Positive investor interest at SEC & CSE Colombo investor forums

English Colombo Investor Forum Panel Discussion undertaken by (L – R): Executive Vice President – Marketing of the Colombo Stock Exchange Niroshan Wijesundere; Acting Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC) Tushara Jayaratne; Vice President of the Unit Trust Association, Director and CEO of First Capital Asset Management (Pvt) Ltd Kavin Karunamoorthy; Cheran de la Harpe, Manager – Research at HNB Stockbrokers (Pvt) Ltd; Senior Economist of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Chathura Kulawardena; Moderator and Manager – Events at CSE, Nishantha Batagalle.

Business BASL to host inaugural National Sustainable Development Law Symposium

Published 9 mins agoon 2026/07/14

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) will host the Inaugural National Sustainable Development Law Symposium on 21 July at The Hilton Colombo, bringing together legal practitioners, policymakers, judges, academics, corporate leaders, financial sector professionals and development stakeholders for a full-day forum on the growing role of law in advancing sustainable development, climate resilience and responsible economic growth. Held under the theme From Global Trade, Finance and Investment to a National Imperative on Resilience: Integrating a Sustainability Lens in Legal Careers, the programme is structured around several thematic sessions examining the legal dimensions of sustainability in trade, finance, investment, climate governance and national policymaking. The sessions will cover areas such as Strengthening Domestic Capacity to Succeed and Thrive Amidst a Changing Climate, Sustainability Due Diligence in Global Trade and Positioning Sri Lanka as a Trade Hub in the Region, Sustainable Finance and ESG Due Diligence in Investments: Sri Lanka and CIFC as a Hub for the Region, and Creating the The keynote address will be delivered by His Lordship Justice A.H.M.D.Nawaz, Justice of Supreme Court. The programme will also feature distinguished speakers including Justice Shiranee Thilakawardane – Former Justice of the Supreme Court, Prof. Dr. Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger /Chairperson Sustainable Development Law & Policy, University of Cambridge, Simon Tribelhorn – CEO – Liechtenstein Bankers Association, Ravi Algama, Dr. Asanga Gunawansa, PC, Prof. (Dr.) Kokila Konasinghe – Professor in Law University of Colombo, Dr. Ravindranath Dabare, Centre for Environmental Justice, Neshan Gunasekera, CEO – World Future Council, Ms. Chamindry Saparamadu – Former DG Sri Lanka Sustainable Development Council and Executive Director, DevPro, Prof. Dominic Coppens – International Economic Law Maastricht University Netherlands, Deputy Solicitor General Nirmalan Wigneswaran, Deputy Solicitor General, Dr. Avanthi Perera, Senith Abeyanayake – Research Associate Centre for Smart Future, Ms. Prashani Illangasekera – General Manager Group ESG, Hayleys PLC, Shiran Fernando – SG/ CEO The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, , Dr. Priyantha Thilakaweera – Director Macroprudential Surveillance, Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Mr. Thilan Wijesinghe – Managing Director TWC Holdings, Mr. Adheesha Perera – Core Group Member Sri Lanka Banks’ Association’s Sustainable Banking Initiative, Mr. Leel Randeni – Director Climate Change Secretariat from Ministry of Environment, Dr. Ananda Mallawatantri – Co-Chair, Climate Action Steering Committee, The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and Ms. Punyamali Saparamadu – Senior Vice President -Commercial Colombo Stock Exchange. For further details, please contact the BASL Program Office at 077 588 8781 or b.jayasinghe@basl.lk.

Business EFC appoints Yashoravi Bakmiwewa as Director General

Published 10 mins agoon 2026/07/14

Yashoravi Bakmiwewa The Employers’ Federation of Ceylon (EFC), Sri Lanka’s premier employers’ organisation, has appointed Yashoravi Bakmiwewa as its 14th Director General, marking a historic milestone in the Federation’s 97-year history. She is the first female to serve as Director General of the EFC and also the first female Director General to head an Employers’ Business Member Organisation (EBMO) in South Asia. The appointment heralds a significant era for leadership within the region’s employer representative bodies. Bakmiwewa succeeds Vajira Ellepola, under whose leadership the Federation further strengthened its position as the country’s leading voice for employers. Her appointment is a further reflection of the Federation’s commitment to continuity, professional excellence, and inclusive leadership as it continues to support employers in navigating the evolving world of work. An Attorney-at-Law with over 16 years of distinguished service at the EFC, Bakmiwewa, is a graduate of the University of Colombo with a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) and a Masters in Labour Relations and Human Resources Management. She was admitted as an Attorney-at-Law of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka in 2007 and commenced her legal career at the Attorney General’s Department before joining the EFC in 2010. Since joining the EFC, Bakmiwewa has been instrumental in providing strategic legal and industrial relations advisory services to member organisations representing diverse industries. In 2019, Bakmiwewa was appointed as the Head of the EFC’s training division and under her leadership and guidance, the EFC training division reached several important milestones which was instrumental in strengthening workplace compliance and productive employment relations. Apart from representing members before legal forums, throughout her tenure, Bakmiwewa has contributed significantly to national policy discussions by representing employer interests at key tripartite forums, including Wages Boards and national steering committees. Following her appointment as the Director General, Bakmiwewa noted that amidst ever evolving socio-economic challenges the world of business has to brave, the EFC is well positioned to navigate them with confidence and excellence. “Our history is one of resilience, having successfully weathered many periods of uncertainty and transformation during its nearly century-long journey. Drawing on that legacy, we are confident that we will continue to adapt, innovate and extend support for private sector businesses to thrive in an increasingly complex and dynamic business environment” Bakmiwewa also remarks that, in the present AI-driven business environment, the Federation is conscious of adapting to support business transformation while being mindful of the unprecedented environmental and sustainability challenges that are reshaping businesses and economies worldwide.

Business LB Finance upgrades network with Huawei

Published 11 mins agoon 2026/07/14

LB Finance PLC has completed a major upgrade of its network infrastructure across its head office and branches nationwide, strengthening reliability, speed, and security. The project was delivered in collaboration with Huawei. “The modernization addresses challenges posed by older systems and growing demand for digital financial services. The upgraded infrastructure allows LB Finance to deliver faster, more secure services, while laying the foundation for future innovations, including cloud-based applications and AI-driven tools,” said Nirsohan Udage, Managing Director of LB Finance PLC. The improvements included enhanced connectivity between the head office and branches, stronger wireless access, revamped backbone/core network and upgraded backup systems to safeguard sensitive information. For customers, this means more reliable services, smoother transactions, and confidence in the security of their financial data. Zhang Jinze, CEO of Huawei Sri Lanka, added: “We are proud to work alongside LB Finance on this project. Together, we have built a network that supports faster, safer services and the adoption of technologies like AI and cloud computing. Modern, reliable infrastructure is essential for financial institutions to meet today’s digital demands. This collaboration shows how local leadership and global expertise can combine to drive innovation, improve efficiency, and strengthen Sri Lanka’s digital economy.”