Sajindu Perera wins ACCA Advocacy Award for MESA

Sajindu Perera 

ACCA member Sajindu Perera, head of management information and finance integration at MAS Intimates Ltd. in Sri Lanka, has been awarded ACCA’s Advocacy Award 2021 for the MESA region.

Sajindu joins five other regional winners, who have all met the advocacy criteria aligned to ACCA’s values of integrity, innovation and inclusion, and using the benefit of their experience to help the next generation of finance professionals flourish and progress. 

From age 11, Sajindu knew she wanted to pursue a career in finance after attending her first career fair at school. During her A-level exams in Sri Lanka, she won the ‘Top in the world’ prize for accounts, which underpinned her ambition in pursuing a career in finance. And in 2013, she went on to embark on her ACCA journey at Oxford Brooks University.

Speaking of her award, Sajindu says: “I am truly honoured to receive this award and proud to be an ACCA advocate. At 25 years old, I’m most proud to be the voice of change in my community. I believe in doing the right thing, not just the popular thing, always. My own life experiences have in many ways inspired other young finance professionals to pursue their dreams. I am a voice of change, a voice of youth and a voice of tomorrow and I look forward to expanding the reach of ACCA and making a difference in people’s life, just like ACCA has done for me.”

ACCA South Asia Head Nilusha Ranasinghe said: “We are privileged to have such a strong advocate among our young ACCA members leading our advocacy agenda. Sajindu stands as a testament that there should not be any artificial barriers to be a voice of change in the community. Her approach to advocacy aligns with ACCA’s values and will harness the advocacy programme in Sri Lanka, which will also encourage more members to become a part of this community. We thank you, Sajindu for your amazing work and congratulations on winning this award.”

ACCA launched the Advocacy Awards in 2017 to recognise members who go above and beyond in expressing public support for the accountancy profession, encouraging others and embodying ACCA’s values: inclusion, integrity and innovation. These three values exemplify the unique reasons why ACCA was created in the first place, and the difference ACCA has brought to the global profession, and expresses them in a way that reflects our world today. Advocates are also members who deliver public value, display ethical professionalism and inspire others to follow in their footsteps.