In line with its mandate to significantly uplift the standards of the human resources (HR) profession in Sri Lanka, the Association of Human Resource Professionals (AHRP) hosted its 6th Human Resources Think Tank (HRTT) under the theme of ‘HR Capabilities for Business Excellence’.
The event will took place on April 2, at Cinnamon Grand Colombo. HRTT is a cornerstone in the HR industry, facilitating invaluable discussions, networking opportunities and knowledge exchange among industry leaders and HR professionals.
Since 2019, AHRP has conducted five think tank series focusing on various pertinent topics, including creating future proof organisations focusing on engaging and retaining talent. Open to the public for the first time, this year’s event promised to be the largest, with more than 200 participants attending. AHRP President Roshan Kulasuriya officially inaugurated the proceedings.
During the event, AHRP unveiled a special report titled ‘HR Capability Study’, a result of an initiative led by AHRP to identify the critical capabilities needed by HR professionals in Sri Lanka.
With inputs and insights from 20 CEOs of Sri Lanka’s top organisations, this study focuses on core HR capabilities, which serve as the foundation for more specialised skills. The key outcomes of the report was presented by AHRP Executive Vice President and Sri Lanka Telecom Chief People Officer Chandana Wijayanama.
AHRP Vice President and Acting Head of Group and Chief People Officer of Hemas Holdings Ravi Jayasekera said; “AHRP was delighted to host this year’s HR Think Tank where we unveiled the findings of a one-of-a-kind study with the inputs and insights of 20 CEOs from Sri Lanka’s leading corporates.
The study delves into what capabilities HR practitioners must develop to be recognised as value-adding leaders in Sri Lanka’s business landscape. We were also thrilled that four CEOs who participated in the research joined us to share their insights and perspectives during a panel discussion.”
The esteemed panel comprised Jonathan Alles Managing Director/CEO of Hatton National Bank, Kasturi Chellaraja Wilson Chief Operating Officer of 5-Hour International Corporation/Non-Executive Director of Hemas Holdings, Dr. Parakrama Dissanayaka Deputy Chairman/Managing Director of Aitken Spence and Ashroff Omar Group Chief Executive Officer of Brandix. The discussion were moderated by Ravi Jayasekera.
AHRP Vice President and Chief People Officer Oshana Dias of Fortude said; “2024 marks a significant milestone as we celebrated the 5th anniversary of the inaugural HR Think Tank (HRTT). Since its inception, the collaboration between AHRP and SHRM has provided a vital platform for HR professionals to convene, exchange insights and stay abreast of the latest advancements in the global HR landscape.”
“This year, we announced the largest HRTT, which is now open to the public for the first time. As part of this momentous event, SHRM’s Nishith Upadhyaya, Executive Director Advisory for India, APAC & MENA, alongside Neha Pant, Director of Knowledge and Advisory at SHRM India, introduced the concept of AI + HR = ROI.”
A leading provider of HR, benefits, retirement and investment solutions for global clients, Mercer and Sri Lanka’s reputed performance consulting firm Sandbox, came on board as event partners for the 6th HR Think Tank. Shradhanjali Patnaik, Rewards Consulting Leader Sri Lanka Market at Mercer and Angelo De Silva, Managing Director and the Principal Consultant of Sandbox, conducted two sessions on rewards and organisational experience and development.
HRTT is a joint venture between AHRP and SHRM, the world’s largest not-for-profit HR Association. It is a member-driven catalyst for creating better workplaces where people and businesses thrive together. As the trusted authority on all things work, SHRM is the foremost expert, researcher, advocate and thought leader on issues and innovations impacting today’s evolving workplaces. With nearly 340,000 members in 180 countries, SHRM touches the lives of more than 362 million workers and their families globally.
As a milestone event in the HR calendar, AHRP’s HR Think Tank was supported by several local and global sponsors, including Gold Corporate Partners Hemas Holdings PLC, Hayleys PLC, Honor by Singer, Amoda Rathnayake Associates, MAS Holdings and Aitken Spence, Gifting Partner Thyaga, Life Insurance Partner Union Assurance and Coaching Partner Coach Masters Academy.
