ASHANI JAYASINGHE DABARE CEO, GIS SOLUTIONS (PVT) LTD.

She became CEO at the age of thirty-six. She has been recognized as being a ‘Pioneering Women Leader’ at the sixth World Women Leadership Congress and Awards held in Mumbai, India. In 2018 she was recognized as a ‘Women Leader’ at the Sri Lanka Women Leadership Awards. In 2015, she was listed as being amongst the Most Influential Marketing Leaders for the Asia Pacific Region by the World Marketing Congress. She was an Executive Director and the Head of Channel at ETV. An alumna of Bishop’s College, Colombo, she holds a Masters in Financial Economics from the University of Colombo, and an MBA from the University of Southern Queensland, Australia. In 2009, she was selected by Rotary District, to represent Sri Lanka at the Rotary International Group, Study Exchange Program in Maryland and Delaware, USA. She is a perpetual student constantly seeking knowledge and information. She believes that education does not end in school or at university, and one must continue to learn throughout their lives. Her colleagues describe her as being a ‘live wire’ and with her ‘never say no’ attitude she has been able to successfully implement several innovative GIS technology projects in the country. She has grown the company, GIS Solutions (PVT) LTD. She is an individual determined to succeed and grow. She Can and she is ambitious, resourceful, assertive, innovative and creative; Ashani Jayasinghe-Dabare.
 

Share with us a summary of your corporate journey?

My corporate journey started at the age of nineteen, straight after my Advanced Level examinations; I was determined to be independent, although my parents wanted me to continue higher studies, I had other plans. I always knew my calling was to lead a team and work towards a greater purpose. Throughout my career, I was privileged to work for organization leaders who believed in me, challenged me and inspired me to keep growing. My first job was at Sala Enterprises, headed Mr. Chinthaka Wijewickrema. This was followed by a stint at TNL Radio as a Marketing Coordinator. Within a short span of time I was promoted as Marketing Manager for the organization. Mr. Niraj Wickremasinghe was an incredibly supportive leader. He encouraged his entire team to be creative in the broadcasting domain, and to also work with different departments so that we gain experience in different areas within the organization. Hence, I was involved with studio work, voicing for commercials, drafting scripts and several other aspects of the organization in addition to my sales role. This was a real learning curve. From TNL, I moved on to E FM and worked with them as a Sales Manager and thereon at ETV as a Business Development Manager. I eventually worked my way up the corporate ladder and was appointed as the Head of Channel and an Executive Director of the organization. I enjoyed my time at ETV, and during my tenure as Head of Channel we launched a series of new content with renowned personalities from Colombo; Power Women with Minoli Ratnayake, Culinary Journey’s with Dharshan Munidasa, The Ashok Ferry Show, etc. to name a few. These shows revolutionized local English TV.

Eager to keep learning and to keep growing, I decided to switch from Media to Technology and joined GIS Solutions, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Just in Time Group in 2012 as the Chief Executive Officer

Share with us a summary of your personal journey?

An alumna of Bishop’s College, Colombo, I enjoyed my time at school. I was both studious and rebellious, but always maintained good grades. Upon graduating from school, I enrolled to study CIM as I was very passionate about Marketing. After successfully completing my CIM Post Graduate Diploma, I went on to a pursue an MBA from the University of Southern Queensland, Australia. Whilst reading for my MBA, I realized that I enjoyed studying Economics, although I had no prior knowledge of this subject. Hence, after completing my MBA, I enrolled for a Masters in Financial Economics at the University of Colombo. I hailed from a conservative and protective family of ten; I had six brothers and one sister. I was the baby of the family, and my parents showered a lot of love. I was raised in a safe environment full of love and encouragement. I met my husband at the tender age of sixteen and I had to overcome many hurdles in order to marry him. This has undoubtedly been the best decision of my life. He is an extremely supportive partner and he encourages me to chase after my goals. I have one daughter, Adithya, and she is a student at Bishop’s College, Colombo.

What are the most important attributes of successful leaders today?

I would say having a purposeful vision, focus and determination. The ability to communicate that vision to the team and get them implement that vision. Resilience with a never give up attitude, empathy, creativity and knack for doing things differently, and aligning your team to that vision, and being hands on. It’s also important to be on field networking to ensure you have a correct sense of reality.
 

How did you move forward when everyone kept telling you that your suggestions or ideas won't work?

I have always been fiercely independent and have made decisions on my own. I believe in myself, hence naysayers to me are usually just a bit of background noise.

Tell us three exciting or game changing projects you have executed during your career?

Working with ArcGIS, an innovative form of game-changing technology, has been quite challenging. GIS - Geographical Information Systems, in simple terms is a management information system where one can see their data on a map. Almost, all of Sri Lanka’s authoritative Mapping and GIS work is done using the ArcGIS platform.

Nearly all of Sri Lanka’s leading public sector organizations utilize our technology. All our systems are highly sustainable and allows the end user to enjoy multiple benefits and ensures a return on their investment. Some of the most successful projects we have implemented includes the National Land Information System at the Survey Department, the Water Utility Asset Management System at the National Water Board and the I-Road Project Monitoring Tool System. We have several on-going projects at LECO, the Sustainable Energy Authority and the Ceylon Electricity Board, which we believe will benefit the country overtime.

Do you ever think – “Am I crazy?"

I believe I was born crazy, and that’s the fun part of being a human. If everything was rational there would be no room for growth. Its’s the people who have gone out and done crazy, impossible things that have also helped us evolve. I am all for doing crazy things, like my overnight decision to switch from Media to IT. Many thought I was a bit cuckoo to make this career switch, but I am glad I did.

How do you differentiate yourself?

Passion; I am driven by passion. I am hardworking, ambitious and I always remain calm and focused. I have an insatiable hunger to learn and master new things.

What is your 'why?’

I am a firm believer in God. He has given me this life to make a difference in the world. I believe I am a good mentor and communicator; I want to use these skills to help others achieve their goals, and to make a positive change and impact in the world. That’s my aspiration.

Who do you look up to for inspiration or mentorship?

I have had many mentors throughout my corporate journey. However, my role model would be Mr. Jit Warnakulasuriya, Chairman, Just In Time Group. His energy, vision, wisdom, focus and intuition are all traits I aspire to have one day. I also draw inspiration from my other corporate mentors like Mr. Ronnie Pieris, Bradley Emerson and Brandon Morris who have all made a positive impact in the corporate world.

What is your biggest fear and how do you manage it?

My biggest fear is that, ‘I will be outdated and obsolete.’ I manage this fear by continuously learning and mastering new things and applying them in life. For me knowledge is key!

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

I wanted to be a CEO at the age of thirty years. However, it took me six more years to finally achieve this goal. I became CEO at the age of thirty-six in an industry that I had no prior experience in. It was a very challenging role and a huge learning curve. But I was determined to make a success of this opportunity. I am the first female CEO to head a commercial Geographical Information Systems software technology business in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, I also consider winning the 2016 Global Award for Sales Growth for a Market, awarded by ESRI, USA, a career highlight.
 

How do you keep generating new ideas for the business?

I have an incredible team who are innovative, creative and full of ideas. Our principal, Esri (the Environmental Systems Research Institute, USA) who we represent in Sri Lanka, is a purpose-driven organization that constantly strives to make the world a better place by helping address global challenges with ArcGIS technology.

If you could go back and tell yourself one thing before beginning your career, what would it be?

Live for the moment, this very moment is your best at the time!

What was the biggest rookie mistake you made when just starting out?

Limiting myself to just one industry at the start of my career. I should have worked with different domains and gained experience in different fields.

Have you been harassed or discriminated against?

Thankfully, no! There was literally no ‘glass-ceiling’ in my corporate journey. Organizations I worked for always appreciated us for our work irrespective of our gender, age, race or religion. I have always been treated as an equal team player. The JIT Group treats us all without gender or any other forms of discrimination. Our Chairman, Mr. Jit Warnakulasuriya, is an inspirational Entrepreneur, and he firmly believes in a performance-based system within the organization, hence we experience zero discrimination within the organization.

Share with us a secret no-one else knows?

I can DJ. I learnt the art of Deejaying from two former colleagues at TNL, DJ Bunty and Dr. J.

How do you want to be remembered one day?

As long as I manage to create a positive impact in the country and in the world at large, I’m not too concerned how people remember me as. Each to their own.