Top female leaders converge today for Daily FT-Interbrand Intl. Women’s Day fest

Top female leaders from diverse industries and professions will converge today at the Daily FT-Interbrand co-hosted International Women’s Day 2022 event from 6 p.m. onwards at the Cinnamon Grand Oak Room.

11 business and professional leaders and social, gender, and environmental activists, as well as 12 designers, will share a common platform to champion this year’s International Women’s Day theme ‘#BreaktheBias: Equality today for a sustainable tomorrow’ as well as celebrate the empowerment of women.

At today’s gala event the keynote address will be one with a difference, in that 11 women leaders will speak of their ideas in breaking the bias and working towards achieving sustainability.

They are Heineken Lanka Managing Director Maud Meijboom-van Wel, Solicitor Adrika Sri Bawan, Saraii Village and Saaraketha Founder Charitha Abeyratne Hettiarachchi,  Ceylon Biscuits Ltd. Group MD Shea Wickremesinghe, Indira Cancer Trust Founder Dr. Lanka Dissanayake, Development Consultant Multi-Sector Development Solutions Ltd. Director/Activist/Former Chief Commissioner Girl Guides Sri Lanka Visakha Tillekeratne, Equal Ground Founder and Executive Director Rosanna Flamer Caldera, Uva Wellassa- Monaragala Women’s Organisation President K.C. Somalatha, SLID Women Directors Forum Deputy Chair Nadija Tambiah, MAS Intimates Manager Environmental Sustainability Dr. Kshanika Goonesekera and WNPS Youth Wing Chairperson Saineb Akbarally.

In keeping with the theme of sustainability in all aspects of life, a fashion show featuring both established as well as upcoming designers will be part of the evening’s program.

Michael Wijeysuriye, Sonali Dharmawardena, Mano Caderamanpulle, Jaishree Jayasinghe, Ruwanthi Gajadeera, Thilini Silva, Kamil Heawawitharane, Brian Kerkoven, and Umanga Kulasekara, will showcase their designs at this gala event, while designers Kavita Thulasidas and Jyoti Singh Jo Kilda, from Singapore, will also have their creations on the catwalk, with Jo Kilda featuring outfits made of Vegan Leather in keeping with the theme of Sustainability, on the catwalk.

Luxury door gifts, a cocktail hour, six-course sit-down dinner, a stellar panel of speakers, sustainable fashion show, entertainment provided by Soul Sounds, Ramya de Livera Perera, Soundarie David, and Naomi Wijemanne, with Blessie Keegal anchoring the event.

The strategic partner for this gala event will be Mastercard, while corporate sponsors are SLT Mobitel, NDB Bank PLC, Triumph Sloggi, and Supreme Flora, with the host hotel once again being the Cinnamon Grand Colombo.  

Luxury door gifts are being provided by Sothys and Triumph Sloggi, while Kavita Thulasidas by Stylemart will be giving a designer sari, Sothys a premium gift voucher, and Soraya Jewellery a pair of earrings, for the ticket draw.

For tickets call the hotline +94 76 392 1340 and +94 71 991 7711.