The 5thInternational Conference on Marketing Management (ICMM 2025) was held on 6th February 2025 at the Cinema Hall, Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH), under the theme “Unlocking Tomorrow: Navigating the Future of Marketing Lead by Human Intelligence through Data & Artificial Intelligence.”
This prestigious event brought together marketing pioneers and over 40 researchers from local and international backgrounds. Participants gathered to exchange expertise, share cutting-edge insights, and discuss emerging trends shaping the future of marketing. Organised by the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) in collaboration with Westminster University – UK and Emerald Publishing – UK, Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), the conference served as a premier platform to foster a research-driven culture in marketing. It provided an invaluable opportunity for academics, practitioners, industrialists, and policymakers to engage in meaningful discussions, promote collaboration, and drive innovation in the field.
As the 5th edition of this annual event, ICMM 2025 reinforced its commitment to bridging academia and industry, ensuring that marketing professionals are equipped to navigate the evolving landscape of data-driven and AI-powered marketing. This event offered local and international researchers and academics a unique platform to showcase their cutting-edge research findings. It fostered a forum that transcends geographical boundaries to explore and forge global alliances for enhanced research quality.
The conference served as a nexus for knowledge exchange, bridging the gap between emerging talents and seasoned professionals by cultivating a robust network for young researchers alongside renowned local and foreign management experts. Beyond conventional boundaries, the ICMM 2025 advocated for multidisciplinary dialogues, facilitating engaging conversations between researchers and industry practitioners, thereby amplifying the impact of diverse research findings in marketing and beyond.
The 5th ICMM 2025 converged innovative ideas, strategic insights, and collaborative initiatives. It aimed to chart a transformative path for the marketing domain, ensuring its sustainability and resilience in a dynamically evolving global marketplace.
The event was graced with the presence of Professor Hermawan Kartajaya (Asian Marketing Guru), Chris Daly (Chief Executive Officer, Chartered Institute of Marketing), Maggie Jones (Director of Qualifications & Partnerships, Chartered Institute of Marketing), and Dewi Gustina Tobing, Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, who are renowned experts in the field.
Dr. Dilhan Sampath Jayatilleke, Vice President of Events and Sustainability of the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing, took the floor to welcome the participants to the event. During his speech, Dr. Dilhan stated, “SLIM, as the apex body for marketing, believes in the knowledge creation and dissemination, which are essential for the development of education.
Research is the sole avenue for the creation of new knowledge. With that purpose in mind, we initiated the International Conference on Marketing Management in 2020 to open up a platform for knowledge creation and dissemination for the marketing domain, which is a part of our mandate.”
Addressing the gathering, Gayan Perera, President of SLIM, highlighted that as an institution, SLIM will invest more in research and development as it is paramount for developing the economy, which is part of the institution’s vision for 2030. Delivering the keynote address of the valedictory session of the ICMM 2025, Prof. Dewasiri N. Jayantha (Vice President- Education and Research, SLIM& Founding Chair of ICMM) highlighted SLIM’s commitment towards education and research, which is of paramount importance in driving the nation’s economic prosperity, which is also the mandate of the SLIM.
Dr. Himendra Balalle, Conference Chair, emphasised the immeasurable impact a research conference can have on institutions, society, and the world. He highlighted the International Conference on Marketing Management (ICMM) as a premier initiative by the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM), fostering global academic connections and unlocking new opportunities in marketing. Dr. Balalle said that research, data exploration, and knowledge discovery are at the heart of ICMM. With strong engagement from local and international researchers, the 5th ICMM 2025 once again proved its role in shaping the future of marketing through insightful discussions and trend-setting research.
As the chief guest of the conference, Prof. Hermawan shared his expertise, experience, and knowledge on the “role of wisdom, compassion, and awareness in leveraging AI for effective marketing leadership, drawing insights from Harvard Business Review.” He introduced the 5D Analysis framework, providing a structured approach to understanding market dynamics. He also presented the Omnihouse Model, a concept developed in collaboration with Philip Kotler and others in their book Entrepreneurial Marketing.
He also explored the Human x Tech Compass, a strategic model from the Indonesian Marketing Outlook 2025, underscoring the integration of human intelligence with technological advancements in marketing. Prof. Kartajaya’s thought-provoking address set the stage for dynamic discussions throughout the conference, inspiring marketers to embrace AI while maintaining human-centric leadership in an increasingly digital world.
Prof. Hermawan Kartajaya: The Chief Guest
Hermawan Kartajaya is a prominent Indonesian marketing expert and thought leader renowned for his significant contributions to the marketing field. He is best known for collaborating with the father of modern marketing, Philip Kotler, on the influential Marketing X.0 series. Kartajaya’s expertise extends beyond theoretical knowledge.
As the founder and chair of the Asia Small Business Federation, Asia Marketing Federation, and MCorp (MarkPlus), he has received numerous accolades, including being named one of the “50 Gurus Who Have Shaped the Future of Marketing” by the Chartered Institute of Marketing. His innovative ideas and practical insights have made him a sought-after speaker and consultant. Kartajaya’s work has profoundly impacted the marketing industry, inspiring countless professionals and organisations. His books, notably the Marketing X.0 series (Marketing 3.0 to Marketing 6.0), have been translated into multiple languages and are widely read by marketers and business leaders worldwide.
Maggie Jones: The Guest Speaker
Maggie spent the first part of her career working in marketing communications for Cadbury Schweppes and alongside other organisations such as Coca-Cola, Premier Foods and Boots. A career change into education to best achieve a work/ life/family balance started with teaching CIM courses at colleges, quickly leading to teaching marketing at university. During this time, Maggie also consulted in the qualifications area of CIM, supporting qualification development and assessment writing. Maggie joined CIM in 2010, heading up the UK education learning community, and her role expanded as change occurred. In 2018, Maggie moved into her present role as Director of Qualifications & Partnerships.
University, academic and professional partnerships
Emerald Publishing has extended its supportive hands to the research conference in many aspects, including opening opportunities for the best manuscripts to be published in renowned journals such as the South Asian Journal of Marketing published by Emerald Publishing. SLIM has collaborated with the University of Westminster (UK) and the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM, UK) to conduct its marketing conference on an international scale. The event was supported by valuable partners such as Pan Asia Bank (Official Banking Partner), Union Assurance PLC (Official Insurance Partner), and Voice of Asia Network (Official Electronic Media Partner).
Speaking about this initiative, the Chief Executive Officer of the SLIM, Chamil Wickramasinghe, stated that it is a milestone that the SLIM was able to carry out this ICMM for the 5th consecutive time, and it is a testament to the SLIM’s commitment to quality education and research that we have very valuable strategic partners supporting the same. Onalie Dissanayake, the Country Head of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) for Sri Lanka and the Maldives, was of the view that they are pleased to partner with the SLIM on ICMM since it harnesses the future generation of researchers in Sri Lanka.
The 5th ICMM 2025 was concluded with utmost success. The highlight of the award ceremony was awarding the best research paper award to the respective researchers to motivate and appreciate them. After a comprehensive panel of judges reviewed the papers, five papers were selected from all the technical sessions for the best paper award.
1 Environment, Sustainability and Ethical Practices in Marketing Track: Irunika K.G.N., Rathnasiri M.S.H., & Buddika H.A.M. were awarded for the paper titled “The Impact of Social and Personal Motives on Consumers’ Attitudes Toward Fashion Renting Adoption: Evidence from Generation Z in Colombo District, Sri Lanka”
2 Digital Marketing and Social Media Strategies Track: Lakmini L.M.W., Rathnasiri M.S.H., & De Silva W.V. were awarded for their paper “Patient-Centric Factors Influencing Behavioral Intention Towards E-Health Consultation: Evidence from Colombo District, Sri Lanka.”
3 E-Commerce and Digital Transformation in Marketing Track: Ms. V. Sathana was awarded for her paper, “Nexus between Technological, Organizational and Environmental Factors, Digital Marketing Capability and Performance of SMEs: Moderation Role of Innovation Capability.”
4 Consumer Behaviour, Branding, and Higher Education Track: Wickramasingha W.M.A.S. and Rathnasiri M.S.H. were awarded for the paper “The Impact of Value Orientation and Self-Esteem on Conspicuous Consumption of Luxury Fashion Products: Special Reference to Generation Y in Colombo District, Sri Lanka.”
5 Tourism and Hospitality Marketing Track: Ms. V. Sathana was awarded the paper titled “Application of Artificial Intelligence in Travel, Hospitality, and Tourism: A Systematic Literature Review.”
The 5thICMM would not have been successful without the tremendous effort the conference committee members put forward, namely, Project Chair – Dr Dilhan Sampath Jayatilleke; Deputy Project Chair – Mr Enoch Perera, Conference Chair – Dr Himendra Balalle – Conference Secretary – Kalaipriya Kalaieesan, and Conference Deputy Chair – Dr. Lishanthi Wijewardene. The conference committee and all the resource personalities, including the local and international reviewers and session chairs, were appreciated at the closing ceremony of the 5th ICMM 2025 for their commendable service, commitment, and dedication, who had worked to ensure the conference’s success.
