The leader link

CIMA mentoring programme for members

The leader link is a programme for CIMA members only. It is an adaptation of the normal mentoring programme.

Purpose

To help young CIMA members to establish and develop their careers through advice and by learning from business leaders.

The nature of the programme

The programme will involve four tosix meetings with the preferred business leader over a fewmonths period with an interval of four to six weeks. At each meeting a specific aspect of personal leadership will be discussed. The Mentor will present his perspective of the leadership trait using examples from his career and real life situations. The meeting will thereafter move to a free flowing discussion between mentees and mentor. Each meeting is expected to be of one to one and a half hours’ duration.

The programme does not envisage one to one sessions between the mentor and mentee. Interactions between the mentors and mentees will be largely limited to the monthly meetings. However the relationships and networks that get established between the mentor and the mentee as well as between the mentees themselves will be an additional benefit of this programme.

Advantages

  • First hand learning opportunity
  • Career advancement
  • Professional identification
  • Informal interactions with CIMA business icons
  • Establishing rapport with senior leaders of industry and commerce
  • Building a professional network with the other mentees in the program

Expectations

Of mentees

  • Seek counsel and advice, not a supervisor who directs actions
  • Attend regularly the meetings set up with the Mentor
  • Be sensitive to the difference between asking for help/advice from your mentor and demanding favors from your mentor.
  • Recognise dynamics of relationship and make best use of the opportunities the programme provides to build your professional network

Commencement of the programme

Late October 2013

Duration

4-6 months

Frequency

At intervals of four to six weeks (each meeting to be of 60 to 90 minutes duration)

Venue of meetings / date / timing

Mutually agreed by mentor and mentees

Mentees

CIMA members between the ages23 to 30(as at 31 December 2013)

Groups

Member will be grouped according to Mentor allocated.

Note to mentees

  • Meeting with mentors will generally take place in the evenings. Please consider before applying if your work hours clash with the meeting times.
  • If you have plans of relocating in the recent future please avoid registering for these sessions.
  • You will be given a choice of four mentors and one of them will be assigned as your mentor. (not necessarily your first or second choice)
  • Please plan your time so that you are able to attend meetings regularly.
  • Mentees who were registered for Leader Link 2012 cannot take part this year.

Your completed application must be received ON OR BEFORE 21October 2013 in order to be considered for the program for this year.

Applications to be forwarded to Manager, Member Services by email:

CIMA Division will contact those members selected for the program.

Mentors

(Ms)Shiromal Cooray

Managing Director, Jetwing Travels (Private) Ltd,

Shiromal holds 19 other directorates which includes Hotel management company, Finance company and Advertising and PR. She is a past President of the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators.

Prior to this, she was the Finance Director of J. Walter Thompson Ltd, Colombo and has work experience in finance in the UK and Hong Kong. She holds an MBA from the University of Colombo and is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, UK.

Dirk Pereira

Chief Executive Officer, Union Assurance PLC (UA)

The Immediate Past Chairman of CIMA Sri Lanka Board, Dirk Pereira is a fellow member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and a Chartered Global Management Accountant. He has over 15 years experience in the profession. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka and holds an MBA from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.

Dirk previously served as UA’s General Manager, Finance & Planning and Deputy Chief Executive Officer. Prior to UA he was at Eagle Insurance and Ernst & Young.

He joined the CIMA Sri Lanka Board in 2010 and was appointed Deputy Chairman in 2011 and he was the Chairman in 2012. He also served as Chairman of the Branding & Leadership Committees.

Dinesh Weerakkody

Chairman, Commercial Bank of Sri Lanka

Dinesh joined the board of Commercial Bank Plc in July 2005. Prior to his appointment as Chairman he was the Deputy Chairman and Chairman of the BoardAudit Committee. A former Chairman/CEO of the Employees' Trust Fund Board of Sri Lanka and a Director of DFCC Bank PLC, he was also advisor to the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka from 2002-2004.

From 2005- 2009 Dinesh was a Council Member, CIMA Sri Lanka. He is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants United Kingdom and a Professional Member of the Singapore Human Resource Institute. He holds a MBA from the University of Leicester, England and has received extensive Leadership, HR and Management training in the UK, USA, France, Japan, Singapore and India.

Dinesh has been on the Board of several local and MNCs. A Vice President of Sri Lanka Tennis, Dinesh is an author of four books and many articles covering international politics, financial economics, management, human resource management and leadership. He is also the recipient of two national awards.

Dr Hans Wijayasuriya

Director/Group Chief Executive Dialog Axiata PLC Sri Lanka

& Chief Executive Officer Axiata Digital Services, Axiata Group Bhd. Malaysia

Hans graduated from the University of Cambridge UK in 1989. He subsequently obtained his PhD in Digital Mobile Communications from the University of Bristol UK in 1994. A Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institute of Engineering Technology UK, Hans also holds an MBA from the University of Warwick UK.

Hans has published widely on the subject of digital mobile communications and has presented papers at several International conferences on the subject. He is a past Chairman of GSM Asia Pacific – the regional interest group of the GSM Association representing 22 Asia Pacific member countries, and serves on the Board of the TM Forum. He is also a recipient of the CIMA-Janashakthi Business Leader of the Year Award, and in 2008, was named the ‘Sri Lankan of the Year’ by Sri Lanka’s premier business journal the LMD.