CIO Forum 2026 celebrates top technology leaders at landmark CIO List 2025 recognition ceremony

From left: Nawaloka Hospitals Chief Information Officer Indika Balasuriya, People’s Leasing and Finance Chief Information Officer and ICT Group Head Prabath Gunasena, Kapruka Holdings Group Head of Information Technology/Chief Technology Officer Gayathri Banneheka, CSSL National CIO List 2025 Project Chair Chethana Kahandugoda, CSSL President Heshan Karunaratne, Sri Lanka Insurance Life CIO Dr. Aloka Jayawardena, Bank of Ceylon CIO Buddhika Seelanatha, and Prime Lands Chief Information Technology Officer Rasika Kodithuwakku 

The Computer Society of Sri Lanka (CSSL) reaffirmed its leadership role in shaping the country’s digital future by successfully hosting the CSSL National CIO Forum 2026 and the CIO List 2025 Recognition Ceremony at Shangri-La Colombo, bringing together Sri Lanka’s most influential technology leaders, CEOs, board members, and senior policymakers in a single high-impact national platform. 

The event, held under the theme “Connect. Protect. Intelligence.”, marked a significant milestone in the ongoing transformation of Sri Lanka’s digital economy, positioning CIOs and technology leaders at the centre of enterprise performance, governance, and innovation.

The gathering brought together more than 150 senior participants representing leading banks, telecommunications companies, diversified conglomerates, healthcare institutions, and digital-first enterprises. The strong participation reflected the growing recognition that digital leadership is now central to national competitiveness and economic resilience. CSSL, as the country’s premier professional body for ICT practitioners, used this platform to reinforce its mandate of driving national dialogue on technology leadership and enterprise transformation.

CSSL President Heshan Karunaratne emphasised that the CIO Forum has evolved beyond a professional gathering into a national-level agenda-setting platform. He stated, “Technology is no longer a support function within organisations. It is the foundation of how enterprises grow, compete, and serve society. Through the CIO Forum, CSSL is proud to lead the national conversation on how digital leadership can accelerate Sri Lanka’s economic transformation and global competitiveness.” His remarks set the tone for an evening focused on strategic leadership, innovation, and the expanding role of CIOs in shaping business outcomes.

Reinforcing this vision, CIO Forum 2026 Project Chair Ruvendra Gunasena, highlighted the importance of positioning CIOs as strategic business enablers rather than operational technology managers. 

 “The CIO Forum represents a structured effort by CSSL to elevate technology leaders into the role of business value architects. Today’s CIO is expected not only to deliver systems but to directly contribute to revenue growth, operational efficiency, risk management, and customer experience transformation.” His statement underscored CSSL’s broader ambition of redefining the leadership narrative around ICT in Sri Lanka.

A key focus of the forum was the evolving role of the CIO in the age of artificial intelligence and digital disruption. The opening panel discussion explored the theme “CIO as Business Value Architect: Converting AI and Digital Innovation into Enterprise Performance,” bringing together leading corporate executives and technology thinkers. Discussions centred around how organisations can move beyond experimentation to tangible value creation through AI, cloud integration, and data-driven decision-making.

Panelists emphasised that CIOs today are expected to bridge the gap between technology investment and measurable business outcomes. One of the corporate leaders remarked, “Technology is now directly tied to business growth. The organisations that succeed are those where CIOs are embedded in strategic decision-making rather than operating in isolation from the core business.” Another speaker highlighted the importance of customer-centric digital transformation, noting that “digital platforms have fundamentally changed how businesses engage with customers, and CIOs are now key drivers of innovation and market expansion.”

The forum also witnessed the formal unveiling of the CSSL National CIO List 2025, a prestigious recognition platform designed to honour outstanding technology leaders in Sri Lanka. The CIO List is independently evaluated based on leadership excellence, innovation impact, and measurable contribution to digital transformation over the period from 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025. Unlike traditional recognition mechanisms, the CIO List focuses on outcomes, influence, and transformation leadership rather than tenure or title alone.

CIO List Project Chair Chethana Kahandugoda explained the significance of the initiative, stating, “The CIO List is not just a recognition program; it is a benchmark for excellence in digital leadership. It identifies individuals who have successfully translated technology into strategic advantage for their organisations and contributed meaningfully to Sri Lanka’s digital evolution.” The recognition of the 2025 inductees was met with strong applause from peers and industry leaders, reflecting the credibility and growing prestige of the platform.

The second panel discussion of the evening focused on one of the most critical emerging challenges in enterprise technology: AI governance. Titled “AI Governance in Action: The CIO’s Role in Balancing Innovation, Risk and Enterprise Accountability,” the session brought together newly recognised CIOs to discuss the challenges of managing rapid AI adoption while ensuring ethical, secure, and compliant implementation.

Participants emphasised that while AI offers unprecedented opportunities for efficiency and innovation, it also introduces complex risks related to data privacy, regulatory compliance, and ethical decision-making. One panelist observed, “The challenge today is not whether we adopt AI, but how responsibly we govern it. CIOs must ensure that innovation is balanced with trust, accountability, and strong governance frameworks.” The discussion reflected a growing consensus that CIOs must play a central role in shaping enterprise-wide AI policies and risk management structures.

Adding a unique dimension to the evening, the fireside chat titled “Leadership Under Pressure: Lessons from the Cricket Field to the Boardroom” featured former Sri Lanka cricket captain Mahela Jayawardena in conversation with Snowflake’s enterprise leader Yeshas Prasad. The session drew parallels between high-performance sport and corporate leadership, offering insights into decision-making under pressure, teamwork, and resilience.

Jayawardena shared his perspective on leadership, stating, “Whether in sport or business, success depends on clarity, discipline, and trust in your team. Pressure is constant, but performance comes from preparation and calm execution.” His reflections resonated strongly with the audience, drawing connections between sporting excellence and corporate leadership principles in a rapidly changing business environment.

The event also included a formal recognition of the independent judging panel responsible for evaluating the CIO List nominations, reinforcing CSSL’s commitment to transparency, fairness, and professional integrity. The judges were acknowledged for their voluntary contribution in ensuring a rigorous and credible evaluation process, further strengthening the reputation of the CIO List as a trusted national benchmark for technology leadership.

Senior government representation at the event added further significance, highlighting the importance of collaboration between industry and policymakers in accelerating Sri Lanka’s digital economy agenda. Discussions throughout the evening emphasised the need for stronger alignment between public sector digital initiatives and private sector innovation to ensure sustainable national transformation.

The evening concluded with strong calls for continued collaboration among CIOs, enterprises, and government stakeholders to accelerate digital transformation across Sri Lanka. The forum reaffirmed that the role of technology leadership is no longer confined to enterprise boundaries but is now a critical driver of national economic progress.

The CSSL National CIO Forum 2026 and CIO List 2025 Recognition Ceremony stands as a defining moment in Sri Lanka’s ICT landscape, not only celebrating individual excellence but also reinforcing the collective vision of a digitally empowered nation. By curating and leading this national platform, CSSL has firmly established itself at the centre of Sri Lanka’s digital transformation journey, shaping the narrative of how technology leadership will drive the country’s future competitiveness, resilience, and innovation capacity.