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August 22, 2023
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Women in hospitality have tremendous opportunities waiting for them at Amari Colombo.
Amari Colombo has the honour of being the Host Hotel for Sri Lanka’s only women focused awards in the Sri Lankan workplace, Satynmag Women Friendly Workplace Awards 2025.
Since its inception in 2021, the Satynmag Women Friendly Workplace Awards has remained Sri Lanka’s only platform solely dedicated to recognising, celebrating, and empowering women in the workplace. As we approach the 2025 edition, we are proud to spotlight Amari Colombo—this year’s Host Hotel—for its unwavering commitment to gender-inclusive leadership in Sri Lanka’s hospitality industry.
Amari Colombo is proving that gender diversity isn’t just a corporate buzzword—it’s a transformative strategy for success.
At the helm of this transformation is Mahika Chandrasena, a seasoned hospitality professional with over 20 years of industry expertise, who now heads Marketing at Amari Colombo under the ONYX Hospitality Group.
In this exclusive interview, Mahika shares her vision for inclusive leadership in hospitality, and explains why gender diversity must go beyond metrics to become a core mindset for organisations.
“For us, gender inclusivity goes beyond meeting hiring quotas. It’s about fostering an environment where women are truly seen, heard, and empowered to lead. We have a clear goal: to increase female representation in leadership roles by 30% by the end of 2025.” Mahika says,”We’re approaching this with purpose—through targeted recruitment strategies, strong mentorship, and HR policies that prioritise work-life balance and flexibility.”
“It starts with intentionality. We’ve launched structured development programs, partnered with expert consultants for leadership training, and made mentorship a cornerstone of our culture.”
“These efforts are not one-off initiatives—they’re embedded in our daily practice. We want every member of our team, especially women, to see a clear and achievable path to career progression in the hospitality industry.
Mahika adds that growth is only possible when support is consistent. “Our initiatives include regular mentoring sessions, tailored leadership tracks, and flexible HR policies that address real needs—such as comprehensive parental leave and hybrid work options.”
“We also conduct daily learning and empowerment sessions to keep our teams engaged, inspired, and ready to lead. “Every meaningful transformation encounters resistance. Unconscious bias and fear of change still exist in some workplaces. At Amari Colombo, under the leadership of Hotel Manager Indika Jayawardena and Director of Human Resources Anushka Namaluwa, we’ve taken a visible stand for inclusion.”
“Inclusion here isn’t optional—it’s a non-negotiable value. We support this with open dialogue, continuous training, and clear accountability measures.”
Mahika points out that it’s not just about hitting quotas or KPIs. “We’re focused on driving a true cultural shift. While we track diversity KPIs, we also prioritise employee feedback, engagement scores, brand recall, and retention data to truly evaluate our progress.”
“Looking ahead, we plan to make mentorship a permanent feature of our culture and will continue refining our practices for continuous improvement.”
Mahika says that it must start with intention. “Don’t treat diversity as a box to tick—embed it into your culture. Empower your teams through structured mentorship. Set clear, measurable goals and hold yourself accountable.”
“The benefits are proven: diverse teams are more innovative, more connected to customers, and ultimately more successful.”
As we gear up for the 2025 Satynmag Women Friendly Workplace Awards, Amari Colombo stands out as a shining example of what purposeful, inclusive leadership can achieve.
Through their commitment to gender diversity in Sri Lanka’s hospitality sector, they are ensuring women are not just represented but are thriving in leadership roles—and inspiring the next generation of industry professionals.
Join us in celebrating the trailblazers who are lighting the way for others.
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