Sri Lanka-Germany Business Council holds 25th AGM

Executive Committee 2024/2025 seated from left: Vice President Roy Anthony, Immediate Past President Surendra Ediriweera, German Ambassador Dr. Felix Neumann, President Asoka Hettigoda, Vice President Karim Schadlou and Amanthi Silva, Secretariat of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce
Standing from left: Committee Members Aflal Khan Ismail, Dhilmini Palipane, Mark Francis, Sudath Tennakoon, Gayan Maddumarachchi, Suranga Ratnayake, Gerard Victoria and Nalaka Amaratunga

German Ambassador Dr. Felix Neumann	SLGBC President Asoka Hettigoda

The 25th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Sri Lanka-Germany Business Council (SLGBC) was held recently at Hilton Colombo Residences, Colombo 2. 

The chief guest, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany Dr. Felix Neumann, highlighted the enduring partnership between the two countries. 

Reflecting on his recent discussions with the president of Sri Lanka, Dr. Neumann expressed Germany’s willingness to work together in the path to economic recovery. 

He emphasised Germany’s readiness to aid Sri Lanka’s efforts in skilled labour migration, noting the longstanding impact of German vocational training initiatives in Sri Lanka, exemplified by institutions like German Tech in Moratuwa and Kilinochchi.

Dr. Neumann also acknowledged the robust presence of approximately 300 German brands in Sri Lanka, renowned for their reliability and long-lasting value. He emphasised Germany’s long-term commitment, with no German companies withdrawing during Sri Lanka’s recent economic challenges. 

On tourism, he noted Germany as the fourth largest source market for tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka, accounting for over 7 percent of the market share. He underscored the people-to-people connections that drive bilateral relations, calling tourism a vital bridge between the two nations. 

Hettigoda Industries (Pvt.) Ltd Chairman and Managing Director Asoka Hettigoda was re-elected by the members as President for the year 2024-2025. In his address, Hettigoda thanked the members for their continued trust and pledged to enhance trade and investment ties with Germany.

He provided a historical overview of the council’s accomplishments and key activities over the past year. Further, highlighting Germany’s importance as Sri Lanka’s fourth largest export market, he noted that in 2022, Sri Lanka’s exports to Germany—primarily rubber, tea and textiles—totalled US $ 888 million, while German exports to Sri Lanka, consisting of machinery, chemicals and motor vehicles, amounted to US $ 300 million. Germany also stands as Sri Lanka’s second largest EU investor, with 51 German companies creating approximately 11,700 local jobs since 1951. Highlighting tourism, he noted 121,000 German visitors to Sri Lanka by November 2024, expressing optimism about surpassing the 2018 record of 156,888 visitors. He concluded by underscoring the importance of strengthening trade and investment ties with Germany to support Sri Lanka’s economic recovery.
For the last 25 years, the SLGBC has been fostering new initiatives and areas of corporation between business communities of the two countries with the exchange of trade missions, delegations, new investments and joint ventures and have extended yeoman service to both countries.

The primary objectives of the SLGBC are to promote trade, tourism and services between Sri Lanka and Germany, encourage German investment and establishment of joint ventures in Sri Lanka between German and Sri Lanka investors, to exchange information on trade and investment between the two countries, to conduct and facilitate joint meetings with German business organisations and to promote Sri Lankan participation in international fairs in Germany.

Hilton Colombo Residences General Manager Karim Schadlou and C.G.V Anthony & Sons (Pvt.) Ltd Director Roy Anthony were elected as Vice Presidents. The member companies Air Global (Pvt.) Ltd, Aitken Spence Cargo (Pvt.) Ltd, Aitken Spence Travels (Pvt.) Ltd, Central Bearings and Machinery (Pvt.) Ltd, Detroves Travels (Pvt.) Ltd, Diesel & Motor Engineering PLC, MAC Holdings (Pvt.) Ltd Malship (Ceylon) Ltd and Walkers Tours were elected to the committee. 

Outgoing President Surendra Ediriweera, Ceylon Tours Ltd Managing Director, will continue to serve on the committee as Immediate Past President.