IFS marks Silver Jubilee of operations in Sri Lanka; commits further investment, technology excellence

IFS Chief Digital and Information Officer, EVP Offshore Operations and IFS Sri Lanka Operations Chairman Sal Laher (third from right) at a media interaction yesterday showcasing a copy of the Daily FT front page announcing its Silver Jubilee. IFS Chief Executive Officer Darren Roos (third from left), Chief Product Officer Christian Pedersen, Chief Human Resources Officer Kate Bishop, Chief Customer Officer Mark Moffat and IFS Sri Lanka Operations Executive Vice President and COO Ranil Rajapakse were also present – Pic by Lasantha Kumara

The global cloud enterprise software company, IFS, yesterday announced its 25th anniversary celebrations of its Sri Lankan operations committing further investments and expressed confidence in continued success in technology excellence.

Since its humble beginning in 1997, with just 26 employees in a two roomed office in Colombo 03, IFS has made major investments into the workforce and community, becoming the second largest technology employer in the country.

At a time when Sri Lanka’s ICT industry was developing, IFS saw an opportunity to set up its innovation hub in the Asian region due to the country’s excellent technology talent. Sri Lanka is now an integral part of IFS’s international success, with close to 80% of global product support services and 60% of the global product development of IFS being facilitated out of Colombo.

Today, IFS Sri Lanka is a powerhouse in the local ICT industry, with over 2,200 employees, accounting for approximately 40% of IFS’s global staff. Over the last 25 years, the company has generated over 5,000 employment opportunities for Sri Lankans, helping to shape the future of many industry professionals.

IFS Chief Executive Officer Darren Roos said: “It goes without saying that our Sri Lankan team has played a critical role in providing us with the organisational support and agility we needed to achieve the growth that we have. The team’s contribution to our success and company culture is felt throughout the organisation because it supports so many of IFS’s working processes from R&D to HR, Marketing, Support and more. I am very proud of what we have achieved together and of the contribution that we are making as the second largest employer and with the IFS Foundation.”

Roos also said: “25 years is a very significant journey that we look forward to progressing as we also continue to invest in our business here. Over the past five years, our employee base in Sri Lanka has almost tripled since 2017 to over 2,200.”

IFS Sri Lanka is IFS’s most extensive R&D centre outside of Sweden and supports functions across Finance, Procurement, Marketing, Global Customer Support, Cloud Operations, Consulting, and IFS Labs. The IFS Labs operation drives innovation, value into IFS products and solutions across all industries for IFS customers worldwide. IFS Sri Lanka also manages the South Asia Customer Organisation, which offers services and support for IFS Cloud.

IFS Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Ranil Rajapakse, who is also one of the original IFS Sri Lanka employees, commented: “It is a surreal moment to reflect upon our humble start with 26 people in our Colombo office and compare it to where we are now. 25 years ago, IFS was virtually unknown in Sri Lanka, but today people recognise it as a well-respected technology big-hitter and a force to be reckoned with in the industry.”

“It has been a rich and rewarding experience to witness the company’s ascent and transformation over the last 25 years. Especially seeing the extensive growth of our employee network entering IFS as graduates, I am honoured to work alongside such an intelligent, hardworking, and driven team of professionals. I cannot wait to see what the next 25 years bring for IFS Sri Lanka,” added Rajapakse.

Recently, IFS Sri Lanka was ranked amongst the Top 100 Sri Lankan Corporates by LMD (Lanka Monthly Digest) Magazine in its 18th ‘Most Respected Entities in Sri Lanka’ edition. In addition to being honoured as one of the most respected entities, IFS has also been ranked as a top Sri Lankan business entity in Dynamism, Corporate Culture, Innovation, Management Profile, and HR/People Management lists.

IFS has also taken bold steps to improve living standards and break the poverty cycle in Sri Lanka through the IFS Foundation. The company has invested in a series of projects in partnership with local communities in remote and rural areas of the country to renovate schools and hospitals, improve access to fresh water, and create employment opportunities.

IFS develops and delivers cloud enterprise software for companies around the world who manufacture and distribute goods, build and maintain assets, and manage service-focused operations.

Within its single platform, our industry specific products are innately connected to a single data model and use embedded digital innovation so that IFS customers can be their best when it really matters to their customers – at the Moment of Service. The industry expertise of IFS people and of the growing ecosystem, together with a commitment to deliver value at every single step, has made IFS a recognised leader and the most recommended supplier in the sector. The IFS team of over 5,500 employees every day live values of agility, trustworthiness, and collaboration in how it supports over 10,000 customers.