Colombo — October 10, 2025: Sysco LABS Sri Lanka hosted the inaugural ‘Sysco LABS Dialogues – Academia, Policy & Industry in ICT’, a strategic panel bringing together leading figures from academia, government, and the private sector to explore how public–private collaboration can accelerate Sri Lanka’s transformation into a global information and communications technology (ICT) hub.
The event, held at the Atrium of Cinnamon Grand, featured distinguished panellists including Tom Peck, Executive Vice President and Chief Information & Digital Officer of Sysco Corporation; Prof. Rohan Samarajiva, Chairperson of LIRNEasia and Sarvodaya Fusion; Shehani Seneviratne, Chairperson of SLASSCOM; and Dr. Ajantha Athukorale, Senior Lecturer at the University of Colombo School of Computing. The discussion was moderated by Thushera Kawdawatta, Managing Director of Sysco LABS.
The audience included senior representatives from the Export Development Board (EDB), AmCham Sri Lanka, SLASSCOM, FITIS, CSSL, and several universities and corporates, reflecting a strong cross-sector commitment to advancing the nation’s digital economy.
Industry Perspective: Talent and Innovation Driving Growth
Sysco’s Tom Peck emphasized that Sri Lanka offers a rich pool of globally competitive talent capable of solving complex business challenges.
“We look for talent that can solve problems, think collaboratively, and drive real business outcomes. Sri Lanka offers that kind of talent and a supportive environment for innovation,” he said.
He highlighted that Sysco LABS’ growth in Sri Lanka is proof of how policy–academia–industry partnerships generate tangible economic value and attract continued international investment.
Policy and Governance: Building the Digital Foundation
Prof. Rohan Samarajiva stressed the need for strong digital infrastructure and predictable governance to attract global investors.
“The Government’s most critical role is to enable an environment that allows collaboration to flourish and drives sustainable economic transformation,” he noted, calling for transparent procurement and efficient digital systems to serve as “digital rails” for future growth.
Industry Leadership: Private Sector as the Engine of Innovation
SLASSCOM Chairperson Shehani Seneviratne outlined how the ICT export sector’s success stems from the private sector’s agility and commitment to talent development.
“Our industry has always been driven by passionate individuals. We’re now creating bridges with universities and the Government to ensure our graduates are employable, and our policies foster innovation,” she said.
She also cited online internships and industry–academia collaborations as key to aligning education with real-world market needs.
Academia’s Role: From Theory to Industry Integration
Dr. Ajantha Athukorale highlighted the shift in universities’ roles from purely academic to active innovation partners.
“Our graduates must be ready to solve real-world problems. Universities must collaborate with industry on curriculum design, entrepreneurship, and applied learning,” she explained.
A Unified Vision for a Digital Sri Lanka
The Sysco LABS Dialogues underscored that achieving Sri Lanka’s digital ambitions depends on sustained collaboration between policy, academia, and industry. The event showcased pathways for joint digital infrastructure development, innovation-driven talent pipelines, and global ICT investment attraction.
By advancing this collaborative model, Sysco LABS and its partners reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s potential to become a purpose-driven, innovation-led ICT hub in South Asia.
