CCC outlines three-year plan to strengthen Sri Lanka’s competitiveness

Krishan Balendra delivering the Chairperson’s address

• Re-elected Chairman Krishan Balendra says CCC will deepen engagement with members, strengthen global partnerships, enhance support for SMEs, and accelerate efforts to promote exports and attract investment
• Highlights the strategy follows a year in which the CCC played a more active role in shaping economic policy, with 18 recommendations incorporated into the 2026 Budget
• Asserts success will require continued collaboration, policy consistency, and a shared commitment to reform

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) yesterday said it is working with a three-year strategy to accelerate investment, boost exports and strengthen support for small businesses, as the private sector seeks to play a larger role in sustaining the country’s economic recovery.

The Chamber highlighted this as a shift from traditional policy advocacy towards delivering practical solutions and fostering closer collaboration between government, businesses and international partners.

“As we look ahead, we are building on this momentum that will further strengthen the Chamber’s role as an ecosystem enabler and a catalyst for economic transformation. “We will deepen engagement with members, strengthen global partnerships, enhance support for SMEs, and accelerate efforts to promote exports and attract investment,” Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Chairman Krishan Balendra said in his address at the Chamber’s 186th Annual General Meeting.

Speaking as the re-elected Chairperson, Balendra said the strategy follows a year in which the CCC played a more active role in shaping economic policy, with 18 recommendations incorporated into the 2026 Budget. The proposals covered trade facilitation, investment promotion, digitalisation, infrastructure development and measures to improve the ease of doing business.

The CCC also engaged closely with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) during successive programme review missions to ensure private sector concerns were reflected in Sri Lanka’s reform agenda.

He went on to stress that the Chamber also contributed to the government’s response to the recent Middle East conflict by submitting recommendations to minimise the impact of higher fuel prices, shipping disruptions, freight costs and risks to export competitiveness.

“Encouragingly, several of these recommendations were acted upon by the government through enhanced inter-agency coordination and measures aimed at maintaining trade flows and supporting exporters during a period of heightened uncertainty.  “This demonstrated the value of timely public-private dialogue and reinforced the Chamber’s role as a solutions-oriented institution,” Balendra said.

The Chamber also highlighted ongoing efforts to address structural constraints affecting trade, including export clearance delays, VAT refunds, port congestion and cargo inefficiencies. It reiterated its support for reforms to the Customs Ordinance and the implementation of the National Single Window to improve Sri Lanka’s trade competitiveness.

During the past year, the Chamber expanded partnerships across more than 20 countries, supported over 1,800 small and medium-sized enterprises through training and advisory programmes, facilitated 20 trade missions and placed greater emphasis on climate finance, carbon markets and sustainable business practices.

“The challenges ahead remain significant, but so do the opportunities. Success will require continued collaboration, policy consistency, and a shared commitment to reform,” Balendra said.

Chamber re-elects Balendra as Chairperson 

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce announced the re-election of Chairperson Krishan Balendra and the election of its Board for the Year 2026/27 at the Chamber’s 187th Annual General Meeting on June 25. High Commissioner of Britain to Sri Lanka, Andrew Patrick, attended as Chief Guest. 

The 2026/27 office-bearers are Chairperson Krishan Balendra – Chairperson (John Keells Holdings PLC), Vice Chairperson Bingumal Thewarathanthri (CEO, Standard Chartered Bank Sri Lanka), and Deputy Vice-Chairperson Vinod Hirdaramani (Chairman, Hirdaramani Group). Jayanthi Dharmasena – Managing Director, Hayleys Agriculture Holdings Ltd., Kasturi Chellaraja Wilson – Chief Operating Officer, Head of APAC – 5Hour International Corporation Singapore, Shibani Thambiayah – Managing Director, Renuka Hotels PLC, Supun Weerasinghe – Director/Group CEO – Dialog Axiata PLC, and Shiran Fernando – Secretary-General and CEO will serve as Board Members. 

Rohana Dissanayake – Group Chairman and Managing Director of David Pieris Motor Company Pvt. Ltd. will also join the Board, replacing Bernhard Stefan - Managing Director – Nestlé Lanka PLC, who relocated overseas.