NDB principal sponsor of APEA

NDB is the principal sponsor of the Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Awards (APEA) which will be held today at the Cinnamon Grand.

APEA Sri Lanka has attracted over 63 nominations, out of which 33 have been selected as winners. The 33 enterprising men and women, who have demonstrated entrepreneurial expertise, while displaying commitment to follow sustainable industrial practices, will be recognised and honoured at the event. Enterprise Asia, a non-governmental organisation for entrepreneurship based in Kuala Lumpur is the owner and organiser of the APEA.

Enterprise Asia with the Sri Lanka-Malaysia Business Council (SLMBC) of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce initiated the event in Sri Lanka in 2012, with the NDB as a principal sponsor. NDB's involvement in APEA 2014, for the third successive year, establishes Bank's commitment towards recognising Sri Lankan entrepreneurs and business leaders while encouraging an entrepreneurial culture in the country.

APEA is a regional recognition program for outstanding entrepreneurs across Asia. It is also a platform for Asian business leaders and entrepreneurs to network, share information and form lifetime acquaintances and alliances. There are 14 ASEAN nations in this program. They are Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Brunei, Thailand, Vietnam, Macau, Cambodia and India. Sri Lanka joined this elite group in 2012.

Chief Operating Officer of NDB, Indrajit Wickramasinghe said, "It is a pleasure and an honour for NDB to be a part of the Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Awards.

As a precursor of entrepreneur development in Sri Lanka, we believe that entrepreneurial excellence is an extremely relevant instrument in promoting economic growth."

"Thus, having foreseen the many benefits of internationalisation of local enterprises, NDB willingly embraced the opportunity granted by the APEA three years ago and has remained committed to the awards program as a principal sponsor, helping Sri Lankan entrepreneurs take to world markets through the strategic links enabled by this scheme," he said.