Unlocking Sri Lanka’s digital future: Red Hat’s role in AI, banking, open source innovation

Marshal Correia

Red Hat Vice-President and General Manager India and South Asia Marshal Correia leads an energetic team focused on providing dynamic ideas that help in expanding the customer base and profitable business growth through impressive numbers on sales charts.

He has extensive experience of over 30 years in building engineering, sales, and networks, as well as in galvanising talented groups to focus on and achieve specific goals. Impressively, Correia holds a proven track record in business development, achieving revenue growth, and establishing a market presence in the atmosphere of cutthroat competition.

His areas of expertise include talent development through mentorship and leadership, business continuity and disaster recovery planning, business acumen, and customer relationship management. With a strong and passionate approach, he focuses on finding cutting-edge and customer-centric solutions that could drive businesses to embrace the dynamically transforming, technology-intensive nature of industries. His ambition continues to balance the goals of building high-performing teams and services, as well as prioritising customer satisfaction.

In this interview with the Daily FT, Correia shares key insights to enhancing technological adoption and Red Hat’s influence on the Sri Lankan financial sector

By Janani Kandaramage

Q: What motivated Red Hat to expand its operations to the Sri Lankan market in 2005 and what are its immediate priorities in the country?

 Expanding into Sri Lanka aligns seamlessly with our focus on the South Asian region, particularly given the nation’s ambitious vision for a fully digitised economy by 2030. This 2030 initiative presents an opportunity for us to leverage our extensive experience from India and around the world to provide valuable insights to Government bodies regarding potential opportunities, strengths and threats ahead. We are committed to fostering open-source models that not only improve the technological landscape but also aids local financial institutions with day to day operations.

Other immediate priorities revolve around democratising AI by reducing infrastructure costs and enhancing security, thus making it more accessible to businesses of all sizes. We are making efforts in enhancing banking and telecommunications infrastructure to support digital transformation across the country. Through our open source model as I described earlier, we aim to foster innovation and empower organisations to build robust, cost-effective IT solutions. Ultimately, our goal is to facilitate Sri Lanka’s emergence as a global player in open sourcing by equipping local industries with cutting-edge technology and enhancing customer service through personalised digital solutions. 

Our goal is to facilitate Sri Lanka’s emergence as a global player in open source, by equipping local industries with cutting-edge technology and enhancing our customer service through personalised digital solutions

Q: As an innovation hub with a wealth of experience, how does Red Hat plan to differentiate its technologies from other providers in Sri Lanka?

 Firstly, our commitment to open source is one of our key differentiators. Open source technology refers to software or hardware whose source code or design is made publicly available for anyone to use, modify, and share. This approach promotes collaboration and transparency, allowing developers and users to contribute to the improvement of the technology. It also enables us to leverage a vast array of knowledge from global enterprises while fostering innovation through community collaboration.

Secondly, we are a platform company so our robust platform allows the development of numerous applications, providing investment protection and ensuring adaptability. We maintain a rich ecosystem, working collaboratively with hardware, cloud, and application providers, as well as local partners in Sri Lanka, including resellers and ISVs, particularly in critical areas like core banking.

We are distinct from other organisations due to our faith in collaboration and meritocracy as fundamental stepping stones to advancing technology and innovation. By integrating industry experience and a broad range of collaborative efforts made with sectors such as banking, airlines, and government-we aim to drive innovation and offer tailored solutions that meet the special needs of Sri Lanka’s digital economy. 

Businesses need to transition from traditional methods to cloud-native and open-source solutions, and achieving that requires both increased skill development and a change in mindset in Sri Lankan companies

Q: Speaking about special needs of Sri Lanka’s digital economy, what key challenges do Sri Lankan enterprises face in integrating cloud-native and open-source technologies?

 Technology itself is not always the primary challenge but rather, the key issue often lies in its adoption. Businesses need to transition from traditional methods to cloud-native and open-source solutions, and achieving that shift requires both increased skill development and a change in mindset in Sri Lankan companies.

One major hurdle is the skills gap. While younger generations quickly adapt to new technologies, enterprise-level adoption is more complex. Organisations need professionals who understand cloud architectures, containerisation, and open-source frameworks. However, Sri Lanka’s tech talent pool still lacks widespread expertise in these areas, leading to slower implementation and reliance on external consultants. Another challenge is the resistance to change. Many enterprises have long-standing legacy systems, and moving to a cloud-native model requires not only technical upgrades but also a cultural shift. Businesses must revise their workflows, security protocols, and operational strategies to fully leverage the benefits of open-source technologies. However, I believe that with greater networking opportunities and forums such as the CIO Confluence, people’s horizons will be broadened.

As technology advances, so do security threats – making it essential to integrate AI-powered solutions to enhance cybersecurity controls

Q: What strategies will Red Hat employ to educate and train Sri Lankan enterprises on open-source adoption and cloud-native technologies to bridge this gap in skills?

 At Red Hat, we have employed many programs including academia to educate and train Sri Lankan enterprises on these. Our Red Hat Training Academy, alongside our certified training partners, offers comprehensive certification programs designed to equip professionals with essential skills and knowledge. Additionally, we provide consulting services to facilitate deeper understanding and implementation of our technologies among partners. 

Q: With the rise of AI, security is becoming a major threat. How do companies like Red Hat aim to address compliance and cybersecurity risks in BFSI and what steps have been taken so far?

Security is embedded into its products, ensuring protection for mission-critical work. The company also focuses on a secure supply chain, verifying the origins of software to mitigate risks. Security is an ongoing process, requiring continuous monitoring and improvements. Red Hat also utilises AI-driven technologies to analyse security logs efficiently, as manual analysis is tedious.

We support hybrid cloud environments that allow enterprises to maintain security by enabling organisations to store sensitive data on private infrastructure. Our company meets customers where they operate, ensuring compliance with industry standards. Security measures include strong authentication protocols, AI-driven threat detection, and multi-factor authentication to name a few. As technology advances, so do security threats-making it essential to integrate AI-powered solutions to enhance cybersecurity controls. 

Q: How does Red Hat plan to contribute to Sri Lanka’s vision of a digital economy in the coming years via innovation and emerging technologies?

We recognise that a robust banking system is directly correlated to GDP growth. Hence, Red Hat plans to contribute significantly to Sri Lanka’s digital economy by focusing on the critical role of the banking sector in driving inclusive financial growth. The pandemic sped the need for modernisation, pushing organisations to adopt digital solutions quickly. With our expertise in digitalisation, we aim to support Sri Lanka’s initiatives in developing essential skills, enhancing citizen services through connected government, and leveraging AI as a transformative technology. As AI emerges as a key enabler for innovation, similar to past technological revolutions, we see immense synergy in collaborating with local enterprises to foster an inclusive, responsible, and digital future for Sri Lanka.