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Strategic management & planning
Clear strategic direction, practical corporate planning and evidence-based pathways from ambition to implementation.
Strategic management · Executive coaching · Public administration
Prof. M. Thilakasiri
Public leadership
focused on lasting impact.
Helping public and private institutions turn complex challenges into clear strategy, stronger leadership and lasting organisational capability.
HighFlyerChairman
SLIDAFormer Director General
HUSTVisiting Professor
Prof. M. Thilakasiri has spent more than four decades helping public and private-sector leaders make better decisions, strengthen human capital and deliver sustainable transformation. His career connects senior public administration, strategic consulting, executive coaching and postgraduate education.
- 40+
- Years across public and private sectors
- 31
- Years of service and leadership at SLIDA
- 30+
- Years in teaching and academic supervision
- 2017—Present
- Chairman of HighFlyer
What Prof. Thilakasiri brings
Four decades of strategic leadership across public administration, management education and private-sector consulting.
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Executive coaching & human capital
Leadership development, executive mentoring and capability building grounded in real organisational challenges.
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Institutional strengthening & reform
Stronger systems, organisational transformation and public-sector reform that connect policy intent with delivery.
Industry perspective
- Banking & finance
- Public administration
- Management education
- Corporate governance
Experience
A career shaped by public service.
From co-operative development and university teaching to 31 years at SLIDA and strategic consulting through HighFlyer, his career combines administration, education, executive coaching and institutional reform.
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Jan 2017 — Present
Chairman & Senior Management Consultant
HighFlyer Global Consulting
Leading strategic consulting, executive coaching and capacity-building programmes for public and private-sector organisations.
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2015 — Present
Visiting Professor
Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Contributing to teaching, academic exchange and international dialogue in public governance and administration.
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Mar 1986 — Dec 2016
Director-General
SLIDA
A 31-year career progressing from Management Consultant to Senior Consultant, Head of Division, Additional Director-General and Director-General.
- Established the School of Postgraduate Studies.
- Initiated and developed the Master of Public Management programme.
- Led strategic planning, management education, consultancy and applied research.
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1982 — 1986
Lecturer in Management
University of Colombo
Delivered undergraduate and postgraduate management teaching, with research in strategic management and organisational behaviour.
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1977 — 1982
Co-operative Development Officer
Department of Cooperative Development
Early public-service experience supporting co-operative development in Sri Lanka.
Education & professional standing
Public administration at the foundation, postgraduate strategic management and the FCMA designation.
Master of Business Administration
University of Birmingham
Birmingham Business School · United Kingdom
Bachelor of Science in Public Administration
University of Sri Jayewardenepura
Sri LankaProfessional designation
FCMA
Fellowship designationAcademic & global contribution
Building capability across institutions and borders.
More than three decades of teaching, supervision and international collaboration have extended Prof. Thilakasiri’s contribution well beyond a single institution.
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Teaching & supervision
Developing leaders at undergraduate, postgraduate and executive levels.
Over 30 years as an examiner, dissertation supervisor and course designer across universities and SLIDA.
Programmes
BSc · MSc · MBA · MD · MPM
Academic roles
Examiner · Dissertation supervisor · Course designer
Research areas
Strategic management · Human resource development · Corporate planning · Public administration
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International partnerships
Capacity-building programmes shaped through global collaboration.
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Huazhong University of Science and Technology
China - 02
Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration
India - 03
Asian Institute of Technology
Thailand - 04
Sripatum University
Thailand - 05
Civil Service College
Singapore - 06
National University of Malaysia
Malaysia
Professional exposure
Experience across 13 countries.
- United Kingdom
- Singapore
- Malaysia
- Thailand
- Indonesia
- India
- Germany
- Japan
- China
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Greece
- Italy
Continuing contribution
Still shaping the public-service conversation.
In 2026, Huazhong University of Science and Technology renewed Prof. Thilakasiri’s appointment as Visiting Professor, continuing an academic relationship that began in 2015. To mark the renewed appointment, he delivered a lecture on bureaucracy, red tape and the enduring challenge of administrative reform.
Read the university announcementSelected media
Ideas in the public conversation.
Interviews and discussions exploring leadership, institutions, public life and the choices that shape meaningful change.
Showing media items 1 to 3 of 6.
Connect
Start a thoughtful conversation.
For strategic consulting, executive coaching, capacity building, policy dialogue or speaking enquiries, share a few details below or connect through a professional channel.
Professional enquiries are coordinated through HighFlyer Global Consulting.