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by Sarath Malalasekera

CIMA launched its First Annual Business Leader Award at a ceremony at the BMICH last week.

The first Business Leader Award was bestowed on Prof. M. T. A. Furkhan by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants of Sri Lanka in recognition of his achievements in the fields of tourism, trading and finance.

The award was presented to Prof. Furkhan by Claire Ighodaro, President Elect of CIMA. The Chief Guest was Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Ravi Karunanayake. The keynote address was delivered by Chairman-Director General, Board of Investment of Sri Lanka Arjunna Mahendran.

The Business Leader Award is part of CIMA's new initiative to recognise the achievements and contributions of its members to business in Sri Lanka. It will be awarded annually to deserving business leaders who have made significant contributions to their professions and the economy of Sri Lanka. The award is made based on two stages. The first requires the filling out of an application by a CIMA member followed by each answer he or she gives being graded. The next step is the judging of the highest graded individuals by a panel of judges selected for their fairness and industry standing, CIMA Sri Lanka Division President Sudarshan Senaratne said.

The areas of Management are Project Management, Entrepreneurship and Innovations, Benchmarking/Quality and Productivity Improvements. These corporate core values have to exist strongly in every award winner so that he or she can be held as a role model for a future generation of Sri Lankan CIMA members and other businessmen.

All judges saw these qualities in Prof. Furkhan in abundance and they also saw his other talents which qualify him to win this award-namely team working and team building skills, planning capabilities and communication and negotiation skills.

Prof. Furkhan excelled in both stages to be deemed the overall winner. There is no wonder in this when one considers his exceptional work in the fields of engineering, aquaculture, travel-tourism and finance over a lifetime.

The Confifi Group under his stewardship has risen to an institution with a total asset base of about Rs. 3 billion. It reached a landmark in 2002 when the Group turnover exceeded the Rs. 1 Billion mark with approximately 1,600 employees who all look up to him as their role model in life.

CIMA President, Sudarshan Senaratne said that Prof. Furkhan's accomplishments are not surprising if the founder of his success is considered. Prof. Furkhan started as one of the Sri Lankan pioneers who formed the Association of Cost and Works Accountants of Ceylon in 1967, which eventually was elevated to a Division of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants UK in Sri Lanka. Prof. Furkhan is the only member who has served as the president of CIMA on two occasions.

In recognition of the service he has rendered to the Accountancy Profession and Management Education in Sri Lanka, he was awarded the title of Deshabandu by the President in 1987.

Executive Director Business Management of CIMA, Sri Lanka Division Upali Ratnayake, CIMA Director, International Development Katherine Grimshaw and Claude Perera of CIMA Sri Lanka Division were also present.

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