Sri Lanka
Economic Summit
2024
Shaping Sri Lanka’s Future:
Transformational Growth Rooted in Sound Economic Policies
28th & 29th January 2025
@ SHANGRI-LA Colombo
About SLES
After two years of economic contraction, Sri Lanka is striving for a period of accelerated growth. With the conclusion of debt restructuring and the Presidential elections, it is crucial to set the foundation for a decade of sustainable and inclusive economic growth starting in 2025.
Sri Lanka’s economy is once again at an inflection point where it can either accelerate economic development or risk reverting to an IMF program for the 18th time and being a second time debt defaulter. To avoid this, an export-led investment model must be explored through leveraging its strategic location, access to fast-growing markets in the region, and domestic reforms to unleash export sectors. The foundation for this strategy will be stable monetary and fiscal policies to ensure the continuity of the IMF program. The summit will focus on the key growth levers and sectors that can drive transformational growth.
Organized by
Proposed Mode of Event: Hybrid
Theme: Shaping Sri Lanka’s Future: Transformational Growth Rooted in Sound Economic Policies
Sri Lanka Economic Summit
Programme of the Sri Lanka Economic Summit
Opening Remarks and Welcome by Mr. Duminda Hulangamuwa, Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce
Address by His Excellency the President of Sri Lanka
Fireside chat:
(1) Fireside Chat with the Chief Guest moderated by Mr. Bingumal Thewarathanthri, Deputy Vice Chairman, The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce & Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered Bank Sri Lanka
(2) Fireside Chat of President with Moderator focusing on the 1-2 year plans of accelerating growth and implementing low-hanging fruits.
Networking and Cocktails
Registration
Outline:
(1) Finding the balance between accelerating growth and sticking with the fiscal guidelines of the IMF program.
(2) Assessing progress of the IMF program and future continuity/ structural benchmarks to meet
(3) Financing for growth – with tight fiscal space, what role will the Government play in the financing of infrastructure and growth
(4) How does Sri Lanka attract investment: With or without incentives?
(5) Factor market reform required for transformational growth – Capital, Labor and Land
(6) Role of SOE reforms in this trajectory
Keynote Speaker
(1) Mr. Chin Dae-je – Chairman and Founder- SkyLake, Former Minister of Information and Communication, Former CEO of Samsung Electronics
Panelists :
(1) Ms. Sarwat Jahan – IMF Resident Representative for Sri Lanka
(2) Mr. Takafumi Kadono - Country Director for Sri Lanka, Asian Development Bank
(3) Mr. Gevorg Sargsyan - Country Manager for Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka, World Bank Group
(4) Moderator— Mr. Shiran Fernando - Chief of Economic Policy Advocacy, The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce
Tea Break
Outline:
(1) Have top executives from the parent company of different sectors to ask them what would commit their organization to invest more in Sri Lanka in a panel discussion
Presenter
(1) Mr. Warrick Cleine - Chairman and CEO | Managing Partner – Deals, Tax & Legal, KPMG in Vietnam
Panelists :
(1) Mr. Krishan Balendra, Chairman, John Keells Holdings PLC
(2) Private equity/ Tech - EQT which acquired WS02
(3) Mr. Munish Kanwar - Chief Executive Officer, Colombo West International Terminal - Mr. Mattias Martinsson - Founder and Chief Investment Officer, Tundra Fund
(5) Moderator : Mr. Nisthar Cassim – Editor, DailyFT
Lunch
Session 3: Sector Breakout sessions
3 parallel sector sessions running at the same time:
Breakout Session 1 – Transforming Productivity in Agriculture
(1) How do we improve productivity in traditional crops and advance potential in new crop varieties?
(2) How do we increase Agri-based exports from 20% to 30% by 2030?
(3) What sound policies will help with agriculture modernization and infusion of Agri-Tech?
Panelists
(1) International expert - Mr. Harish Chandra | Executive Director, Deloitte Touche, Tohmatsu India LLP
(2) Minister in charge of Agriculture
(3) Private Sector – Mr. Rajeev Pandithage – Executive Director, Office, Diesel & Motor Engineering PLC
(4) Mr. Aroshan Serasinghe – Group Chief Executive Officer, CIC Holdings PLC
(5) Moderator -
Breakout Session 2 – Maximizing Tourism Potential
(1) How can we achieve over 4.5 million tourist arrivals in the next few years?
(2) How can we improve our offering to increase average spend by tourists?
(3) What policies will help the growth potential of tourism?
Panelists
(1) International / Regional Tourism Expert
(2) Minister in charge of Tourism
(3) Mr. Dheera hettiarachchi – Chairman, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau
(4) Mr. Henry Fitch – Chief Executive Officer, Teardrop Hotels
(5) Private Sector - Mr. Mikael Svensson - Chief Executive Officer, Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts -
(5) Moderator – Mr. Dhananath Fernando – Chief Executive Officer - Advocata Institute
Breakout Session 3 - Driving Growth in Value-Added Export Manufacturing
(1) Cover areas related to improving productivity, cost of doing business, labor laws, innovation that are constraints presently to driving value-added exports
(2) Session to have a speaker from Thailand to speak on how Thailand has harnessed manufacturing in their economy, export and investment efforts. Followed by Panel discussion with
Presenter
(1) Ms. Parima Damrithamanij - Senior Manager, Global Trade Advisory, Deloitte
Panelists
(1) Mr. Suren Fernando – Chief Executive Officer, MAS Holdings PLC
(2) Minister in Charge of Industries / Trade
(3) Mr. Atul Renavikar - Chief Executive Officer, Michelin Lanka (Private) Limited
(4) Representative from Sri Lanka Electronic Manufacturers and Exporters Association
(5) Mr. Ali Tariq – Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Unilever Sri Lanka
(7) Moderator – Mr. Yohan Lawrence - Secretary General, JAAF and Chairman, Exporters Association of Sri Lanka
Running themes for each sector – advancing exports in the sector, focus on sustainability and role of public and private sector. It will focus on unlocking bottlenecks that hinder growth opportunities.
Tea Break
Session 4: Plan for Economic Transformation
We Are Excited to Announce Some
of the Confirmed Speakers
Mr. Takafumi Kadono
Country Director for Sri Lanka, ADB
Mr. Mikael Svensson
Chief Executive Officer, Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts
Mr. Henry Fitch
Chief Executive Officer, Teardrop Hotels
Mr. Aroshan Serasinghe
Group Chief Executive Officer, CIC Holdings PLC
Mr. Suren Fernando
Chief Executive Officer, MAS Holdings PLC
Mr. Rajeev Pandithage
Group Executive Director, Diesel and Motor Engineering PLC
Mr. Krishan Balendra
Chairperson – CEO
John Keells Holdings PLC
Our Corporate Sponsors
Platinum Sponsor
Knowledge Partner
Gold Sponsor
Gold Sponsor
Sponsor
Session Partner
Telecommunication Partner
Television Partner
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I register for the Summit?
Click on the “Register Now” button. This action will take you to the Registration Form.
Fill in the required participant information, including:
- Organization Name
- Title
- Participant’s Name
- Designation
- Contact Details
- Email Address
- Mobile Number
SLES 2024 is a hybrid Summit. You have the flexibility to choose between two options:
Online Option: This allows you to participate in all sessions online or select specific sessions of your choice.
In-Person Option: Select this option if you wish to attend the Summit in person at the Shangri-La Colombo.
Next, you will be prompted to indicate whether your organization is a member of the Chamber. Chamber members are eligible for a discounted participation fee. Please specify your membership status accordingly.
Cost of participation is given below :
- Members – Online LKR 4,000 per session
- Members – In-Person LKR 30,000
- Non-Members – Online LKR 5,500 per session
- Non-Members – In-Person LKR 35,000
To add multiple participants from your company, please follow these steps:
Click on the “Add Participants” button to include their contact details. Please provide unique Mobile Numbers and Email addresses for each participant, as the registration platform identifies participants by their Mobile Numbers. Note that the same Mobile Number cannot be used for more than one participant.
To settle your participation fees, you have two options:
Online Payment: Select the “PAY NOW” button to make an online payment. You will be directed to the Internet Payment Gateway, where you can use a Credit/Debit card to complete the payment.
Pay Later: If you prefer to pay at a later time, choose the “PAY LATER” button. However, please be aware that if you select this option, you must ensure that the participation fees are settled within 4 working days of the registration. Payment can be made in cash to the Cashier located on the 2nd Floor of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce or by forwarding a cheque drawn in favor of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.
After you have successfully settled the participation fees:
For In-Person participants, a system-generated link will be sent to you. This link will allow you to download a QR Code, which you should present at the event venue’s entrance.
Participants who have chosen the Online option will receive a link to join the Sessions 24 hours before the Summit begins.
Once you have completed the registration and payment process, you should expect to receive a confirmation email or message. This communication will serve as proof of your registration and may contain additional event details, including the QR Code link for In-Person participants.
Prepare for the Event: After registering, be sure to mark the event dates on your calendar to ensure you don’t miss any important sessions or activities.
We look forward to welcoming you at the Sri Lanka Economic Summit 2023.
What do I need to attend the Summit?
In person participants needs to produce the QR Code saved on your mobile phone, i-Pad or a printed copy at the Entrance to the Summit Venue.
How can I ask a Question at the Summit?
Instructions for submitting questions on Day 2 of the Summit will be provided later.
Who do I contact for Questions?
We are glad to assist you, if you need any further clarifications. Please forward us with an E-mail – events@chamber.lk or call us on 011 5588852 or 011 5588882