Business

‘Top50 Women Global Economic Forum & Top50 Global Professional & Career Women Awards 2023’

Published

3 years ago

2023/02/11

Positioning women’s business leadership at the forefront of Sri Lanka’s economic recovery, Women in Management (WIM) in collaboration with Women in Work, a partnership between the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the government of Australia, launched the ‘Top50’ Women Global Economic Forum and ‘Top50’ Global Professional & Career Women Awards 2023.

The three-day event, which is to be held from 15-17th June 2023 in Colombo, aims to open global network opportunities for Sri Lankan women, who are equipped with the potential and skills to contribute towards achieving inclusive economic growth.

This is IFC’s eighth year – fifth under the IFC-DFAT Women in Work programme – in co-hosting the awards which recognize and champion Sri Lankan women who have excelled in their careers, businesses and everyday life, inspiring others.

This year’s panel of judges will be chaired by Kasturi Chellaraja Wilson, Executive Director/Group Chief Executive Officer Hemas Holdings PLC; Dr. Mariyam Shakeela, Honorary Consul of Belgium in Maldives, former Cabinet Minister in Maldives and CEO of SIMDI; Sarah Twigg, Program Manager of Women in Work at IFC; Santosh Menon, Chairman of FCB Kl.LK; Dinesh Weerakkody, Chairman of Board of Investment of Sri Lanka; Prof. Selvaraj Oyyan Pillay, UUNIMAS Kuala Lumpur Learning Center @GIA; Dunston Pereira, CEO Private Office of HH Sheikh Ahamed bin Faisal Al Qassimi; Ngozi Oyewole, CEO of Noxie Limited and President Women in Africa; and Gowri Rajan, Director of Sun Match Company.

The nominations for the awards are open from 25th February to 25th March 2023 and can be made by visiting www.womeninmanagementawards.org.

The ‘Top50’ awards, launched in 2011 with a mere five awards, have now recognized over 580 women leaders, representing a wide array of professions such as banking and finance, hospitality, media, legal, logistics and supply chain. This year’s event also consists of a two-day forum – themed ‘Women Taking Center Stage for Economic Recovery’ – bringing in eminent local and international speakers as well as stakeholders across government, public and private sector, civil society, and international organizations to focus on the role the private sector can play in promoting gender equality and women’s business leadership.

“Every year, for over a decade, we have celebrated Sri Lankan women who have demonstrated outstanding qualities of leadership, while bringing about meaningful impact to society or economy. As the global and local economy witnesses massive upheaval, empowering women is undoubtedly the key to achieving gender equality and boosting the growth of national economies,” said Dr. Sulochana Segera, Founder/Chairperson of Women in Management. “Women are changing the world and ‘Top50’ provides women the platform to step out confidently into the limelight and bask in due recognition. This year, through the global forum, we also aim to continue the important conversations about why women should also take a center stage in Sri Lanka’s as well as global economic recovery.”

While the current economic crisis in Sri Lanka affects all people, it has far-reaching consequences for women given they are disproportionately affected during crises. Increasing women’s economic participation and promoting women’s business leadership are therefore vital in achieving a resilient and inclusive recovery.

“Through recognition of the accomplishments of women in workplaces and communities, we can help empower and inspire future generations of female leaders. In Sri Lanka, the ‘Top50’ awards is a testament to this, and it is now more relevant than ever as the country looks to emerge from crisis on the path to a resilient recovery,” said Alejandro Alvarez de la Campa, Country Manager for IFC in Sri Lanka and Maldives. “No country can afford to ignore the value of women and the benefits of gender equality to their country, economy and society.”

In the course of IFC’s 50-years of operations in Sri Lanka, WIM has been a longstanding partner. Together, IFC and WIM continue to provide skills-building and training opportunities for women in senior management, middle-management and those entrepreneurs who lead, or work in micro and small businesses in Sri Lanka. These initiatives, including the ‘Top 50’ awards, are initiated under the IFC-DFAT Women in Work program.

“Australia has a strong commitment to increasing women’s participation and enhancing women’s voice in decision making and leadership in Sri Lanka and other regions. This is the fifth year we are supporting the Top50 women in management awards. We are looking forward to celebrating exceptional Sri Lankan women leaders again this year,” said Lalita Kapur, Australian Deputy High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and Maldives.

With presence in Canada, Maldives and the United Arab Emirates, the ‘Top50′ Professional and Career Women Awards sets the stage for the award winners’ own career or business trajectory, and importantly, encourages many other aspiring Sri Lankan women from diverse backgrounds to explore new opportunities, propelling them to reach higher in their chosen field.

The nominations for the awards are open from 25th February to 25th March 2023 and can be made by visiting www.womeninmanagementawards.org.

All News Advertisement

Business

Sri Lanka betting its tourism future on cold, hard numbers

Published

6 hours ago

2025/12/8

Thilina Walpola

“From Data to Decisions” initiative jointly backed by Australia’s Market Development Facility holds its panel discussion

National Airport Exit Survey tells quite a story

Australia’s role here is strategic, not charitable

In a quiet but significant shift, Sri Lanka’s tourism sector is moving beyond traditional destination marketing and instinct-based planning. The recent launch of the “From Data to Decisions” initiative jointly backed by Australia’s Market Development Facility and the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, sent an unambiguous message: sentiment is out, statistics are in.

The initiative is anchored by a 12-month National Airport Exit Survey, a trove of data covering 16,000 travellers. The findings sketch a new traveller profile: nearly half are young (20–35), independent, and book online. Galle, Ella, and Sigiriya are the hotspots; women travellers outnumber men; and a promising 45% plan to return. This isn’t just trivia. It’s a strategic blueprint. If Sri Lanka Tourism listens, it can tailor everything from infrastructure to marketing, moving from guesswork to precision.

Tourists have a real sense of achievement after hiking the trail to Ella Rock

The keynote speaker, Deputy Minister Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe called data “a vital pillar of tourism transformation.” Yet the unspoken truth is that Sri Lanka has long relied on generic appeals -beaches, heritage, smiles. In today’s crowded market, that’s no longer enough. As SLTDA Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam noted, this partnership is about “elevating how we collect, analyse, and use data.”

Australia’s role here is strategic, not charitable. By funding research and advocating for a Tourism Satellite Account, it is helping Sri Lanka build a tourism sector that is both sustainable and measurable. Australian High Commissioner Matthew Duckworth linked this support to “global standards of environmental protection” – a clear nod to the growing demand for green travel. This isn’t just aid; it’s influence through insight.

“The real test lies ahead,” a tourism expert told The Island. “Data is only as good as the decisions it drives. Will these insights overcome bureaucratic inertia? Will marketing budgets actually follow the evidence toward younger, independent, female travellers?,” he asked.

“The comprehensive report promised for early 2026 must move swiftly from recommendation to action. In an era where destinations are discovered on Instagram and planned with algorithms, intuition alone is a high-stakes gamble. This forum made one thing clear: Sri Lanka is finally building its future on what visitors actually do – not just what we hope they’ll do. The numbers are in. Now, the industry must dare to follow them,” he said.

By Sanath Nanayakkare

Business

New ATA Chair champions Asia’s small tea farmers, unveils ambitious agenda

Published

6 hours ago

2025/12/8

Thilina Walpola

New Chairman of the Asia Tea Alliance (ATA), Nimal Udugampola

In his inaugural address as the new Chairman of the Asia Tea Alliance (ATA), Nimal Udugampola placed the region’s millions of smallholders at the core of the global tea industry’s future, asserting they are the “indispensable engine” of a sector that produces over 90% of the world’s tea.

Udugampola, who is also Chairman of Sri Lanka’s Tea Smallholdings Development Authority, used his speech at the 6th ATA Summit held in Colombo on Nov. 27 to declare that the prosperity of Asian tea is “entirely contingent” on the resilience of its small-scale farmers, who have historically been overlooked by premium global markets.

“In Sri Lanka, smallholders account for over 75% of our national production. Across Asia, millions of families maintain the quality and character of our regional teas,” he stated, accepting the chairmanship for the 2025-2027 term.

To empower this vital community, Udugampola unveiled a vision focused on Sustainability, Equity, and Digital Transformation. The strategic agenda includes:

Climate Resilience: Promoting climate-smart agriculture and regenerative farming to protect smallholdings from environmental disruption.

Digital Equity: Leveraging technology like blockchain to create farm-to-cup traceability, connecting smallholders directly with premium consumers and ensuring fair value.

Market Expansion: Driving innovation in tea products and marketing to attract younger consumers and enter non-traditional markets.

Standard Harmonization: Establishing common regional quality and sustainability standards to protect the “Asian Tea” brand and push for stable, fair pricing.

Linking the alliance’s goals to national ambition, Udugampola highlighted Sri Lanka’s target of producing 400 million kilograms of tea by 2030. He presented the country’s “Pivithuru Tea Initiative” as a model for other ATA nations, designed to achieve this through smallholder empowerment, digitalization, and aligned policy objectives.

By Sanath Nanayakkare

Business

Brandix recognised as Green Brand of Year at SLIM Awards 2025

Published

6 hours ago

2025/12/8

Thilina Walpola

Brandix has championed best practices in the sphere of sustainable manufacturing over the years

Brandix Apparel Solutions was recognised as the Green Brand of the Year at the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) Brand Excellence Awards 2025, taking home Silver, the highest award presented in the category this year.

The ‘Green Brand of the Year’ recognises the brand that drives measurable environmental impact through sustainable practices, climate-aligned goals and long-term commitment to protecting natural resources.

A pioneer in responsible apparel manufacturing for over two decades, Brandix has championed best practices in the sphere of sustainable manufacturing covering environmental, social, and governance aspects. The company built the world’s first Net Zero Carbon-certified apparel manufacturing facility (across Scope 1 and Scope 2) and meets over 60% of its energy requirement in Sri Lanka via renewable sources.

Head of ESG at Brandix, Nirmal Perera, said: “Being recognised as Green Brand of the Year is an encouraging milestone for our teams working across sustainability.”