Dr Hans Wijayasuriya, former CEO of Axiata Group, has been appointed as the Chief Advisor to the President of Sri Lanka on Digital Economy. He received his letter of appointment from President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo. This appointment marks a major step towards Sri Lanka’s digital transformation.

On Friday, Axiata Group announced that Dr Wijayasuriya would step down as CEO of Telecommunications Business and Group Executive Director on 15 January 2025 to assume this new role. He will, however, continue to support Axiata during a transition period, while advising Sri Lanka’s government on digital initiatives on a non-executive basis.

With over 30 years at Axiata and Telekom Malaysia, Dr Wijayasuriya has led telecommunications operations across Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Cambodia. He has also been a director on the GSMA Board, receiving the GSMA Chairman’s Award in 2024 for his outstanding contributions to the global mobile industry. Dr Wijayasuriya’s experience positions him uniquely to drive forward Sri Lanka’s digital economy agenda.