Leading Sri Lankan consultancy firm EML Consultants PLC is playing a pivotal role in supporting both local and international investors in the Colombo Port City development, enhancing the government’s investor facilitation efforts.
The company provides end-to-end assistance across the pre-investment, investment, and post-investment phases, helping stakeholders smoothly navigate Sri Lanka’s regulatory and business landscape, said Managing Director Avanthi Jayatilake.
By offering streamlined and integrated services, EML aims to strengthen investor confidence, reduce red tape, and foster sustainable, long-term investment in the transformative Port City project.
These services include market research, feasibility studies, and comprehensive legal and regulatory guidance, especially relating to the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) regulations. CEO Jeewaka Hingurangala emphasized the firm’s capabilities in investment structuring, tax planning, and aligning projects with both local and international compliance standards.
Further support includes company registration, licensing procedures with the Colombo Port City Economic Commission (CPCEC), and land or office acquisition within Port City.
EML also offers project management consulting for construction, design, and operational setup, ensuring that all stages of development are professionally handled.
Beyond initial setup, the firm assists clients in compliance management, including SEZ rules, labor laws, and financial reporting. EML also delivers HR and recruitment consulting, helping investors build competent local teams, and offers business development services, such as marketing strategies, partnership facilitation, and expansion planning.
Jayatilake pointed out that Sri Lankan consultancy firms offer critical local insight, cultural understanding, and regulatory knowledge that help reduce investment risk and improve efficiency.
Many of these firms, including EML, partner with international consultancies, bridging the gap between global standards and local execution.
A senior expert highlighted the growing need for qualified consultants in Sri Lanka, particularly to address gaps in data availability, planning, and coordination in public investment initiatives. He emphasized the role of professionals in ensuring evidence-based decision-making, financial analysis, and project implementation, areas where EML Consultants stands out.
Recognizing the importance of quality and credibility, EML Consultants is the only publicly listed consultancy firm on the Colombo Stock Exchange, and has earned ISO 14001:2015 for environmental management and ISO 9001:2015 for quality management—setting a benchmark in the industry.
Further demonstrating its innovation, the company has launched an AI-driven agriculture project in Australia, which leverages machine learning and data analytics to enhance areas such as precision farming, irrigation, pest control, and supply chain management.
This project not only showcases technological advancement but also opens up overseas employment and knowledge transfer opportunities for Sri Lankan professionals.
EML’s international footprint now spans South Asia, West Asia, Central Africa, and the Pacific Islands, underscoring its growing global relevance.
With around 8–10 reputed investment consultancy firms in Sri Lanka, firms like EML play a key role in tailoring projects to local market realities while maintaining global standards.
