Colombo took centre stage in the international management accounting profession as the ICMA (Australia & New Zealand) Global Graduation Ceremony and Membership Investiture 2026 was held on 28 October at Marino Beach Hotel, highlighting Sri Lanka’s growing recognition as a leading destination for professional education.
More than 200 graduates from the 2024/25 and 2025/26 batches, including 50 international graduates representing 17 countries, were formally admitted to membership by Professor Janek Ratnatunga, Global Chief Executive Officer of ICMA (Australia & New Zealand), who presided over the ceremony.
The event further highlighted Sri Lanka’s position as the global hub for ICMA’s Graduate Management Accountant (GMA) live online programme, reflecting the growing international reach of the professional qualification.
Also known as CMA ANZ, ICMA (Australia & New Zealand) has maintained a strong presence in Sri Lanka for more than 25 years. Its local programmes are delivered through The Academy of Finance, which has provided professional training to more than 10,000 individuals.
Further demonstrating the international reach of the profession, the ceremony was attended by three visiting Regional Directors: Professor Dr Ana Sopanah from Indonesia, Kumar Khatiwada from Nepal and Shakeeb Ahamed from the UAE.
The occasion also received the participation of representatives from three diplomatic missions. His Excellency David Pine, High Commissioner of New Zealand, attended as Chief Guest. Ismail Mamdhooh, Minister Counsellor of the Maldives High Commission, participated as Special Guest of Honour, representing His Excellency Masood Imad, High Commissioner of the Republic of Maldives. Xin Shi, First Secretary of the Australian High Commission, attended as Guest of Honour, representing His Excellency Matthew Duckworth, High Commissioner of Australia.
Dr Chris D’Souza, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of ICMA; Kapila Dodamgoda, Regional Director; and Ashan Nissanka, Honorary President of the ICMA Australia Sri Lanka Region, were also present.
Addressing the gathering, Kapila Dodamgoda said: “Sri Lanka is the global hub for our Graduate Management Accountant programme, and this evening shows why. Our graduates are working professionals who qualified while building their careers and families, and we are proud to welcome them as members.”
In recognition of outstanding academic achievements, Medals for Academic Excellence were presented by the Chief Guest to graduates who achieved the highest performance in each subject.
Additionally, ICMA Medals of Excellence were presented by the Guest of Honour to members of the Regional Advisory Council in appreciation of their exceptional and longstanding contributions to the development of the management accounting profession in Sri Lanka.