Marketing beyond 2025

• CIM Sri Lanka Chief Shantha Katipearachchi talks about the future of marketing

In the present context the education system in Sri Lanka has been evolving, thereby creating a demand for higher education especially for tertiary education in Sri Lanka. One of the noteworthy features of the Sri Lankan education system is ‘accessibility’ to education for all. Sri Lanka prides itself as a nation on the social progress which has been achieved in the education sector over the last several decades. Therefore it is understandable that as the leading professional body for marketing and business development in the world, CIM today is geared to be more alert, more flexible and more dynamic. Chartered Institute of Marketing Sri Lanka Chairman Shantha Katipearachchi said: “Today, marketing is being placed on the frontline of corporate strategy and it is more important than ever that marketers see over the immediate horizon to identify what may happen next and shape their organisation’s response to inevitable change. Marketing is a dynamic discipline; the business environment is constantly changing and the practice of marketing needs to respond to developments and changes in priorities. In today’s modern era of business, those who fail to change get left behind.” Katipearachchi added: “Several strategic initiatives were carried out during this year targeting students and professional members. Steps were taken to create awareness of the CIM qualification, with the Education Team organising several workshops at leading schools and universities to motivate and develop the leadership skills of students.” The institute’s priority remains to support the development of professional marketing and marketers. Many events had been conducted in the region this year to cater to the professional development of CIM members. Katipearachchi said the events hosted by CIMSL were well accepted and attracted positive participation from both members and non-members. The Chartered Institute of Marketing is the largest community of professional marketers in the world with 100 years of heritage delivering education, membership and insight offerings to the marketing and sales profession. As the world’s largest institute for professional marketers with over 35,000 members globally, CIM places great emphasis in maintaining high standards of quality and integrity and as such develops and sets standards within marketing landscapes of UK and other regional countries in which it operates. The CIM qualification is the only international qualification recognised by the Royal Charter in United Kingdom. CIM Sri Lanka is the first international branch of CIM UK and comprises the largest number of members, both professional and students, of CIM outside the UK: 1,800 student members and over 1,000 professional members respectively. The regional institute has always campaigned for greater recognition and excellence in the marketing profession in Sri Lanka through education, training and development. As the world’s leading professional marketing body, CIM is uniquely placed to be the voice, the catalyst and active participant which can help shape the future of our changing marketing profession and to address this change CIM is in the process of re-launching the brand with a focus on 2025 and it will be adapted in Sri Lanka too in the near future ensuring that marketing delivers at the centre of business growth. “I am confident that the coming year will see our position strengthen and our reputation grow even further as a world leader in marketing,” Katipearachchi stated.