CMA conference on digitisation: Lessons from entrepreneurs and government departments

Digital Transformation: For several years now, it has been recognised as an imperative for business. Those slow to adapt are facing the prospect of a generation of customers for whom a digital and connected world is the norm, the alternative unthinkable. The potential applications of technology, however, are far from limited to business; it holds the power to transform societies and nations. At the National Management Accounting Conference 2017, hosted by the Institute of Certified Management of Accountants of Sri Lanka on 17-19 July, this potential takes centre-stage.

The two days of technical sessions will address the varied implications of ‘digitisation’ for professionals, businesses, and the nation as a whole. From the need for individuals to prepare and educate themselves for inevitable change in how business must be done, to what it means for governments operating in a global context, experts will consider the very real, practical applications of digitisation and their impact.

The possibilities offered by digitising government processes, studies have shown, are tremendous. Not only can governments and citizens benefit from better interaction with each other, but rather than draining resources, government digitisation has the potential to generate over $1 trillion annually, worldwide.

Sri Lanka’s steps toward this goal earned it the number one ranking within South Asia in the UN e-Government Readiness Index in 2014. Department of Inland Revenue Deputy Commissioner General J.P.D.R. Jayasekara will reveal the results of some of these steps, such as the Revenue Administration and Management Information System (RAMIS) aimed at creating efficiency and building transparency. He will also shed light on other initiatives, and the challenges of implementation. 

One such challenge is globalisation – while essential, it is no longer enough to ensure that systems work seamlessly only within the nation’s borders. Interagency coordination across the globe, especially in instances which foster economic growth such as immigration and emigration, is today’s requirement. Department of Immigration and Emigration Controller General M.N. Ranasinghe will offer the insight afforded by his decades of experience in the Immigration and Emigration Department where digitalisation has now enabled the issue of passports within a day and for others within a couple of days and public administration, into what it takes to successfully redefine and implement vital new processes and technology on a national scale.

Economies too, are transforming, creating the need for regulation and for new ways of addressing businesses’ needs as well as consumers’. The panellists will share their know-how on thinking innovatively to meet these challenges. Mobitel Ltd. Head of Mobile Money Kalhara Gamage will impart lessons from his experience in developing comprehensive mobile financial services offerings that serve today’s consumer effectively. This includes the requirements for developing an ecosystem amongst retailers and merchants, banking establishments and the government. From Kapruka Founder and CEO Dulith Herath, the audience will glean how innovation and technology-based business models can be deployed successfully. An advocate for improved government policies on tech startups and intellectual property, his contribution to the ecommerce ecosystem in Sri Lanka has been noteworthy and recognised with both local and international awards. Another entrepreneur who saw the technological possibilities, and captured a waiting market in the island, PickMe CEO Jiffry Zulfer, has a history of ‘technopreneurship’, with 16 years of founding and successfully running several technology-based ventures.

How businesses and people communicate has been revolutionised too, with print media being indisputably affected by the shift to digital. Wijeya Newspapers Head of Marketing – Content and Digital Media Umair Wolid will weigh in on this, using his expertise in Digital Marketing, Digital Advertising, and Social Media to clarify what is in store for the world of news. Despite its more recent advent, even electronic media must adjust or lose viewership. How are Sri Lanka’s television and news organisations coping? The Capital Maharaja Organization Group Director Chevaan Daniel will put that in perspective. A Fulbright Scholar, he brings to the table, in addition to his academic background in economics and political science, an inside view from a US media giant. 

Eliciting timely insights from panellists with diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise, the moderator of the discussion, ‘Digitisation: Practical Applications’, is himself immersed in the field, as past Chairman of the country’s apex body for IT/BPM, the Sri Lanka Association of Software and Service Companies (SLASSCOM). 99X Technology Ltd. Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder Mano Sekaram will bring to bear his experience from years on the front-lines of the technological revolution, to tie together perspectives from public sector officials, award winning entrepreneurs, financial services experts and specialists in media. Together, they will reveal the depth of change required and what steps can be taken to realise the potential that awaits.

Take a step toward a more comprehensive understanding of the inescapable digital revolution transforming the world. To register or obtain more information, please email [email protected] or contact Shanthi on 071 470 5536.