CPM Intl. Management Conference to focus on ‘Current Disruptions and Implications for Business’

Dr. Clare Rigg

Dr. Ravi Fernando

Dr. Samantha Rathnayake

Prof. L.R. Watawala

Phillip Latka

Prof. Amit Karna

Prof. Dr. Ali Khatibi

S. Renganathan

CPM Sri Lanka set the tone unveiling its ambitious speakers and panellists line-up from diverse countries for this year’s International Management Conference. The conference is a much-awaited event in the Institute’s calendar which will focus on ‘Current Disruptions and Implications for Business: Managing & Leading’. 

The conference will conduct virtually in line with health precautions of the current ‘new normal’ situation. However, over 800 participants from Sri Lanka and overseas will connect this conference which consists of two technical sessions on 23 and 24 February 2022 from 2 to 5 p.m. on both days via Zoom and participants can access the conference free of charge.

It is apparent that there is a profuse attention to curtailing the spread of COVID-19 and economic downturn. We need to shed light on a wide array of human activities from households to the corporate sphere. Management professionals, thinkers and academics need to come forward and address some of the key thematic areas that need to be pondered since they offer useful considerations for both managers as well as leaders to realign their activities. We need more and more leaders who see the big picture through what appears to be inchoate notions. 

COVID-19 is a transitional as well as a transformational testing imperative for us to learn fast and lead appropriately. Locally and globally acclaimed speakers and panellists who will be discussing these matters at both technical sessions. As a premier professional management body in Sri Lanka, The Institute of Chartered Professional Managers of Sri Lanka (CPM Sri Lanka) assure the best value to the participants. 

The conference will therefore target management experts, scholars, practicing managers, business leaders, policy administrators and other academics from diverse countries on a platform to discuss various connected issues and share their research findings. In addition to the members of the Institute, the conference will have participants from Universities, Management Institutes and Business Schools of SAARC Countries. 

The first day will kick off with the welcome address of CPM Sri Lanka Founder and President Prof. Lakshman R. Watawala. A banking veteran, Commercial Bank PLC Managing Director/CEO S. Renganathan will be delivered an inspiring keynote speech on ‘Current Disruptions and Implications for Business: Managing & Leading’ which followed by two panel speeches of University of Liverpool, UK Senior Lecturer and Director of Studies Dr. Clare Rigg on ‘Relearning of Fundamentals in ‘New Normal’ and Retrospection for Future’ and INSEAD Business School (Social Innovation Centre) France Executive in Residence and Global Strategic Corporate Sustainability Ltd. CEO Dr. Ravi Fernando on ‘21st Century Board Leadership Model and the Health Emergency’. 

The panel discussion of the first day will be moderated by Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Chief Economist Shiran Fernando and the panel will comprise five learned panellists. Sri Lanka Export Development Board Chairman Suresh De Mel, IBA Bangladesh Director Dr. Syed Ferhat Anwar, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) Pakistan Professor Prof. Jawad Syed, John Keells Holdings PLC Executive Vice President/Group CIO Dr. Ramesh Shanmuganathan and entrepreneur, fitness fanatic and award-winning marketing specialist Nayomi Handunnetti who will give an in-depth overview according to the theme.

Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) Professor of Strategy and Chairperson of Placements Prof. Amit Karna will steer the second day session delivering keynote speech on ‘Current Disruptions and Implications for Business: Managing & Leading’. Subsequently MYbrainwave Ltd. Australia Head of International Development Phillip Latka will deliver his panel speech on ‘Strategic Leadership Agenda for Economic Revival and Thriving: Innovation Perspectives’ and Prof. Dr. Ali Khatibi, Senior Vice President, Post Graduate, Business & Social Science, Management & Science University, Malaysia will speak on ‘Strategic Leadership Agenda for Economic Revival and Thriving: Leadership Priorities’.

Entrepreneur, strategy consultant, associate professor in business and board director Dr. Nirmal De Silva will moderate the panel discussion and DSI Samson Group Emeritus Chairman Dr. Kulathunga Rajapakse, Star Garments Group Executive Vice President Sharmalee De Alwis, REVA University, Bangalore, India Assistant Professor Prof. Bharti Ayer, Geo Explore Foundation Chairman Dr. Dinesh Watawana and IndSearch India Honorary Director General Prof. Dr. Ashok Joshi will join as the panellists of the session.

Both days will be ended up with Summing-Up Speeches, a unique feature of the CPM conference which encouraging the essence of all speeches and panel discussion will be delivered by Dr. Samantha Rathnayake, Head of Technical Sessions of the Conference and Governing Council Member of CPM Sri Lanka, Faculty Member/Management Consultant, Postgraduate Institute of Management, University of Sri Jayewardenepura. 

CPM Sri Lanka invites all those who wish to visit this valuable conference. Any interested parties or corporates for bulk nominations can reach CPM Sri Lanka secretariat via 0112590995 or email [email protected] for the prior registration (web:www.cpmsrilanka.org).