Sri Lanka-Italy Business Council holds 18th AGM

Sri Lanka-Italy Business Council Committee for the Year 2017/18 (seated from left): Anushka Polonowita, Euro Sports Auto Lanka, Vice President, Sri Lanka-Italy Business Council; Sonali Liyanamana, Interglobe Travels, Vice President, Sri Lanka-Italy Business Council; Paolo Andrea Bartorelli, Italian Ambassador to Sri Lanka; Rajah Abeyasinghe JP, Hydromec International, President, Sri Lanka-Italy Business Council; Julianne Boulton, Secretariat, The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. Standing from left: Yohan Peries, Walkers Tours; Avindra Weerasinghe, Ally Weerasinghe; Sharmini Mendis, Spear International; Janaka Gunasekera, A Baur& Co.; Tania Polonnowita Wettimuny, Hellman Worldwide Logistics, Immediate Past President, Sri Lanka-Italy Business Council; Harsha de Alwis, DFCC Bank PLC; Indika Chandrasekera, JAT Holdings. Not in the picture: Rajeev Aloysius, The Autodrome PLC; B.T. Tyrell Roche, 

Lanka Tiles PLC

The Sri Lanka-Italy Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce held its 18th Annual General Meeting at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce on 22 June. Italian Ambassador to Sri Lanka Paolo Andrea Bartorelli was the Chief Guest at this occasion.

Hydromec International Ltd. Chief Executive Officer D.R.P. Abeyasinghe was re-elected as the President of the Council. Abeyasinghe has a Mechanical Engineering background. The latter part of his career however has been devoted to the marketing and commercial aspects of dealing in earth moving and materials handling machinery and equipment. Abeyasinghe in his address highlighted the achievements of the Sri Lanka-Italy Business Council during the year 2016-2017 under his leadership. 

These included the organisation of meetings with Italian business delegations that visited the country during the period under review, including the business delegation that had accompanied the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy Benedetto Della Vedova on his official visit to Sri Lanka. A breakfast meeting with Board of Investment of Sri Lanka Chairman Upul Jayasuriya; Annual Members’ Night and the Italian Language Course run for Beginners and Advanced Learners were also highlighted. 

Paolo Andrea Bartorelli in his comments made at the Annual General Meeting reassured the Council of the continued support of the Italian Embassy in Sri Lanka to promote bilateral trade between Sri Lanka and Italy.

Interglobe – Worldlink Air Services Ltd. Chief Executive Officer Sonali Liyanamana and Anushka Polonowita, General Manager, Euro Sports Auto Lanka Ltd., subsidiary of Micro Holdings Ltd. were elected Vice Presidents of the Council. 

A Baur& Co. Ltd., Ally Weerasinghe Ltd., DFCC Bank PLC, JAT Holdings Ltd., Lanka Tiles PLC, Spear International Ltd., The Autodrome PLC, and Walkers Tours Ltd. were elected from the membership to serve on the Executive Committee of the Council.

Companies engaged in trade, tourism or services with Italy or engaged in joint ventures with Italian organisations or interested in entering into or promoting trade, tourism, services or joint ventures with Italian organisations are eligible for membership of the Sri Lanka-Italy Business Council. Further details regarding membership of the Council could be obtained from the Secretariat of the Sri Lanka – Italy Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, No. 50, Navam Mawatha, Colombo 2. E-mail: [email protected]  or Tel: 011-5588875, 5588800.