The National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka proudly announces the momentous occasion of its 65th Annual General Meeting (AGM), a pivotal event that brought together Diplomatic missions, Government and Non- government officials, industry leaders, members and other stake holders. It was a momentous occasion with highlights and engagements of the National Chamber in the year 2023 and the future outlook outlining the strategic direction for uplifting the MSME sector in the nation.
The theme of the 65th AGM reflected the transformative journey of the National Chamber focused in the year 2024, titled, ‘innovate, adopt and thrive’ to unlock the future success of the business community of the country.
During his inaugural speech, Mr. Deepal Nelson, President of National Chamber stated, “….as a country we have dealt with its most severe economic crisis in history and yet we have not recovered as there is strong sense of uncertainty in existence….As the National Chamber we have a direct bearing on the future of our mother land, thus we have embarked on a transformative journey to unlock the future success of our business community, we are focusing on leveraging technology to face future challenges and explore opportunities while motivating the members to become active participants in domestic and international trade…”
Mr. Nelson further emphasized the key objectives for the year 2024; youth and women empowerment programs, skills development initiatives focusing on rural economy, projects to support the commercialization of novel inventions, sustainable development initiatives for the SME community, etc.
The event held at the Kingsbury Hotel on 7th February 2024, showcased a remarkable gathering of influential figures from various sectors, fostering collaboration and dialogue on key issues impacting the business landscape.
The event was graced by Hon. Jayantha Jayasuriya, PC – Chief Justice of Sri Lanka as the Guest of Honour and Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe – Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka as the Keynote Speaker.
Mr. Jayantha Fernando -Digital Law Specialist, Partner Heritage Partners & Director at Sri Lanka CERT|CC made an informative presentation on, “Laws impacting digital transformation in Sri Lanka” as the Guest Speaker of the event.
Following new Office Bearers were elected at the AGM; President: Mr. Deepal Nelson,
Senior Deputy President: Mr. Anura Warnakulasooriya, Deputy President: Mr. Kavinda Rajapaksa, Honorary Secretary: Dr. Lakmal Fernando, Honorary Treasurer: Mr. Chamika Godamanna.
As the closing remarks of the 65th AGM, Hon. Secretary Dr. Lakmal Fernando emphasized that the National Chamber expresses gratitude to all participants, members sponsors, and supporters who contributed to the success of this milestone event. The chamber remains committed to driving economic growth, fostering collaboration, and championing the interests of its members.