The 42nd Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka – Japan Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce was held recently at Ramada Hotel Colombo and Merrick Gooneratne, Executive Director, TOS Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, was re-elected as the President for the year 2021-2022.
Mizukoshi Hideaki, Ambassador of Japan in Sri Lanka, who is also the Patron of the Council, was the Chief Guest.
The Sri Lanka – Japan Business Council was set up in 1979 as the Sri Lanka – Japan Business Co-operation Committee (SLJBCC) by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, following a Memorandum of Understanding with the Japan – Sri Lanka Business Co-operation Committee (JSLBCC) of the Japan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (JCCI). The SLJBC is the first bilateral business council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.
Shamil Mendis, Chairman & Managing Director, Spear International, Sagara Gunawardana, Chairman, Venora International Projects, Andre Fernando, Chairman/Managing Director, MAC Holdings and Dinesh Saparamadu, Chairman, hSenid Software International were elected as Vice Presidents. Mahen Dayananda, Chairman, Indo Asia Teas will continue to serve on the Committee as the Immediate Past President. Tilak de Zoysa and Deva Rodrigo will continue to serve on the Committee as Advisers during the year 2021 – 2022. The Business Council members, ASOL Traders, represented by Chanaka Kariyapperuma; Andrew The Travel Company, represented by Mahen Kariyawasan, Managing Director; Hayleys Advantis, represented by Ruwan Waidyaratne; Heritage Teas, represented by Mohan Mendis; Hirohama Ceylon., represented by Athulla Edirisinghe; Metatechno Lanka Company, represented by Mr. Jeewana Waidyaratne; Midaya Ceramic Co, represented by Dayasiri Warnakulasuriya; Prudential Shipping Lines, represented by Rohitha Mendis; TJ Associates, represented by Tissa Jayaweera were elected as Committee Members.
Due to the prevailing pandemic situation, all events held during the period under review by the Council for its members and other companies engaged in doing business with Japan were held as webinars which included a webinar on Benefitting from Japanese Practices and Management Techniques, Overview of Taxation in Sri Lanka pertaining to investing and carrying on business operations, and another webinar titled “After The Pandemic: The Way Ahead”, which featured presentations by the Ambassador of Japan to Sri Lanka, the Resident Representative of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Colombo Office and the Chief Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Sri Lanka Office.
Companies interested in joining the membership of the Sri Lanka – Japan Business Council may contact Julianne at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.