As Sri Lanka’s automotive sector undergoes rapid transformation, the real differentiator is no longer just technology or scale, but the quality of management driving performance on the ground. In an environment shaped by electrification, digitalisation, and rising customer expectations, sustaining results while building resilient, adaptable teams has become an increasingly complex challenge. It is no longer enough to manage outcomes; how leaders engage, develop, and align their people has become central to long-term success.
John Keells CG Auto (JKCG) places clear emphasis on how performance is built, not just what is delivered. That approach was recently recognised at the Great Manager Awards 2025. Within the organisation, management is treated as a discipline rather than a function. Accountability is clearly defined, learning is continuous, and teams operate with both structure and autonomy as they respond to change.
Echelon sat down with Charith Panditharatne, Chief Executive Officer at John Keells CG Auto, to understand how the organisation is building this approach in practice, and how it continues to evolve its leadership and culture in step with a changing industry.
Winning a Great Manager Award signals more than performance; it speaks to how you lead people. At John Keells CG Auto, what does “great management” actually look like in practice?
Great management, in practice, is not defined purely by performance, but by how that performance is built and sustained. It begins with creating a strong performance culture where responsibility and accountability are clearly aligned with each role, ensuring individuals understand both their expectations and their impact on the wider organisation.
However, what distinguishes effective management is the ability to stretch beyond defined KPIs when the business demands it. Teams are encouraged to step up in critical moments, not out of obligation, but from a sense of ownership and alignment with the organisation’s goals. Central to this is resilience: the capacity to absorb pressure, adapt to setbacks, and continue moving forward without losing momentum or morale.
At the same time, this is balanced with a strong emphasis on professional empathy. Understanding individual motivations, challenges, and strengths allows leaders to guide their teams more effectively while maintaining the discipline required to deliver results. Resilience, in this sense, is not purely individual. It is cultivated through the trust and psychological safety that good leadership creates.
Recognition also plays a key role. Thoughtful and creative forms of appreciation help reinforce positive behaviours and sustain motivation. Together, these elements create an environment where people feel both accountable and supported, enabling consistent, high-level performance, even through uncertainty and change.
The awards place strong emphasis on culture and employee engagement. How have you translated a people-first culture into measurable business outcomes, especially in a sector that’s evolving as rapidly as mobility?
A people-first culture is not built through statements, but through consistent actions and decisions that shape how an organisation operates day to day. At JKCG, this begins with a clear belief that people are the most valuable asset — more than the number of showrooms, service stations, or charging infrastructure in place. It is the strength of the team that ultimately determines the strength of the business.
Translating this into measurable outcomes comes down to how ways of working are defined and reinforced. Culture is shaped by what is encouraged, what is challenged, and the decisions made across the organisation. While policies provide structure, it is everyday choices that establish what is right and what is not.
We place strong emphasis on doing the right thing at the right time. When this mindset is consistently applied across all levels, it creates alignment, builds trust, and drives accountability — resulting in a culture that not only supports people but also delivers meaningful business outcomes.
Charith Panditharatne Chief Executive Officer, John Keells CG Auto
“Great managers don’t just build teams that perform in ideal conditions; they build teams that hold steady when conditions are not.”
The automotive industry is being reshaped by electrification, digitalisation, and shifting consumer expectations. How do you prepare your teams to stay agile and future-ready while maintaining a strong cultural core?
As the automotive industry undergoes rapid transformation, staying agile requires more than adopting new technologies; it demands a workforce that is continuously learning and evolving. At JKCG, this shift is already underway, with a strong focus on leading the transition towards new energy vehicles and preparing teams for what lies ahead.
A key enabler of this is investment in learning and development. The organisation places significant emphasis on equipping its people with the right tools, including digital learning platforms that support continuous upskilling. This ensures teams remain informed, capable, and confident in navigating emerging trends across electrification and digitalisation.
In addition, we are also closely working with global partners such as BYD, leveraging international learning platforms to stay aligned with global standards and advancements. This exposure brings both technical expertise and forward-thinking perspectives into the local context.
Looking ahead, there are also plans to establish a dedicated academy to extend this knowledge beyond the organisation, helping build a future-ready talent pipeline while maintaining a strong and consistent cultural foundation.
The evaluation framework behind the awards looks closely at how managers engage and develop their people. What’s one mindset shift you’ve driven across your management team that has made the biggest difference?
One of the most important mindset shifts has been reinforcing the idea that people, across every level and function, are the organisation’s most valuable asset. This applies equally to technical and non-technical roles, from frontline staff to leadership, creating a culture where everyone is seen as capable of contributing meaningfully.
There is also a strong emphasis on encouraging creativity. Individuals are given the space to share ideas and suggest improvements, with the belief that impactful ideas can come from anywhere within the organisation. This openness has helped unlock broader thinking and more practical solutions on the ground.
A structured feedback mechanism supports this approach. Employees receive timely guidance on expectations and performance, along with the support needed to improve, which in turn builds trust and transparency.
Middle-level managers play a critical role in driving this shift. They ensure communication flows effectively and that these behaviours are consistently reinforced. Over time, this has helped create a more engaged, confident, and accountable workforce.
As organisations grow, maintaining trust and alignment becomes harder. How do you ensure that leadership values and behaviours are consistently experienced across all levels of the organisation?
Maintaining trust and alignment as an organisation grows comes down to consistency in communication and clarity in direction. A key focus has been ensuring that information flows openly across all levels, so that employees are not only aware of what is happening within the business, but also understand the context behind it.
We reinforce this through regular touchpoints, including daily stand-ups, monthly meetings, and quarterly town halls, where both internal and external challenges are shared transparently. Openly communicating issues as well as progress creates a sense of inclusivity and shared responsibility across teams.
At the same time, employees are given the autonomy to raise concerns — whether related to work or people — regardless of hierarchy. Easy access to leadership has been important in building trust, ensuring that feedback is not only encouraged but also heard and addressed.
Alongside this, there is a strong emphasis on clearly articulating the organisation’s vision. When individuals understand what they are working towards, it helps align efforts and behaviours across the board, creating a more cohesive and connected organisation even as it continues to scale.
Recognition is a milestone, but sustaining it is the real challenge. What are you doing today to ensure that this standard of leadership and culture continues to evolve, rather than plateau?
Sustaining recognition requires constant adjustment rather than fixed standards. The focus has been on ensuring that systems and processes remain centred on the customer, while giving frontline teams the autonomy to respond effectively without unnecessary constraints. Removing friction at that level is seen as critical to maintaining both speed and quality of execution.
At the same time, flexibility is balanced with discipline. While teams are given space to operate, there is a clear structure that guides decision-making and ensures consistency. Maintaining that balance between control and autonomy is an ongoing task, and one that requires active involvement from leadership.
The emphasis is less on preserving what has worked and more on refining it. With a clear direction, a defined culture, and systems that continue to evolve, the organisation is positioned to adapt as conditions change. In that sense, progress is not treated as a milestone, but as a continuous process of learning and improvement.