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COYLE “I AM” Leadership Forum to spotlight stories that shape leaders

The Chamber of Lankan Entrepreneurs (COYLE) will bring together entrepreneurs and business leaders for the “I AM” COYLE Leadership Forum 2026 under the theme “My Story. My Journey” on 27 October at 5.45 p.m. at Cinnamon Grand Colombo.

It is anchored in COYLE’s broader vision of “Bridging Generations and Building Futures”, with a focus on creating meaningful connections between established business leaders and the next generation of entrepreneurs.

The Chief Guest at the forum will be Indian High Commissioner Santhosh Jha, bringing an international perspective to an event focused on leadership, entrepreneurship and the value of learning from experience.

A key feature of the evening will be a panel discussion with Subash Thalangama of Sensa Solutions, Romali Tudawe of Tudawe Brothers and Dinesh Saparamadu of hSenid Group of Companies, who share their personal journeys, including the experiences, challenges and defining moments that have shaped their careers and businesses. The discussion will be moderated by Tharindu Ameresekera.

Moving beyond conventional conversations about business success, the panel will look at the decisions, risks, setbacks and turning points that often remain behind the headlines, while exploring the lessons that can be carried forward by those on their own entrepreneurial journeys.

For COYLE Chairman Suren Chandraratne, creating opportunities for this kind of inter-generational exchange is an important part of strengthening Sri Lanka’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. “Bridging generations and building futures is about bringing experience and fresh thinking into the same conversation. Every generation has something to contribute. Those who have travelled further have lessons to share, while the next generation brings new ideas, energy and perspectives,” he said. “‘My Story. My Journey.’ is a deliberate theme because we want to go beyond the achievements and hear what shaped them. The challenges, decisions and lessons behind a successful journey can provide valuable perspectives for someone who is beginning their own.”

The participation of Indian High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, as Chief Guest also highlights the growing importance of regional connections and opportunities for greater engagement between Sri Lankan and Indian businesses.

COYLE Committee Chairman Raveen Wickramasinghe said the concept was designed to create a more open and authentic conversation around leadership. “I AM was created to move beyond titles and achievements and understand the journey behind the leader. The decisions that worked, the risks that did not, and the difficult moments are often where the most valuable lessons are found. By bringing those experiences into an open conversation, we want the next generation of entrepreneurs to learn not only from success, but from the journey that created it. If one story, one difficult decision or one lesson helps another entrepreneur make a better decision in their own journey, then this platform has achieved something meaningful