Sri Lanka–Italy Business Council holds 18th AGM

Sri Lanka – Italy Business Council Committee for the Year 2017/18 (seated from left) Sri Lanka–Italy Business Council Vice President Anushka Polonowita-Euro Sports Auto Lanka (Pte) Ltd, Sri Lanka–Italy Business Council Vice President Sonali Liyanamana-Interglobe Travels (Pvt.) Ltd, Italian Ambassador to Sri Lanka Paolo Andrea Bartorelli, Sri Lanka–Italy Business Council President Rajah Abeyasinghe JP-Hydromec International (Pvt.) Ltd and Julianne Boulton-Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Secretariat
Standing from left: Yohan Peries-Walkers Tours Ltd, Avindra Weerasinghe-Ally Weerasinghe Ltd, Sharmini Mendis-Spear International (Pvt.) Ltd, Janaka Gunasekera-A Baur& Co. Ltd, Sri Lanka–Italy Business Council Immediate Past President Tania Polonnowita Wettimuny-Hellman Worldwide Logistics (Pvt.) Ltd, Harsha de Alwis-DFCC Bank PLC and Indika Chandrasekera-JAT Holdings (Pvt.) Ltd
Not in picture: Rajeev Aloysius-The Autodrome PLC and 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 (AGM) at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce recently.
Italian Ambassador Paolo Andrea Bartorelli was the chief guest at this occasion. 
Hydromec International (Pvt.) Ltd Chief Executive Officer D.R.P. Abeyasinghe was re-elected as the council President. 
Abeyasinghe has a mechanical engineering background.  The latter part of his career however was devoted to 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 Italian Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister 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. 
Bartorelli in his comments made at the AGM 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 (Pvt.) Ltd Chief Executive Officer Sonali Liyanamana and Euro Sports Auto Lanka (Pte) Ltd (subsidiary of Micro Holdings (Pvt.) Ltd) General Manager Anushka Polonowita were elected Vice Presidents of the council. 
A Baur& Co. Ltd, Ally Weerasinghe Ltd, DFCC Bank PLC, JAT Holdings (Pvt.) Ltd, Lanka Tiles PLC, Spear International (Pvt.) 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.