"Breaking theChain, Leading by Listening: Transforming Tomorrow's Teams Through Yesterday'sLessons." - Kasun Fonseka

This is not merely a phrase. It represents a mindset that Kasun Fonseka, Chief Operating Officer and Co-founder of Inivos Technology, has cultivated through years of experience and reflection. His story stands as an example of what people-first leadership truly looks like in today's complex business landscape. To him, leadership has never been about authority, it's about connection. As the Co-founder and COO of Inivos Technology, he has prioritized understanding his people, listening deeply, and creating space for them to grow. His approach is rooted in empathy and mutual respect, building environments where teams feel confident to speak up and bring their best selves to the table.

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While Kasun acknowledges a few rare mentors who positively influenced the leader he is today, some of the most defining lessons in his leadership journey came not from great leaders, but from poor ones. His exposure to toxic and ineffective leadership showed him exactly the kind of leader he didn't want to be. These experiences became the catalyst for the human-centric leadership style he champions today.

Kasun’s journey began long before the founding of Inivos Technology. His professional path began through the Infoschol program by IIT, which placed him as an intern Software Engineer at Informatics during his university studies. This gave him the chance to dive straight into real-world business challenges. One of his first major projects was navigating the Y2K crisis fortwo leading Sri Lankan telecom providers. This experience strengthened his problem-solving abilities and highlighted the importance of effective teamwork principles that continue to influence his leadership approach today.

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Over his 25+ year career, Kasun has worked across various industries and global markets, leading technology projects and strategic initiatives. His role gradually evolved from technical specialization to managing complex operations, developing insights into strategy, efficiency, and team development in an increasingly digital business landscape. Throughout this journey, he has focused on mentoring and developing team members into leadership positions.

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Kasun’s pre-Inivos career is a strong reflection of his ability to turn challenges into opportunities.
"Finding talent, reshaping it, and guiding it to deliver as expected within challenging environments... that's what inspires me," Kasun shares. He believes that a people-centric approach is key to navigating tough decisions smoothly: "When teams feel valued and heard, trust and collaboration grow, making even the hardest changes more achievable and sustainable."

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Among his notable achievements, Kasun successfully led a program that transformed individuals from non-technical backgrounds into skilled IT professionals, demonstrating his belief in unlocking potential beyond traditional profiles. During the COVID-19pandemic, he built a tech team of over 100 engineers within a year, show casing resilience and agility under pressure. He also guided a young team to deliver five major capital market projects to world-leading exchanges, ensuring both quality and timely delivery under demanding conditions.

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These milestones not only illustrate his technical and operational leadership but also highlight his unwavering focus on empowering people and driving excellence even in complex, high-pressure environments.

When co-founding Inivos Technology, Kasun's people-first leadership shaped the company's direction. While Inivos Technology offers software services including product development, startup consultancy, and staff augmentation, the foundation has always been about building strong teams and creating an environment where talent thrives.

"I've reimagined the traditional People-Process-Technology (PPT) model to help us thrive in today's Agile, AI-driven world at Inivos Technology" Kasun shares.

For Kasun, people remain at the heart of everything. "For me, 'people' has always meant more than headcount. It's about culture, engagement, empowerment, and psychological safety. Emotional intelligence, diversity, and continuous learning aren't just nice to have, they're the foundation for real innovation."

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When it comes to process, Kasun emphasizes the need for adaptability. "Rigid processes don't working today's landscape. At Inivos Technology, we've embraced Agile, DevOps, and design thinking to stay collaborative, fast, and responsive. That adaptability is what keeps us aligned with a rapidly changing market."

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On technology, Kasun views it as a strategic driver rather than just a support function. "Technology isn't just supporting its strategy. AI, automation, and analytics help us unlock new business models and deliver transformative customer experiences."

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He has also expanded the traditional model by introducing new pillars that reflect modern needs. "I've added data as a core pillar and made culture and purpose explicit priorities. These guide every transformation we lead, ensuring all elements of the business are aligned for long-term, sustainable growth."

At Inivos Technology, innovative thinking is embedded in the culture. A notable example is how the company addressed the scarcity of automotive software engineers in Sri Lanka by partnering with ICT Group Netherlands. This collaboration created a development pathway that established a growing community of skilled engineers in a previously underdeveloped field locally.

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Another compelling example of Inivos Technology is talent development approach was successfully building a robust extended R&D team for one of Australia's leading energy product development companies. Despite the challenge of zero domain expertise in Sri Lanka's local talent pool, Inivos Technology rapidly assembled and trained a specialized team that became an integral part of the client's innovation pipeline. This achievement demonstrated the company's ability to transform knowledge gaps into opportunities through focused training and mentorship, delivering results in are remarkably short timeframe while creating valuable expertise in a new domain for the local technology community.

Kasun’s people-centric leadership has been pivotal to Inivos Technology’s growth. By fostering individual development, continuous learning, and a supportive environment, he empowered teams to tackle new challenges with confidence. This approach not only bridged critical talent gaps but also built high-performing teams that delivered exceptional results for global clients. Together with his co-founders, Kasun has helped expand Inivos Technology into a dynamic global organization. For him, the most rewarding aspect is seeing the real-world impact of their vision. Through team building, capability development, and a consistent focus on people, Inivos Technology has enabled businesses to thrive in an increasingly complex digital landscape. 

As Inivos Technology expands globally, Kasun remains committed to the same mission creating an ecosystem where people drive success. His journey demonstrates that meaningful leadership isn't defined by titles but by empowering others, creating opportunities, and building an environment where everyone can develop and succeed.

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