The most-sought after People Conference of Sri Lanka was held last week on the apt theme, “Empowering people for a thriving nation”. It featured eminent speakers, elite panellists, and excellent deliberations.
I, as a former president of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM), member of the technical committee of the National HR Conference (NHRC) 2025 and also as the moderator of the first panel discussion, am indeed delighted to share its salient features with high national, regional, and global significance. Today’s column is all about it.
Overview
In fact, NHRC has been hailed as the largest HR conference in South Asia. Year on year, it has shown continuous improvement regards to the quality, relevance, and the overall experience. We deliberated on the theme, “Empowering People for a Thriving Nation” in line with the manifesto of the current government with obvious endorsement by the Sri Lankan majority. “A Thriving Nation; A beautiful Life” is the overall theme presented to us. “The social transformation Sri Lanka needs today is not a mere change of government or filling of the spaces left by the departure of a ruling group. It is a massive social transformation beyond the reformation of one or two sectors – in essence, a renaissance.”
That is how the preface to the manifesto begins. The key factor in fulfilling the promises is people. It is simply a people affair, what they do for people, with people, through people and by people. As the premier HR professional body in Sri Lanka, CIPM is geared towards reflecting and reinforcing the people factor for development. As the conference brochure stated, “The interconnection between empowered individuals and national progress is fundamental.” As it highlighted, “A thriving nation requires a robust workforce capable of addressing challenges and contributing meaningfully to society.” Human resources play a pivotal role in driving sustainable national development and prosperity.
The conference deliberated on how empowerment unlocks human potential, fostering creativity and innovation. When people are empowered, they become proactive problem-solvers, driving organisational performance and forming the backbone of economic growth. This approach promotes inclusivity, ensuring all citizens, regardless of background, can participate in and benefit from national development. Building resilience through empowerment enables the workforce to adapt to technological advancements and global challenges. An empowered population embraces innovation and sustainable practices, contributing to long-term national well-being and maintaining competitive advantage in an interconnected world.
NHRC 2025 in essence
In identifying the key focal areas of “empowering people for a thriving nation,” education and skills development, leadership cultivation, health and well-being initiatives, supportive policy frameworks, and digital transformation have been markedly featured. By investing in these areas, organisations create environments where individuals feel valued and motivated to contribute.
As CIPM expects, HR leaders should serve as catalysts for national transformation through people development. They should design and implement strategies that cultivate talent, foster innovation, and build organisational resilience. By championing empowerment initiatives, these professionals create the foundation for both individual fulfilment and collective prosperity, strengthening the social and economic fabric of the nation. Among the diverse features of NHRC 2025, technical sessions with national and global speakers appeared prominently. The participants could learn from global thought leaders sharing insights on key HR topics, trends, and practical strategies for one’s organisation.
The national HR exhibition, concurrently happening, will enhance the variety of offerings with a wide range of products and services. The “Great HR Debate” which is now a widely established sensation of the NHRC will also add energy, enthusiasm, and engagement, particularly among emerging leaders of corporates.
The participants can join discussions where HR professionals address pressing industry challenges and shape future practices. Another coveted component of NHRC was the “CIPM Lifetime Gold Award” where the well-deserving recipient was Ken Wijayakumar, a veteran in the field of HR. I, as a proud previous recipient, know very well how prestigious it is and how genuine the process associated is.
Keynote by Andrew Bryant
Sri Lankan participants were given a delight by Andrew Bryant in action. He is a renowned keynote speaker on leadership and motivation, a global authority on self-leadership, and a trusted executive coach for C-level leaders, and leadership teams worldwide. As the author of ‘Self-Leadership: How to Become a More Successful, Efficient, and Effective Leader from the Inside Out’ and ‘The New Leadership Playbook’, Andrew provides actionable strategies that empower leaders to take ownership, enhance their influence, and achieve accelerated results.
With a deep understanding of leadership in an AI-driven world, Andrew inspires audiences to embrace their humanity, cultivate resilience, and lead with confidence in times of change. His dynamic and engaging presentations equip leaders with the mindset and strategies to unleash their full potential, drive organisational transformation, and create meaningful impact. Andrew Bryant delivered a high-impact, thought-provoking keynote that left a lasting impression.
Technical sessions
A bestselling author, CEO and empathy advocate Ms. Mimi Nicklin conducted a master class on empowering people. In today’s complex global environment, human capital remains the most powerful driver of national development and economic resilience. When individuals reach their full potential, organisations flourish and nations prosper. This fundamental relationship between people empowerment and national advancement forms the cornerstone of sustainable progress.
She highlighted how people’s development yields measurable returns on investment. As research indicates organisations that prioritise employee empowerment experience higher profitability while contributing significantly to GDP growth and socioeconomic advancement. Comprehensive empowerment strategies create multiplicative effects across sectors. By developing capabilities at individual, organisational, and systemic levels, nations build interconnected ecosystems that foster innovation and sustainable development.
I was humbly happy to moderate a session titled “transformative leadership for a world-class workforce”. In today’s competitive global environment, HR leaders serve as architects of organisational excellence, shaping workforces that drive national prosperity. Transformative leadership transcends traditional management by fostering innovation, inclusivity, and resilience, the essential elements for creating globally competitive human capital. Transformative leaders catalyse innovation by challenging conventional thinking and creating environments where creative risks are welcomed.
As management pioneer Peter Drucker said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” CEO, National Savings Bank, Ms. Shashi Kandambi, Managing Director, Coca-Cola Beverages Sri Lanka, Pradip Pandey and Group CEO, Maliban Group, Ravi Jayawardena shared their valued insights during this session.
“Powering national productivity in the digital era” was the apt theme for another vibrant technical session. In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, organisations must leverage technology strategically to maximise workforce potential and drive national economic advancement. Digital transformation is no longer optional but essential for maintaining competitive advantage in the global marketplace. Strategic digital adoption creates exponential productivity gains across sectors. Artificial intelligence and advanced analytics revolutionise talent management by enabling precision matching of skills to opportunities, predictive workforce planning, and personalised development pathways.
Conrad Dias, Dr. Romesh Ranawana, Dr. Prasanth Nair were the expert panel moderated by Ms. Oshana Dias.
There was another insightful technical session designed on “diversity for creativity: strengthening social cohesion. The global marketplace demands organisations harness diverse perspectives to fuel innovation and build inclusive cultures. This session explored how strategic diversity initiatives drive creative problem solving while fostering workplace unity. Discovering how forward-thinking HR leaders transform diversity from compliance obligation to competitive advantage was deliberated.
Rajendra Theagarajah, Ms. Sabrina Esufally, Ms. Thamali Rodrigo and Shalin Balasuriya were the panellists with President CIPM, Priyantha Ranasinghe as the moderator.
“Work-Life Integration: Creating beautiful lives” was the theme assigned to another practically relevant session to most of us. In an era where workplace demands increasingly blur the boundaries between professional and personal spheres, organisations must prioritise holistic employee well-being as a strategic imperative. This session explores evidence-based approaches to creating workplaces where individuals can thrive professionally while maintaining personal fulfilment and health. Dr. Mihirini De Zoysa, and R. Ramesh Prasad shared their expertise with the moderation by Ms. Wasanthi Stephen.
“A future ready agile workforce” was another timely theme associated with the sixth technical session of NHRC 2025. As markets evolve with unprecedented speed, organisations must develop workforce strategies that combine stability with adaptability. This session explores how progressive organisations are reimagining employment models to create agile teams capable of responding to market shifts while maintaining organisational culture and performance excellence.
Rajitha Kariyawasan, Ms. Chethana Liyanage, Mayura Malagala and Prof. Pavithra Kailasapathy were the professional panellists, while Janka Kumarasinghe was the moderator.
The final technical session revolved around the theme, “global perspectives and its impact on human capital.” Dilshan Wirasekara, Dr. Samitha Perera, and Gamini Nanda Gunawardena were the panellists. It was moderated by Ms. Dulani Nissanka.
Way forward
Empowering people for a thriving nation is indeed a national need. NHRC 2025 was an engaging and energising experience generating immense insights, initiatives, and implications. I am sure over 1,200 participants gathered there will take the message to their workplaces in empowering people for thriving institutions and in turn towards a thriving nation.
