Across Sri Lanka’s insurance sector, performance today is shaped by data, regulation, and increasingly complex distribution models, often pushing teams towards short-term results at the expense of long-term development. But behind the numbers, a different shift is taking place.
At Union Assurance, leaders like Ashen Irange, Channel Head – Bancassurance; Thulani Jayawickrama, Head – Finance Planning & Analysis; Sashika Perera, Senior Manager – Statutory Reporting & Taxation; Ishanthi Umedha, Head – Governance & Valuation; and Govindasamy Mathiruban, Zonal Head – Agency Distribution, are rethinking what effective management looks like in practice. Whether it’s translating data into direction, balancing technical rigour with people leadership, or building teams that can adapt under pressure, their focus is consistent. Performance matters, but how it is built matters more. Their recognition at the Great Manager Awards reflects that shift from managing numbers to building people who can sustain them.
How do you turn bancassurance channel data into a clear direction for your team?
Ashen Irange: Data is the foundation of our decision-making, but its true value comes from converting insights into clear, actionable priorities. I start by simplifying complex metrics such as ANBP, FP, RP, persistence, and conversion ratios into a few core drivers that everyone can understand. These then shape our weekly rhythm: focused coaching, targetted branch interventions, and strategic resource allocation.
I also ensure every number has a story. When the team understands why a metric moves, they become more proactive in managing outcomes. Regular dashboards, branch-level deep dives, and open discussions create transparency and shared ownership.
Ultimately, data aligns the team around a common direction — what to strengthen, what to correct, and where to accelerate. That turns numbers into purpose, and purpose into performance.
How did the Awards assessment change how you lead across bancassurance’s dual organisational cultures?
Ashen: Operating between two cultures requires empathy, adaptability, and a strong partnership mindset. The Awards assessment helped me reflect on my leadership style, particularly how I influence without authority and build trust across diverse stakeholders.
It reinforced that successful bancassurance leadership is not just about driving results, but about respecting both organisations’ priorities and creating an environment where teams feel supported and aligned. This reflection strengthened my commitment to being a bridge-builder, ensuring both cultures work as one.
How have you built a team culture that adapts to regulatory change rather than reacts to it?
Sashika Perera: The regulatory landscape of Sri Lanka’s insurance industry is continuously evolving and complex. As a manager, I prioritise building a team that is not only aware of these changes but capable of adapting to them. I actively encourage team members to pursue professional qualifications and support participation in training by institutions such as IRCSL, CBSL, IRD, and CA Sri Lanka. I have also created an environment where the team feels safe to innovate, explore automation opportunities, and enhance reporting formats.
Did the Awards assessment shift your view beyond technical expertise in reporting and tax, and what did it reveal about leading the people side of your team?
Sashika: Technical expertise is the baseline in statutory reporting and taxation. But technical skills alone do not define effective management. What matters is leadership, behaviour, and the ability to guide a team to consistent outcomes.
This function demands accuracy, composure under pressure, and strict deadline delivery. That requires developing team capabilities, communicating timelines well in advance, and rotating responsibilities so every team member gains exposure across the function.
Statutory reporting is not only about getting the numbers right. It is about bringing out the best in people who work in high-pressure, detail-intensive environments.
How has your development as a manager helped your team bridge technical rigour with strategic storytelling?
Thulani Jayawickrama: My evolution as a manager has centred on combining technical knowledge with strategic storytelling. In life insurance, finance must move beyond reporting to guide risk-aware decisions and long-term value creation. I have encouraged my team to focus on interpreting data rather than just presenting it, clearly articulating the “so what” and linking insights to business priorities. This involves simplifying complex analysis, tailoring communication to different audiences, and building confidence to engage with non-finance stakeholders. Over time, this has strengthened our ability to influence outcomes and reinforced finance’s role as a strategic partner.
Did the Awards criteria change how you manage performance, wellbeing, and communication under planning pressure?
Thulani: Reflecting on my management approach, I have become more mindful in balancing performance with well-being during these periods. While maintaining accountability and discipline, I emphasise early alignment of expectations, clear communication, and structured workflows to reduce last-minute pressures. Creating an environment where team members feel comfortable raising concerns has also been important in managing stress effectively.
Additionally, I have placed greater focus on recognising effort and maintaining team energy during peak cycles. Small actions such as regular check-ins, prioritisation support, and acknowledging contributions help sustain motivation. I also encourage the team to take ownership while ensuring support is available when needed. Ultimately, consistent performance is driven not just by meeting deadlines but by fostering resilience, trust, and a shared commitment to delivering value as a team.
Retaining and growing actuarial talent is a significant challenge across the industry. How do you approach career conversations, stretch assignments, or mentorship within your team?
Ishanthi Umedha: Retaining and growing actuarial talent requires clarity, encouragement and the right environment. I place strong emphasis on open and honest career conversations and regularly guide my team on the importance of progressing with actuarial examinations, as professional qualifications are critical for long-term growth in this industry. I actively motivate them by sharing industry examples and helping them clearly understand the value and impact of their efforts.
Beyond examinations, I ensure team members are involved in almost every aspect of the actuarial function. Responsibilities are delegated thoughtfully, taking into account individual strengths as well as areas where each person can develop further. By exposing them to planning, analysis, decision-making and coordination work, they gain confidence and broader perspectives. I also encourage structured planning, working ahead of deadlines and thinking through alternative approaches so work progresses smoothly without last-minute pressure. Maintaining strong work ethics, collaboration, and knowledge sharing helps create a positive environment where people feel supported and motivated to grow.
Your team’s work feeds directly into the organisation’s biggest decisions. How did the Awards change the way you think about developing and leading the people behind that work?
Ishanthi: Being nominated for the Great Manager Awards reinforced my belief that strong outcomes are driven by motivated and empowered people. It highlighted the importance of recognition, trust and positive energy in encouraging individuals to contribute more meaningfully. The experience strengthened my focus on developing people, not just delivering results, and reminded me that when leaders invest in their teams and create space for them to thrive, the collective impact benefits the entire organisation.
How do you balance driving sales performance with investing in your team’s long-term growth?
Govindasamy Mathiruban: We always prioritise long-term development because sustainable performance comes from strong people, not short-term pressure. Over my 17 years in the industry, I’ve seen that when you invest in individuals step by step, results follow naturally.
Our approach is built on structured support and teamwork. Newer team members are guided through daily and weekly activity systems to build discipline, while more experienced individuals focus on broader performance goals. At every level, there is continuous evaluation and guidance, not just on outcomes, but on growth.
It’s not about choosing between performance and development. When you build the right culture and processes, both happen together. Strong people create strong performance. That is the balance we focus on.
How did the Awards shape or validate your management approach in agency distribution?
Govindasamy: The Awards validated our belief in structured, people-centric management. Rather than expecting uniform performance, we segment teams by productivity levels and manage accordingly, allowing individuals to grow at their own pace while maintaining overall performance.
We also invest in leadership development, giving managers clear targets and meaningful incentives to build capable teams, not just individual output. A further shift has been in prospecting, moving towards more organised, professional engagement through targetted segments and structured outreach. Together, these systems have created consistency in a highly manager-driven channel, which the Awards have recognised.
Building Great Managers, by Design
As part of John Keells Holdings, Union Assurance operates within well-established governance frameworks that set the baseline for trust, fairness, and leadership accountability, which form a strong foundation for managerial culture.
Leadership appointments are never transactional. Every elevation is assessed against individual performance outcomes, demonstrated leadership competencies, behavioural alignment with organisational values, and structural fit.
“Leadership is treated as a responsibility, not a mere title change.””
Development is structured and progressive. The SHIFT programme, developed in partnership with Luminary, builds self-awareness, strategic thinking, and leadership capability at every career stage, with individuals often gaining exposure through acting or shadowing roles before formal appointment.
Across functions as varied as Actuarial, Finance, Agency Distribution, and Bancassurance, a unified leadership philosophy applies: lead with clarity, fairness, and genuine care for people. Commercial decisions are always balanced against people’s impact, with short-term wins never permitted at the expense of trust or integrity.
“Diversity, equity, inclusion, and mental well-being are treated as leadership imperatives, integrated into mainstream management practice and not handled as standalone initiatives.”
Union Assurance’s EVP, Grow Beyond Limits, anchors a culture of continuous growth. Managers bring this to life through organic career conversations, development planning, and an internal mobility process that opens pathways across the wider JKH Group.
Great Managers at Union Assurance are cultivated, reinforced, and expected at every level.