By: Staff Writer
November 03, Colombo (LNW): Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, former CEO of Axiata Group, has been appointed as Chief Advisor on Digital Economy to Sri Lanka’s President, Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
The official appointment took place at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo on November 1, as stated by the President’s Media Division (PMD).
This pivotal role is seen as an essential step in driving Sri Lanka’s digital economy forward.
On Friday, Axiata Group Berhad announced that Dr. Wijayasuriya would step down from his roles as CEO of Telecommunications Business and Group Executive Director, in light of his new responsibilities with the Sri Lankan government.
Dr. Wijayasuriya, who will leave Axiata effective January 15, 2025, accepted the government’s invitation to guide Sri Lanka’s digital transformation.
Until then, he will continue to fulfill his duties at Axiata and support a transition program, while also providing advisory assistance to the Sri Lankan government’s digital initiatives in a non-executive capacity. Further changes to Axiata’s leadership will be communicated as needed.
With a distinguished career spanning over three decades at Axiata and its predecessor Telekom Malaysia, Dr. Wijayasuriya has been instrumental in the company’s growth across Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Cambodia.
He has also served on the Board of Directors of the GSMA, the global mobile industry’s governing body. In 2024, Dr. Wijayasuriya received the GSMA Chairman’s Award, the organization’s highest accolade, in recognition of his significant contributions to global mobile technology and industry development.
Meanwhile, Vivek Sood, Axiata group CEO and managing director said: “It is a great honour and source of pride for Axiata that one of our senior leaders has been selected to join the government of Sri Lanka in a highly influential role, contributing to the transformation of the country’s digital economy”.
Wijayasuriya, a Sri Lanka-born global telecommunications executive, said he stands privileged to have the opportunity to contribute to his country.
“As I embark on this new chapter, I am deeply aware that every learning I possess, I owe to leadership and colleagues, past and present, from across the Axiata Group. To them, I will always be grateful,” he said.
Wijayasuriya currently heads the pan-region telecommunications operations of Axiata, which span across Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Cambodia. He has had 30 years of experience with Axiata, and its predecessor Telekom Malaysia Bhd (KL:TM).
Axiata has a long-standing relationship with Sri Lanka, with its presence through Dialog Axiata since 1993. The group has also invested in Sri Lanka’s software development sector through Axiata Digital Labs, the group’s digital solutions arm based in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
