Mark elected as Council for Business with Britain President

HSBC Sri Lanka and Maldives CEO Mark Surgenor

The Council for Business with Britain (CBB) held its 24th Annual General Meeting at Westminster House recently. The event marked a significant milestone with engaging discussions and a seamless transition in leadership.

HSBC Sri Lanka and Maldives CEO Mark Surgenor has been elected as the new President of the CBB for the 2024-2025 term. In his address, he emphasised the CBB’s historical significance and its role in fostering strong trade relations between the UK and Sri Lanka. 

“Sri Lanka exports approximately a billion dollars’ worth of goods to the UK each year, with one-third in apparel and two-thirds in other sectors,” Surgenor noted. 

He underscored the importance of leveraging the DCTS for more cost-effective trade opportunities.
Outgoing President Tania Polonnowita Wettimuny stated, “Through our collective efforts, we have achieved stability. The CBB has demonstrated resilience and commitment, especially in recognising the crucial role SMEs play in driving economic growth,” she stated. 

British High Commissioner Andrew Patrick said, “The new UK government is prioritising growth and partnership, which bodes well for our trade relations,” he remarked. 

The 2024/2025 Executive Committee includes KPMG Sri Lanka Principal - Head of Deal Advisory and Deputy Head of Markets Shiluka Goonewardene and Norfolk Foods (Pvt.) Ltd Managing Director Ameena Ziauddin as Vice Presidents. Fadhil Jiffry will take over as Treasurer.  The committee members for the period include

representatives from Aitken Spence Travels (Pvt.) Ltd, Global Market Technologies (Pvt.) Ltd, Hayleys Advantis Limited, Hilton Colombo Residence, Hirdaramani Group, John Keells Holdings PLC, MAS Holdings and Unilever Sri Lanka.

Special invitees to the committee include Founder of Oceanpick (Pvt.) Ltd Irfan Thassim, De La Rue Director/Plant Manager Derek Mansfield, Commercial Bank CEO Sanath Manutung, Point to Point Consulting Founder and Principal Consultant Dougie Douglas, The British School in Colombo Principal Hannah Wells and several key representatives from the British High Commission and British Council.

Shirendra Lawrence (MAS Holdings) and Roshanie Moraes (Link Natural Products) have been appointed to the Advisory Committee to ensure the continuity of the CBB’s initiatives.