Stock brokers meet Deputy Minister

A meeting between stock brokers and Deputy Minister of Investment Promotion, Faiszer Musthapha took place recently.

At the head table (from left): Officer-in-Charge and Deputy Director General Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Dhammika Perera, SEC Chairman Dr. Nalaka Godahewa, Deputy Minister of Investment Promotion, Faiszer Musthapha, Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE), Chairman Krishan Balendra and Chief Executive Officer, CSE, Rajeeva Bandaranaike.

Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC), Chairman Dr. Nalaka Godahewa, Chairman, Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE), Krishan Balendra Officer-in-Charge and Deputy Director General (SEC), Dhammika Perera and Chief Executive Officer (CSE) Rajeeva Bandaranaike and the CEO's of stock broker firms were present.

Minister Musthapha emphasised the need to ensure that Sri Lankan companies pitch their investments proposals directly to high net worth and institutional investors at future foreign investor fora.

"When we make introductions at governmental level, it is easier to make connections between investors and Sri Lankan companies looking for equity," he said.

"During our foreign investor fora, we place great emphasis on the one-to-one meetings," Balendra said.

"Certain investors are interested in buying equity in local companies, whereas others prefer Foreign Direct Investment. In countries such as Australia, where there is concentrated interest in FDI, the BOI will lead the initiative through introductions made by the Minister at government level," Dr. Godahewa said.

The CEOs of broker firms agreed to give a detailed plan on how this could be included in future investor fora.