Hi, I’m Romesh from Colombo, Sri Lanka, a member CILT Sri Lanka and currently employed by South Asia Gateway Terminals (SAGT), one of the three container terminals in the Port of Colombo. SAGT is a public / private partnership between John Keells Group of Sri Lanka, the AP Moller / Maersk Group of Denmark, Evergreen Marine of Taiwan and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority.
When and why did you decide to become a member of CILT?
In the late 90s when Diren Hallock, a good friend, industry colleague and then Chairman of CILT Sri Lanka, gave me no choice and press-ganged me into membership of the Institute and thereafter serving on the Council during his tenure.
What are the benefits of being a member of CILT?
A key benefit is the platform that CILT provides to access every level of membership, from students and industry to academia and policy makers. Membership is also a rich source of information and networking through regular Institute organised events on best practice and innovation, locally, regionally and globally.
CILT also gives me and peers across the industry, academia and government an important channel for advocacy by which to contribute towards shaping policy in a developing economy.
What difference has being a member of CILT made to your career?
To me the greatest difference has been the regular opportunities that are created to meet and interact with peers, experts, and practitioners across multiple facets of the transportation and logistics industries, all of whom come not only from different sectors, but also a wide spread of geographies and cultures. This has made a tremendous difference not only in terms of my own learning, but also more practically by way of close and like-minded contacts across the globe.
What do you think the future holds for CILT?
I believe the future is rich with promise for the growth of CILT no just globally but in Sri Lanka and the South Asia region in particular, which today is the fastest growing region in the world, and one that is blessed with the most youthful population in the world. Against a backdrop of challenging transportation and logistics infrastructure in the region in general, CILT will be a great means of attracting youth into a profession that has mostly been perceived as under the radar from a career perspective. CILT also gives me and peers across the industry, academia and government an important channel for advocacy by which to contribute towards shaping policy in a developing economy.
What message would you give to someone just starting out in CILT?
Everyone just starting out must make maximum use of the knowledge that resides within the Institute by aspiring to acquire all of the professional qualifications that are progressively available to a member. This enriches knowledge and capability, whilst at the same time giving a great opportunity to interact with other transport and logistics professionals. Therefore, the message is: gain the qualifications, engage with and meet people, and actively get involved with the Institute with a view to contributing at national, regional and international levels.
