SLANZBC to boost trade with Australia and New Zealand

The Sri Lanka-Australia-New Zealand Business Council (SLANZBC) will work to promote trade with Australia and New Zealand, by proactively engaging with the Board of Investments of Sri Lanka, Department of Commerce, Export Development Board and AUSTRADE, President of the Council, Chairman, Lidechsi Group of Companies, Lionel D. C. Silva told members at the 19th Annual General Meeting of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce at the Taj Samudra recently.

Silva was re-elected President for the term 2014-15.

Acting High Commissioner of Australia in Sri Lanka, Ms. Sonya Koppe and Deputy High Commissioner for New Zealand - India Office, Michael Appleton were also present.

According to Silva during the past year, the council conducted several important activities such as, holding an interactive session on Doing Business with Australia, meeting Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop, annual Christmas Party 2013 which is the Council's biggest networking event and also undertaking its first CSR project, where a donation was made to the Sucharithodaya Child Development Centre, Maharagama.

More recently, the SLANZBC with the Deakin University of Australia, and AUSTRADE conducted a seminar on 'Marketing Communication in the Digital world'.

Executive Director, Malship Ceylon Ltd, Mark Francis, Vice President, Business Development, Infotechs Ltd, Mrs. Ramya Weerakoon, Managing Director, Glolan International (Pvt) Ltd, Manjula Lanerolle and Jt. Managing Directress, Westmann Engineering Co. Ltd. Ms. Kishani Seneviratne were elected as Vice Presidents of the Council.

The following companies were elected to serve on the Committee: AGXINTL, Dart Global Logistics, Hayleys Agriculture Holdings, Informatics, John Keells Holdings, Microcells, Abans, International Institute of Health Sciences, Waters Edge, Qantas Airways and Delmege Forsyth and Company.