Road to Ignite Explores Leadership in a Global Landscape
Road to Ignite - Leadership Talk Series: Session 10 brought together students and young professionals for an engaging conversation on leadership, team building, business growth, and professional development. The session featured Ms. Anna Kalm, Co-Founder & CEO of Ascentic (Pvt) Ltd, who shared practical insights from her experience in building and scaling globally distributed teams, developing strong client relationships, and leading within a rapidly evolving technology environment.
Event Overview
Road to Ignite - Leadership Talk Series: Session 10 was organized under the IEEE LETs talk national project in collaboration with IEEE Young Professionals Sri Lanka, with the aim of providing students and young professionals with practical perspectives on leadership and professional growth.
The session featured Ms. Anna Kalm, Co-Founder & CEO of Ascentic (Pvt) Ltd, in an interactive discussion centered on her leadership journey and experience in building and scaling globally distributed teams. The conversation explored the importance of trust, consistency, adaptability, and delivering quality outcomes while maintaining strong relationships with clients and employees.
The discussion also addressed key aspects of business growth, including identifying customers and partners, building strong professional networks, and scaling operations strategically. Participants gained insight into the importance of balancing organizational growth with a supportive work culture and adapting leadership approaches to the needs of different teams and environments.
Following the main discussion, participants had the opportunity to engage directly with Ms. Kalm through an interactive Q&A session. The program concluded with closing remarks and a networking session, allowing attendees to continue conversations and connect with fellow participants.
Key Highlights
Leadership & Building High-Performing Teams
The discussion explored Ms. Kalm’s experience in building and managing globally distributed teams, with particular emphasis on trust, consistency, adaptability, and creating an environment where people can perform effectively.
Client Relationships & Quality Delivery
Participants gained practical perspectives on the importance of delivering quality outcomes on time and maintaining strong professional relationships as organizations grow and take on greater responsibilities.
Business Growth & Professional Networks
The conversation also covered identifying customers and partners, strengthening professional networks, and approaching business growth strategically. Participants were encouraged to consider how effective relationships and long-term thinking contribute to sustainable growth.
Interactive Q&A & Networking
The main discussion was followed by a Q&A session, giving participants the opportunity to seek further insights directly from Ms. Kalm. The event concluded with networking, creating space for participants to connect and continue discussions beyond the formal program.
Speakers & Guests
The programme featured an experienced technology entrepreneur and industry leader who shared practical perspectives on leadership, innovation, team development, and professional growth.
- Ms. Anna Kalm – Co-Founder & CEO, Ascentic (Pvt) Ltd
Ms. Kalm is the Founder and CEO of Ascentic, a Sri Lanka-based cloud development and data science company. Prior to this, she worked at Microsoft Sweden as a Partner Sales Executive, with experience in cloud services, business development, and innovation within the IT industry.
Her experience provided participants with valuable insights into leadership, scaling teams, professional networking, client relationships, adaptability, and building sustainable organizations.
Event in Numbers
Event Gallery
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Closing & Looking Ahead
Road to Ignite - Leadership Talk Series: Session 10 provided participants with an opportunity to explore leadership, team development, business growth, and professional adaptability through the experiences of an accomplished technology entrepreneur.
By combining an experience-driven discussion, interactive Q&A, and networking, the program encouraged participants to reflect on trust, consistency, collaboration, relationship-building, and the importance of adapting leadership approaches to changing environments.
More than a leadership conversation, Session 10 served as a platform for young professionals to gain practical perspectives, connect with industry experience, and develop a broader understanding of the qualities required to lead and grow within modern professional environments.