NATIONAL HR CONFERENCE 2023
National HR Conference 2023

21 - 22 JUNE, Monarch Imperial, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte.

“Navigating Dire Straits”.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) Sri Lanka has made plans to conduct the National HR Conference 2023 on the 21st and 22nd of June 2023 at the Monarch Imperial, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, Sri Lanka. on behalf of the president & executive council of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) Sri Lanka.

The theme of the conference is “Navigating Dire Straits”. This conference is our flagship event which will feature the participation of almost 1000 delegates from Corporates, State sector organizations, and multiple industries while there will also be foreign delegates.

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Main Events

Key Event Highlights

Technical Sessions.
2023
Navigating Dire Straits

National HR Exhibition
2023
Hurry, reserve your stall today!

The Great HR Debate.
2023
Enrol your team today!

CIPM Lifetime Gold Award 2023
Best practices within the HR profession.

Who will speak

Our Speakers

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KEY NOTE SPEAKER

Mr. Rolf Blaser

Group Managing Director / CEO -A. Baur & Co. (Pvt.) Ltd.

Mr. Rolf Blaser

Group Managing Director / CEO -A. Baur & Co. (Pvt.) Ltd.

Rolf Blaser is an experienced Leader in a variety of Industries such as Healthcare, Retail, FMCG and Consumer Electronics. His accumulated work experience in Switzerland, Germany, France, Benelux and since 2008 in Asia, makes him an expert in cultural diversity. Routed in Sales, Marketing and Retail he has become a successful leader with proven track record.

After his successful setup of the Retail Operation in the Bangalore International Airport, which became the best performing Travel Retailer in India (per passenger spent ratio), Rolf moved to Delhi in 2012, where he was given the opportunity as Managing Director – Safilo India Pvt. Ltd., to accelerate the business of luxury brands in the Eyewear industry such as Gucci, Dior, Fendi, Jimmy Choo, Hugo Boss, Marc Jacobs amongst many other. Rolf proposed and was mandated to triple the sales with a two-year Tiger-Plan.

Given this extraordinary track record for 10 years in India, many international companies were attracted by his skills and experience. He found his destiny with A. Baur & Co. (Pvt.) Ltd. as Group Managing Director / CEO in a 125-year-old Swiss company, established in 1897 in Colombo – Sri Lanka. Baurs, as they are better known, employs over 800 people in the various segments of the Company – Agriculture, Healthcare and Consumer Goods form the core divisions, next to Industrial Raw Materials, Machinery, Airlines and Education.

Rolf Blaser went through the traditional Swiss Apprenticeship education system, but never stopped learning. He added an Economist SEBA from the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (Switzerland) and an Executive MBA from University of St. Gallen (Switzerland) degree to his education palmarès. Recently he concluded the High Performance Boards program from IMD Lausanne that brings together world-class thought leadership and global best practices in a systematic way to help boards reach their full potential.

Rolf is also entrusted with Board Membership of the Sri Lanka Institute of Directors, where he also Chairs the CEO Forum. He further serves on the Advisory Board of the Luxury Connect Business School India and the International Advisory Board of the Genesis Foundation India. In early 2021 Rolf was elected to the Council of the Swiss Abroad (CSA), as one of total 140 Delegates of the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA), the “Parliament” of the “Fifth Switzerland”. Rolf is representing 24 countries in the OSA. Rolf is also active member in the Rotary Club to provide community service, promote integrity, and advance goodwill, peace, and understanding. He has been appointed as Board Member and Chair of Vocational Services for 2023/2024 at the Rotary. In March 2023 Rolf became President of the Swiss Circle Sri Lanka, the only Swiss Government accredited Swiss Club in Southern Asia.

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SPEAKER

Ms. Peck Kem Low

Chief Human Resources Officer & Advisor (Workforce Development) Singapore Public..

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Ms Low Peck Kem

Chief Human Resources Officer & Advisor (Workforce Development) Singapore Public Service Division Prime Minister’s Officer.

As the Chief HR Officer and Advisor (Workforce Development) for the Public Service Division (PSD), Prime Minister’s Office of Singapore, Peck Kem is responsible for professionalising HR in the public sector of 16 Ministries and more than 50 Statutory Boards.

She is also the twice-elected President of the Singapore Human Resources Institute (SHRI).

Prior to her current appointment at the PSD, she was the Senior Director for HR & OD for a not for profit organisation, The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) based in Geneva, where she was responsible for human resource, organisation development, legal, internal audit and corporate administration for its 15 global offices.

Peck Kem has the unique combination of experience, from quality engineer to manufacturing manager to VP human resources in the private sector (Tandon, Western Digital, Hewlett Packard, Agilent Technologies & Avago Technologies), from a Divisional Director of National HR Division in the Singapore Ministry of Manpower in the public sector, to Senior Director ODHR in GAIN, to currently Chief HR Officer for Singapore Public Service Division. This combination has widened her perceptions in the private, public and NGO sectors, and enabled her to view leadership from both the Asian and European perspectives.

Peck Kem was the first in Asia to be named CIPD Chartered Companion and was listed as a top HR influencer in Asia in 2021.

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SPEAKER

Prof. Ajantha Dharmasiri

Senior Professor in Management - Postgraduate Institute of Management.

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Prof. Ajantha Dharmasiri

Senior Professor in Management - Postgraduate Institute of Management.

Prof. Ajantha Dharmasiri has a rare combination of being a Chartered Manager, Chartered HR Professional and a Chartered Electrical Engineer. He is acclaimed as a conference speaker, corporate trainer, strategy consultant, author and an academic. He was the Director and Chairman of the Board of Management of Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM), University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka. He became the first Sri Lankan to lead both the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) – Sri Lanka Chapter and Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM). He is an Adjunct Professor at Price College of Business, University of Oklahoma.

He was the editor of the pioneering Sri Lankan Journal of Management (SLJM). Being a Commonwealth AMDISA Doctoral Fellow Fulbright Postdoctoral Fellow, and a Commonwealth Postdoctoral Fellow, he is also an independent director of several boards. Prof. Dharmasiri likes to identify himself as one who transitioned from being an “Engineer of Electrical” to an “Engineer of Hearts and Minds.”

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SPEAKER

Mr.Lakshan Madurasinghe

Regional Lead of Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability for Coca–Cola Sri Lanka Private

Mr.Lakshan Madurasinghe

Regional Lead of Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability for Coca–Cola Sri Lanka Private Ltd

Mr. Lakshan Madurasinghe counts 20 years of experience in a broad array of industries including Banking, FMCG, Construction and the International Development sector. His diverse academic background includes management, diplomacy and international relations, human resource management, psychology, and economics. He is currently employed at Coca-Cola as the Regional Lead for Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability and in this role, he provides the Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal & Bhutan businesses with functional guidance in Government Relations, Policy Advocacy, Sustainability, Community Relations, Industry representation, Communications, Media Relations and Crisis Management.

He has previously been engaged with the International Labour Organization and has consulted for UNICEF too. He is an avid promoter of decent, safe and affordable housing for all and has been closely associated with Habitat for Humanity Sri Lanka since 2009 in alleviating poverty housing across the island and from 2015 - 2018 served as the President and Chairman of the National Board of Directors. He is presently a Goodwill Ambassador of Habitat for Humanity in Sri Lanka

He is also the present President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka and has served on the Board of the AmCham since 2017. He also presently serves on the Advisory Boards of Stafford International School and AIESEC ( world’s largest youth-led organization), He is an Alumna of The University of London and also served as the International Chapter Leader for the alumni of the University in Sri Lanka for several years.

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SPEAKER

Ms. Chandi Dharmaratne


Chief People Officer - Axiata Digital Labs.

Ms. Chandi Dharmaratne

Chief People Officer - Axiata Digital Labs.

Chandi Dharmaratne, a globally renowned Human resource professional, currently serves as the Chief People Officer of Axiata Digital Labs for its operations in Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Indonesia. She specialises in transforming organizations through integrating HR into its core business and using technology to deliver best practices in order to build a talent pool that is geared to compete in any global landscape.

Chandi commenced her career in Manhattan, New York in 1995 and after over a decade in the US, she came back to Sri Lanka and joined MAS Holdings in 2001, where she was later responsible for MAS’ group learning and development function. In 2013, she joined Virtusa as the Head of HR for Sri Lanka geography. Later on she was able to play multiple roles such as, Global BU Head and Global Digital HR Head for Virtusa.

There have been multiple recognitions for her work in the IT industry as a HR professional and for her passion in building future leaders - such as being recognized in Echelon magazines New Establishment 100 list, Sri Lanka; American Alumni Association and the US Embassy of Sri Lanka – Pearl Jubilee ‘Bridge to Success Award’ for excellence in Human Resources; Asia’s most innovative HR tech leaders awarded by the Asia Pacific HRM Congress; Women Leadership Achievement Award, conferred by the World Women Leadership Congress and she was also listed in Echelon magazine’s list of 50 most Powerful Women in Sri Lanka to name a few. Chandi is also an advocate for supporting and building entrepreneurs across Sri Lanka in order to impact their respective communities, societies and in the end our nation through her role as the current Chairperson of the Lankan Angel Network.

In addition she also served on the boards of The American Chamber of Commerce, Sri Lanka; SLASSCOM (the Sri Lanka IT & KPO-BPM industry chamber) and the Association of HR Professionals, Sri Lanka to name a few.

She was also invited to serve on the Steering Committee on People Development of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and invited by ICTA to participate in an expert committee on formulation of the Digital Maturity Model for GoSL.

Chandi has an MBA and a bachelor’s degree in business administration and economics. She also attended executive education offered by the INSEAD business school.

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PANELLIST

Prof. Prasadini Gamage

Professor in HRM - Department of Human Resource Management - University of Kelaniya.

Prof. Prasadini Gamage

Professor in HRM - Department of Human Resource Management - University of Kelaniya.

Professor Prasadini Gamage is a professor in Human Resource Management and is attached to the Department of Human Resource Management of the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka. Prof. Gamage completed her Ph.D. in HRM at the Management and Science University in Malaysia following on B.Sc. (Business Administration) Special degree with first-class honors and M. Sc. (Management) degree, both from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. In addition, she is an Attorney-at-Law of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka.

She is the recipient of several awards such as the T. Sinnadore Scholarship and Weerakoon Gold medal awarded by the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, an award for the best results obtained at the Intermediate level exam of Sri Lanka Law College, and the Gold Medal in recognition of her contributions made to the HR field by the Women in Management Institute, Sri Lanka. An award in academic excellence by Management and Science University, Malaysia. And also, the Most Outstanding Researcher’s Award for the year 2015 by the University of Kelaniya

Prof. Gamage has over 30 years of teaching experience in undergraduate, postgraduate, Ph.D., and professional courses. She authored five textbooks and published more than 100 research papers in local and international journals. She presented her research work at many international and regional conferences, including Harvard, USA. She has been performing as a member of the governing council of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management, Sri Lanka. Also, an independent director of Citizen Development Finance PLC.

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PANELLIST

Mr. Murtaza Jafferjee

Chief Executive Officer and Director - JB Securities (Pvt )Ltd.

Mr. Murtaza Jafferjee

Chief Executive Officer and Director - JB Securities (Pvt )Ltd.

Mr. Murtaza Ali Jafferjee is Independent Non-Executive Director at Nations Trust Bank Ltd. and Serendib Hotels Plc.

He is also Chief Executive Officer & Director at JB Securities (Pvt )Ltd., and Managing Director at JB Financial (Pvt) Ltd.

He is on the Board of Directors at Nations Trust Bank Ltd., Serendib Hotels Plc, Star Packaging (Pvt)Ltd., CFA Sri Lanka, JB Securities (Pvt )Ltd., and So Others May See, Inc.

Mr. Jafferjee received his undergraduate degree from The University of New South Wales and a graduate degree from the University of Colombo..

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PANELLIST

Mr. Christophe Coucaud

Executive Personnel Director – Michelin Lanka Pvt Ltd.  

Mr. Christophe Coucaud

Executive Personnel Director – Michelin Lanka Pvt Ltd.

Christophe Coucaud functions as the Executive Personnel Director for Michelin Lanka (formerly Camso Loadstar) and Michelin Business Services Lanka which in total, operates 14 locations in production as well as IT/ Finance global shared service centres in Sri Lanka. Christophe who hails from France has been with Michelin, the number 1 tire company in the world, for over 29 years, with experience in Supply Chain, Finance, sales, marketing and Service du Personnel or Service for the People (HR). His early experience was in Europe, Russia but also Middle East and Africa which had given him, his wife and family of 4 children an extensive know how of different people, cultures, and countries. Christophe believes that an open mind, active listening, questioning at the right time, curiosity and giving advice with humility has served him well throughout his career at Michelin. He believes in spending quality time with colleagues, listening to employees, understanding who they are, what they wish and which development they need. Working with, achieving results with and thanks to people is his motivation. In short, to be an actor in the development of managers and people. Christophe enjoys playing rugby, spending time with family, travelling and red wine from Burgundy.

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PANELLIST

Mr. Sampath Jayasundara

Director and CEO - hSenid Business Solutions PLC. 

Mr. Sampath Jayasundara

Director and CEO - hSenid Business Solutions PLC.

With over 20 years of experience in the ICT industry, Sampath specializes in the fields of HR Technology and Human Experience. As the CEO of hSenid Business Solutions PLC, he has overlooked the operations of HR digitalization in over 1400 organizations globally across 40+ countries. His personal experiences in engaging and handling HR personals have given him a vast understanding of HR trends, requirements, domain knowledge, and the potential HR Tech has to offer.

Sampath was recently recognized as the ICT CEO of the year 2022 in Sri Lanka, & the Director of Sri Lanka Association for Software & Services Companies (SLASSCOM), the national ICT body for the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Forum and the HR Forum.

Along with his professional career, Sampath serves as a lecture panel member of leading universities in Sri Lanka in the fields of HR and ICT. He has also represented the nation as a keynote speaker at multiple international arenas, namely: Malaysia HR Forum, Kenya HR Summit, and CEBIT Australia, along with representing the country in the judging panel for Asia Pacific ICT Awards (APICTA) held in Indonesia in 2008.

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PANELLIST

Mr. Ravi Abeysuriya

Chairman - Colombo City Holdings PLC and Sherwood Capital (Pvt) Ltd

Mr. Ravi Abeysuriya

Chairman - Colombo City Holdings PLC and Sherwood Capital (Pvt) Ltd

Mr. Abeysuriya currently functions as Chairman of Colombo City Holdings PLC and Sherwood Capital (Pvt) Ltd and as an Independent Non-Executive Director of Seylan Bank PLC, HNB Assurance PLC, Bio Foods (Pvt) Ltd and Senfin Asset Management (Pvt) Ltd and Director/CEO of Senfin Securities Limited. He is also a Member of the Disciplinary Review Council (DRC) of the CFA Institute, USA and Advocacy Chair and Board Director of CFA Society Sri Lanka and the President of the Association of Alternative Financial Institutions, Sri Lanka, Co-Chair of the sector committee on Finance and Capital of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and a Council member of Sri Lanka Institute of Directors (SLID).

Formerly, he was the Head of Strategic Business Development at Hayleys Group, Managing Director of Amba Research Lanka, and Managing Director of Fitch Ratings Lanka. He also functioned as a permanent member of the Financial Sector Reforms Committee (FSRC), a Prime Ministerial Task Force appointment and was twice appointed as a commission member of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC). He was also a Director of Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation Ltd (SLIC) and was the Chairman of its Investment Committee. Mr. Abeysuriya has also functioned as a member of the Code of Conduct Review Committee (CoCRC) of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) appointed by the Monetary Board and as a member of Board Risk Oversight Committee and Financial System Stability Consultative Committee of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and as President of several finance and IT associations.

Mr. Abeysuriya is a Fellow Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, UK, Chartered Global Management Accountant, USA and a Chartered Financial Analyst, USA and has an MBA from Monash University, Australia.

Mr. Abeysuriya was named as “Lifetime Achievement” award laureate by CFA Institute, USA in 2017 for his outstanding work and dedication to the investment management profession.

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PANELLIST

Mr. Bingumal Thewarathanthri

Chief Executive Officer Sri Lanka & Head - CCIB Client Coverage.

Mr. Bingumal Thewarathanthri

Chief Executive Officer Sri Lanka & Head - CCIB Client Coverage.

Bingumal, better known as Bingu, was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank, Sri Lanka on 1 January 2019. He is the first Sri Lankan national to be appointed to the position. Apart from his role as CEO, Bingu also heads Sri Lanka’s Commercial, Corporate and Institutional Banking (CCIB) business.

Having joined Standard Chartered in July 2004, Bingu counts for more than 25 years of experience within the Banking and Finance industry. During his tenure at Standard Chartered, he has held several leadership positions in Sri Lanka and Africa.

Bingu was elected as a Board Member of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce for 2021/22 and serves as the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Banks’ Association (SLBA). He holds an MBA from the University of Wales, UK. Further, Bingu is an FCMA (Fellow Chartered Management Accountant) and a CGMA (Chartered Global Management Accountant) of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), UK.

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PANELLIST

Mr. Suren Fernando

Group Chief Executive Officer - MAS Holdings (Pvt) Ltd.

Mr. Suren Fernando

Group Chief Executive Officer - MAS Holdings (Pvt) Ltd.

Counting over 23 years with MAS, Suren was previously the Chief Transformation Officer of MAS Holdings, overseeing MAS’ 2025 transformation. He was also the CEO of MAS Intimates, the largest division of MAS Holdings. Among the many roles within the Organization, he also functioned in the capacity of Chief Operating Officer of MAS Intimates in 2014, heading operations and taking leadership in providing strategic management directives.

Suren holds a BSc. in Engineering from the University of Moratuwa and is a Fellow Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, UK. He has received extensive overseas business exposure and training, including Executive Education at Wharton Business School, University of Pennsylvania, INSEAD Business School, Ashridge Business School, Henley School of Management, University of Waikato in New Zealand, and Harvard Business School (Program for Leadership Development).

He was bestowed the Silver award for CIMA Business Manager of the Year in 2004 and adjudged winner (Gold Award) of the Chief Financial Officer of the Year, 2007, at the CIMA Janashakthi Pinnacle Awards.

Suren was an active member of several working committees of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants Sri Lanka Division, as well as other CSR Project committees, one of which earned him the Certificate of Merit awarded by HelpAge Sri Lanka.

Having joined Slimline as a Financial Accountant in 1999, Suren was a Certified Lead Auditor for ISO 9000:2000 and progressed to the role of Commercial Manager, Slimline, and subsequently to Financial Controller, prior to being promoted as the Director of Finance and Management Control for the MAS Intimates Division in 2004. He moved into a marketing role in 2011, functioning as Director - Strategic Brands. From 2014 to December 2015 he was the Chief Operating Officer of MAS Intimates.

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PANELLIST

Mr. Dilshan Wirasekara

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer First Capital Holdings PLC & Chairman Colombo Stock..

Mr. Dilshan Wirasekara

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer First Capital Holdings PLC & Chairman Colombo Stock Exchange.

Dilshan Wirasekara, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of First Capital Holdings PLC and the Chairman of the Colombo Stock Exchange is an experienced professional with a career spanning over 27 years, comprising diversified expertise in financial services including, banking, treasury and investment management, capital market strategy and corporate finance advisory services.

Having joined First Capital in 2013, Dilshan steered the Company, a full-service investment and advisory services provider in Government Securities, Corporate Finance and Advisory, Asset Management and Stock brokering complemented by an industry-leading Research unit, to establish itself as a significant contributor to the local capital market industry. He spearheaded the formation of key debt structuring deals with internationally based development financial institutions as well the signing of strategic partnerships with foreign institutions focusing on emerging markets such as Sri Lanka.

He was the former General Manager of Softlogic Capital PLC guiding investment and trading portfolio management across subsidiaries inclusive of the Group’s Licensed Finance Company, Composite Insurer and Equity Brokerage; prior to which he was the Head of Treasury at Nations Trust Bank PLC.

He specialises in Asset and Liability Risk Management having secured the accolade of leading and representing two Sri Lankan companies in winning the International Bank Asset and Liability competition organised annually by the Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO), German Investment Corporation (DEG) and Proparco – a subsidiary of the Agency Française de Development (AFD).

Dilshan Wirasekara is an Alumnus of INSEAD having successfully completed his Executive Professional Education at INSEAD Business School, Fontainebleau, France. He is also an Alumnus of the Association for Overseas Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Partnerships, Tokyo, Japan.

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PANELLIST

Mr. Anton Marcus

Joint Secretary - Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees Union.

Mr. Anton Marcus

Joint Secretary - Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees Union.

After schooling worked in a firm and dismissed due to Union Activities in 1975 Joined to the private sector union and work as a Union full timer.In 1982 Initiated a new union namely Industrial transport & General Workers Union and elected as a general Secretary In the year 2000 formed Free trade Zones Union and Elected as a joint Secretary

Year 2003 The Industrial transport & General Workers Union amalgamated with Free trade Zones Union and formed a New Union Called Free Trade Zones & General Services Employees Union and elected as a joint Secretary In the year 2007 I was one of the pioneers of newly formed Trade Union Congress and elected as Co – President

Presently I am a member of National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC) by representing the Trade Zones & General Services Employees Union

Further I am an Executive committee member of the International Textile Garment & Leather workers Federation (ITGLWF)

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PANELLIST

Mr. Vajira Ellepola

Director General - The Employers' Federation of Ceylon (EFC)

Mr. Vajira Ellepola

Director General - The Employers' Federation of Ceylon (EFC)

He is an Attorney-at-Law by profession and currently holds the position of the Director General/Chief Executive Officer of the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon (EFC). Mr Ellepola is a former State Counsel of the Attorney General’s Department and counts over twenty-five years in the bar.

He is a member of the National Labour Advisory Council Sri Lanka and leads its Employers Group and different forums at national level. Mr. Ellepola represents EFC at the International Labour Conference of the ILO, International Organization of Employers (IOE), South Asian Employers Forum (SAFE) and Confederation of Asia Pacific Employers (CAPE).

He has followed various training programmes conducted by the ILO, International Training Centre Turin, Italy (ITC -ILO) and the Association for Overseas Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Partnerships (AOTS) Japan. Mr. Ellepola is an expert in the areas of Employment/Labour Law, Industrial Relations and is a resource person of the EFC Training Centre.

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PANELLIST

Dr. Roshan Rajadurai


Managing Director - Plantations - Hayleys Group

Dr. Roshan Rajadurai

Managing Director - Plantations - Hayleys Group

Roshan Rajadurai joined the Plantation Sector in 1983 and counts over 40 years of planting experience. He was an Estates Group Manager of Hayleys, Kelani Valley Plantations in Nuwara Eliya. In 2002 he joined Kahawatta Plantations of Dilmah as General Manager and was Director CEO from 2008 to 2012. He re-joined Hayleys in 2013 as Hayleys Group Management Committee Member for Plantations Sector and is responsible for Kelani Valley, Talawakelle and Horana Plantations.

He had been the Chairman of the Planters’ Associaiton of Ceylon, Board Member of the Sri Lanka Tea Board, Tea Research Institute, Rubber Research Board, Tea Small Holdings Development Authority and the Tea Council of Sri Lanka. He is the Co-Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tea Road Map Strategy 2030. He serves in the Standing Committee on Agriculture of University Grants Commission.

He holds a B.Sc Honours in Plantation Management, an MBA and an M.Sc. In Agriculture and Plantation Crops from the Post Graduate Institute of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya. He has a Ph.D in Management and a D.Sc in Agriculture.

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PANELLIST

Mr. Shan Yahampath

Advisor to Minister on International Relations - Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment.

Mr. Shan Yahampath

Advisor to Minister on International Relations - Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment.

Shan Yahampath is an 'Expert Generalist'counting over twenty years of working experience across different industries such as telecommunication, oil & gas, plantations,leisure, investment management, and Management Consultancy.He is the founder and CEO of BrainHR (Pvt)Ltd, a boutique management consultancythat offers corporate learning and development programs and HRBPO. Shan is also the founder and CEO of Brain Business and Technologies (Pvt) Ltd, which provides services on foreign direct investments, publicprivate partnerships, and project finance

He is also an academic council member cum HR consultant/Advisor of the Australian College of Business & Technology (ACBT) since 2015 and the Consultative Sales Partner of CAMMS Australia, a leader in Strategy, project management, performance management,and governance software in the public sector in the world. He has been a faculty member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) faculty since 2009.

He is also the executive director of Freedom Analytica, an independent Think Tank promoting economic freedom, international trade, smart cities and green technologies,and entrepreneurship.

Shan holds a bachelor's degree in Marketing Management from the University of Kelaniya, a master's degree from the Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM), and is a qualified management accountant from Australia.

He was appointed as an Advisor to the incumbent Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment in May 2022, contributing to International Relations, Labour Law Reforms,digitalisation, the dignity of work, and labor market intelligence

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MODERATOR

Mr. Ken Vijayakumar

President CIPM, General Manager - A. Baur & Company (Pvt.) Ltd

Mr. Ken Vijayakumar

President CIPM, General Manager - Human Resources, Administration, Purchasing and Sustainability - A. Baur & Company (Pvt.) Ltd.

Ken Vijayakumar is currently holding the position of Deputy General Manager -Human Resources, Administration, Purchasing and Sustainability at A. Baur & Company (Pvt.) Ltd and counts over 30 years of experience in the field of Human Resources Management and General Management. Ken is known as “Peoples leader” as he has shown exemplary attitude in developing and resolving people’s issues in the state and private sectors and this is evident by the awards and accolades that he has received during his long-spanned career as a Human Resources Professional. Ken was recipient of Brandix Master Award in 2005, Aviva Leadership Excellence Award in 2007 and Aviva Change Manager Award in 2008.

Ken was instrumental to initiate much needed change management for the planation industry where he introduced the Adventure Based Experiential Learning by mixing workers, Staff and Senior Management as single to group to participate in a residential program with shared camping accommodations. Ken started his career as the Management Trainee in 1985 at Janatha Estates Development Board and thereafter, he has held managerial and senior managerial positions in Lankem (Ceylon)Ltd, Watawala plantations, Mas Holdings, Keels Plantations, Lanka Equities, Brandix, WNS/AVIVA, Delmege Forsyth and Waters Edge Ltd.

Further he has held a regional Head of HR position in Malaysia for Good hope Asia (holdings) managing diverse Human Resources from different parts of world. It is evident from the above that he has exposure to several industries such as Plantations, Apparel Manufacturing, Business Process Out-Sourcing /Knowledge Process Out-Sourcing, diversified industries, Palm Oil Refineries and Hospitality Industries.

Further Ken is also a Senior faculty member of Chartered Institute of Personnel Management since 2008. Ken has a Bachelor of Arts qualification from University of Peradeniya and Post Graduate Diploma in Management from Post Graduate institute of Management. (PIM) Ken holds membership in following Professional bodies. 1. Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Sri Lanka 2. Malaysian Institute of Human Resources Management

He is the current President of CIPM Sri Lanka and serving in the CIPM Executive Council for continuously last 6 years. Ken had a very progressive career at CIPM. Ken Joined the IPM in 2002 as a member of Young Members forum and involved in many important projects under the leadership of Past President Mr. Rohitha Amarapala and awarded associate membership in 2009. Ken was elected as the Hony. Treasurer in 2011 and as Hony. secretary in 2017 & 2018, as Hony. Treasurer in 2019 and as the Vice President from 2020 until 2022. Some of the significant contributions by Ken to IPM/CIPM are 1. Creating transparency by commencing “From secretary’s desk “monthly update to members on CIOPM activities 2. Introduced the “Great HR practices” 3. Introduced the “Protocol Manual” 4. Served as the member the CQHRM syllabus review committee. 5. Initiated the Certificate course in Reward Management 6. Initiated “CIPM Life Changer” Job Portal 7. Instrumental in making People Management Solutions as the viable income earner.

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MODERATOR

Mr. Dhammika Fernando

Past President CIPM, Director of Tropical Findings (Pvt) Ltd.

Mr. Dhammika Fernando

Past President CIPM,Director of Tropical Findings (Pvt) Ltd.

Mr. Dhammika Fernando is currently the Director of Tropical Findings (Pvt) Ltd., a Japanese multinational company operating in the FTZ Katunayake and has been working for foreign investments in the KEPZ for the past 36 years. He currently functions as the Chief Officer overseeing HR, Admin, Logistics and Finance in his company. He is a Past Chairman of the FTZMA - Free Trade Zone Manufacturers’ Association, which office he held for five consecutive years until March, 2015. He also serves as a member of the “National Labour Advisory Council” to the Minister of Labour since 2010 and as a member of the “National Wages Board” for the Apparel Trade. Currently, he is an IPM nominated Vice President of the OPA Sri Lanka and a Life Member of the OPA. Dhammika is also a Vice President of the Alumni of his Alma Mater, Maris Stella College and a member of the Alumni of the University of Moratuwa.

Dhammika completed his education at Maris Stella College Negombo; had his academic education at the University of Moratuwa in the field of Engineering; professional education at IPM Sri Lanka (NDHRM) and completed his postgraduate qualifications from the Open University. He also holds an MBA from the Open University of Sri Lanka specialising in HR.

A Corporate Member of IPM Sri Lanka since 2002, Dhammika was elected to its Governing Council in 2007 and has since served as Chairman, YMF (2008/09); Hony. Secretary, (2009/10) and as Hony. Vice President, from 2010 to 2012. During his tenure at the IPM, Dhammika chaired the International HR Conference in 2012, which is regarded as one of the most successful conferences held by the Institute.

He represented IPM Sri Lanka at the CIPD Annual Conference held in the UK, Hong Kong International HR Conference and Bangladesh HR Conference organised by the BSHRM. Prior to joining the Governing Council of the Institute, he has served in a number of standing committees of IPM including the first ever marketing committee.

He partnered Mr. Chandra Hewapaththini in introducing “The Great HR Debate” as a novel feature to the National HR Conference. In addition, he has chaired the Audit & Legal Committee, Finance and Admin Committee, Members’ Lounge Development & HR Ball Committee, and Consultancy & Training Committee for three consecutive years. He currently serves IPM Sri Lanka in the capacity of a Council Member and Co-Chairman of the External Affairs Committee and serves on the board of APFHRM (Asia Pacific Federation of Human Resource Management). He is a ‘Certified HR Auditor’ and also an IPM HR Lead Consultant.

Mr. Dhammika Fernando was awarded the “Global HR Excellence - HR Leadership Award” at the Asia Pacific HRD Congress held in 2010.

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MODERATOR

Ms. Davina Kern

Council Member CIPM, Head of Group HR - David Pieris Group

Ms. Davina Kern

Council Member CIPM, Head of Group HR - David Pieris Group

Davina possesses 25 plus years of experience out of which 21 years contributing to the field of Human Resource Management. She has served companies such as Aitken Spence & Co., MAS Holdings, McLarens Group and presently is the Head of Group HR at David Pieris Group of Companies, a renowned conglomerate in Sri Lanka. She has been instrumental in employee centralizations/ rationalizations / HR system designs & implementation / Talent Management / Competency framework development at large whilst being a HR generalist giving leadership to teams. Davina has worked with ‘Delloitte Consultancy’ India and was actively involved in a HR system design and implementation at MAS at a Group level.

Davina has been instrumental in receiving awards such as AHRP/’Great Place to Work’ /NBEA etc... for her employers.

She won the ‘HR Leaders Award – Talent Acquisition 2018’ at the National HR Conference organized by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management Sri Lanka in 2018.

Davina is a holder of an MBA from the University of Cardiff Metropolitan UK, a HND holder of the Association of Business Executives UK, NDHR by CIPM Sri Lanka. She is an Associate Member of ABE UK, an Associate Member of CIPM SL and a Member of AHRP. She is also a certified coach by the ICF and a Certified HR Auditor. She has also earned certifications in Strategic HRM by LAHES – NUS, Leadership workshops by FrancklinCovery South Asia, Assessment Centres / Job Analysis & Design respectively by SHL India & HAY Group India.

Davina is a ‘change catalyst’ who has supported her employers in managing change successfully through learning / coaching interventions.

Monarch Imperial, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

Sri Lanka

21-22 June 2023

09:00 AM - 05:00 PM

1000 + Attendees

Hurryup! few tickets are left

Limited Seats

Don't miss it

Event Schedule

# Item Time

National HR Exhibition 2023

1 Inauguration of National HR Exhibition 2023 11:00 AM

MAIN CONFERENCE

2 Registration of Participants 01:30 PM
4 The Great HR Debate 2023 02:00 PM
5 Tea Break 03:30 PM
6 Registration of Invitees 04:00 PM
7 Arrival of the Chief Guest & Keynote Speaker 04:30 PM
8 Lighting of the Oil Lamp 04:40 PM
9 National Anthem 04:45 PM
10 Welcome address by the President, CIPM 04:50 PM
11 CIPM Corporate Video 05:05 PM
12 Presentation of tokens of appreciation to Strategic Partners 05:10 PM
13 Entertainment Item 1 05:20 PM
14 Address by the Chief Guest 05:30 PM
15 Keynote Address by Mr. Rolf Blaser – Chief Executive Officer 05:40 PM
16 Entertainment Item 2 06:10 PM
17 Presentation of CIPM Lifetime Gold Award 2023 06:15 PM
18 Vote of Thanks by the Chairman NHRC – Mr. Priyankara Seneviratne 06:30 PM
19 Fellowship 06:45 PM

Basics WordPress

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Introduction to UI/UX

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WP Plugins Installation

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Basic GO Language

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Introduction to javaScript

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Business Analysis

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# Item Time

TECHNICAL SESSIONS

01 Registration of participants 08:00 AM
02 National HR Exhibition Contd. 08:30 AM
03 Overall brief on the NHRC 2023
Overall Briefing by Mr. C. Hewapattini, Member of the Technical Committee
08:55 AM
04 Technical Session 01
  • "How People Management Practices Support Business in Navigating Dire Straits"

  • Ms. Peck Kem Low
    Chief Human Resources Officer & Advisor (Workforce Development) Singapore Public Service Division Prime Minister’s Officer/ President Singapore Human Resources Institute.
    09:00 AM - 10:00 AM
    05 TEA BREAK 10:00 AM - 10:15 AM
    06 Technical Session – 2 (Panel Discussion)
  • "The Impact of the Economic Downturn on People Practices"

  • Mr. Murtaza Jafferjee – Chair - Advocata Institute.
    Mr. Dilshan Wirasekara – Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer First Capital Holdings PLC & Chairman Colombo Stock Exchange.
    Mr. Ravi Abeysuriya - Director - Senfin Securities LTD.
    Mr. Dhammika Fernando - Past President CIPM, Director of Tropical Findings (Pvt) Ltd. - Moderator.
    10:15 AM - 11:15 AM
    07 Technical Session – 3 (Panel Discussion)
  • "Mass Skilled Migration and its impact on Socio-Economic Development"

  • Research Findings presentation by Prof. Prasadini Gamage
    Senior Lecturer - Department of Human Resource Management - University of Kelaniya
    11:15 AM - 11:35 PM
    Technical Session – 3 (Panel Discussion)
  • "Mass Skilled Migration and its impact on Socio-Economic Development"

  • Mr. Bingumal Thewarathanthri - CEO - Standard Chartered Bank.
    Mr. Sampath Jayasundara - CEO - hSenid Business Solutions.
    Mr. Suren Fernando - CEO - MAS Holdings.
    Dr. Roshan Rajadurai - Managing Director - Plantations - Hayleys Group.
    Mr. Ken Vijayakumar - President CIPM, General Manager - Human Resources, Administration, Purchasing and Sustainability - A. Baur & Company (Pvt.) Ltd - Moderator.
    11:35 PM - 12:45 PM
    08 LUNCH BREAK 12:45 PM - 01:45 PM
    09 Technical Session – 4
  • "Lessons from Covid 19 that People professionals should take into the future"

  • Ms. Chandi Dharmaratne - Chief People Officer - Axiata Digital Labs
    01:45 PM - 02:45 PM
    10 Technical Session – 5
  • "Sustainable People Practices and Green Initiatives" - (Technical Session Part I)

  • Prof. Ajantha Dharmasiri
    Senior Professor in Management - Postgraduate Institute of Management.
    02:45 PM - 03:15 PM
    11 TEA BREAK 03:15 PM - 03:30 PM
    12 Technical Session – 5
  • "Sustainable People Practices and Green Initiatives" - (Technical Session Part II)

  • Mr. Lakshan Madurasinghe
    Regional Lead of Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability - Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal and Bhutan at Coca–Cola Sri Lanka Private Ltd.
    03:30 PM - 04:00 PM
    13 Technical Session – 6
  • Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) - is it a fad or an essential survival tool in an economic crisis?

  • Mr. Christophe Coucaud - Executive Director SP - Michelin Sri Lanka.
    Mr. Shan Yahampath - Advisor to Minister on International Relations - Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment.
    Mr. Vajira Ellepola - Director General - The Employers' Federation of Ceylon (EFC).
    Mr. Anton Marcus - Joint Secretary - Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees Union.
    Ms. Davina Kern - Council Member CIPM, Head of Group HR - David Pieris Group - Moderator.
    04:00 PM - 05:15 PM
    14 Wrapping up and formalities
    U.A.C. Obeyesekere - Chief Executive Officer, CIPM Sri Lanka
    05:15 PM
    # Session Speakers Time Venue
    1 Introduction to UI/UX Henry Keen 09:00 AM Hall 1
    2 Basics WordPress Jhone Doe 10:00 AM Hall 2
    3 WP Plugins Installation Margarita Rose 11:00 AM Hall 3
    4 Basic GO Language Henry Keen 12:00 PM Hall 4
    5 Introduction to javaScript Donald Pump 2:00 PM Hall 2
    6 Business Analysis Mr. Bross Le 3:00 PM Hall 3
    # Session Speakers Time Venue
    1 Basics WordPress Jhone Doe 10:00 AM Hall 2
    2 WP Plugins Installation Margarita Rose 11:00 AM Hall 3
    3 Introduction to UI/UX Henry Keen 09:00 AM Hall 1
    4 Basic GO Language Henry Keen 12:00 PM Hall 4
    5 Introduction to javaScript Donald Pump 2:00 PM Hall 2
    6 Business Analysis Mr. Bross Le 3:00 PM Hall 3
    # Session Speakers Time Venue
    1 Business Analysis Mr. Bross Le 3:00 PM Hall 3
    2 Basics WordPress Jhone Doe 10:00 AM Hall 2
    3 WP Plugins Installation Margarita Rose 11:00 AM Hall 3
    4 Basic GO Language Henry Keen 12:00 PM Hall 4
    5 Introduction to javaScript Donald Pump 2:00 PM Hall 2
    6 Introduction to UI/UX Henry Keen 09:00 AM Hall 1
    ...

    CIPM Student

    LKR17,000/-

    - Entrance
    - Free Lunch & Snacks
    - Custom Badge
    - e-Certificate

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    LKR20,000/-

    - Entrance
    - Free Lunch & Snacks
    - Custom Badge
    - e-Certificate

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    Non-Member

    LKR23,000/-

    - Entrance
    - Free Lunch & Snacks
    - Custom Badge
    - e-Certificate

    Register

    Foreign

    USD $
    200

    - Entrance
    - Free Lunch & Snacks
    - Custom Badge
    - e-Certificate

    Register

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    National HR Conference

    Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte.

    21-22 June 2023

    08:00 AM - 05:00 PM

    1000 Available Seats

    Hurryup! ...........

    Contact:- Ms. Himali

    011 2822888

    21 - 22 June, 2023

    MONARCH IMPERIAL, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte
    Sri Lanka