Workforce Asia SummitWorkforce Asia Summit 2026

Workforce Asia Summit

2026

Where the Conversations Shaping Work Happen

4 November 2026  ·  Colombo, Sri Lanka

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Organized bySentivaSentiva

Why this exists

The workforce is being rewritten.

Artificial intelligence is changing how work gets done. Skills are becoming more important than traditional job structures. Workforce expectations are shifting, and organisations are being forced to rethink how they attract, develop and retain people.

Workforce Asia Summit brings together the people navigating that change — to exchange ideas, challenge assumptions and build more capable, human and future-ready organisations.

Date4 November 20269.30 AM — 5.30 PM
VenueCinnamon LifeColombo, Sri Lanka
In the room300+CHROs, HR leaders & practitioners

Themes

Two defining conversations.

The 2026 summit centres on two interconnected ideas shaping how organisations build the workforce of tomorrow.

Skills-Based Organisations

As organisations move beyond traditional job structures, skills are becoming the foundation for workforce planning, hiring, learning, internal mobility and career growth.

Explore how organisations can adopt skills-first thinking to build more agile, resilient and future-ready workforces.

Talent Management

Organisations face growing pressure to attract, develop, engage and retain exceptional talent while workforce expectations continue to evolve.

Explore new approaches to talent strategy, leadership development, employee experience, succession, performance and organisational capability.

Why it matters

The workplace is changing faster than the playbook.

AI, changing expectations, demographic shifts and skills-based thinking are transforming how organisations attract, develop and retain talent. The need is not simply for more technology.

Organisations need better conversations, shared learning, practical experience and stronger collaboration between business, the people profession, academia and emerging talent.

01Practical insightsWhat is actually working inside organisations today.
02Real-world experienceLessons from leaders and practitioners doing the work.
03Constructive debateRoom for disagreement, evidence and honest questions.
04Multiple perspectivesBusiness, the people profession, academia and future talent.

In the room

300+ people. One conversation about the future of work.

Designed to connect the HR, talent and business leaders shaping how organisations think about people, skills and work.

01

People Function Leadership

  • CHROs and CPOs
  • HR Directors and Heads of HR
  • Talent Acquisition leaders
  • People & Culture teams
02

Business & Organisational Leadership

  • Business leaders
  • Executives
  • Organisational development practitioners
  • Transformation leaders
03

Talent, Learning & Experience

  • Heads of Talent
  • Learning & Development professionals
  • Employee Experience leaders
  • Workforce planning & capability leads

Accreditation

Attendance earns SHRM recertification credits.

Sentiva LLC is recognised by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® and SHRM-SCP® recertification activities.

Certified professionals attending Workforce Asia Summit 2026 can claim PDCs toward recertification. The credit allocation will be confirmed alongside the final programme.

SHRM Recertification Provider — SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCPSentiva LLC is a SHRM Recertification Provider.

Speakers

Voices shaping what’s next.

Four keynotes from international experts, technology and workforce leaders — each followed by an in-conversation session.

Dr. CJ Meadows
Keynote

Future of Work in the Age of AI

Dr. CJ MeadowsProfessor & Director, i2e — The Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center, S P Jain School of Global Management

Innovation, AI and leadership expert. Harvard Business School DBA, former Accenture strategist and author of Fusion; recognised among the Top 10 Women in IT — Asia.

Anish Lalchandani
Keynote

Skills-Based Organisations and the Future of Talent

Anish LalchandaniGlobal Head of Talent Management, A.P. Moller — Maersk · Author, The Skills Advantage

Chartered Fellow of CIPD with 25+ years across Maersk, Standard Chartered, JLL and GE, focused on future skills, reskilling and workforce transformation.

Yohan Liyanage
Keynote

The Human Signal in the AI Era

Yohan LiyanageFounder & CEO, Sentiva · Stanford GSB LEAD Distinguished Scholar · Forbes Technology Council Member

Technology entrepreneur with 18+ years spanning engineering and technology leadership, focused on using AI to transform how organizations understand talent, skills and human potential.

Zu Hui Yap
Keynote

The Future of Work Isn’t About Jobs. It’s About Solving What Matters.

Zu Hui YapDirector, Strategy & Growth, Montfort Care

Transformation and HR leader with 15+ years advising C-suite leaders and boards; led HR transformation and future-of-work readiness for 25,000 employees at Singtel.

Senior practitioner voices, panelists and moderators will be announced as they are confirmed. Register your interest to hear first.

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Programme

One focused day. A deliberately paced programme.

Four keynotes with in-conversation sessions, two interactive experiences and a leadership panel — with room to talk in between.

01Four KeynotesInternational expert voices, each followed by an in-conversation session.
02Two Interactive SessionsInteractive Audience Experience and Escape the CV — the room takes part.
03Leadership PanelSenior practitioners debate what great talent management looks like next.
04Exhibitor ShowcaseOrganisations bringing ideas, technology and innovation to the future of work, open all day.
05Networking ThroughoutCoffee, lunch, afternoon tea and a close built for conversation.
8.30 AMRegistration, Coffee & Networking
9.30 AMOpening — Workforce Asia Summit 2026
9.50 AMKeynote — Dr. CJ MeadowsFuture of Work in the Age of AI · followed by an in-conversation session
10.40 AMInteractive Audience Experience
11.00 AMKeynote — Anish LalchandaniSkills-Based Organisations and the Future of Talent · followed by an in-conversation session
12.00 PMEnterprise Case StudyA real-world perspective on using AI to manage talent acquisition at scale.
1.00 PMLunch & Networking
2.00 PMEscape the CVAn interactive exploration of skills, potential and talent beyond traditional credentials.
2.40 PMKeynote — Yohan LiyanageThe Human Signal in the AI Era
3.15 PMAfternoon Tea & Networking
3.45 PMKeynote — Zu Hui YapThe Future of Work Isn’t About Jobs. It’s About Solving What Matters. · followed by an in-conversation session
4.35 PMLeadership PanelRethinking Talent: What Will Great Talent Management Look Like Next?
5.20 PMClosing PerspectivesKey ideas and takeaways from Workforce Asia Summit 2026.
5.35 PMNetworking

Region

Starting in Colombo. Built for Asia.

Workforce Asia Summit happens in Sri Lanka — creating a starting point for a broader regional conversation around talent, capability and the future of work.

Sri Lanka is entering a period of workforce transformation, creating an opportunity for organisations, practitioners and leaders to shape how skills-based thinking, modern talent practices and responsible AI are adopted.

Venue

Cinnamon Life, Colombo

Cinnamon Life
Colombo

Workforce Asia Summit 2026 will take place in The Forum at Cinnamon Life, in the heart of Colombo.

Date4 November 2026
Time9.30 AM — 5.30 PM
HallThe Forum
CityColombo, Sri Lanka

Partners

SriLankan Airlines, a oneworld member
Exclusive Airline PartnerSriLankan AirlinesCarrying delegates, speakers and partners to Colombo for the summit.
Association of HR Professionals Sri Lanka
Strategic HR Community PartnerAssociation of HR Professionals Sri LankaSri Lanka’s largest community of HR professionals, advancing people practices and the standards of the profession.

Shape the conversation with us.

Workforce Asia Summit offers organisations an opportunity to participate in one of the region’s most important conversations around work, talent and workforce transformation.

Partner with the summit to engage an audience of senior people leaders, talent and business leaders. These are the people shaping how organisations think about work.

Partnership enquiry

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Tickets

Request your place at the summit.

The summit is limited to 300 seats at The Forum, Cinnamon Life. Every request is reviewed by our team before payment — tell us how many seats you need and we’ll come back with your allocation.

01Submit your details — takes under a minute.
02We review and confirm your seat allocation within two business days.
03You receive a secure payment link, then your ticket.
04Each delegate gets a QR entry pass for The Forum on 4 November 2026.

SHRM-CP® and SHRM-SCP® holders can claim PDCs for attending.

Seats required
1
Final allocation is confirmed by our team — seats are limited.
1 seat × LKR 20,000LKR 20,000Indicative only — payable once we confirm your allocation. Any valid coupon discount is applied then.

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