IPM Past President and Fellow Lalith Wijetunge OPA’s President-Elect for 2016/17

IPM Sri Lanka – the nation’s leader in human resources management – announced that their Past President and Fellow Member Lalith A.P. Wijetunga, has been elected as the President-Elect of The Organization of Professional Associations of Sri Lanka (OPA) for the year 2016/17 at the recently concluded Annual General Meeting. The President-Elect will work under the current President of the OPA during the year 2016/17 and will automatically become its President in 2017/18.  

“We are delighted that a Fellow Member and Past President of IPM Sri Lanka and an experienced HR professional of the calibre of  Lalith Wijethunge has been entrusted with the all-important  task of guiding and leading the OPA during the year 2017/18,” said IPM Sri Lanka President Prof. Ajantha Dharmasiri. 

“We are confident that his background in human resources management, corporate experience, international exposure and professionalism will hold him in good staid as he steers the OPA in supporting Sri Lanka’s professionals and be their voice on important issues and challenges ahead,” he added. 

Lalith Wijetunga was at the helm of the IPM Sri Lanka as its president for three consecutive years from 2007/2010 helping to transform it to a vibrant and dynamic professional body whilst bringing human resources to the forefront of the corporate world. He has represented IPM Sri Lanka at several international forums and conferences in various parts of the world including in the United Kingdom. Wijetunge has served as a Vice President of the Asia Pacific Federation of Human Resources Management (APFHRM), the professional body of human resources and people management associations representing countries in the Asia Pacific region including Australia, New Zealand and all other Asian countries. 

In recognition of his outstanding contribution to the HR profession in Sri Lanka and internationally, he has been awarded the ‘International Pride of HR Profession Award’ at the Asia Pacific HR Congress 2009 held in India and the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award in HR’ at the Asia’s Best Employer Brand Awards 2012 held in Singapore. Wijetunga was also presented with the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award in HR’ at the Global HR Awards 2013 held in Mumbai, India. 

He is currently serving as the Consultant for Human Resources and Administration at Dutch Lanka Trailer Manufacturers Ltd. – a well reputed BOI company. He has also served many reputed companies in the private and public sectors such as SLT Human Capital Solutions Ltd., Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd. (Lake House), Ceylon Leather Products Ltd. and Korea Ceylon Footwear Manufacturing Ltd. as Head of Human Resources. 

A Life Member of the OPA, Wijetunge served as its Vice President for seven consecutive years since 2009 and has chaired the ‘Membership Committee’ of the OPA continuously for the last six years. He is a Fellow Member of the Institute of Training and Development and the Institute of Professional Managers of Sri Lanka. Wijethunga is also a Member of the Institute of Management, UK and the Institute of Management Services, UK. 

Established in 1974 mooting the idea of a joint professional body to cater to the country’s growing need of professional opinions, the OPA is the apex body of Professional Associations in Sri Lanka consisting of 47 Associations with a total individual membership of over 50,000 professionals representing over 30 professions. The OPA provides an important service to the professional fraternity as well as civil society in Sri Lanka providing a platform for the discussion of issues and topics of national importance thereby helping the formulation of a coherent national policy framework. 

OPA conducts seminars, workshops, lectures and conferences for members as well as for the general public on a regular basis to create awareness of important topics as well as national issues with the participation of eminent speakers as resource persons. 

IPM Sri Lanka keeps pace with the new trends and concepts in HR by engaging continuously with the business community to share experiences, thoughts and insights in order to enrich and enhance the HR profession. It actively encourages and promotes members’ participation at international conferences and forums to provide exposure, build networks and conduct research into areas of interest to the HR profession in Sri Lanka.

IPM was founded in 1959 and was subsequently incorporated by an Act of Parliament in 1976. IPM is affiliated to the Asia Pacific Foundation of Human Resources Management and also to the World Federation of People Management Association. IPM, being a professional institute is also a constituent member of the Organization of Professional Associations (OPA) Sri Lanka. Currently IPM comprises of over 900 Professional Members who serve in both public and private organisations.