS TWINS The lawsuit claims Gemini left out information regarding the risks of high-interest accounts.Twins Cameron and Tyler Winkelvoss are facing a significant class-action lawsuit from investors who used Gemini, their cryptocurrency exchange.According to Bloomberg, aggrieved investors believe the exchange and Winkelvosses sold them interest-bearing accounts that weren’t registered as securities. The Winkelvosses, who first gained fame after suing Facebook over its resemblance to an earlier social media site they founded, launched New York-based Gemini in 2014. Consumers use the platform to buy and sell digital assets, and one of the company’s most popular programs has been Gemini Earn. The initiative, launched in 2020, lets users earn interest on their crypto holdings and received plenty of attention from the crypto community and media outlets.

KABBAGE FROM AMERICAN EXPRESS CMO BRETT SUSSMAN ON SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES WITH TIKTOK Interview with Brett Sussman of Kabbage from American Express about helping small businesses with a new TikTok collaboration, branding and marketing online, and the future of shopping on social media. THIS WEB3 DATA WAREHOUSE WANTS TO BRING BIG DATA ANALYTICS TO THE BLOCKCHAIN The co-founder and CEO of Space and Time talks about his company and why blockchains matter. Nate Holiday is the co-founder and CEO of Space and Time. He sat down with Jessica Abo to talk about his company and the intersection of data and blockchains. Space and Time is a decentralized data warehouse. If you think about data warehouses, it’s where businesses are processing data in order to better interact with their consumers on a regular basis. Companies all over the world run their data analytics in data warehouses. That ability to power applications and power businesses is something that’s been around for a long time. We’re now decentralizing that process, and that data, to interact and run with blockchain data in decentralized applications. There are a lot of different types of blockchains all over the world, and more and more people are starting to interact with various blockchains. And so it’s really important for businesses that are building on the blockchain, or businesses that are what we call ‘off-chain’ or Web2, to start interacting with that data because that’s where their customers are.

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Nandana Ekanayake | LEADER TAKING MOMENTOUS STRIDES UP THE CORPORATE LADDER CEO Magazine Sri Lanka | 21

Knowing when to seize the right opportunity can set the path ahead of you into a direction of favorable outcomes. Nandana Ekanayake, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Siam City Cement Lanka, faced many such moments that led him towards making calculated decisions, all of which paved the way to the journey that he is on today. Aiming to become an engineer as a stripling, Nandana had initially chosen to follow the field of mathematics. However, gaining influence from his elder brother - an accountant - and following his footsteps, Nandana made a switch to the commerce streamline. Holding the possession of an executive education background, Nandana pursued his higher studies at the London Business School and International Institute for Management Development (IMD) Switzerland. As a Fellow Chartered Accountant (FCA) of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka, Nandana is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants (ICPA), Australia. Initiating his career in an audit firm that also provided him with the necessary training, Nandana eventually rose through the ranks of a Finance Manager, Chief Financial Officer, Finance Director and so forth. In due course, Nandana made a move towards the General Management field, thus acquiring the position of a General Manager at Ruhunu Cement. LEADER | Taking momentous strides up the corporate ladder 22 | CEO Magazine Sri Lanka

Nandana Ekanayake | LEADER CEO Magazine Sri Lanka | 23 Compared to a normal situation, it’s a lot of energy and work. Everything needs to be managed carefully and tightly

LEADER | Taking momentous strides up the corporate ladder 24 | CEO Magazine Sri Lanka

Compared to the rest of the world, we were one of the fastest growing in terms of construction industry Joining Holcim (Lanka) Ltd. in the year 1999, Nandana emphasizes on one of his calculated decision making moments. He recalled being asked to step back down to the CFO position as the company wanted an expat for a CEO. Knowing very well that working in a multinational company was a great opportunity in itself, Nandana did not oppose the request. “As a policy at Holcim, to become a CEO you need to have international exposure”, Nandana explains. In order for him to obtain that exposure, Nandana was offered a position in Holcim (Vietnam) Ltd. He worked there for a decade as the CFO and acting CEO before returning back home in the year 2017 due to the fact that many country business units in the Asian region were sold off by the Holcim Group, including the Sri Lankan branch itself. Under the new ownership, Nandana was offered a dual role in time. Not only was he initially assigned as the CEO of Siam City Cement Lanka; upon the stepping down of the former Chairman, Nandana was also appointed as Chairman of Siam City Cement Lanka in 2019. “It’s been quite a long career in the cement industry”, Nandana remarks. Calling to mind his time in Vietnam as an emigrant, Nandana says, “As a country it’s amazing, especially being a communist country. Unless you go and live there, looking from a distance one would never understand”. He goes on to elaborate on how very well managed the country is with an unbelievable sense of development and growth. The high quality of life present in Vietnam has not only benefited him; his children too acquired great exposure in terms of education and people through the presence of diversity. When asked about the ethos and attitude that aided Nandana in succeeding over the years as a leader in the industrious field, he accentuates the importance of being patient, resilient and innovative with an out of the box thinking mentality. Defining them as the key areas of achievements, he elucidates on how conducting businesses in a very unorthodox manner often leads to companies shutting down. “There are a lot of innovative solutions we found in order to do things without compromising the compliance or breaking laws of the country” he tells us, “Not being able to do that in such a manner leads to debt”. Nandana Ekanayake | LEADER CEO Magazine Sri Lanka | 25

Further highlighting the necessity of patience and resilience in a capital intensive industry, Nandana speaks of how investments often require long term periods to recover from. Such a lengthy time span comes with its own ups and downs amidst which being strong and never giving up is a cornerstone. In the wake of all hardships the industry had faced during the civil-war, there came ahead a few fruitful years where growth was prominent at a very high rate. “Compared to the rest of the world, we were one of the fastest growing in terms of construction industry”, Nandana states. Not soon after, several other setbacks took place due to events such as the Easter Sunday Attack, Covid-19 and of course the latest of them all, the ongoing economic crisis. Accommodating alternative working procedures in order to adapt to challenging situations is crucial for the company to survive within such an industry. “We really cannot just stop and leave as we have millions of dollars’ worth of assets on the ground”, Nandana voices. Although the impact of Covid-19 was interim, the economy had fluctuated prior to the industry gaining back its momentum. Giving us an insight on the impacts the industry has undergone due to the economic recession Sri Lanka is facing, Nandana explains how the cement consumption has dropped fifty percent compared to last year. “Normally within the country we used to have around seven tonnes of cement consumption per annum”, he says. With productions facilitating towards a larger mass, the biggest challenge lies in keeping an idle capacity as only one out of several production facilities are running. Despite the country logistically not being in a position to export, the industry continues to manage and keep the plants going. “All the surrounding countries have cement therefore there is no space to export. While there are countries such as Maldives and Mauritius, it cannot compete with larger markets such as India, Pakistan, etc.” We have a road map and in that we have certain goals to achieve by 2030 in order to help the environment LEADER | Taking momentous strides up the corporate ladder 26 | CEO Magazine Sri Lanka

Nandana Ekanayake | LEADER CEO Magazine Sri Lanka | 27

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Having received support from the parent company for the meantime, Nandana also focused his determination on building motivation amongst the employees in the course of such high inflation occurrences by providing them with extra allowances, transports, etc. “Compared to a normal situation, it’s a lot of energy and work. Everything needs to be managed carefully and tightly”, he states diplomatically. As a regional organization that is present in six countries, Siam City Cement Lanka is known to follow a variety of multinational concepts including sustainable developments. “We have a road map and in that we have certain goals to achieve by 2030 in order to help the environment”, Nandana says. Depending on the manner of operations and the products manufactured, the cement industry is one that emits a lot of carbon dioxide. While the industry as a whole is far ahead of others in waste recycling, the extensive process requires a lot of technological investments that need to be made. Most countries are moving towards green products - a blended product. However, the movement of such a product within Sri Lanka has been slow. Nandana takes a look back into the year 2017, when the market was ninety percent OPC, the most non-eco-friendly products, in spite of being one that fits all purposes. “Today, it is the opposite. We have ninety percent of the blended products with only a few traditional customers who make requests for the other ten percent of the products”, Nandana positively states. He is also looking forward to further contributing to the environment. Possessing a high end laboratory with all the mandatory equipment in place, the company is able to conduct tests and trials for all new products, including contributions towards manufacturing more eco-friendly products. Nandana also mentions that the lab is by far used by researchers, the government, NBRO, etc. for manufacturing purposes. Having contributed to multiple projects himself, Nandana obtained high equity with an eminent ranking as a major industry player in the country throughout his regime. He continues to pour his focus into the growth trajectory of Siam City Cement Lanka, thus shaping the construction industry as a whole. Working hard is important, yes. However, working smart is paramount. Lending out a piece of advice to all upcoming leaders and entrepreneurs out there, Nandana advises all to be ambitious with an understanding towards one’s own capabilities and capacity. Trekking through a career magnification requires patience and the flexibility to grab opportunities with an open mind. “Be prepared to take a step back in order to understand what’s in front of you.” Today, it is the opposite. We have ninety percent of the blended products with only a few traditional customers who make requests for the other ten percent of the products Nandana Ekanayake | LEADER CEO Magazine Sri Lanka | 29

Kaushali Kusumapala Marketing Director Of Atlas Axillia

LEADER | The Young Team of Leaders at Atlas Axillia Transforming the Learning Landscape of Sri Lanka 32 | CEO Magazine Sri Lanka

Nandana Ekanayake | LEADER THE YOUNG TEAM OF LEADERS AT ATLAS AXILLIA TRANSFORMING THE LEARNING LANDSCAPE OF SRI LANKA Kaushali Kusumapala | LEADER CEO Magazine Sri Lanka | 33

Atlas Axillia, a subsidiary of Hemas Holdings PLC with a heritage of over 60 years, transforming from being a local stationery company to a ‘global learning and education organization’. During the past three years, their flagship brand Atlas has won many accolades, including being nominated as a Top 5 FCMG youth brand at the Kantar People’s Choice Awards in 2021, and this year being recognized as the Local Brand of the Year (GOLD) at the SLIM Brand Excellence Awards. The organization also houses the multi-generational brand – Homerun, the game-changing youth lifestyle brand – Innovate, and many other notable brands, that are supporting the company’s transformation. For this edition, we speak to the leaders who are transforming Atlas into a digitally-driven, socially impact-led, house of brands that are Sri Lankan made, and globally loved. Kaushali Kusumapala, MARKETING DIRECTOR Tell us a bit about atlas axillia and what the company and its brands stand for. “The organization in itself has a history of over 60 years and our flagship brand – Atlas is a household name that enjoys over 60% share within stationery. Our products such as the Sunflower Yellow pencil and the Chooty pen are loved by kids and are commonplace in any learning environment.” During the past four years, the organization has truly transformed, as we have recognized the importance of anchoring on innovation and designs, but more importantly on driving social impact in everything we do. We believe that everything we do, be it product innovation or brand engagements, needs to fulfil the learning potential of Sri Lanka’s next generation - our children. By creating an organizational culture that is driven to ‘democratize and provide quality learning experience’ of the learning ecosystem [children, parents & educators], we are able to create an ever-lasting impact in the brands we are creating and building. LEADER | The Young Team of Leaders at Atlas Axillia Transforming the Learning Landscape of Sri Lanka 34 | CEO Magazine Sri Lanka

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LET’S MEET THE LEADERS OF ATLAS AXILLIA’S MARKETING TEAM What is the impact of having inculcated this type of culture within the organization and especially within marketing? In the past 3 years, we have been able to grow by over 20% in market share and our brands are stronger and more resilient than ever before. We find that educators, as well as government and non-governmental organizations that are driving the educational agendas for Sri Lanka, are ever willing to engage with us. These relationships have opened our eyes to the evolving needs of the education system and enabled us to anchor our brands on supporting the goals and initiatives in a dynamic and meaningful way. Today, we develop school infrastructure and provide school essentials and scholarships through our Atlas Sip Savi and Light Future programs, while also conducting free online and on-ground learning programs for students and teachers alike through our Atlas Learn initiatives. Our youth lifestyle brand – Innovate, is focused on youth entrepreneurship, career and self-development, and engages with youth organizations that are able to deliver this impact at a grassroots level. We find that serving our consumers in a way that is meaningful for them enable us to have richer relationships, and open pathways to create legacy brands. You spoke about the organization ‘going global’. We know of Atlas Axillia as a Sri Lankan company. What does this really mean? Our ambitions are to not only give back to Sri Lanka by building meaningful brands but also enrich Sri Lanka’s economy by taking something that is truly ours to the rest of the world. We have already commenced building our operations within the greater parts of South East Asia, with growing ambitions for Middle East & Africa. We hope to and believe that we will be able to serve the learning experience of children across the globe one day. LEADER | The Young Team of Leaders at Atlas Axillia Transforming the Learning Landscape of Sri Lanka 36 | CEO Magazine Sri Lanka

Iroshini Nadeeka, HEAD OF CORPORATE RELATIONS You are leading the building of relationships with educators and influencers of the education system. Why is this important? As an organization, we are driven to ‘democratize learning’. While Sri Lanka has free education, between 20,000 – 30,000 children fall out of the system each year because they don’t have the essentials to attend school. And even when children go to school, not every child experiences the same quality of education. This might be due to the lack of adequate infrastructure in the schools or due to certain gaps in the educators’ training. Recognizing the gaps in the system, the people that it impacts, and the barriers to solving these issues only can we start uplifting the system as a whole. What programs do you currently run to impact these stakeholders meaningfully? For the past 18 years, we have built infrastructure, given school essentials and scholarships to children in need, and been able to impact over 1 million lives. This year, we have ventured on the ‘Light a Future’ program, which is a global initiative with Sarvodaya to ensure that over 100,000 students are able to stay within the education system, without being impacted by the ongoing economic struggles. But what’s close to my heart are the training and learning programs we do via Atlas Learn for kids and teachers, as we were able to drive activitybased learning, and much-needed educational interventions, especially during COVID-impacted school closures. Kaushali Kusumapala | LEADER CEO Magazine Sri Lanka | 37

Radiksha Rabichandran, MARKETING MANAGER OF THE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS AND BRAND HUB You joined Atlas Axillia just over a year ago. What has been your experience as a leader driving impact-led brands? When I joined Atlas Axillia I worked on introducing the first ever purpose-based youth brand in Sri Lanka – Innovate. When we want to launch a product we don’t just create a brand for the sake of it, the purpose is hard-coded. So, when we looked at our first youth purpose brand that’s exactly what we did for a real premium lifestyle experience. We collaborated with youth groups as well as designers to bring to life the experience and change that youth were demanding. For me, this was the firsttime experience in my career – to write the path of a new brand that will revolutionize the industry while creating impact. Why is the Atlas Axillia journey different for you versus what you’ve previously experienced? Despite having experience of over ten years in the FMCG and CRM industries, my time at Atlas Axillia tops it all off. Most times in companies we are not in charge of ‘creating’ brands - but today I can proudly say that I was a leader in creating a brand [Innovate] that is truly different by first putting together a philosophy of what we want to influence in society, how we build relationships to support the change we want to see, and how our products & designs will communicate and celebrate the change we are driving. As the Marketing Manager for over a year, it has been an eyeopening experience in creating a meaningful and impactful brand Raj Kumar, MARKETING MANAGER – SRI LANKA BUSINESS You have been with Atlas Axillia for over a decade. What’s the transformation that you have experienced? I joined the company as a young executive, and today I lead the Sri Lanka business. During this time, I have truly witnessed the growth and great transformation of both the company and the brands. Our brands today are about delivering meaning to consumers than mere products. We have transformed from a one-brand [Atlas] company to a multi-brand company. And we have done so by developing brand and product philosophies that are entrenched in the educational and aspirational needs of the next generation. We also innovate with a key understanding of how each product facilitates this journey, and today we celebrate ‘design’ as a way of connecting to our consumers better. In my entire career, I have seen the brand’s presence expand from Sri Lanka to Bangladesh to Pakistan and even building brands today in markets like Dubai, which would have been unthinkable 5 years ago for a local company like us. LEADER | The Young Team of Leaders at Atlas Axillia Transforming the Learning Landscape of Sri Lanka 38 | CEO Magazine Sri Lanka

INTRODUCING ATLAS AXILLIA’S “FUTURE MARKETING LEADERS” TEAM Kavindhi Attanayake, CATEGORY HEAD OF BOOKS & BACK TO SCHOOL You’re a young leader, and recognized as the Lead of the “Future Marketing Leadership Team”. What does this mean for you? Whilst I learnt the fundamentals of marketing from an MNC background, my short time at Atlas Axillia has given me far greater opportunities to make a positive impact through my work. Being given the trust and freedom towards conducting my responsibilities without any boundaries or prohibitions set in place gives me more liberty towards creating successful results for the brands I handle and the company. As a young consumer myself, I admire purposeled brands, and the fact that I get to lead such purpose-led brands everyday through Atlas and Innovate gives me immense satisfaction. As a young leader, I am given the confidence and authority to build my creativity, my own sense of purpose, and team culture– and I find myself thriving at Atlas Axillia because of this. Kaushali Kusumapala | LEADER CEO Magazine Sri Lanka | 39

LEADER | The Young Team of Leaders at Atlas Axillia Transforming the Learning Landscape of Sri Lanka 40 | CEO Magazine Sri Lanka

Charith Yashoda, THE MANAGER - MARTECH You began your career at Atlas Axillia as a marketing executive and today you’re heading the MarTech vertical. What is MarTech and why is this important for the company? Firstly, I believe we may be one of the first FMCG companies in Sri Lanka to initiate it as a vertical to drive digital transformation and MarTech. As an organization, we recognize that the way consumers are interacting with brands is changing. They are no longer interacting with products as simply 3-dimensional objects, but as total experiences, akin to a service. As such we believe that having omnichannel interactions, that enable us to better understand the consumers and offer personalized-always on experiences creates a world of difference in creating brand love. We ask ourselves questions such as what type of tech solutions will help the consumers engage with us better, help create a digital connection for our physical products, and how we can enhance the educational experience via technology. The answers to these questions are what are at the heart of the transformation of Atlas Axillia in my view. WRAP UP Atlas Axillia, born as the Ceylon Pencil Company, is today building brands and leaders to take a Sri Lankan legacy to the world – and we wish them the very best in their endeavours. Harin Samat, Thisari Piyadigama, BRAND MANAGER OF THE SCHOOL CATEGORY BRAND MANAGER OF THE COLOR CATEGORY You were appointed as the Lead of the “Light a Future” program, which was Atlas Axillia’s first project to drive crowdfunding on a global scale. Why was this initiative important to you? This was a highly innovative program that was driven at speed to give back to the community at a time that was truly needed. Firstly, I must commend the organization for identifying that more children could fall out of the education system due to the economic crisis, as early as April 2022, and working speedily to make sure this isn’t Sri Lanka’s reality. For me as a young leader, being able to drive a technologically enabled solution, that helps connect with global influencers and impact donors, large Sri Lankan corporates, and everyday Sri Lankans as well as global citizens who want to do their part to ensure that hope for Sri Lankan children are protected, is truly fulfilling. I’ve learned a lot during this process, including what it means to build a transparent and data-driven CRM system and platform, cause marketing, and global networking. This has truly been a highlight of my career and is clearly developing me to be a marketer of the future. As a young brand manager – we understand that you have been given the opportunity to drive international brands. How has this experience been for you? I am thankful for the opportunity that was given to me this year, as I was selected to develop a new brand and strategy, to enter this market, which is driven by a ‘highly evolved mom’ that is knowledgeable about ‘early childhood development’. Creating a brand by talking to consumers in international markets, while engaging experts such as child psychologists and Early Childhood development experts, is not an exposure a lot of brand managers in Sri Lanka get. This experience has enabled me to hone my conceptual, creative, and analytical skills while creating something in Sri Lanka that is going to be competitive with formidable international players. I’m certain this experience is will enable me to be a truly global marketer. Kaushali Kusumapala | LEADER CEO Magazine Sri Lanka | 41

42 | CEO Magazine Sri Lanka LEADER | Fortifying the people management profession inSri Lanka

FORTIFYING THE PEOPLE MANAGEMENT PROFESSION IN SRI LANKA CEO Magazine Sri Lanka | 43 Ken Vijayakumar | LEADER

strategic plan is CIPM’s " focusing on eight strategic roles. The institute is working towards achieving those strategic goals within a three-year period from 2022 to 2025 Enacted by a Parliamentary Act in 1976, the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management Sri Lanka (CIPM) has been in operation since 1959. As the leading professional body for human resources management in Sri Lanka, the CIPM’s 63-year-old history has been vital to the corporate sphere of the nation. According to Mr. Ken Vijayakumar, the current President of CIPM, the institution’s stakeholders comprise its members, the non-member HR fraternity of the nation, the general public, the general public, the students and those who wish to pursue a career in people management. “At any given time, we have seven to eight thousand students at CIPM,” he said. At CIPM, the council is elected by the members, who in turn select the president. Vijayakumar stated, “For the next two years, I’ve been appointed as President. We do this as a voluntary service.” Elaborating on this, he added that no monetary compensation is involved for this role. The organisational structure includes a CEO, who reports to the President. The Executive Council manages the institution under the leadership of the President. Meanwhile, Vijayakumar’s full-time designation is as the Deputy General Manager, Human Resources, Administration, Purchasing and Sustainability at A. Baur & Co. (Pvt.) Ltd. He added that the company is extending its fullest support to this national initiative. Furthermore, CIPM carries out its mission focused on a strategic plan, which is drawn up every three years. “CIPM’s strategic plan is focusing on eight strategic roles. The institute is working towards achieving those strategic goals within a three-year period from 2022 to 2025,” noted Vijayakumar. LEADER | LEADER | Fortifying the people management profession inSri Lanka 44 | CEO Magazine Sri Lanka

Ken Vijayakumar | LEADER CEO Magazine Sri Lanka | 45

The eight strategic roles consist of empowered authority and a national role in HR (this emphasises the implementation of a national role in HRM empowered by the Act as CIPM was incorporated by an act of parliament). Secondly, it involves setting up people management standards/certification/accreditation and thirdly enabling the HR profession as a leading strategic partner for organisational excellence. The fourth role aims to develop globally competent HR professionals. Next, developing a national HR data hub with research and development capabilities; becoming a people management solutions provider and a globally recognised member centric organisation as well as building internal capabilities and the right culture to fulfil CIPM objectives remain the priority for the coming years. On the other hand, driven by the aim to add value to the country and students, CIPM is working tirelessly to introduce student exchange programmes. In line with this, it seeks to offer courses in Bangladesh and other South Asian countries. Vijayakumar stated, “One of CIPM’s ambitious future plans includes partnering with globally renowned organisations to welcome highquality people management educators to Sri Lanka.” Meanwhile, the institution plays a crucial role in HR matters on a national level. On this note, flagship events such as the International HR Conference where foreign participants and speakers grace the occasion are valuable initiatives. Similarly, the Great HR Debate, Great HR Quiz, and Great HR Practices are engaging events designed to keep students and professionals engaged, in an attempt to foster a continuous learning and development culture. The CIPM Executive Council 2022-2023 LEADER | LEADER | Fortifying the people management profession inSri Lanka 46 | CEO Magazine Sri Lanka

MOUs with other We hope to sign " professional bodies to build a C-suite career for HR professionals to join the boardroom by broadening their spectrum of competencies. In addition to this, Vijayakumar also stated that CIPM is keen on developing national HR standards on all key result areas to create an HR Audit Framework. He further stated CIPM is also keen to develop its own leadership model suitable for the country based on native principles and characteristics. However, from an internal perspective, sustainability has become a prominent topic. “I’ve been working on introducing urban gardening at CIPM,” said Vijayakumar, elaborating that “the staff from different departments will compete at this activity to exemplify to the students how to grow their own vegetables. The idea behind this initiative is to inculcate sustainable mindset among the student and all stakeholders.” Furthermore, he shared the institution’s attempts to enhance student engagement programmes whilst enriching the quality of their knowledge. He said, “We hope to sign MOUs with other professional bodies to build a C-suite career for HR professionals to join the boardroom by broadening their spectrum of competencies.” He emphasised how important it was for HR professionals to learn the other facets of business such as finance, marketing and so on. “For instance, his reciprocal agreement implies HR training for finance professionals or finance knowledge for an HR professionals who wishes to rise up the career ladder,” he elaborated. Finally, Vijayakumar concluded with an illuminating message to upcoming entrepreneurs and business leaders. “My four formulas for success are curiosity – learning never stops, keep asking questions because the best ideas in the world come from probing answers to what you may think are stupid questions; passion for what you’re pursuing; mastery in your area of work and finally, remaining humble throughout.” Ken Vijayakumar | LEADER CEO Magazine Sri Lanka | 47

Hailing from a professional family background in Matara, Dr. Nuwan Wimalana,Chairman of Eye for Growth (Private) Limited – is a proud product of Ananda College, Colombo who secured his secondary school admission via scholarship from Rahula College, Matara. Commencing his career as a Sales Representative at Nestle in 1981, his tenure at the company extended over 21 years, where he climbed the career ladder to hold several designations in Sri Lanka and Malaysia before retiring as the Sales Manager for Confectionery and Ready to Drink Products for the company. Thereafter, he joined Coca-Cola Sri Lanka as the National Sales Manager and subsequently was transferred to Coca-Cola Nepal as the Deputy Country Manager - Market Execution in 2006. At the end of 25 years of MNC experience, Dr. Wimalana was appointed as the CEO of Swadeshi Industries, which was a well-established local personal and home care company with a rich history of over seven decades that had popular household brands like Kohomba and Rani. And then in 2012, he took over as the Director/Group CEO of Delmege Forsyth and Company, which was a conglomerate with ten different business clusters including FMCG, Aviation, Shipping, Insurance Brokering, Lifestyle, Health Care, Consumer durables/Construction Products, Exports, Furniture and Leisure. In 2016, he extended his retirement by an additional year at Delmege and moved in 2017 to serve as the Director – Business Development for Atlas Axillia for a little over a year. After having worked with renowned MNCs, he then embarked on his own to work as a Business Consultant, Corporate Director, and University Lecturer. Keen to continually upgrade his skills, Dr. Wimalana completed his MBA from the UK and obtained a Doctorate in Business Administration, majoring in Marketing from the University of Kelaniya in 2020. He stated, “I concentrated on developing my skills through Executive Development programmes from esteemed institutions in various parts of the world and attended NUS Singapore (2012), Cambridge, UK (2014), IIM Bangalore (2016) and Griffith University, Brisbane (2018).” Meanwhile, Dr. Wimalana described the philosophy at his company, Eye For Growth (Pvt) Limited. (EFG) “As part of our approach, we carry out a comprehensive business review, which follows through to a problem diagnostic assessment. This can lead to strategy setting or fine tuning, which may extend to re-engineering of existing processes and implementing of strategies that enable top-line growth and other shifts.” Elaborating on this he went on to support this philosophy by making reference to the many successes and failures that he has been exposed to during his career, which in turn would add great value to EFG’s clientele. He went on to make reference to the collective experience of the team behind EFG, adding that “our collective experience of over ten decades amongst our directors is sought to be coupled with the Business team’s exposure and insights, to help ensures that our clients’ businesses can excel in their defined space with strategic, yet practical solutions to ensure that each business is harnessing its full growth potential. We do not approach companies with standard models and templates, and each assignment is a customized bottom-up exercise, where the appropriate tools and frameworks will be leveraged.” 48 | CEO Magazine Sri Lanka LEADER | Driving Business Transformations Amid the Economic Crisis

CEO Magazine Sri Lanka | 49 Dr. Nuwan Wimalana | LEADER As part of our approach, we carry out a comprehensive business review, which follows through to a problem diagnostic assessment. This can lead to strategy setting or fine tuning, which may extend to re-engineering of existing processes and implementing of strategies that enable top-line growth and other shifts.

Eye for Growth aims to help organisations in the aftermath of the pandemic and the economic crisis to recover, sustain and grow their businesses. The world is aware of what happened to almost all industries except a very few during the pandemic. When they were about to raise their heads, all their plans were hit hard by the storm of the economic downturn. Many companies couldn’t survive while several others tried to hold on by cutting costs and utilising accumulated reserves. But a question remained – For how long could they survive? The EFG Team, like-minded close friends who are also industry veterans, met and discussed this at length and decided to form Eye for Growth and use their collective knowledge and experiences to help organisations that wanted to recover, sustain and grow. Eye For Growth (Pvt) Ltd, or EFG, is a boutique Consulting and Services entity, which brings together a unique blend of well-experienced, exposed, and successful resource personnel, combined with an ethos of a youthful drive, ambitious aspirations, and a challenger mindset. Undertaking a range of assignments under the pillars of Organizational Growth, Business Transformation and Optimisation, and Capital Strategy, EFG looks to understand the unique situations and challenges faced by businesses and present modern breakthrough answers through meaningful and deep engagements with clients. EFG appreciates that every challenge will require fresh thoughts, transformation, and new answers amidst some of the most turbulent times. In line with this, the team seeks to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of each client’s business through its work. We are open to go beyond the mandate of setting strategy and can work with organisations to ensure a continued commitment to improve performance and towards establishing a growth culture within the organisation. LEADER | Driving Business Transformations Amid the Economic Crisis 50 | CEO Magazine Sri Lanka