From legacy to leadership: Agility Innovation’s bold leap into digital future

• Inside the transformative vision of COO Vasabha Bulathsinhala, the architect of Agility Innovation’s next-gen evolution

By Hiyal Biyagamage

In Sri Lanka, Agility Innovation is no stranger to transformation. With a legacy spanning over 40 years, the group has long played a foundational role in shaping the country’s technology landscape. But in an era defined by acceleration, disruption, and reinvention, legacy alone is not enough. What matters now is what you do with it.

Agility Innovation is a strategic holding company, bringing together some of Sri Lanka’s most experienced and specialised technology firms under one visionary umbrella. As a group, it represents decades of expertise and execution in sectors as varied as cloud infrastructure, AI, cybersecurity, telecommunications, and enterprise solutions. And now, it is on a mission to unify that expertise to deliver bold, next-generation digital transformation across South Asia and beyond.

Guided by Chairman Ajit Gunawardene, one of Sri Lanka’s most respected business leaders, and powered by a robust board of directors, Agility Innovation is redefining what it means to lead in the digital era. Its transformation is not about rebranding legacy; it’s about reengineering relevance. With over 650 specialised professionals across its portfolio and operations extending across mission-critical sectors like government, defence, BFSI, and enterprise, Agility Innovation is not just responding to change—it is orchestrating it.

At the helm of this operational reinvention is Vasabha Bulathsinhala, a telecom industry veteran whose leadership style is as pragmatic as it is forward-looking. With more than three decades of experience, most notably at Huawei Sri Lanka where he led the company past critical growth milestones, Bulathsinhala now serves as COO of Agility Innovation. His mission is to convert a legacy of strength into a platform for the future.

“We are not building for today. We are building for what’s coming next,” he says. “Digital transformation isn’t about installing systems; it’s about designing a future where technology, policy, and people align seamlessly.”

From holding company to strategic powerhouse

Agility Innovation’s growth is rooted in the scale and strength of its portfolio. While the Agility brand may be new to the public, the companies it comprises are anything but. The group includes industry veterans like KBSL and N-able, two of the region’s most trusted names in enterprise infrastructure and security. These companies anchor the group’s capabilities in cloud computing, cybersecurity, unified communications, and data centre management.

In software and innovation, the group boasts agile, forward-thinking firms like Just In Time (JIT) Group, Coding Legends, Enterprise Business Intelligence (EBI), and GIS Solutions, entities known for their work in AI, analytics, Web3, IoT, and spatial data technologies. From powering smart government systems to reshaping digital experiences, these companies bring real-world credibility to the Agility Innovation ecosystem.

Connectivity and talent complete the foundation. LankaCom provides high-performance broadband and managed IT services across borders, while JITRCS delivers globally deployable IT professionals to enterprises around the world. This convergence of capability enables Agility Innovation to deliver technology that is not only scalable, but immediately executable.

“It’s a model that gives us both scale and speed,” says Bulathsinhala. “And speed is non-negotiable in today’s environment. Being future-ready means being execution-ready.”

The COO’s strategic blueprint

Bulathsinhala describes his mandate as more than operational. It’s deeply personal. “Taking a legacy-driven company and turning it into a force that can revolutionise modern-day businesses with a modern outlook requires more than process. It demands vision, cohesion, and imagination.”

A cornerstone of that vision is consolidation; not just of operations, but of talent and strategy. “Consolidation for us isn’t just physical; it’s logical. It’s about bringing people, skills, and experience together in a way that creates exponential value.”

One of his first initiatives was to establish a Centre of Excellence (CoE), the strategic nucleus of the group’s innovation engine. The CoE integrates cross-functional capabilities across cloud, AI, blockchain, and cybersecurity while fast-tracking R&D and predictive analytics. “Our CoE is where technology meets execution. We’re innovating as well as ensuring that innovation is scalable, secure, and measurable.”

From transactional to transformational

Bulathsinhala is also reshaping the narrative around technology itself. “Technology isn’t a threat. It’s an enabler. And to truly enable, we must move beyond transactional activities and create engagement-driven ecosystems that empower people and institutions alike.”

He believes the shift from transactional to transformational is what will define Agility Innovation’s future. “There should be no boundaries to your imagination. When that vision is articulated with clarity and purpose, it brings immense value not just to customers, but to employees and stakeholders as well.”

“Agility Innovation as a name may be new to the market,” he adds, “but the companies within our group have long histories. This isn’t a new beginning—it’s a bold evolution of everything we’ve already built.”

That evolution includes strategic investments in regulatory-first cloud architectures and zero-trust security models. In regions like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and the UAE, where data sovereignty and compliance frameworks are growing rapidly, these capabilities are non-negotiable. “Security is no longer a backend function. It’s a core enabler of trust—and therefore of transformation.”

Building talent, scaling vision

Talent plays a foundational role in Agility Innovation’s strategy. With an 85% retention rate in a hyper-competitive tech industry, the group is focused on long-term talent development through AI-driven productivity tools, leadership incentives, and global tech acquisition hubs that feed top-tier skills directly into its operational engine.

“You can’t deliver innovation at scale unless your people are empowered to think across silos,” says Bulathsinhala. “We’re investing in people who can lead transformation, not just manage it.”

Why it matters now

The urgency behind Agility Innovation’s mission is grounded in timing. Across South Asia and beyond, governments and enterprises face growing pressure to modernise systems, protect data, and adopt automation. The region needs more than service providers. It needs strategic partners.

Agility Innovation is stepping into that role with confidence. Whether it’s deploying sovereign AI infrastructure, embedding cybersecurity into digital finance models, or rolling out intelligent infrastructure for smart cities, the company is helping shape a new digital normal.

“We’re not just following the digital wave,” Bulathsinhala says. “We’re helping define its direction.”

And with a legacy of strength, a portfolio of proven players, and a leadership team driven by purpose, Agility Innovation is doing more than adapting to the future. It’s building it.