While Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) play a crucial role in furthering growth, innovation and prosperity in Sri Lanka’s economy of Sri Lanka, they are restricted in accessing the capital that they require to grow and expand, as well as the expertise and knowledge that will help them weather the stormy waters that the current pandemic has brought in.
To help such SMEs, the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) in Sri Lanka joined with the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce with the objective of creating a platform to bridge the gap by bringing expertise to assist the Sri Lankan SMEs.
“CIMA members are versatile and have wide experience as well as expertise in transforming businesses. This initiative will bring together volunteer CIMA members who will provide brief one on one sessions to assist them in transforming their businesses during these challenging COVID-19 times,” CIMA said in a media release.
Six areas of expertise are offered to the SMEs including financial review – Liquidity / cash flow, new business opportunities and diversification, resourcefulness (repurposing of resources / new opportunities to utilize spare / excess capacity), leadership capability, new marketing trends using digitalisation, human capital and governance as well as managing risks and uncertainties.
Manjula De Silva, CEO/Secretary General of Ceylon Chamber of Commerce emphasised that: “SMEs are pivotal to the Sri Lankan economy. They had to operate amidst a challenging environment in the recent past due to the twin shocks of the Easter attacks last year and the COVID–19 pandemic this year. Their rapid recovery will play a major role in the post-COVID economic recovery path in Sri Lanka. Ceylon Chamber of Commerce is gearing itself to lend a helping hand to this vital sector through its newly established Centre for SMEs.”
The panel includes: Dian Gomes – Independent Non-Executive Director, Nestle Lanka PLC; Gavin D’ Rosairo – Chief Financial Officer / Director Finance, AIA Sri Lanka; Hasitha Premaratne – Group Finance Director of Brandix Group; Kavinda de Zoysa – Director / Head of Corporate & Investment Banking – Citibank N.A., Sri Lanka; Lakshmi Jayasinghe – Group Director, The Capital Maharaja Organisation Ltd; Lalith Fonseka – Consultant and former joint Managing Director, Mackwoods Ltd; Mahesh Amarasiri, General Manager Corporate Planning & Business Development, DSI Samsons Group; Malinga Arsakularatne – Co-Owner/ CEO, Acorn Group; Manohara S. Tillakawardana – Management Consultant, Vanquisher Consulting; Natasha Fonseka – Group Director – Human Capital & Taxation, Softlogic Holdings PLC; Nishtar Sulaiman – Partner, Ernst & Young; Ravi Abeysuriya, Group Director – Candor Group; Riyaz Sangani – CEO, Vidullanka PLC; Sanath Fernando – Partner, Ernst & Young; Shantha Kurumbalapitiya – Managing Director, Serendib Leisure; and Shaan Wickremasinghe – Management & Marketing Consultant, Formerly Unilever, MAS Holdings, Fonterra, Nations Trust, Atlas Axillia
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The 22nd amendment to the constitution dealing with the term of the President has been gazetted by order of President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
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