#YWInsiderTalk - Vol. 12
- Aitijyamoy Mukherjee
- Jul 28
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 11
This week on #YWInsiderTalk
Shanaka Roshan Gunasekara speaks with 𝗬𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗪𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 about the shift from technical expertise to strategic guidance: anticipating change, strengthening client trust, and crafting principle-based legal frameworks that enable innovation and growth.
Shanaka is a Partner at FJ&G de Saram, with 15+ years of experience in diverse practice areas: data protection, privacy, telecommunications, IT, procurement, and infrastructure, serving both local and global clients. He heads the data protection and privacy practice group at his firm.
Click on the link to know more: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/yellowwireconsulting_shanaka-gunasekara-ywinsidertalk-vol-activity-7355475223502082048-Hoz9
YW: Has your view of what it means to ‘add value’ changed as you’ve moved from delivering solutions to setting direction?
SHANAKA: Yes, my view of adding value has evolved significantly. Early in my career, it meant honing technical expertise: mastering the law, industry nuances, and precise drafting. Over time, it shifted toward strategy: assessing risks, aligning legal solutions with business goals, and fostering strong lawyer–client relationships.
I also learned the importance of guiding and empowering teams to deliver consistently.
Today, value lies in being a trusted adviser who helps clients navigate complexity, anticipate change, and make informed decisions.
In fast-moving sectors like technology and renewable energy, where legal frameworks can quickly lag behind innovation, it’s about balancing legal rigor with practical, forward-looking advice that supports growth and resilience.
YW: How do you approach building legal structures that meet compliance today while leaving space for future innovation?
SHANAKA: I believe legal structures must be adaptive and principle-based rather than rigidly rule-based, leaving room for technological evolution.
Instead of prescribing specifics, laws should set broad principles, empowering regulators to create and update rules in line with innovation. Regulatory sandboxes can further support testing emerging technologies within a controlled environment.
Aligning frameworks with international standards enhances interoperability in areas like data privacy, energy integration, and intellectual property.
In sectors like energy, laws should enable cross-border cooperation, promote healthy competition, dismantle monopolies, and incentivise efficiency driven innovation while ensuring stakeholder participation in shaping reforms for sustainable growth.
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