Manju Haththotuwa bids adieu to ICTA and 'eSri Lanka'

Having started the ICT Agency (ICTA) and the renowned 'eSri Lanka' initiative for the Government three years ago, Manju Haththotuwa, one of ICTA's original Board Directors and founder Managing Director has informed the Board of Directors of his intention to resign from July 31, and move on to new challenges.

The ICT Agency of Sri Lanka was set up three years ago as the apex Agency for ICT policy. ICTA is also the implementing Agency for the eSri Lanka program. The Agency has survived two major political changes and grown from strength to strength under the leadership of the founder Managing Director/CEO Manju Haththotuwa. The Agency is now under the office of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Prof V. K. Samaranayake, Chairman ICTA said that ICTA is well into the implementation of several national scale projects across all programs and added that "Manju has been the driving force and was primarily responsible for building the Agency from scratch, putting together a fine team, convincing the World Bank to fund the 'eSri Lanka program" and bringing the funding to Sri Lanka."

The programs were designed, appraised and received funding in record time. Within a year and a half of receiving funding, ICTA is already implementing all its projects originally envisaged as well as many more.

It is commendable that in a short period of three years ICTA/eSri Lanka has created a national presence and heightened awareness of the benefits of ICT. Moreover, it has also earned an international reputation within the development community the world over as a pioneering and innovative development program.

The World Bank said "eSri Lanka is our first integrated e-Development program in the world and indeed our flagship project. It has achieved impressive results in a short space of time. Manju's exceptional management and leadership qualities have played a large part in this success and we are very sad to see him go." Whilst thanking Manju for his unstinted commitment, tireless efforts and excellent service to ICTA and eSri Lanka, "I would like also to take this opportunity to wish him well in all his future endeavours", Samaranayake said.

Manju holds Board positions in other public and private sector organisations and now plans to pursue these ventures and other related interests in development.

Manju is a Chartered Professional Engineer, with a B.Sc. (Hons.) from the prestigious Imperial College and also holds an MBA with distinction from the Management School, University of London.

He has a useful combination of technical, commercial and business skills derived from rich and varied experiences spanning over 20 years in ICT, Engineering, Development Management Consultancy, as well as practical leadership of multidisciplinary organisations and teams.

He is a Managing Director (MD)/CEO with a track record and substantial Board experience gained in government and private sector organisations.

Manju is also a Thought Leader in using ICT as an enabler for equity, economic growth and social integration as well as transformation of societies and nations through e-Development.