President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed Dr. Hans Wijesuriya as the Chief Advisor for Digital Economy.
A statement issued by the President’s Media Division states, “With the aim of accelerating economic growth, enhancing national competitiveness, and providing significant benefits to all citizens, the President has made this appointment recognizing Dr. Wijesuriya’s vision and commitment to advancing Sri Lanka’s digital economy alongside the most developed countries in the region.”
The statement also mentions that Dr. Wijesuriya will lead the Board of Directors of the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) as its non-executive chairman and will oversee the planning and implementation of digital transformation programs that the government expects.
Dr. Hans Wijesuriya, born on April 2, 1968, to former Government Auditor General P.M.W. Wijesuriya and Susila Wijesuriya, was educated at St. Thomas’ College, Galwella. He pursued higher education at several international universities and earned a degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Cambridge University in 1989. In 1994, he obtained a PhD in Digital Mobile Communications from the University of Bristol.
A chartered engineer and a member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) in the UK, Dr. Wijesuriya also holds an MBA from Warwick University in the UK.
He was a founding member of the management team at Dialog Axiata, a leading mobile telecommunications company in Sri Lanka, and became the CEO of the company in 1997. In 2016, he was appointed the CEO of Axiata Group’s South Asia operations.
Under his leadership, Dialog became one of the foremost Quad Play and Digital Services providers in Asia, with the company also expanding into financial technology services and digital health sectors.
Dr. Wijesuriya served as the former Chairman of GSM Asia Pacific, and in 2016, he won a prestigious award at the Asia Mobile Awards organized by GSMA.
In 2008, he was named “Sri Lankan of the Year” by the renowned business magazine LMD.
Currently, Dr. Hans Wijesuriya is the Group CEO and Executive Director of Axiata Group Bhd, overseeing its telecommunications operations, and has announced his intention to step down from this position after a specified period, as noted by the President’s Media Division.
-BBC Sinhala