Q: How does it feel to return to Sri Lanka and take over as J. M. Wickramarachchi & Company’s Managing Director?

Liza Wickramarachchi (LW): I’m excited to build on the extraordinary legacy established by my father over the last 47 years, and leverage the knowledge I acquired from studying and working in developed countries.

One thing I noticed is that here, organisations – especially government entities – are operating on archaic systems when many workflows can be automated. Technology reduces the margin for error and corruption, and has been a catalyst for development in the Western world.

Q: What is your vision from the perspective of a new generation?

LW: I believe that education and upskilling are the foundation of Sri Lanka’s economic recovery. We need competent professionals to tackle the brain drain.

Education provides opportunities for anyone to lift themselves out of poverty. This is what drives Wickramarachchi Health College.

We’ve started by offering internationally recognised qualifications such as NVQ Level 5 in optometry, a diploma in audiology, a certificate in hearing aid repairs and ear mould making for hearing impaired youth.

We take great pride in fostering equal opportunities. Seven percent of our employees are differently abled and 75 percent of our senior management team is female. And we hire people from all ethnic backgrounds. We believe that teams rich in diversity bring variety and drive innovation.

Together is the best way forward. This is my vision for the company and also my hope for the country.

Q: And what expertise do you hope to introduce?

LW: It’s about bringing a different perspective. I feel uniquely positioned because while I’m Sri Lankan, I’ve seen how other countries operate. I hope to take what I’ve learned and adapt it to what will work best in Sri Lanka.

Our company’s focus has always been technology. I plan to continue building on this and believe that my international experience will help me identify the best opportunities to focus on.

We plan to expand the biomedical division of the business with the help of my husband Cole Lomas, a New Zealand scientist. He is collaborating with global experts to bring the best healthcare innovations to Sri Lanka and build an industry to uplift the country.

Q: Could you outline J. M. Wickramarachchi & Company’s impact on society and its economic support?

Mihira Wickramarachchi (MW): When I started, my focus was on providing healthcare rather than earning revenue. I began by uplifting the lives of deaf vegetable vendors at the Delkanda market. And I selected a difficult area to start – audiology and then expanded into optometry.

Our biggest contribution is that we have facilitated 1,000 cochlear implant surgeries. With more than 400,000 Sri Lankans having hearing impairments, two percent have been supported to be able to hear again.

Earlier, when babies were born with complete hearing loss, they had no hope. Now, with cochlear and proper rehabilitation, the opportunities are limitless. Many recipients are now university educated and/or working professionals, contributing to society rather than being a burden.

There is no need for deaf schools anymore. We only need technology and rehabilitation.

Q: In your view, how can we recover from the current economic situation?

MW: I’d say that we can do so through medical tourism. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we built the ZEISS Vision Centre in the Colombo Town Hall. It is a state-of-the-art facility with the best optical diagnostic instruments in the country and is easily benchmarked against concept stores in Berlin or Paris. The aim is to attract foreigners and thereby, dollars.

We are focussing on bringing in more projects like this and encourage others to do the same.

Q: What are some trends and innovations that you aim to introduce?

LW: Every season, we travel to Milan and Paris to get the latest fashion trends in eye wear. Sri Lanka is becoming more fashion conscious now. And Sri Lankans are aware of global trends and already into the latest eye wear styles.

MW: When you choose a high quality brand, you’re choosing comfort. I’m proud to have set the benchmark of optical fashion in the market today.

Q: Could you explain why giving back to the community is a part of your brand ethos?

LW: My greatest passion is community service, inspired by my father’s work. From the beginning, he placed helping people first. Our brand ethos is derived from that.

His contribution has been recognised internationally. He was even honoured by the president with the Sri Lanka Sikhamani award, which each president can award to only one person.

J. M. Wickramarachchi is not here to simply sell spectacles or hearing aids. We want everyone to be healthy. By doing this, we want to support the economy and uplift our beautiful country.

To support this effort, we created the WISH Foundation, where we offer optical care, hearing devices, cochlear implants and therapy to children who can’t afford them. The more support we receive for the WISH Foundation, the more people we can support.

– Compiled by Allaam Ousman

COMPANY DETAILS

 Telephone: 0777 511266 | Email: info@wickramarachchi.com | Website: www.jmw.lk