Sri Lanka Economic Summit to bring together high-profile thought leaders

The upcoming Sri Lanka Economic Summit 2021 (SLES 2021), the foremost economic event of Sri Lanka, is prepared to host a line-up of contemporary dialogues under this year’s theme ‘Springboard for revival: Opportunity to reset’ on December 6 and 7.  

As the country’s most anticipated economic event, the summit will bring together key policymakers, business leaders and leading international experts representing key economic sectors, who will lend their expertise to foster a dialogue and chart the way forward for economic revival. 

The theme of this year’s summit reflects the need to be timely and proactive in identifying and seizing opportunities to reset while setting the stage for timely and sustainable post-pandemic economic revival. 

Day 1 of the summit will feature three sessions, exploring current and emerging economic trends as well as post-pandemic recovery, macro-economic challenges and the role of the private sector in developing policy and how Sri Lanka can leverage its potential as the commercial hub for Asia. 

Session 1 of the summit will be addressed by Standard Chartered Bank Economist South Asia Saurav Anand and former Central Bank Governor Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy, while Session 2 will be presented by Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal and Dr. Howard Nicholas of International Institute of Social Studies (ISS), Erasmus University Rotterdam. Mckinsey & Company Senior Partner Diaan-Yi Lin will address Session 3. 

Day 2 will explore resetting Sri Lanka’s export portfolio, enhancing the existing market mix and driving diversification aggressively into growing sectors, including leveraging FTAs, moves towards establishing Sri Lanka as a technology hub and regaining the country’s foothold as a top tourist destination.  

The presenters on Day 2 will include Virtusa EVP/Chief Information Officer and General Manager Madu Ratnayake, SLASSCOM Chairperson Sandra De Zoysa, Prof. Ricardo Hausmann – Director of the Growth Lab at Harvard’s Centre for International Development and the Rafik Hariri Professor of the Practice of International Political Economy at Harvard Kennedy School, International Trade Centre Country Programmes Division Director Ashish Shah and McKinsey & Company Partner Steve Saxon. 

SLES 2021 is scheduled to be held on December 6 and 7 as a hybrid summit catering to participants who would join online as well as participate in-person at Shangri-La Hotel. Participants have the opportunity to register online from https://chamber.lk for the entire two-day summit or choose the sessions of their choice. 

The chamber looks forward to delivering a unique, digitally transformed experience to all participants in addition to in-person participation at Shangri-La Colombo this year. 

Registrations for the event are now open. For further information, please contact [email protected] or 0115588852 or [email protected] or 0115588805.