Women in Management (WIM), founded in Colombo, celebrates 15 years of empowering women and fostering leadership. To mark this milestone, WIM is returning its signature global events to Colombo from 7–9 October 2025 at Cinnamon Lakeside and Shangri-La Colombo, featuring the Top50 Professional & Career Women Global Awards, Global Economic Forum, Women MSME Awards, and NextTier Mentorship & Awards.
The celebrations will host delegates from over 15 countries, with a judging panel of distinguished leaders from Sri Lanka, Maldives, USA, UK, Pakistan, India, Africa, and the UAE, reflecting WIM’s mission to connect and inspire women globally.
Chair of the judging panel, Gowri Rajan, noted: “The Top50 Awards honor not just individual excellence but the collective strength of women who inspire generations. It is a platform that celebrates leadership, resilience, and vision on a global scale.”
WIM Global Week 2025 highlights its versatility by honoring women entrepreneurs, empowering emerging leaders, and fostering global economic dialogue.
The Women MSME Awards, chaired by Minoli Wickramasinghe, highlight the vital role of small and medium enterprises in national development. Wickramasinghe stated, “MSMEs are the engine of a nation’s growth. Supporting them is crucial to building innovation, resilience, and long-term prosperity.”
The NextTier Mentorship & Awards, led by Kasturi Chelleraja Wilson, focus on spotlighting today’s emerging leaders. Wilson said, “Young leaders bring fresh thinking and energy, and with the right mentorship and support, they will shape the future of leadership in Sri Lanka and beyond.”
The Top50 Global Economic Forum, powered by Mastercard, will bring together over 300 delegates, with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) serving as strategic partner for the 15th Top50 Professional & Career Women Global Awards 2025, building upon their longstanding collaboration.
The judges’ panel, chaired by Gowri Rajan, Executive Director of Sun Match Company, includes Dinesh Weerakkody (Union Bank), Kanta Singh (UN Women India), Ngozi Oyewole (Commonwealth Business Women Africa), Tess Cacciatore (GWEN), Maryyam Khan (South Asian Development Forum), Lawrence McEwen (EST Applied Intelligence), Dr. Mariyam Shakeela (SIMDI Group), Shehara de Silva (Optima Designs), and Venkatesh Mahadevan (CAAS & ISPMA).
The MSME Awards 2025, chaired by Minoli Wickramasinghe, CEO of Capital Trust Properties, will be judged by Delvin Pereira (Rotary Sri Lanka & Maldives), Erandika Dissanayake (Ministry of Industry), Manoji Wadugodapitiya (PAMS Hydro Power), Neelika Tillekeratne (AmCham Sri Lanka), and Udana Wickramasinghe (Adventa Technologies/Sri Lanka Tourism).
The NextTier Mentorship & Awards 2025, chaired by Kasturi Chelleraja Wilson (COO, 5Hour International Singapore/NDB Bank), will be judged by Ted Muttiah (SAGT), Dilrukshi Kurukulasuriya (Diesel & Motor), and Dr. Nirmal De Silva (Diverse Industries).
The 2025 Global Week will be guided by Fazeela Dharmaratne – Chair, Top50 Global Awards; Amali Mudunkotuwa Mendis – Chair, MSME Awards; and Sudehi Geeganage – Chair, NextTier Mentorship & Awards.
Reflecting on the 15-year journey, Dr. Sulochana Segera, Founder & Chairperson of WIM, said, “When I started WIM, it was a small voice advocating for women in Sri Lanka. Today, it is a global movement that connects leaders, entrepreneurs, and changemakers across continents. Our initiatives are about impact. From providing free meals to schoolchildren through our Free Kitchen, to awarding scholarships to over 1,000 children of single mothers, and empowering over 100,000 women across Sri Lanka before going global, WIM has stayed true to its mission of empowerment.”
