The Fatherhood Forum 2025

Date

23 July, 2025

Event

Location

Sri Lanka

Redefining Leadership, Work, and Fatherhood.

Fatherhood Forum 2025, held on 23rd July 2025, marked a defining moment for workplace inclusion and modern leadership in Sri Lanka. Hosted by Parenthood Global, this inaugural forum brought together senior corporate leaders, policymakers, and change-makers to celebrate, support, and redefine the role of working fathers in today’s professional and family landscapes.

As the first leadership forum of its kind dedicated to working fathers, the event created a powerful platform for dialogue, reflection, and action—spotlighting how engaged fatherhood and inclusive workplace cultures drive stronger families, resilient organisations, and sustainable economic growth.

Why Fatherhood Forum 2025 Mattered

The forum addressed a critical yet often overlooked dimension of workplace inclusion: fatherhood. While conversations around gender equity and parental wellbeing continue to evolve, Fatherhood Forum 2025 focused on the lived realities of working fathers—leaders balancing boardroom responsibilities with caregiving roles at home.

Discussions highlighted how fathers today lead with empathy, purpose, and accountability, and how organisations that support shared parenting benefit from improved employee engagement, leadership effectiveness, and talent retention.

Fatherhood Forum 2025 was not just a one-day event—it marked the beginning of a national movement for father-inclusive leadership and policy reform.

Key Themes and Conversations
Across keynote sessions and panel discussions, the forum explored:

The evolving role of fathers in leadership and family life
The importance of father-friendly workplace policies
Paternity leave, flexible work models, and cultural acceptance
The business and social impact of shared caregiving
Creating equitable and sustainable workplaces for all parents
Real-life leadership journeys of working fathers in senior roles

These conversations provided actionable insights for organisations seeking to embed parent inclusion into their leadership and people strategies.

Fatherhood Forum 2025 – Distinguished Speakers

The forum featured an exceptional lineup of senior leaders and industry experts who shared personal experiences, organisational insights, and forward-thinking perspectives on fatherhood and leadership:

Mr. Ramesh Schaffter
Managing Director / Group Chief Executive Officer – JXG (Janashakthi Group)
Mr. Peter Ward
Managing Director – Dijital Team
Mr. Denver De Zylva
Joint Country Head – Virtusa Sri Lanka & Board Member, Virtusa (Pvt) Ltd
Mr. Sanjiv Hulugalle
Chief Executive Officer & General Manager – Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams
Mr. Gamika De Silva
Group Chief Marketing Officer – JXG (Janashakthi Group)
Mrs. Shehara De Silva
Independent Non-Executive Director (INED) – Family Planning Association Sri Lanka
Mr. Dilshan Perera
Chief Transformation Officer / General Manager – HNB General Insurance
Mr. Mohamed Ramsy
CFO / COO – Emerald International | Business Coach
Mr. Charitha Bandara
Head of Sales Learning Academy – Allianz Insurance Lanka Ltd

Their contributions reinforced the message that fatherhood inclusion is a leadership responsibility, not a peripheral benefit.

Honored for Building a Culture that Celebrates and Supports Fatherhood

A key highlight of Fatherhood Forum 2025 was the recognition of organisations that have demonstrated a strong commitment to supporting working fathers and fostering inclusive, family-friendly workplace cultures.

Recognised Organisations:

HNB General Insurance Ltd
Dialog Business Services (Pvt) Ltd
Allianz Insurance Lanka Ltd
National Development Bank PLC
Dijital Team Sri Lanka
HNB Assurance PLC
JXG (Janashakthi Group)

These organisations were honoured for embedding fatherhood support into leadership practices, HR policies, and organisational values, setting new benchmarks for corporate Sri Lanka.

Fatherhood Forum 2025 successfully;

Elevated fatherhood as a core workplace inclusion issue
Initiated cross-industry dialogue on paternity and caregiving
Recognised organisations championing father-friendly cultures
Strengthened corporate commitment to parent-inclusive leadership
Laid the foundation for future policy advocacy and corporate engagement

The forum reinforced the idea that when fathers are supported, families thrive, workplaces perform better, and societies progress.

Looking Ahead
Fatherhood Forum 2025 marked the beginning of Parenthood Global’s long-term commitment to advancing father-inclusive workplaces. The insights, partnerships, and momentum generated at the forum will continue to inform future initiatives, research, and corporate collaborations.

Together, we are redefining leadership—where caregiving and career go hand in hand.