“I feel that UK universities are highly respected, particularly amongst the business community in Sri Lanka, and that is an advantage.”
Dr. Arosha Gunasekera believes studying in the UK exposed him to a wealth of knowledge and harnessed his skills, a learning he transferred to his company Innovest Investments (Pvt) Ltd.
Arosha began his primary education at Royal College before switching to Stafford International School at age 14. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in management from the University of Warwick in 2007. Subsequently, he read for his master's in management research from the University of Oxford. In 2015, he reached the pinnacle of his academic career by graduating from the University of Cambridge with a Ph.D.
Arosha is now a Director and the CEO of Innovest Investments (Pvt) Ltd, a licensed investment management company that manages portfolios on behalf of investors who wish to invest in the stock market and fixed income securities. The company was founded by him along with business leader Dian Gomes, and Ajit Jayaratne, a former chairman of the Colombo Stock Exchange.
“There are certainly many ideas that can be imported to the Sri Lankan workplace from the UK. However, it is important to only select ideas which suit Sri Lanka,” Arosha says.
Having completed his studies in the UK, Arosha emphasises that there are many opportunities for UK graduates. “I feel that UK universities are highly respected, particularly amongst the business community in Sri Lanka, and that is an advantage. You are also exposed to new ideas and meet people with different views. With good resources and a well-trained lecturing panel, the universities I have been to created a useful experience.”
Along with his ambition to study in the UK was the ultimate goal of working towards creating lasting social impact in Sri Lanka.
“I was always interested in coming back to
Sri Lanka. I never wanted to live abroad after completing my university education. I felt that my place was here,” explains Arosha. A believer that Sri Lankans should contribute to the social and economical advancement of the country, he urges his peers to capitalise on opportunities in Sri Lanka by leveraging on their international exposure.
For his part, Arosha considers the development of rural areas and the empowerment of women, an integral part of developing the nation. His passion for the subject was what led him to focus his doctoral thesis on the economic development of Sri Lanka. He says, “Microfinance, working towards the empowerment of women and agrarian development, are important aspects that must be considered for the development of rural areas. This is a very important aspect of developing the country.”
Arosha believes that the exposure he gained through his education will aid him in his goal in making a social contribution in Sri Lanka.