Former Louis Vuitton Chief sees Sri Lanka as ‘Riviera’ of the subcontinent

Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH) former President Renaud Dutreil predicted Sri Lanka would become the “Riviera of the Indian Subcontinent” and said the country’s excellent geographic positioning on the East-West axis of the world created the potential for making it an international trade and commerce hub.

“I think Sri Lanka is at the beginning of a very positive new page – for many reasons. Geography and people are the two major elements that make a country thrive. Geography wise, Sri Lanka is very well positioned. Secondly, the people of Sri Lanka are open and moving forward fast through education, so the people are your asset,” the French luxury lifestyles expert and former member of the French Parliament told the Daily FT on a visit to Colombo last week.  Dutreil, who is partnering the Krrish Square project in Colombo Fort and will conceptualise the project’s luxury goods mall, believes the three towers would become a signature of the ‘new Colombo’ currently reinventing itself.

“I am so happy to contribute to Krrish Square because I think this building designed by very talented architect Edouard Francois is going to be like the signature of the new Colombo – the Colombo of the future, the Colombo that does not forget where it comes from,” he explained.

Dutreil said Sri Lanka’s success would be preserving its strong cultural identity while grasping the opportunities of globalisation. “I trust Sri Lanka will be able to protect its own personality and not to be mixed in the global community and completely swallowed by that,” he said.

 – See full interview

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