The Sri Lanka Institute of Directors (SLID) recently concluded Sri Lanka’s first ever International Director Conference. The event was held under the theme ‘The Courage To be Bold’ and was designed to inspire leaders to take on challenges in the ever-evolving corporate landscape and provide them with essential tools to charge their growth trajectories upward.

The groundbreaking event offered participants an opportunity to gain insightful knowledge and take in incredible success stories of over 25 experts from various industries, whose boldness, resilience and innovativeness helped them excel in a challenging and constantly evolving local and global landscape.

Mr. Hanif Yoosuf, Co- Founder of Expo Lanka Holdings and the Governor of the Western Province was the keynote speaker at the conference. Mr. Yoosuf delivered an unscripted address giving a rare treat to the audience of personal anecdotes including advice bestowed upon him by his mother when he was quite young. He went on to say, “The courage to be bold, is the courage to stand up and move forward.”

The conference consisted of four in-depth and highly focussed technical sessions which covered key areas including business growth, digital transformation, sustainability, and governance. Each session was highly engaging and provided attendees with valuable insights and knowledge.

The first session of the event focussed on the topic, Business Growth: Thriving in the Global Market. This session allowed attendees to explore and understand a variety of strategies for navigating complex global markets and how to maximize opportunities for global and regional growth. The session focused on the future economic landscape and highlighted the relationship between economic growth, trade and geopolitical challenges.

The second session covered was titled “Digital Horizons: Venturing into New Frontiers”. This provided Directors with invaluable knowledge on the integration of digital strategies into operations to help ensure long-term sustainability. The session showcased how digital transformation is currently reshaping businesses and highlighted many ways that companies can leverage technology such as data analytics and automation.

The third session featured the topic “Sustaining Success: Green Strategies for the Future”. The session covered the utilisation of green strategies in businesses to meet market demands, regulatory standards and drive innovation for a sustainable future. It highlighted the importance of sustainability in modern business practices.

The fourth and final session was an engaging fireside discussion that covered the topic “Ethics & Leadership: A Fireside Chat on Strategic Governance”. The session featured a panel of business leaders from a variety of fields who discussed how ethical considerations can help drive long-term success, improve risk management and align with the increasing demands of corporate transparency.

Mr. Chanitha Rathnayake, Director of a reputed company in the construction industry, who participated in the conference stated, “I wish to express my sincere appreciation for the successful organization of the conference. All four sessions were informative and engaging. The diverse composition of the panels, comprised of experts from various backgrounds, was an excellent approach. I was particularly impressed by the first session on navigating and growing in the global market amidst the economic crisis. The insights shared were invaluable, especially in today's challenging economic climate. Additionally, the last session on ethics provided a refreshing perspective, particularly for someone from the construction industry. Thank you once again for organizing such a well-planned and insightful conference.”

This landmark event offered Directors and leaders an unparalleled opportunity to learn and gain inspiring and actionable knowledge from industry pioneers helping them lead their organizations boldly into the world, into the future.

The Sri Lanka Institute of Directors (SLID) is an organization focused on empowering today’s Directors with insights and skills to take on their roles with confidence while preparing a new generation of Boardroom Leaders for the challenges of tomorrow. In existence for over 25 years, SLID is at the forefront of corporate governance, elevating boardroom excellence through its 1000 strong membership of business leaders representing private and public sector organizations.

Image caption - Aroshi Nanayakkara - Chairperson SLID addressing the gathering.