2nd Batch of M2C Officers Ready to Perform in Corporate Sector

The Military to Corporate Entrepreneurship Capsule (M2C), the second batch of 24 tri-service Officers, comprised of twelve Major Generals, three Brigadiers, four Rear Admirals and five Commodores / Air Commodores, both retired and on service in a fitting finale at the Water’s Edge, received their certificates on Sunday (1) before they dispersed to take up different responsibilities in the civil sector.

Defence Secretary General Kamal Gunaratne (Retd) as the Chief Guest at the invitation of General Daya Ratnayake (Retd), the patron and founder of the M2C in Sri Lanka attended awarding ceremony. The initiative, sponsored by ACCESS Engineering PLC, headed by Mr Sumal Perera was initially launched in March 2021 for retired officers but the second course attracted serving tri-service Officers as well.

The Army Chief of Staff, Major General Priyantha Perera, Sri Lanka Army, together with Mr Sumal Perera, Chairman, ACCESS, Senior Officers in the Navy and the Air Force was among the invitees to the M2C graduation ceremony (2nd batch).

M2C - Military to Corporate Entrepreneurship capsule series, a brainchild of General Daya Ratnayake (Retd) was initiated when he was the Commander of the Army a few years ago.

Secretary, Ministry of Industries and former Army Commander Gen. Daya Rathnayake (Retd) was the driving force behind the project since it was launched for the first time in Sri Lanka, the Defence Secretary making a brief speech to the awarding ceremony recalled.

The project mooted under the stewardship of General Rathnayake (Retd), amply supported by General Shavendra Silva, the Chief of Defence Staff and Tri-Forces chiefs have made those senior officers, ‘corporate ready’ with a host of transitional endowments, which equip them for higher corporate positions as they leave on retirement.

The Defence Secretary further stated that he is grateful for the efforts in bridging the gap through this capsule as it will enable the retiring officers to be competent for a multitude of job opportunities in the corporate sector. He also thanked the patronage, extended by ACCESS Engineering as the resource partner and the Intercontinental Institute of Human Resource Management (IIHRM) and Chamber of Commerce hierarchy for exclusively organizing the whole programme during the project.

Exchange of mementos, plaques and gifts were also held to mark the occasion.

Gen. Daya Rathnayake (Retd), Air Force Commander Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana, Army’s Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Priyantha Perera, Navy’s Deputy Chief of Staff Rear Admiral Nandana Jayarathne, Chairman ACCESS Engineering PLC Sumal Perera, IIHRM Managing Director Ranjeewa Kulathunga, Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Vice Chairman Duminda Hulangamuwa, corporate sector key appointment holders and serving and retired military officers were present at the session.