• Amidst unprecedented challenges faced over the past year, the winners of this year’s awards serve as a reminder of the limitless possibilities and opportunities that can arise from adversity.

The highly anticipated Top50 Professional and Career Women Awards 2023, organized by Women in Management (WIM) in partnership with Women in Work, a collaboration between the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Government of Australia, culminated in a resounding success, as it honoured exceptional women from Sri Lanka and around the world who have made remarkable contributions to their respective fields.

The 13th edition of these prestigious awards celebrated women from diverse professions such as hospitality, banking and finance, logistics, entrepreneurship, media, and law, among others. These women were recognized for their outstanding achievements and inspiring influence on their communities. The event also acknowledged Sri Lankan organizations that have played a pivotal role in supporting the growth and empowerment of women in the workplace. The Chief Guest at this momentous occasion was none other than His Excellency Dinesh Gunawardena, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.

“The Top50 Awards exemplify a stage that discovers exceptional leaders, empowering and inspiring future generations of female trailblazers. IFC is honoured to be part of this transformative journey.”

Dr. Sulochana Segera, Founder and Chairperson of Women in Management (WIM), expressed her enthusiasm about this year's awards, stating, “the 2023 awards were a celebration of resilience, optimism, hard work, and growth. Amidst unprecedented challenges faced over the past year, the winners of this year's awards serve as a reminder of the limitless possibilities and opportunities that can arise from adversity. These exceptional women have demonstrated their extraordinary potential, challenging the established norms for the betterment of society. Over the past decade, the Top50 Awards have provided a platform for women to showcase their talents, achievements, and, most importantly, to inspire others.”

With a remarkable cohort of over 900 past award winners, both locally and internationally, the Top50 Professional and Career Women Awards strive to highlight the significant role women play as leaders, employees, entrepreneurs, and stakeholders, contributing to sustainable and inclusive economic growth in the country.

Marking IFC's eighth consecutive year co-hosting this event, Alejandro Alvarez de la Campa, Country Manager for IFC Sri Lanka and Maldives, emphasized, “unleashing the potential of both men and women is the much-needed solution for a resilient, robust recovery. Women's socio-economic empowerment remains highly relevant for Sri Lanka, presenting an opportunity to rectify deep-seated inequalities. Now is the time for tangible actions, rather than mere pledges, to forge a future that benefits everyone, collectively created by all. The Top50 Awards exemplify a stage that discovers exceptional leaders, empowering and inspiring future generations of female trailblazers. IFC is honoured to be part of this transformative journey.” Supported by the IFC-DFAT Women in Work program, this year's Top50 Awards aim to showcase the resilient leadership demonstrated by Sri Lankan women, particularly in the face of the recent back-to-back twin crises endured by the country.

Australia's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, H.E. Paul Stephens, further affirmed, “promoting gender equality is a key priority for the Australian Government through our development program and permeates every aspect of our work here in Sri Lanka. Congratulations to all the women receiving awards today. You serve as inspirations and role models for numerous young women in Sri Lanka, encouraging them to strive for and achieve great heights in their professional careers.”

With an impressive pool of 514 nominations, the judging process, based solely on merit, was overseen by a distinguished panel consisting of Kasturi Chellaraja Wilson, Executive Director and Group Chief Executive Officer, Hemas Holdings PLC; Dr. Mariyam Shakeela, Honorary Consul of Belgium in Maldives, Former Cabinet Minister in Maldives, and CEO of SIMDI; Sarah Twigg, Program Manager of Women in Work at IFC; Santosh Menon, Chairman of FCB Kl.LK; Dinesh Weerakkody, Chairman of the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka; Prof. Selvaraj Oyyan Pillay, UUNIMAS Kuala Lumpur Learning Centre GIA; Dunston Pereira, CEO of the Private Office of HH Sheikh Ahamed bin Faisal Al Qassimi; Ngozi Oyewole, CEO of Noxie Limited and President of Women in Africa; and Gowri Rajan, Director of Sun Match Company.

Commenting on the award winners, Kasturi Chellaraja Wilson, Executive Director, and Group Chief Executive Officer Hemas Holdings PLC, remarked, “it was a privilege to chair the Judging panel of the Top50 Professional and Career Women's Awards 2023, where we were tasked with selecting fifty exceptional women from hundreds of applications worldwide. I am impressed by the winners’ remarkable achievements, which demonstrate that women can excel in any field they choose. Their passion, perseverance, and unwavering dedication serve as an inspiration to us all. Congratulations to all the winners, and I am honoured to have been part of the selection process and witness the outstanding work of these accomplished women.”

The Top 50 Professional and Career Women Awards 2023 was made possible by the support of its Platinum Sponsor, Robbialac, along with partners such as Sri Lanka Convention Bureau, Sri Lankan Airlines as the Official Airline Partner, MMPRC Visit Maldives as the Official Destination Partner, Earth Essence as the Personal Care Category Partner, Fems as the Feminine Hygiene Partner, Wijeya Newspapers Limited as the Print and Digital Media Partners and Derana TV and Derana FM as the Electronic Media Partners, and other sponsors including EFI (EXPO), Hayleys Agriculture, Dimo, NorthPort Logistics, McLaren’s Group, Aitken Spence, and Coca-Cola.