SLFBC to promote trade and investment with France

The Sri Lanka-France Business Council (SLFBC) which functions under the aegis of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) held its 9th Annual General Meeting at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce recently. The Council was inaugurated on February 4, 2004 to promote trade, investment, tourism and services between Sri Lanka and France and promote mutual understanding and strengthen relationships between Sri Lanka and France.

Seated (from left:) Vice President Asanka Ratnayake, Ambassador of France, Christine Robichon, President Dilipan Tyagarajah, Vice President Senaka Amerasinghe, Ms. Satheeka Kavisekera (Ceylon Chamber of Commerce), Jean-Louis Poli (French Trade Commission). Standing (from left): Ms. Nilupul de Silva (Board of Investment), Denis Gruhier (Cinnamon Lakeside), Anurag Kak (Mahaweli Cement), Navindra Abeysekera (Delmege), Samantha Rajapaksa (Associated Motorways), Shano Sabar (CMA-CGM Lanka), and Ms. Jeevani Siriwardena (Export Development Board).

Ambassador of France and Patron of SLFBC Ms Christine Robichon was the chief guest.

The ambassador congratulated the newly appointed Committee and said the visit of a business delegation to France early this year demonstrated the usefulness of exchanging business delegations.

She said the embassy organised a symposium on Urban Development recently and the embassy will continue to work closely with the Council in the future. President, Alstom, Dilipan Tyagarajah, was re-elected President of SLFBC for 2013-2014.

Tyagarajah said that the Council will continue to work closely with the Economic Service section of the Embassy of France, Embassy of Sri Lanka in Paris, Board of Investments of Sri Lanka and Export Development Board to promote bi-lateral trade between Sri Lanka and France.

The two Vice Presidents elected were Director, Hayleys, Asanka Ratnayake and Managing Director, Carmart Ltd, Senaka Amerasinghe.

The committee members for 2013-2014: Managing Director, Associated Motorways, Samantha Rajapaksa, Director, CMA-CGM Lanka, Shano Sabar, Director, Delmege Forsyth, Navindra Abeysekera, Managing Director, Lafarge Mahaweli Cement, Anurag Kak, Chief Executive Officer, Noyon Lanka, Shiraz Karunaratne, and General Manager, Cinnamon Lakeside, Denis Gruhier.