SLIM hosts HR Forum to strengthen marketing and HR linkage

Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM), the national body for marketing, organised an HR Forum with the participation of over 50 HR personnel representing some of the biggest companies in Sri Lanka.

The HR Forum provided the perfect platform for SLIM to present its stellar portfolio of pioneering educational products, world class training and development programs and premier national level events to some of the most influential personalities in the corporate sector. The main aim of this was to help these decision makers understand the long term benefits that their companies could gain through the products and services of SLIM.

The event took place at The Kingsbury Hotel and was attended by SLIM Vice President Elangovan Karthik, SLIM Secretary Pradeep Edward, SLIM CEO/Executive Director Sanath Senanayake, along with the Executive Committee, the Council and the staff of SLIM.

Samitha Perera, Past President of the Institute of Personnel Management (IPM) in 2013-2014 and Director/CEO of CBL Foods International, was a guest speaker at the Forum. He has also been lauded for the many achievements in the fields of organisational development, business excellence and manufacturing management. He is also a recipient of the prestigious Indira Gold Medal for outstanding professional in 2010, among his many other awards.

He has played key management roles in several multi-national companies for two decades and spoke about the relevance of marketing for HR. 

“The HR division can no longer work in silos as it is indelibly connected with other divisions. Ultimately, all activities need to be focused on meeting customer expectations and HR should always base recruitment decisions with an eye on the needs of customers. Every HR professional is a marketer because both marketing and HR are about attracting people by enhancing the appeal of your product or service. In HR the product is the employer or the company itself and proper marketing will help to attract the best talent to the company,” he said. 

SLIM Past President Tilan Wijeyesekera was another guest speaker at the HR Forum. He was the winner of the coveted ‘Marketing Professional of the Year’ award at the World Marketing Excellence Awards in 2014 and most recently, was awarded the Brand Leadership award at the Golden Globe Tiger Awards 2015. Echelon Magazine named him in its Top 40 Under 40 list for two consecutive years in 2012/13 and 2013/14 and he spoke about the quality of SLIM qualifications in his address.

“Having your employees enrol in SLIM programs will be an investment which pays rich dividends in the future. The Board of Study and Education Reforms Committee of SLIM ensure that SLIM educational products are regularly updated to reflect the latest trends in marketing and are filled with contemporary relevance. SLIM qualifications are also designed to produce diplomats who have the ability to apply their knowledge to practical situations. All these factors will ultimately benefit your organisation as a highly qualified and competent workforce can ignite rapid business growth,” he said. 

Delivering the welcome address, SLIM VP Education Elangovan Karthik spoke about marketing in Sri Lanka and the benefits of maintaining a close link with HR.

“I see a great synergistic potential between the fields of HR and Marketing in Sri Lanka. HR heads are starting to appreciate the value addition made to their organisations by employees who possess marketing qualifications. Therefore, we see them being utilised in other areas beyond marketing, which is an encouraging development for the growth of the marketing field.” Delivering the vote of thanks, SLIM Secretary Pradeep Edward elaborated on the idea behind organising the HR Forum. 

“We wanted to create a space where all those who take recruitment decisions in companies could be brought together. The main aim of this initiative was to enlighten you about the opportunities available to your employees at SLIM and I thank you for being a part of this forum and contributing to its success.”

The emerging trends in HR and the growth of the field in Sri Lanka were discussed at the forum as well. The fellowship at the conclusion of the event offered many networking opportunities for the participants.

Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing has been promoting marketing excellence in Sri Lanka since 1970. It is a member of the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka (NCCSL) and the Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL). Internationally it is affiliated with ESOMAR, the Federation of Marketing Research Industries and is a member of the Asia Marketing Federation (AMF), which is affiliated to the World Marketing Association (WMA).