Bringing a wealth of experience in Supply Chain and logistics to the table, Gayathri Karunanayake, Founder of Consultszone is poised to share insights on driving innovation and efficiency within organizations by 2025 amidst the evolving landscape of supply chain management. With a career marked by a deep understanding of supply chain intricacies and a commitment to leveraging technology for transformative change, her perspective promises to offer valuable insights into navigating the complexities of modern supply chain operations.
Drawing upon her extensive experience in Supply Chain and logistics, Gayathri envisions a future where organizations capitalize on emerging trends and technologies to enhance efficiency and drive innovation within their supply chains. As the landscape of supply chain management continues to evolve, she emphasizes the importance of resilience in the face of complexity. With consumer behaviors growing increasingly volatile and economic challenges persisting, organizations are tasked with developing adaptable processes that can thrive in dynamic environments.
Gayathri underscores the role of global supply chains in underpinning economies worldwide, highlighting their potential to confer competitive advantages upon businesses. While traditional approaches have prioritized cost reduction through methodologies like Lean and automation, she advocates for a shift towards a more holistic view, where supply chains embrace new technologies and emerging business models to achieve sustainable success.
A cornerstone of Gayathri’s vision for supply chain management in 2025 is the emphasis on collaboration and balance. By strategically aligning businesses to focus on cost efficiency, compliance, environmental sustainability, and customer service, she believes that supply chains can thrive in an increasingly interconnected world. Through fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation, organizations can adapt to the evolving landscape of supply chain management, driving efficiency and success well into the future.
Gayathri expressed the importance of aligning digital technologies with the right supply chain processes to achieve successful innovation. She stated that before diving into digital transformation, it’s crucial to ensure that the underlying business processes are optimized. According to her, when the right processes are in place and technology is seamlessly integrated, digital transformation becomes a triumph of innovation, setting the stage for business success in the coming years.
Gayathri emphasized that digitally supported processes not only meet but exceed expectations in terms of efficiency, productivity, and compliance within organizations. She highlighted Consultszone’s role in providing consultancy services aimed at helping organizations leverage the right supply chain processes to adapt to digital technologies effectively. She articulated Consultszone’s commitment to implementing cost-efficient processes that enhance business performance while ensuring readiness for the challenges and opportunities on the horizon.
Furthermore, Gayathri outlined Consultszone’s approach to digital transformation, stating that they implement integrated strategies and roadmaps that address both short-term improvements and long-term strategic visions of organizations. She stressed the importance of redesigning supply chains and building supply chain talent for the future to maximize returns on digital investments. According to her, effective roadmaps for supply chain digital transformation analyze end-to-end processes, identifying areas for automation or augmentation to unlock hidden potentials for cost savings and efficiency improvements without causing disruptions.
Gayathri also highlighted Consultszone’s focus on promoting safe transitions and effective decision-making models, ensuring that change management is seamlessly integrated into digital transformation initiatives. By providing necessary support and guidance, Consultszone aims to facilitate smooth implementations and successful outcomes for organizations embarking on their digital transformation journey in supply chain operations.
Gayathri’s role as the immediate past WiLAT Global Vice Chairperson for South Asia and her dedication as a global champion for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) underscore her commitment to empowering women in the logistics and transport industry. She is at the forefront of initiatives aimed at promoting gender diversity and inclusivity within organizations. Through her leadership, she spearheads various strategies to address the underrepresentation of women in the logistics industry, particularly in Sri Lanka, where despite an increasing number of women graduates, their presence remains low.
WiLAT focuses on four strategic thrusts: Empowerment, entrepreneurship, mentoring, and leadership, both locally and globally. Collaborating with the main institutional body Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, WiLAT is driving training and development efforts to add meaningful value to the industry and enhance gender diversity. Gayathri emphasizes that creating an inclusive workplace culture not only attracts and retains diverse talent but also leads to broader competitive advantages and increased revenue for organizations.
WiLAT’s initiatives include mentoring and training programs aimed at preparing women for leadership roles and fostering entrepreneurship skills to encourage more women to enter the professional pool and advance in their careers. Through WiLAT Global , efforts are made to educate and promote best practices within organizations to advance their DEI agendas, including unbiased recruitment, equitable policies, and talent development programs to empower women in leadership.
Additionally, WiLAT Global Women in Logistics and Transport is actively engaged in promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives, extending their efforts beyond gender diversity. Gayathri highlights the collaborative efforts of WiLAT Global in supporting individuals with autism to reach their full potential. With an increasing number of companies recognizing the value of neurodiversity, initiatives are being undertaken to create supportive environments and inclusive hiring processes tailored to the needs of individuals with autism.
As a DEI Champion, “Project Autism”, Gayathri is actively involved in raising awareness, providing training and skill development, and building communities globally to advocate for the well-being and inclusion of individuals with autism. Through her leadership and collaborative efforts with WiLAT Global and other organizations, she envisions a future where gender diversity and inclusivity are embraced, and all individuals, regardless of neurodiversity, have equal opportunities to thrive in the logistics and transport industry by 2025.
With Gayathri’s extensive experience leading transformational projects in multicultural environments, she brings a wealth of insight into fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation within the industries she works with. Recognizing the importance of responsiveness versus efficiency, Gayathri emphasizes the need for organizations to be agile and resilient in the face of industry disruptions. She believes that a culture of continuous improvement is paramount for business success, driving organizations to thrive and adapt to change.
To foster continuous improvement, Gayathri stresses the significance of understanding the right processes and embracing change management to drive innovation. She advocates for driving operational excellence across all facets of an organization, recognizing it as a key component of fostering a culture of continuous improvement. According to Gayathri, effective leadership is crucial in setting the tone for a culture of continuous improvement, as it is often led from the top down. Leaders must demonstrate commitment and involvement in initiatives to inspire employees to follow suit.
Gayathri highlights the importance of providing the right support and resources to facilitate cultural change within an organization. She acknowledges that change can be daunting for many, and it is the responsibility of leaders to make the transition as smooth as possible. She suggests that leaders should seek coaching and training themselves to effectively lead the change, while also ensuring that employees are equipped with the necessary tools and knowledge to embrace continuous improvement initiatives. Additionally, creating an organization-wide platform for sharing improvement suggestions and solutions allows for collective learning and promotes a culture of collaboration and innovation.
By championing a culture of continuous improvement and innovation, Gayathri envisions organizations becoming more agile, adaptive, and resilient in the face of industry disruptions over the next few years. With her leadership and commitment to driving operational excellence, she is poised to guide organizations towards success in an ever-evolving business landscape.
As the a Past Chairperson for WiLAT Sri Lanka, and Immediate Past Global Vice Chairperson for South Asia, Gayathri has been instrumental in actively mentoring and nurturing women professionals within the logistics and transport industry. Looking ahead to 2025, she holds high aspirations for the women leaders she has mentored, envisioning their contributions to shaping the future of the logistics and transport sector not only in Sri Lanka but also beyond its borders. With a founding membership in Women in Logistics and Transport Sri Lanka and active involvement in the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, Sri Lanka, Gayathri has been pivotal in instigating a culture of mentorship and fostering professional growth.
In the year 2014, WiLAT Sri Lanka introduced the “Ignite” program, designed to mentor young professionals across various industry verticals, including logistics and supply chain management. Over its nine years of operation, Ignite has successfully mentored more than 150 individuals, with a faculty comprising esteemed professionals from diverse backgrounds volunteering their expertise. Each year, Ignite selects a batch of mentees and guides them through a meticulously crafted program aimed at nurturing their potential and fostering leadership skills.
The contributions of Ignite have been significant, with many mentees guided towards leadership roles, breaking through barriers, and paving the way for women to ascend beyond glass ceilings within the industry. Gayathri’s commitment to mentoring and nurturing talent has not only empowered individual professionals but has also contributed to the overall advancement of the logistics and transport sector in Sri Lanka. By fostering a pipeline of skilled and empowered women leaders, her mentees are poised to drive innovation, enhance efficiency, and shape the future trajectory of the industry well into 2025 and beyond. Through her tireless dedication to mentorship, Gayathri continues to catalyze positive change, ensuring a brighter future for women in the logistics and transport sector both locally and globally.