CIPM Sri Lanka and Maldives Association of HR Professionals to strengthen bilateral cooperation

From left: CIPM Immediate Past President Prof. Ajantha Dharmasiri, CIPM Secretary Ken Vijekumar, CIPM President Dhammika Fernando, MAHRP President Hussain Afeef and MAHRP Vice President Ahmed Ibrahim 

CIPM Sri Lanka, the nation’s leader in human resource management, and the Maldives Association of Human Resource Professionals (MAHRP) entered into an agreement to strengthen professional bilateral cooperation alongside the gala ceremony organised to celebrate the awarding of Charter Status to CIPM Sri Lanka at Waters Edge Hotel in Battaramulla recently. 

CIPM Sri Lanka President Dhammika Fernando and MAHRP President Hussain Afeef signed the Agreement on behalf of the two organisations. The primary objective of the Agreement is to facilitate member exchanges while strengthening the relationship between the two professional bodies for mutual benefit.   

Parliamentarians W.D.J. Seneviratne, Mohanlal Grero and Ranjith de Soysa together with over 500 HR professionals, CEOs of other professional institutes and companies, special invitees, officials from CIPM Sri Lanka including Immediate Past President Prof. Ajantha Dharmasiri, CEO P.G. Tennakoon, Secretary Ken Vijeykumar, members of the Executive Governing Council, members of the International Affairs Subcommittee and MAHRP Vice President Ahmed Ibrahim were present to witness the signing of the Agreement. 

“We are delighted to enter into this bilateral cooperation agreement with MAHRP which will help enhance the opportunities available for HR professionals of both countries to build and enhance their knowledge and capabilities in HRM. As countries with emerging and growing economies, it is imperative that human resource management is given due prominence in order to understand the gaps and build sufficient capacity,” said CIPM Sri Lanka President Fernando.

“As the only professional body with a rich history since its incorporation in 1959 and the recent award of the prestigious Charter Status, the national level conferences and events that we host on a regular basis such as the National HR Conference, National HR Exhibition, Great HR Quiz, Great HR Practices, Great HR Debate, Research Symposium and World HR Congress 2020 coupled with our regional and international affiliations with leading institutes such as Asia Pacific Federation of Human Resource Management (APFHRM) and World Federation of People Management Associations (WFPMA), we are confident that we have much to share with our counterparts in Maldives,” he added.

“We are delighted to enter into this mutually-beneficial bilateral cooperation agreement with CIPM Sri Lanka which has a high recognition as a leading HR professional body in the region. The Agreement is in line with our mission to serve the needs of the Maldivian HR professionals by providing the most current and comprehensive resources, and to advance the profession by promoting HR, setting professional standards and providing the know-how for the growth and development of our country. We are committed to link and connect HR professionals and practitioners locally and overseas through our signature events and membership activities,” said MAHRP President Afeef.   

CIPM was founded in 1959 and was subsequently incorporated by an Act of Parliament in 1976. CIPM is affiliated to the Asia Pacific Foundation of Human Resource Management and to the World Federation of People Management Associations. CIPM, being a professional institute is also a constituent member of the Organization of Professional Associations [OPA] Sri Lanka. 

Currently, CIPM comprises of over 1200 Professional Members who serve in both public and private organisations. It was elevated to Chartered Status by the Parliament of Sri Lanka on the 28th of September 2018 by amending the original act of establishment.