The 15thAnnual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka – Italy Business Council was held on the 21st August 2014 at the Hilton Colombo Residencies Colombo. The Council, which focuses on the objectives of ‘promoting investment, trade and joint ventures between Sri Lanka and Italy’, comes under the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.
The Chief Guest of the event, Fabrizio Arpea, Italian Ambassador for Sri Lanka, speaking during the occasion said, that the Business Relationship between Sri Lanka and Italy has benefited greatly through the Sri Lanka – Italy Business Council.
He said the work done by the Council has helped improve the bilateral trade, investments, tourism and Industrial Corporation between the two nations. Sri Lanka’s exports to Italy mainly consist of machinery and equipments. His Excellency also mentioned that he looks forward for future support of the council for various activities and also stated that the High commission looks forward to support the council in all its activities.
Tania Polonnowita Wettimuny, Managing Director, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics (Pvt) Limited was elected as the President of the Council for the year 2014/2015. She mentioned that the incoming Committee would focus its attention on encouraging joint ventures between Sri Lanka and Italy, conduct match making events between firms in both countries and also work with the relevant diplomatic missions to help boost commercial relationship between the two countries.
Rajah Abeyasinghe JP, Chief Executive Officer of Allied Trading & Engineering (Private) Limited and Sonali Liyanamana, Chief Operating Officer of Mackinnons American Express Travel were appointed as Vice Presidents of the council, respectively.
Daya Rathnayake CEO/Managing Director, AusAfrasia Designer Tiles (Pvt) Ltd will serve as the immediate past president.
The following Committee members were elected on to the Committee of the Sri Lanka – Italy Business Council: Rajeev Aloysius, Joint Managing Director, The Autodrome PLC, Mahendra Jayasekera, Managing Director, Lanka Tiles PLC, Shamil Mendis, Chairman / Managing Director, Spear International (Pvt) Ltd, Yohan Peries, Vice President, John Keells Holdings PLC, Harsha de Alwis, Head of Remittances and FCBU Operations, DFCC Vardhana Bank PLC, Avindra Weerasinghe ,Managing Director, Ally Weerasinghe Ltd, Anushka Polonowita, General Manager, EuroSports Auto Lanka (Pte) Ltd, Janaka Gunasekera, Director, A Baur& Co. Ltd
Membership of the Council is open to individual persons, partnerships, companies, corporations or other organizations engaged in trade, tourism or services with Italy or engaged in joint ventures with Italian organizations or interested in entering into or promoting trade, tourism, services or joint ventures with Italian organizations.
