André Lacroix, CEO of Intertek Group plc, has introduced the Sinhalese translation of his book 'Leadership with Soul' at two major Sri Lankan universities, marking the first leadership book by an FTSE 100 testing and certification sector leader to be released in the country and language.
French businessman André Lacroix, who leads the FTSE 100-listed Intertek Group, has unveiled a Sinhalese edition of his leadership guide at the University of Moratuwa and the University of Colombo. The book, titled 'Leadership with Soul,' presents ten core principles designed to help current and aspiring leaders adopt more reflective and purpose-driven approaches to management and organisational development.
Lacroix drew on more than three decades of international business experience to develop the framework presented in the book. He has previously held leadership positions at major multinational organisations including Ernst & Young, PepsiCo, Burger King, and Reckitt Benckiser. According to Lacroix, his model emphasises an empathetic and humanist approach to business that balances performance with employee wellbeing and community benefit. The book specifically addresses creating customer-focused organisations while building sustainable value across stakeholder groups.
The Sinhalese language edition represents a significant milestone for Sri Lanka's testing, inspection and certification sector. During his inaugural visit to the country, Lacroix addressed students and industry representatives at both universities, discussing the book's ten leadership principles and responding to audience questions. Faculty members from both institutions received signed copies for their library collections. Officials from the universities praised the work as a practical resource for developing leadership centred on integrity, authenticity, trust and transparency.
Intertek's operations in Sri Lanka date back to 2008, and the company now provides assurance, testing, inspection and certification services across multiple sectors including textiles, cargo, oil and gas, and environmental compliance. The Sinhalese edition aims to make leadership concepts more accessible to Sri Lankan students and professionals preparing to enter the workforce.
