Sri Lanka Business Council UAE Chairman meets CH17 Loyalty CEO

Mr. Suren Swaminathan, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Business Council (SLBC) UAE – Dubai & Northern Emirates, who was on a brief visit to Colombo, met with Mr. Jumar Preena, Founder and CEO of CH17 Loyalty in Colombo recently. The meeting centered around strategic collaboration to implement a multi-facility membership privilege program exclusively for the Business Council membership.

Mr. Swaminathan in conversation with Jumar Preena at Cinnamon Grand yesterday (June 15 2025)

During the meeting, Mr. Preena also outlined CH17’s intention to launch the first-ever dual-country rewards and privilege program tailored for the Sri Lankan expatriate community in the UAE. The initiative will be a milestone in cross-border loyalty management and is envisioned to serve two key objectives:

Support Sri Lankan-owned micro and SME retail businesses in the UAE by granting them access to targeted Sri Lankan customer segments and enabling long-term brand loyalty through structured digital engagement.

Provide Sri Lankan expatriates with exclusive privileges and discounts when patronizing these businesses, thereby fostering a meaningful connection with homegrown brands.

CH17 will offer full technical support including software integration with participating retailers’ POS systems, ensuring seamless customer engagement and transaction-based loyalty authentication.

As part of the platform benefits, registered Sri Lankan users will also enjoy privileges and discounts with Colombo-based retail partners under the CH17 network. A key highlight will be exclusive access to The Mall at Port City Colombo, including benefits at the prestigious Singapore-owned One Duty Free (ODF) outlet.

This collaborative initiative positions CH17 Loyalty as a pioneer in facilitating borderless loyalty solutions while reinforcing SLBC’s role in empowering Sri Lankan businesses in the UAE through digital transformation.