When Growth Has No Fixed Path: DIMO’s Culture of Meritocracy

What determines how far someone can go in an organisation? Is it where they started, how long they have been there, or simply what they are capable of becoming? For DIMO, the answer lies in meritocracy, an approach that places contribution, capability, potential and conduct at the centre of career progression. As Dilrukshi Kurukulasuriya, Chief Human Resources Officer and Executive Director of DIMO, explains, factors such as age, gender, social background, school, personal connections or point of entry should not determine how far someone can progress. What matters is both what they deliver and how they deliver it.

Creating such a culture, however, does not mean choosing between heritage and change. With more than eight decades of history, DIMO continues to value the experience and institutional knowledge of its established workforce while recognising the aspirations and energy of younger generations. The focus is on creating an environment where different generations can learn from and contribute to one another, while opportunities for growth extend beyond financial recognition. Meaningful work, continuous learning, appreciation and the ability to see a future within the organisation all contribute to making work both enjoyable and rewarding.

At its heart, this philosophy reflects a simple idea: potential should not come with a predetermined ceiling. When people are given the opportunity to demonstrate what they can do, develop what they can become and be recognised for how they contribute, growth becomes more than a career objective. It becomes part of the culture itself. And perhaps that is what makes a truly meritocratic organisation distinctive: it does not decide how far people can go; it creates the space for them to find out.

Adapted from comments shared by Dilrukshi Kurukulasuriya, Chief Human Resources Officer and Executive Director of DIMO, in the September 2026 issue of the LMD Magazine.