Champion Sri Lankan team for World Economic Forum 2013
Monday, 29 July 2013 00:00
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The World Economic Forum which attracts the best talent in the contemporary world called the ‘new champions’ to discuss the global issues, risks and strategies required by policymakers and business enterprise is to be staged from 11-13 September 2013 in Dalian, People’s Republic of China.
The inaugural meeting of the Sri Lankan delegation was chaired by Deputy Minister for Investment and Promotions Faiszer Mustapha at the BOI auditorium.
The 2013 theme at the WEF theme is ‘Meeting the Innovative Imperative,’ and Sri Lanka must make use of the opportunity to meet the top business entrepreneurs, policy makers, academia and scientists so that Sri Lanka can be ready to invest on the business opportunities when the proposed Free Trade Agreements come to play with China and Japan commented minister Mustafa.
Deputy Secretary of the Treasury S.R. Attygalle briefed the business leaders on the proposed FTA with China which is at the early stage of discussion that will include the apparel industry, value added tea, gem and jewellery and the rubber sector just to name a few.
The Summer Economic Forum is popularly called the ‘Summer Davos’. The Dalian WEF will have 1,500 participants from 90 countries across the world to deliberate the best business practices and key issues of the world that will include the likes of Oleg V. Deripaska – Chairman of Supervisory Board, Russian Federation, Hikmet Ersek – President and CEO Western Union USA, Ellen Kullman – Chair of Board/CEO DuPont, USA, Zota Tsotsi – Chairman Eskon Holdings, South Africa, Wang Jianlin – Chairman Wanda Group, China and Rich Lesser – Global CEO Boston Consultancy Group, USA to name a few.
The Deputy Minister said that the largest industrial zones in the country that come the purview of the BOI must now re-look at their demand chain source of business due to entrants of the new emerging markets and the World Economic Forum will give a better idea of the changing new wave that is taking form in global trade. Sri Lanka must start working now so that we can continue to be competitive, Mustapha added.
The participants – MAS Holdings Director Sherad Amalean, Expo Lanka Holdings Group CEO Hanif Yusoof, Heladiv Group and Heladiv Tea Chairman Rohan Fernando, Frostaire Industries Chairman Mukthar Marikkar and IWS Holdings Chairman Arthur Senanayake – committed to shoulder the responsibility of representing Sri Lanka at the global forum.
John Keells and Carson’s are the permanent members of the World Economic Forum and will be members of the delegation. The others present at the meeting were Sri Lanka focal point to the World Economic Forum Asanga Abeyagoonasekera, who briefed the participants on this year’s highlights of the World Economic Forum in Dalian, People’s Republic of China and Aditi Vyas, Senior Communication Manager and South Asia Membership of World Economic Forum, who explained the agenda of the conference.
