CIPM National HR Conference 2026 Redefines HR Leadership in the AI Era

CIPM Sri Lanka, the nation’s leader in human resource management, held its flagship annual HR conference themed “The Human Edge in the Age of AI” on 14 and 15 October at the Monarch Imperial in grand style, attracting more than 1200 local and international delegates.

The first day of the conference was graced by Chief Guest – Dr Hans Wijayasuriya, Chief Advisor to the President on Digital Economy; Guest of Honour – Victor Antonypillai, Principal Country Officer – IFC; renowned international speaker, author, professor, thought partner on human capability and HR expert – Prof Dave Ulrich, who joined the conference in virtual mode; President of CIPM Sri Lanka and Conference Chair – Dr Neil Bogahalande PhD.; CEO of CIPM – U. A. C. Obeysekere; members of the CIPM Executive Council; and business and HR leaders. In his keynote address, Dr Hans Wijayasuriya observed that, unlike previous technological revolutions, AI is increasingly performing tasks once considered exclusive to human cognition and intelligence. As knowledge and intelligence become less scarce, he emphasised the need to identify and nurture what remains uniquely human—the “human edge”—to build competitive advantage in the age of AI.

A conference highlight was the Conferral of CIPM honorary membership to Prof Dave Ulrich, in recognition of his lifetime contribution to transforming HR and his profound global influence on the profession. He then addressed delegates on “Human Ingenuity in the Age of AI.”

Dhammika Fernando, a distinguished Past President of CIPM, was presented with the “Pride of CIPM” Award in recognition of his leadership, professional excellence and contribution to the Institute, as well as his appointment as High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to the Republic of Kenya and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and UN-Habitat. Wasanthi Stephen, Group Chief HR Officer of the Janashakthi Group, was named the 2026 CIPM–Baur Lifetime Gold Award winner, becoming the first woman to receive the honour since its inception. In the final of “The CIPM Great HR Debate,” Janashakthi Group emerged as champion, with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka named runner-up.

The National HR Exhibition featured 31 service providers showcasing innovative HR-related technologies throughout the two-day conference. It allowed delegates to explore cutting-edge solutions designed to enhance corporate HR operations. Exhibitor excellence was also recognised through awards for the Most Informative Stall, Most Innovative Stall, and Most Customer-Oriented Stall. The exhibition also featured an automotive section with trending vehicles on display.

The conference’s second day featured eight technical sessions led by distinguished speakers. Topics included AI leadership, strengthening the human edge, trust and deep literacy, global talent priorities, authentic leadership, and balancing technology with humanity. Speakers included Prof Harin Sellahewa, Dr Ranjan De Silva, Kul Mahay, Thushera Kawdawatta, Arpita Chakraborty and Prof Ajantha Dharmasiri.

The technical sessions featured two panel discussions. The HR Leaders Forum explored human accountability in AI-driven people decisions, with panellists Ravi Jayasekera, Wasanthi Stephen, Sahad Mukhthar and Kanishka Ranaweera, moderated by Davina Kern. The Business Leaders Forum examined how the C-suite can harness AI to drive performance without losing humanity, with panellists Dinesh Weerakkody, Damith Pallewatte, Manjula Mathews and Suren Fernando, moderated by Eng. Thusith Gunawarnasuriya.

The two-day conference concluded by equipping delegates with fresh insights and practical perspectives to help them navigate the evolving role of HR in the age of AI.

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