5 SEPTEMBER
LIVING Gets Real
Edited extracts from Living’s fortnightly show

Inspiring Growth and Driving Innovation

Leveraging a people first approach to drive brilliance and business success

Gayathri Manatunga
Partner, Head of Assurance EY Sri Lanka & Maldives

Charith Yalagala
Partner, Assurance EY Sri Lanka
Brand, Marketing & Communications Leader
Deputy Head – Risk Management EY Sri Lanka & Maldives

Anushka Tissera
Director, Talent EY Sri Lanka & Maldives

Q: What values do you prioritise in your corporate culture?

Anushka Tissera: As an organisation that has been in existence for over 100 years in Sri Lanka, some of our core values include integrity, respect and teamwork. We act with honesty and transparency in all our interactions.

At EY, we are particularly proud of our diverse and inclusive culture, which enables people to voice their thoughts and be themselves.

Furthermore, EY Sri Lanka has always promoted a ‘people first’ culture. This has been and still is the cornerstone of our organisation – both yesterday and today. In terms of culture, we remain committed to promoting integrity, respect and teamwork.

Q: How does EY identify great leadership?

Gayathri Manatunga: Success is a combination of experience, personality and luck – and I believe in the magic of luck. Three essential traits are dreaming big, trustworthiness, and being a keen observer and patient listener.

Dreaming big helps envision the unimaginable while trustworthiness is crucial in today’s world of constant scrutiny. It’s important for all stakeholders to know who you are and what you stand for.

Being a keen observer and listener helps identify the right talent – we don’t simply fill vacancies; we select individuals who align with our strategy. At EY, we collaborate with schools, universities and institutes to nurture young talent, many of whom advance into significant corporate roles.

To retain talent, we have a transparent performance evaluation system with one-on-one feedback; and we organise engagement activities to help employees excel at work while enjoying time with their teams.

Q: And how do you foster innovation within the firm – and what role do people play?

Charith Yalagala: We serve a diverse range of clients from industry giants to small and medium-size businesses with each client presenting unique challenges. To provide exceptional service, we foster a culture of creativity and continuous improvement.

Our people are our greatest asset; and our innovation strategy focusses on empowering them to generate new ideas and solve clients’ most pressing issues. Continuous learning is a key pillar of this strategy.

We support employees in their professional exams, higher studies and advanced programmes, such as data analytics and AI. Internal programmes, like the EY Badges and MBA offerings, help staff expand their skill sets and adopt new approaches.

Moreover, we invest heavily in technology, including AI and data analytics tools, to enhance innovation and streamline processes. Collaboration is central to our culture with infrastructure that promotes teamwork, idea sharing and experimentation.