In a high-profile gathering at the Pierre Hotel in New York, President Ranil Wickremesinghe participated in a business roundtable discussion titled “Economic Opportunities in Sri Lanka.” The event coincided with the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly and brought together prominent business leaders.
During his address, President Wickremesinghe provided insights into Sri Lanka’s current economic situation and highlighted the government’s ongoing economic reforms. These reforms are aimed at stabilizing the economy and setting the stage for rapid economic growth, with the goal of transforming the country into a prosperous nation.
The President also fielded questions from attendees, addressing their concerns and interests related to doing business in Sri Lanka. He extended an invitation to American companies to visit Sri Lanka and consider investments, emphasizing the potential for them to become development partners in the country’s growth.
Several high-ranking officials accompanied President Wickremesinghe at the event, including Foreign Minister Ali Sabry, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the USA Mahinda Samarasinghe, Chairman of BOI & Colombo Port City Dinesh Weerakkody, and President’s Senior Adviser on Climate Change Ruwan Wijewardena. These officials engaged with US companies and facilitated networking opportunities.
The primary objective of the business roundtable discussion was to foster economic opportunities and strengthen bilateral relations between the United States and Sri Lanka. More than 45 business entities participated in the event, expressing their interest in exploring investment and trade prospects in Sri Lanka.
The discussion featured top executives from leading US companies, including Fortune 500 companies, such as Franklin Templeton, Cognizant, Procter & Gamble, UPS, Auerbach Grayson, Bell Flight, Shearman & Sterling, McLarty Associates, Alvarez & Marsal Holdings, Jockey International Inc., Tomorrow.io, Arbiter Partners, Ethos Asset Management, Ergotron, Roche Diagnostics, Briarwood Chase Management, Thatcher & Co., Amerasian Corporation, Rank One Computing, Perdue Agribusiness, Templeton Asset Management, Morgan Stanley Investment Management, Woods Capital LLC, Rushmore Advisors, and Greenlink Global Consulting Inc.
Representatives from Sri Lanka’s private sector were also present, including executives from John Keells Holdings, Aitken Spence, Softlogic Holdings, Hayleys, Gardiner Group of Companies/Galle Face Hotels, Abans, Aggreko International Power, Melsta Corp., Colombo Stock Exchange, Capital Alliance, Standard Chartered Bank, Commercial Bank of Ceylon, Hatton National Bank, Hatch Works, and NCINGA. The event was jointly organized by the Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU) and the Embassy of Sri Lanka to the USA in Washington DC. It aimed to promote collaboration and business opportunities between the two nations.
