The SLASSCOM Women in Tech Conference 2.0, held in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Government of Japan, was a landmark event in promoting gender equality in the IT & BPM sector. As the first-ever women in tech conference, held for the 2nd Consecutive year in Sri Lanka, it convened industry leaders, technopreneurs, advocates, and professionals to address key challenges and opportunities under the theme “Accelerating Gender Equality & Inclusivity for Economic Empowerment.”
Jehan Perinpanayagam, Chairman of SLASSCOM, opened the conference by recognizing the significant contributions of women to the IT/BPM industry and stressing their crucial role in shaping its future. He underscored the importance of leveraging women’s diverse perspectives and talents to drive innovation and emphasized the moral obligation to ensure equal opportunities and representation in the tech sector for a more inclusive industry.
Alejandro Alvarez de la Campa, IFC’s Country Manager for Sri Lanka & Maldives, reiterated IFC’s commitment in promoting women’s participation in Sri Lanka’s tech sector. Additionally, H.E. Mr. MIZUKOSHI Hideaki, Japanese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, emphasized the significance of international collaboration in fostering economic empowerment through gender equality.
Shehani Seneviratne, SLASSCOM’s Vice Chairperson 2, informed the audience about SLASSCOM’s various industry initiatives aimed at advancing women in the IT & BPM sector and emphasized SLASSCOM’s proactive efforts in addressing gender disparities and promoting inclusivity, including initiatives such as Technopreneur Scale-up Programs, Returnship Program, and Women in Tech Leadership Programs .
Annie Mathew delivered a keynote speech on “The Role of Women in Shaping the Future of AI,” exploring the significant contributions women make to the field of artificial intelligence.
Attendees found inspiration in the personal stories and career journeys of accomplished women including Tammy Barton (Founder and Director, My Budget), Ashley Coffey (CEO, Coffey & Consult), and Nevindaree Premarathne (Founder, The Makers, Global). These narratives highlighted the significance of breaking barriers, challenging stereotypes, and paving the way for future generations of female leaders.
The first panel discussion on Creating Inclusive Workspaces, moderated by Cassandra Mascarenhas, Head of Global Employer Branding at Fortude, featured Oshana Dias (Chief People Officer, Fortude), Ruwanthi Fernando (Chief Information and Process Officer, Hela Apparel Holdings PLC), Dr. Ransirini de Silva (Head, Department of Psychology & Counseling, OUSL), and Feroz Cader (Group Director, Head of Market Infrastructure Technology, LSEG). They explored strategies to foster inclusive environments where every individual is valued and empowered and set the stage for further collaboration in building inclusive workplaces in the tech industry.
The second panel, moderated by Talal Rafi, Economic Policy Consultant at the Asian Development Bank, focused on Innovation through Inclusion. Panelists Dr. Nilushi Nugara (Professor, Dept. of Biosystems Technology, University of Sri Jayewardenepura), Ide Yuri (Senior Representative, JICA Sri Lanka), Mahesha Amarasuriya (Director, Mastercard, Sri Lanka), and Annie Mathew (Director, Developer Relations, Microsoft Asia) shared insights and strategies to advance gender equality and inclusivity in the tech, entrepreneurship, and academic sectors, fostering innovation and groundbreaking solutions.
At the conclusion, a summary of the event’s proceedings and key takeaways urged attendees to commit to driving real change and fostering a more inclusive and equitable future for the tech industry within their organizations.
Other partners at the event included Fortude as the Bronze Sponsor, ZONE24x7 as the Industry Partner, IFS as the Technology Partner, Commercial Bank (Anagi) as the Banking Partner, ticket gadget as the Corporate Travel Partner and Informatics Institute of Technology as the Academic Partner.
