Dr. Anthony Shiran Cooray
Senior Consultant
Contact
- mahinda.a@nsbm.ac.lk
- +94 11 544 5000
- Engineering, Electrical, Electronic and Systems Engineering
- Faculty of Engineering
- Google Scholar
Profile
Dr. Anthony Shiran Cooray is an accomplished academic and industry professional with over 14 years of academic experience and 26 years of industry experience spanning Sri Lanka, Japan, and Australia. Over the course of his career, he has held senior leadership positions in the technology industry and has led teams of IT professionals across the Asia-Pacific region for two decades.
His professional expertise brings together business management, information systems, cloud computing, digital transformation, organisational productivity, and technology leadership, with a particular focus on achieving radical improvements in organisational productivity through the effective application of technology, management principles, and practical methodologies.
Dr. Cooray has extensive experience working with large multinational organisations, particularly in the deployment and management of cloud computing solutions. During his decade-long career in IBM’s Cloud Computing division, he worked closely with major clients on both cloud-native and lift-and-shift implementations, developing a comprehensive understanding of cloud technologies from technical, business, and industry perspectives.
Education & Professional Qualifications
- Ph.D., Kobe University, Japan – 1996 (Product Differentiation and the Utility of Cost Data for Make vs Buy Decisions: A Study of Japanese Assembly Industries)
- M.B.A., Kobe University, Japan – 1991
- B. Com (Special), University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka – 1984
- Completed qualifying examinations of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), UK – 1986
- IBM Cloud Certified Professional Architect
Academic & Teaching Experience
Dr. Cooray has an extensive academic background, having held academic positions in Sri Lanka, Japan, and Australia. His academic career includes serving as Visiting Professor at Monash University, Australia, Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Business, University of East Asia, Japan, and Assistant Professor in the Department of Business Administration at the University of East Asia.
His teaching experience encompasses management accounting, cost accounting, business administration, information systems, and business statistics. During his tenure at the University of East Asia, he played a significant role in establishing IT education infrastructure for business students, including developing connectivity within the university and beyond. This initiative contributed to preparing students for the increasingly connected digital environment emerging in the early 1990s.
Industry Leadership
Dr. Cooray spent more than two decades with IBM, where he held several leadership positions across its Cloud and Rational software divisions. As Asia-Pacific Leader for IBM Cloud Technical Account Management (2015–2025), he was responsible for building and leading a team of technical professionals supporting major clients across the region. He established and developed a high-performing team of 12 technical professionals focused on delivering high-value solutions and supporting the growth of IBM Cloud. His contribution to team development and organisational culture was also recognised through an award for embedding a culture of continuous learning in 2021.
Prior to his work in IBM Cloud, Dr. Cooray served in leadership roles within IBM’s Rational software division, where he worked with industrial and financial clients in Japan. This experience provided him with extensive exposure to software development methodologies, Agile practices, DevOps, productivity improvement, and large-scale technology projects. Earlier in his industry career, he held technical and leadership positions at BMC Software and CommerceOne, further strengthening his expertise in enterprise technology and client support.
Areas of Expertise
Dr. Cooray’s key areas of expertise include:
- Management and organisational productivity
- Cloud computing and hybrid cloud
- Digital transformation
- Information systems
- Technology leadership
- Agile and DevOps methodologies
- Enterprise technology solutions
- Management and cost accounting
- Business strategy
- Team building and leadership
- Continuous learning and organisational development