SLASSCOM has announced the appointment of Sampath Jayasundara as Chairman for the 2026/27 term.

A respected industry leader, entrepreneur and educator with over 25 years of experience across Sri Lanka’s knowledge and innovation industry, Sampath currently serves as the CEO of Peoples HR and hSenid Business Solutions PLC.

Throughout his career, he has championed digital transformation, built globally recognised technology solutions and successfully expanded Sri Lankan innovation into international markets.

Sampath has also made a significant contribution to education and talent development. As Co-founder and Director of Pioneer Institute of Business and Technology (Pvt) Ltd, he has helped create opportunities for thousands of students through internationally recognised degree and postgraduate programmes delivered in partnership with the University of Greenwich, UK.

He also lectures at several leading higher education institutions, bringing practical industry experience into the classroom and helping shape the next generation of business and technology professionals.

Sampath’s vision is centred on creating greater value for Sri Lanka’s knowledge and innovation industry by strengthening global competitiveness, developing future-ready talent, accelerating entrepreneurship and positioning the country as a destination for high-value digital services and innovation.

“Our next phase of growth will not be defined by competing on cost alone. It will be driven by innovation, intellectual property, world-class talent and globally competitive products. By embracing AI, supporting entrepreneurship and strengthening collaboration across industry, academia and government, we can position Sri Lanka as a leading knowledge and innovation hub while accelerating our journey towards becoming a USD 5 billion export industry,” he said.

A key priority during his tenure will be developing an AI-ready workforce through the SLASSCOM Academy, expanding opportunities for AI upskilling, industry-led training and the development of job-ready graduates. Working closely with universities and the University Grants Commission, SLASSCOM will also advocate for curriculum reform to embed artificial intelligence, emerging technologies and practical digital skills into higher education.

Entrepreneurship will be another strategic focus, with the launch of a flagship Entrepreneurship Development Programme designed to support founders and startups through mentorship, incubation, investor access, market readiness and global business linkages, creating stronger pathways for innovation-led businesses to scale internationally.

Supporting Sampath will be a distinguished Board for the 2026/27 term – Haridhu Abeygoonaratne Managing Director  Sim Centric Technologies, Vice Chair 1; Sanjini Munaweera Regional Head South Asia Customer Engagement Solutions, ADA, Vice Chair 2; Shanaka Fernando Managing Director/Country Head WNS Sri Lanka, Director Operations and Bimal Gunapala VP Engineering Global Frontiers Director Finance.