CMI Sri Lanka Chapter appoints first female President

Seated from left: Assistant Secretary Chaya Ranaweera, Secretary Ninesh Amirthiah, First Vice President Chaminda De Silva, President Kamaya Perera, Immediate Past President Prof. Ajantha Dharmasiri, 2nd Vice President Dr. Thesara Jayawardane, Treasurer Rishantha Mendis and Assistant Treasurer Graeme La Brooy. Standing from left Ex-Co members Ravi Jayawardena, Farhaz Farouk and Dr. Jagath Peiris

The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) Sri Lanka Chapter has announced the appointment of Kamaya Perera as its new President during its 23rd Annual General Meeting held recently. 

Kamaya Perera, a distinguished leader in the management field, assumes this pivotal role as the first female President of the CMI Sri Lanka Chapter with a steadfast commitment to advancing professional standards and fostering leadership excellence across Sri Lanka.

The Chief Guest at the AGM the Deputy British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Lisa Whanstall in her address underscored the strong educational and professional ties between Sri Lanka and the UK, applauding organisations like CMI for enhancing bilateral relations through education and skill development initiatives.

Speaking at the event, CMI UK CEO Ann Francke congratulated the outgoing President, Professor Ajantha Dharmasiri, for his exemplary leadership of the Sri Lankan Chapter and the engagement of the Sri Lanka Regional Board. “I am particularly pleased to see Sri Lanka’s active contribution to the Asia Pacific Leadership and for sharing their knowledge across their colleagues in the Asia Pacific. This pan-regional engagement strengthens CMI, and I also thank you for your contributions to our growing Asia Pacific Knowledge and Insights Hub,” she said.

The Guest Speaker for the evening, CMI UK International Regional Board Senior Manager Jamil Karkach extended gratitude to the outgoing members of the Executive Committee of the Sri Lanka Branch for the Administrative Year 2023/2024 under the leadership of President Professor Ajantha Dharmasiri. He acknowledged their dedicated contributions and Sri Lanka’s pivotal role in sharing knowledge and experience globally through the ‘Management Minute’ video series and joint APAC events.

The outgoing President, Prof. Ajantha Dharmasiri, provided a retrospective overview of the Chapter’s achievements in the past year, highlighting successful initiatives such as the SAQS peer reviews and the Innovative Management Movie Night. He commended the Chapter’s growth in membership across various categories, reflecting its expanding influence in the management community.

Another highlight of the evening was the recognition of Manunatha Amaratunga (Fellow) and Antony Yohan Lawrence (Associate Member) for completing 25 years of CMI Membership. 

The new committee members for the Administrative Year 2024/2025 were announced a follows: Kamaya Perera – President (Fellow), Chaminda De Silva – 1st Vice President (Chartered Member), Dr. Thesara Jayawardane – 2nd Vice President (Chartered Fellow), Ninesh Amirthiah –Secretary (Fellow), Rishantha Mendis – Treasurer (Member), Chaya Ranaweera – Assistant Secretary (Member), Graeme La Brooy – Assistant Treasurer (Fellow), Ravi Jayawardena, Dr. Jagath Peiris (Chartered Fellow) and Farhaz Farouk (Fellow) as committee members. Professor Ajantha Dharmasiri (Chartered Fellow) would continue as the Immediate Past President.

In her inaugural address, Kamaya Perera expressed her profound gratitude for the opportunity to lead the CMI Sri Lanka Chapter and outlined her vision for the future. She emphasised the importance of embracing digital transformation, promoting innovation, and upholding ethical standards in management practices.

“I am deeply honoured to serve as President of the CMI Sri Lanka Chapter,” said Kamaya. “Our mission to elevate management and leadership standards is crucial in today’s dynamic business environment.”

Kamaya concluded her address by reaffirming her commitment to fostering inclusivity, promoting innovation, and driving impactful leadership within the CMI Sri Lanka Chapter. She expressed optimism about the Chapter’s future under her leadership and called for unity and collaboration among members to address emerging challenges.

The CMI Sri Lanka Chapter looks forward to a productive year ahead under the guidance of Kamaya, dedicated to advancing management excellence and leadership development across Sri Lanka.