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CEO, Executive Director and Executive Dean
International College of Business & Technology (ICBT Campus)
The Chair of the ICBT Annual International Research Symposium
Key Note Speech Topic: “Adapting in Real Time: Innovation for an Uncertain World”
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Chairman of the CEG Education Holdings
Dr. Jagath Alwis is the Chairman of CEG Education Holdings, Sri Lanka’s largest private education conglomerate,
which includes ICBT Campus, American National College, Wycherley International Schools, Modern Montessori International, and NetAssist International.
A graduate in Mathematics and Physics, he is a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute (UK), a Fellow of the Indian Insurance Institute, and a Chartered Insurer. He also holds Fellowship of the Institute of Directors (UK) and was awarded a
Doctorate from Middlesex University, UK, in 2013.
Dr. Alwis has served on the Faculty Boards of the University of Peradeniya and University of Sabaragamuwa. He previously held the position of Executive Chairman of Ceylinco General Insurance Ltd., Sri Lanka’s largest insurance company, and is currently an Executive Director of Ceylinco Holdings PLC.
He is a past President of the Association of Insurers & Reinsurers of Developing Countries and the Insurance Association of Sri Lanka (IASL), and continues to serve on their governing bodies.
Dr. Alwis has been recognized internationally, receiving awards for Outstanding Contribution to Education, Educational Entrepreneur of the Year (2013), and Personality of the Year (Asia Insurance Awards 2014). He has presented over 30 papers in 21 countries and is a regular contributor to international insurance publications.
Title of Speech: “Innovative strategies for Insurance Companies for risk acceptance and claims settlement in an era of increasing catastrophic uncertainty”
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Professor in Management Studies
Open University of Sri Lanka
Ph.D. (UOC), MBA (UOC), B.Sc. Mkt. (Sp.) (USJP), MCIM (UK), Chartered Marketer (UK), MSLIM, MAAT, Dip. in CMA
A proud product of Ananda College, he is a Chartered Marketer and long-standing member of the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing, with over 15 years of industry and consulting experience.
He lectures in Strategic Management, Marketing, and Research Methodology, with international teaching exposure in Dubai, Oman, and Qatar. He also serves as a visiting lecturer for MBA programmes at leading national and international universities and is the Coordinator of the MBA programme at OUSL.
Prof. Abeysekera completed his PhD in Leadership and Marketing in 2013 and has authored, co-authored, and reviewed numerous international journal articles, conference papers, and books. He was a Finalist for Best Asian Researcher (2012) by the Philippine Association of Institutions for Research and is a triple gold medalist from the University of Colombo for Strategic Management,
Marketing Management, and Dissertation Excellence.
He contributes regularly to national newspapers and magazines on topics related to economics, education, and tourism and has been featured widely on television to lead discussions on education, children’s issues, and entrepreneurship. He also supervises PhD students in Management and Marketing and serves on various academic and professional panels.
Title of Speech: Adapting In Real Time: Institutional Thinking and Action Research for Innovation in a VUCA-BANI World
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Chancellor of the University of the Commonwealth of the Caribbean, Jamaica
and
Visiting Professor of Applied A.I. , University of Abertay, UK
Prof. John MacIntyre is an internationally recognized leader in Artificial Intelligence with over 30 years of experience in the field.
He retired recently as the Pro Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Applied AI at the University of Sunderland, UK, after serving the institution for more than three decades.
He currently serves as a Visiting Professor of AI at universities in the UK, Egypt, Greece, and New Zealand, and works globally as an AI consultant, advising organizations on AI strategies and implementation.
Prof. MacIntyre has published over 150 peer reviewed research papers and has delivered numerous keynote speeches and invited talks at international conferences and workshops.
Since 1996, he has been the Editor in Chief of Neural Computing & Applications (SpringerNature), one of the world’s leading applied AI journals.
In 2020, he cofounded the journal AI and Ethics with Professor Larry Medsker (USA), reflecting his strong commitment to promoting responsible and ethical AI development.
He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a Member of the International Neural Network Society, a Chartered Engineer, and a Member of the British Computer Society.
Prof. MacIntyre is widely recognized as a passionate advocate for ethical, safe, and human-centered AI.
Title of Speech: "How A.I. is Changing Education"
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Professor in Computer Engineering;
Director, Staff Development Centre; Deputy Director (Skills & Training), Multidisciplinary AI Research Centre (MARC); University of Peradeniya -- Consultant CEO, Lanka Education and Research Network (LEARN)
Prof. Roshan Ragel is a Professor of Computer Engineering at the University of Peradeniya and the Director of the University’s Staff Development Centre. He also serves as the Deputy Director (Skills & Training) at
the Multidisciplinary AI Research Centre (MARC) and Consultant CEO of LEARN, Sri Lanka’s national education and research network
A Senior Member of IEEE, Prof. Ragel has coauthored over 250 peer reviewed publications in IoT, wearable computing, bioinformatics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. He has held visiting research
appointments at UNSW Sydney, QUT Brisbane, UIUC, and ANU.
His work focuses on applying AI and IoT for education, agriculture, and national development, with a strong role in shaping national AI policy, academic curriculum modernization, and digital infrastructure initiatives.
Prof. Ragel has earned significant national and international recognition, including the 2025 IEEE Computer Society Mary Kenneth Keller Award for outstanding undergraduate teaching—becoming the first awardee from the global south.
Updated Biography (https://people.ce.pdn.ac.lk/staff/academic/roshan-ragel/):
Title of Speech: Adapting in Real Time: Building Resilient AI Systems for an Uncertain World
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Professor in Economics
at the Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies (FCMS), University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka
&
The Academic Coordinator
of the PhD by Publication Programme – University of Kelaniya
Prof. Wasanthi Madurapperuma is a senior academic and Professor in Economics at the University of Kelaniya. She serves as the Academic Coordinator of the PhD by Publication Programme, providing leadership in doctoral supervision, research mentoring, and publication focused research development
She is a respected scholar in macroeconomics, econometrics, entrepreneurship, and applied business research, with extensive publications in leading international journals. She holds a First Class Honours degree in Economics, two master’s degrees from the University of Kelaniya, and a PhD from the University of Reading, UK (ORS Scholar).
Prof. Madurapperuma has held key leadership roles including Acting Dean, Head of the Department of Accountancy, and Member of the University Research Council. She is also the Chief Examiner for GCE A/L Economics (English Medium) in Sri Lanka.
She is the founder of ICARE, and played a pioneering role in launching Sri Lanka’s first fully online Master of Business (Accounting & Finance) programme.
Title of Speech: Turning Uncertainty into Opportunity: The Power of Research and Innovation
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Chairperson – Atomic Energy Board (SL)
&
Professor in Electrical Engineering,
Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Moratuwa
(PhD, MEng, BSc (Hons) Eng)
Prof. Thushara Rathnayake is the Chairperson of the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board (SLAEB) and a Professor in Electrical Engineering at the University of Moratuwa.
She holds a PhD in Nuclear Engineering and Management and an MSc in Quantum Engineering and Systems Science from the University of Tokyo, Japan, along with a BSc (Hons) in Electrical Engineering from the University of Moratuwa.
With extensive international research experience at leading Japanese institutions—including the University of Tokyo, RIKEN, and AIST—her expertise spans nuclear engineering, advanced sensing, energy systems, renewable energy, and resilient infrastructure.
Prof. Rathnayake plays a key national leadership role in advancing nuclear science, energy innovation, and strategic technology development in Sri Lanka. She is dedicated to building future-ready engineering systems and mentoring the next generation of scientists and engineers.
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Chairman, ICBT Campus
&
Executive Chairman, Ceylinco General Insurance Limited
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Pro Vice Chancellor, Management Team - Cardiff School of Management, Llandaff Campus
Title of Speech: "Cross-disciplinary Approaches to Innovation. Thoughts on addressing today’s global challenges?"
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Professor of Food Science & Technology, Department of Food Science & Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
Title of Speech: The vital role of multidisciplinary research in food and agriculture for a sustainable future
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Department of Marketing Management, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka
Title of Speech: "Strategic Business Ecosystem for Innovations & Resilience"
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Faculty of Medicine and Allied Sciences, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka
Title of Speech: "Four advices for young scientists"
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Biomaterials Scientist Wearable Tech Innovator Expert Lecturer
Visiting Senior Lecturer, Curtin University and University of Moratuwa
Title of Speech: “Wearable Technologies and Biomedical Innovations: Addressing Global Challenges in Health and Aging”