FITIS unveils strategic alliances with key stakeholders to create value for members

Federation of IT Industry Sri Lanka (FITIS) unveiled several strategic partnerships with key stakeholders at its Quarterly General Meeting (QGM) held recently at the HNB Auditorium with the distinguished presence of Ministry of Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure Secretary Wasantha Deshapriya as the Chief Guest. 

FITIS had called its members for this Quarterly General Meeting to educate members about above strategic alliances and to unveil the FITIS’s strategic vision for 2017. 

FITIS Chairman Wasantha Weerakoon welcoming the audience said: “FITIS was founded 25 years back and when I appointed as the Chairman last year, my biggest challenge was how to transform FITIS in to new facet as we all felt that need. We have brainstormed to realise that we need to restate our value for all stakeholders.  Then we need to create an inclusive strategy in achieving the same finally ended up with a Four Pillar Strategy which will bring FITIS and the ICT Industry to a new hype.

“Our industry is going through a massive transformation. While the same transformation is happening at the outset, associations like ours and our members are also forced to transform their business models and strategies beyond the current boundaries to be sustainable.”

The keynote speech was delivered by HNB Chief Operating Officer Dilshan Rodrigo on ‘Digital Disruption in Banking’ which gave the audience a new insight on digital banking. The main Strategic Alliance signed was Hatton National Bank as the Official Banker of FITIS. HNB Card Centre Senior Manager Roshantha Jayathunga introduced several exclusive financial packages to FITIS members which will create a huge value to FITIS membership.

FITIS signed another MoU with Charted Institute of Marketing (CIM) on collaborative efforts in order to create value for both parties, while developing their relevant industries in Sri Lanka through collaboration, co-creation, coordination, and the combination of the programs and events organised by them as a result of being an Association Partner. CIM Sri Lanka Chairman Brian Selvanayagam attended the forum representing CIM Sri Lanka. 

Deshapriya during his speech mentioned that the Ministry of Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure was pleased to work with FITIS, noting that FITIS had proved its intention to develop the industry since many years. 

The Ministry will extend the helping hands to continue these efforts. As a result, several meetings had with FITIS and the Ministry of Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure to introduce several industry development initiatives to be implemented jointly, which will generate massive value to the whole industry. The plans are ongoing and should be able to announce those programs to the industry very soon.

Infotel Digicon 2017 National ICT Exhibition to be held during 3-5 November at BMICH also officially announced to the members during the QGM. Sudath Amarasinghe, the former Chairman of Infotel 2016 Organising Committee, officially handed over the project to the FITIS Education and Training Chapter for 2017.

The most important decision taken by the members during the forum was to decide FITIS to be incorporated as a ‘Limited By Guarantee Company’ which will add more legal form to FITIS and to granting opportunity for Startup companies to become ‘Associate Members’ of FITIS at no membership fee.

“Plans are underway to create more value to startup companies and it is very important for them to be members of FITIS to enjoy those massive benefits. Hence we decided to release our entry criteria to accommodate smaller companies to become Associate members,” said Weerakoon. 

FITIS Vice Chairman Dr. Kithsiri Manchanayake, FITIS Software Chapter President Abbas Kamrudeen, FITIS Hardware Chapter President Sudath Amarasinghe, FITIS Education and Training Chapter President Upul Dassanayake, FITIS Communication Chapter President Dr. Dinesh Arunatilake and FITIS Professional Chapter President Perakum Pathirana were also present at the occasion.

More than 150 members and startup companies representing the ICT industry attended the program and FITIS facilitated a networking session at the end of the program enabling members to meet their industry peers. Dr. Manchanayake delivered the vote of thanks and requested all members to keep continuous engagement with FITIS to enjoy all the benefits which were unveiled. 

For over 25 years, the Federation of Information Technology Industry Sri Lanka (FITIS) has worked diligently to serve Sri Lanka’s ICT industry. Today, with more than 175 members representing all different segments of the industry, FITIS stands as the country’s largest ICT industry representative body and has many “firsts” and “bests” to its credit.

FITIS is the unified ICT industry association in Sri Lanka covering all sectors in the industry including hardware, software, education and training, professionals and communication. FITIS is organising several national events including the Infotel National ICT Exhibition in order to develop the ICT industry in Sri Lanka.