Message from the President
Mr. Lakshan Madurasinghe
President’s Message
It is indeed an honour and privilege to pen these thoughts today as the President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka, a business chamber that has always been best characterized as the leading forum for facilitation and development of trade, investment, and business relations between Sri Lanka and the United States.
It is in adaptability and innovation that success lies. The past two years have indeed proven that, and as I take on the mantle of your new President, I do so with great pride and excitement for what the future holds.
In the past two years, we have been faced with the unprecedented economic downturn, uncertainty, and turmoil which has wiped all of the Chamber’s usual activities off the schedule. Despite the many challenges inherited, and the completely unanticipated and devastating effects of Covid-19 on the global economy, AmCham Sri Lanka through strategic leadership supported by the Secretariat, Office Bearers, and Board of Directors, continues to be Sri Lanka’s most prestigious and influential international business chamber. A milestone of particular note to me was the achievement of positioning the AmCham to where it is today, in being a value creator to our membership, offering our stakeholders the best possible in terms of tools, resources, network and opportunities in spite of the lockdown challenges. In addition, through prudent fiscal management and revenue initiatives, even ending the past two financial years with some of the highest operating profits of the Chamber.
It is true that we live in a very complex and fast-changing environment which includes as many challenges as it does opportunities. In these uncertain times, the AmCham will continue to represent our members and support you to do more business. We recognize that we have a key role to play in the attraction of investment into SL, make it easier to do business and more so, we have a responsibility to make our society better. Thus, there is the need for us to strategically plan how we move forward as a Chamber and continue to represent the needs of our members.
To do this, we at AMCHAM SL need to be agile and embrace change. The old ways of doing things may not be completely relevant to the current context. We need leadership and collaboration. Not just leadership from the Government – although that is vitally important – but leadership from the business community, for we too have to change; leadership within communities and personally, we all have to take more individual and corporate responsibility for our society.
Even though we are still in times of crisis we must remain optimist for a brighter future. It is a time of great opportunities, for a new vision, for long-term strategy and long-term planning, and for collaboration. We must look at the new horizon that awaits us with the same bold assertiveness, resilience, and adaptability we demonstrated when we were forced to adjust to the new normal. There is nothing we can’t achieve or accomplish in this new horizon if we channel our creativeness and innovation. In this regard I along with our board of directors and the secretariat will be keen to explore and evaluate how the AmCham can play a strategic role in advancing the following;
- The Recovery of the Economy: To re-instill confidence in our economy through FDIs & investment inflow, trade opportunities and drive business competitiveness. This is in keeping with our primary Mandate – in improving trade & investment between Sri Lanka and the US.
- The Youth: Preparing the workforce for the future, enabling youth to be future ready
- Driving the ESG agenda. I am particularly keen to explore ways of collaborating to better protect our environment which was a point significantly stressed by H.E the President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa during his recent address at the 76th session of UN General Assembly in New York.
Taking advantage of our strong bilateral relationship with US is one way we can do better. US companies such as Microsoft, IBM, Chevron, Citibank, North Sails, Uber, VISA, Mastercard, Coca-Cola and so many more continue to provide jobs and are responsible corporate citizens. It is our hope that we can build on this and attract more US investment and build more Sri Lanka – US trade in the coming years.
We are blessed to have a very dynamic and diverse set of members on our board who are committed to the organization’s ideals. If you saw a dynamic and busy chamber this past year, you can expect all that and more in this new year. I look forward to working with the Board of Directors and the team at AmCham to continue the initiatives already begun such as the TRADESHIFTS project, now in its third phase, consider ways in which we can work with other chambers and associations as it is a time for collaboration and to solve problems together.
The innovative Knowledge Hub offerings that are provided online will continue, and as the lockdowns ease with the increase in the vaccinated population, we have several exciting new programs lined up including the launch of our Annual Knowledge Summit in 2022, and several Trade events including a trade delegation that will be part of next year’s plan, some exciting new partnerships such as with Habitat for Humanity in Sri Lanka. I encourage you to reach out to us and explore ways of becoming a donor to support the construction and provision of sanitation facilities to needy schools across the country.
If there is one word I wish to leave you with, let it be that extremely powerful word, collaboration. It is my fervent desire and hope that through meaningful collaboration with you our members, key stakeholders and partners we will reach our goals and make a lasting impact and ensure AmCham remains the preferred business chamber to promote & facilitate business activities between USA and Sri Lanka.
Stay safe, stay well,
God Bless you all.