Brandix Group’s Ashanthi Fernando wins international HR Leadership Award

The Brandix Group’s leadership in the field of human resources development once again received international acknowledgement when Ashanthi Fernando, Head of Group HR Operations, was conferred an HR Leadership Award at the recently concluded Global HR Excellence Awards 2011-2012 in Mumbai, India.

These awards are presented annually by the World HRD Congress and are aimed at recognising contributions and leadership in the sphere while benchmarking talent management and HR practices globally.

In addition to the award, Fernando was invited to speak at the Congress and to conduct a master class on ‘Talent Management: Development and Retention in the New World Economy’.

This year’s conference was attended by more than 600 delegates from 119 countries.

“In an industry as labour-intensive and quality-driven as apparel manufacture, human resources are a mission-critical asset,” said Ishan Dantanarayana, Chief People Officer (CPO) of the Brandix Group. “Awards such as the one won by Ashanthi underline the focussed efforts within Brandix to continuously improve talent management and attract high-calibre new recruits. We are indeed delighted at her achievement, which is not only a recognition of her but of the Brandix Group as well.”

The World HRD Congress brings together global personalities to an executive-level retreat at which participants review evolving trends in HRM that could change their paradigms on leading people at work. The theme of the conference this year was ‘Survive & Thrive – HR Leadership & Challenges in the coming years’.

This is the second prestigious international award received by Brandix for HRM practices in the past eight months. In July 2011, the Group was adjudged Asia’s Best Employer Brand’ by the Employer Branding Institute together with the World HRD Congress and the Stars of the Industry Group at the 2011 CMO Asia Awards for Excellence in Branding and Marketing in Singapore.

The pioneer of the concept of ‘total solutions’ in Sri Lanka’s apparel sector, the Brandix Group is supported by 38 manufacturing locations in Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh.

 The Group provides direct employment to more than 40,000 people, and offers indirect employment to an equivalent number. Recent initiatives to reinforce the Group’s standing as an employer of choice include engagement with academia and support to universities to develop programs that will lead to a more skilled workforce.