MAS Legato, the shared services arm of MAS Group, has become an important driver of the apparel giant’s global operations. It was established to consolidate finance, HR and procurement and has grown into a hub of process excellence and innovation. More than a transactional back-office, it now acts as a strategic partner, using automation, analytics and digital tools to streamline workflows, cut costs and improve governance across the group.
As the company expands into business process outsourcing for international clients, MAS Legato sits at the intersection of technology and talent. By embedding automation and artificial intelligence into its core processes, it is moving towards its vision of, a ‘cognitive operation’ – a shared service model where automation, AI and analytics work together to anticipate needs, adapt and deliver value at scale. In doing so, it is redefining what shared services can achieve, harmonising technology and human capability to create opportunity.
Suranga Nanayakkara, Chief Executive Officer of MAS Legato, and Stephanie Reith, General Manager of Human Resources Service Delivery of MAS Legato, outline how the company is transforming shared services through automation and AI, while expanding into new markets and reimagining the role of HR.
MAS Legato is transitioning into a “cognitive operation.” What does that mean for the company, and how will AI and Robotic Process Automation (RPA) evolve across its Finance, HR, and Procurement functions over the next 2-3 years?
Suranga: For MAS Legato, becoming a ‘cognitive operation’ means moving from automating transactional processes, to creating systems that can analyse, adapt, and deliver insights to continuously improve performance and enhance customer satisfaction. We are applying technology in finance, HR and procurement to streamline operations, anticipate needs, spot problems early and support data-driven decisions.
In the next two to three years, we expect to automate most routine processes, freeing employees for higher-value work. To do so we are working with technology partners such as Tungsten, Blackline and UiPath to meet global standards in automation. Once repetitive tasks are automated, the next step is to deploy agentic AI to handle more complex functions that demand judgement and adaptability.
As an organisation we’re opting to invest in future skills such as creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration. This enhances efficiency, agility, and the quality of service we provide across the MAS Group – creating more meaningful and sustainable roles for our teams.
With the recent launch of MAS Legato’s BPO division targeting international SMEs, what were some of the key strategic decisions you made to ensure a smooth entry into competitive markets like Australia and the UK?
Suranga: Our entry into Australia and the UK was strategic, building on MAS Legato’s proven expertise in Sri Lanka and extending it to new markets where our seamless delivery model can add value to clients in the SME sector. We targeted franchises and accounting firms where MAS’ strengths in finance, data analytics and process automation would add value. We then built a scalable operation that met local regulatory demands.
We chose clients who valued service excellence and were open to transformation, allowing us to deliver seamless end-to-end services. Most importantly, we invested in our people, selecting teams with the right skills, attitude and cultural awareness to ensure trouble-free delivery.
How are you planning to maintain momentum, and scale automation, while ensuring business continuity across MAS’ core operations?
Suranga: The only way to maintain momentum is to drive transformation across the enterprise. This agenda should continue to deliver, levelling global benchmarks in service delivery, reduce cost-to-serve and enhance governance within MAS and related business entities.
We drive this transformation through several levers: process excellence, automation, data analytics and new tools. These are applied across functions such as invoice-to-pay, record-to-report, talent attraction, employee lifecycle management, payroll and compensation. Optimisation over the years has standardised processes, raised productivity and lowered costs. The benefits fuel MAS’ core apparel operations, keeping the group at the forefront on a global stage.
With automation and BOTs already playing a significant role in MAS Legato’s Human Resource Shared Services (HRSS), how are you preparing your team to leverage AI-driven tools for more complex, value-added HR activities in the near future?
Stephanie: Automation has freed HR teams from repetitive administrative tasks, allowing them to focus more on employee experience, analytics, and creating meaningful workplace engagement.
We began working on re-engineering processes to identify areas that can be further simplified by automation or augmented by AI. In parallel, we are working on upskilling our teams to enhance their digital and data literacy. Shifting the focus from operational efficiency to service excellence is vital as roles move from routine administration to higher-value areas such as talent analytics.
What challenges have you encountered in standardising HR processes across multiple countries, and how have you balanced local compliance needs with global consistency?
Stephanie: We faced challenges in labour and regulatory differences, from data protection laws and language to uneven tech adoption and
cultural resistance to standardisation. We addressed these through a Hub-and-Spoke HR model: local spokes in each country handled regulatory and language needs, while the Sri Lanka hub managed standard processes independent of local context. Standardisation was maximised, with deviations allowed only where labour laws or compliance demanded.