Strategies to enhance competitiveness through higher productivity: Key industries to discuss in-dept

The 14th annual Sri Lanka Economic Summit which is scheduled to be held from 9 to 11 July 2013 in Colombo will have its third session discussing about enhancing competitiveness through higher productivity.

A higher GDP growth requires higher value addition by the private sector, the main contributor to the national output. The slow recovery of the western economies has intensified competition in the global market and firms world over are adopting diverse strategies to enhance productivity to remain competitive.

The drive for higher growth and the need to remain internationally competitive demands Sri Lankan businesses to rigorously pursue strategies to increase productivity both from the perspectives of adding value by innovation and through efficiency improvements in resource use.

The session will discuss strategies for private sector to increase productivity using the experiences of local companies and case studies from successful global brands.

Malaysian Blue Ocean Strategy Institute Operations Director Ravi Fernando will be delivering the keynote speech. He will be highlighting about strategies to increase competitiveness of Sri Lankan companies from his perspective. Fernando holds a MBA from the University of Colombo and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (UK), he holds a Diploma in International Management and completed the Advanced Management Program at the INSEAD Business School in France.

He was the founder United Nations Global Compact Focal point for Sri Lanka 2003 to 2010 and continues on the boards of UNGC Sri Lanka, LOLC, Environmental Foundation and Ceylon Asset Management Ltd.

His career with multi-nationals; Unilever, Sterling health International, Smithkline Beecham International covered Africa, Middle East and Asia in CEO and Marketing positions. He was the first CEO SLINTEC (Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology) during 2008 and 2010 and a member of the National Task Force on Development of the 5-year Science and Technology strategy 2010. The session further consists of case study presentations by MAS Intimates Financial Controller Jehan Jayasuriya from the apparel, Dipped Products PLC MD Dr. Mahesha Ranasoma from the Rubber sector and a representative from fruit and vegetable sector, followed by a panel discussion moderated by Management Consultant Sunil Wijesinha.  National Science Foundation Chairperson Prof. Sirimali Fernando and International Management Consultant Ranel T. Wijesinha will also be joining the panel discussion.