By: Staff Writer
November 04, Colombo (LNW): The 2024 Leadership Forum hosted by the Chamber of Young Lankan Entrepreneurs (COYLE) emerged as a transformative gathering of entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and innovators at the Shangri-La Colombo.
With a powerful lineup of speakers, the event successfully set a forward-looking agenda for young Sri Lankan entrepreneurs, emphasizing resilience, innovation, and purposeful leadership. It has not only inspired attendees but also laid down strategic initiatives to cultivate future entrepreneurial talent, making a significant impact on the country’s business landscape.
COYLE, the Chamber of Young Lankan Entrepreneurs, hosted its milestone 2024 Leadership Forum last week at Shangri-La Colombo, bringing together influential entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and visionaries to help shape the future of business in Sri Lanka.
This high-impact event aimed to inspire the next wave of innovators, creating a space where key voices in business strategy and entrepreneurship could share transformative ideas and insights.
The forum’s highlight was a keynote by Dubai-based entrepreneur and luxury retail leader Ebraheem Al Samadi, renowned globally as a Netflix Dubai Bling star.
Al Samadi captivated the audience with his story of entrepreneurship, which is marked by bold choices, ambitious goals, and outstanding achievements. His speech underlined how perseverance and passion drive success, offering valuable insights into the resilience required in entrepreneurship.
Also featured was innovation strategist Harsha Fernando from Los Angeles, California. Fernando’s talk, “Lead with Vision, Innovate with Purpose,” emphasized the need for young entrepreneurs to drive impactful change.
His message underscored the importance of having a vision, adaptability, and commitment to social impact, resonating strongly with attendees focused on purposeful innovation and transformative leadership.
COYLE Chairman Thushira Radella, known for his innovative leadership and cross-industry successes, shared his perspective on building sustainable enterprises, promoting growth, and raising industry standards. His insights reinforced COYLE’s mission to build a dynamic ecosystem where entrepreneurs can thrive, grow, and extend their reach from Colombo to the world.
The event also launched COYLE’s Future Founders initiative, a program aimed at fostering entrepreneurship at the school level. COYLE signed MoUs with three leading schools, establishing a foundation to support budding talent.
Plans include expanding the program to more schools, launching a seed fund, and setting up the COYLE Entrepreneurial Development Centre (EDC) to nurture innovative and entrepreneurial skills in young minds.
The forum was supported by Nations Trust Bank, a leading financial institution in Sri Lanka dedicated to advancing local entrepreneurship. With a shared commitment to long-term development and support for innovation, the bank’s partnership with COYLE underscores a mutual dedication to transforming Sri Lanka’s entrepreneurial landscape.
The COYLE 2024 Leadership Forum stands as a symbol of the power of collaboration and vision. By convening industry leaders to rethink business futures, the forum laid the groundwork for young entrepreneurs to achieve lasting success, innovate with integrity, and emerge as tomorrow’s change-makers.
