The Exporters' Association of Sri Lanka (EASL) successfully held its 27th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on July 30, 2024. The event marked a transition in leadership, with Mr. Yohan Lawrence, Consultant – Nidro Supply (Pvt) Ltd. being elected as the new Chairman. Alongside him, Ms. Rozanne de Almeida, Head of Trade - Hatton National Bank PLC and Mr. Nalaka Rathnayake, Deputy General Manager - Group Freight Management, Hayleys PLC were appointed as the 1st Vice and 2nd Vice Chairpersons, respectively.

The following member companies and associations were elected to the Managing Committee 2024/ 2025 at the AGM.

Ceylon Biscuits Ltd, Sampath Bank PLC, Tissa Brush Manufacturers & Exports, Meezan & Company (Pvt) Ltd, Nidro Supply (Pvt) Ltd., Hayleys PLC, Hatton National Bank PLC, Tea Exporters' Association, Tea Tang (Pvt) Ltd, Lion Brewery Ceylon PLC, Midas Safety Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, K.I.K Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, The Spices & Allied Products Producers’ and Traders’ Association, Dipped Products PLC, Expolanka Freight (Pvt) Ltd, The Sri Lanka Association of Software and Service Companies, Sri Lanka Apparel Exporters Association, Bogala Graphite Lanka PLC, Nation Trust Bank PLC, Shums & Company (Pvt) Ltd, Hela Apparel Holdings PLC, Atlas Axillia Co., (Pvt) Ltd, David Pieris Renewable Energy (Pvt) Ltd, Stassen Exports (Pvt) Ltd, A. Baur & Co. Pvt. Ltd, Colombo Rubber Traders’ Association, Exporters' Association of Coconut Based Substrates, Lanka Fruit and Vegetable Producers, Processors and Exporters Association, Sea Food Exporters Association, Sri Lanka Gem and Jewellery Association.

Addressing the audience, Immediate Past Chairman Mr. Ranil Goonetilleke outlined the EASL's collaborative efforts with organizations such as the Shippers Council of Sri Lanka, the National Chamber of Exports, and the Joint Apparel Association Forum Sri Lanka to tackle export issues, including operational inefficiencies and slow digitalisation.

Chairman Mr. Yohan Lawrence emphasized that the (EASL), plays a crucial role in the Export sector. Under Mr. Goonetilleke’s leadership, the EASL has addressed critical issues such as mandatory conversions and the SVAT system. Post-COVID, the EASL continues to advocate for a favourable business environment, tackling challenges like high electricity tariffs, market access, and bureaucratic hurdles. He urged members to engage with the EASL to influence the export landscape positively.

Keynote Speaker Mr. Bingumal Thewarathanthri, CEO & Head of Banking & Coverage at Standard Chartered Bank Sri Lanka. He highlighted how leading export nations manage political stability and policy consistency, and shared insights on South-South trade and Sri Lanka’s global export performance.

Mr. Thewarathanthri echoed the sentiments of both the outgoing and incoming Chairmen on the need to ensure that the SVAT scheme is continued for exporters, at least until such time as there is a proven refund system that has minimum human intervention. The pitfalls of the earlier VAT fraud of some 3.5 billion that occurred in the cash refund system that predated the introduction of SVAT.

The AGM was followed by a Post Business Session which provided attendees an opportunity to network with industry leaders and stakeholders, setting the stage for future collaboration and development in Sri Lanka's export sector.

The Exporters' Association of Sri Lanka is a premier organization representing the interests of Sri Lankan exporters. It aims to promote the growth and development of the export sector through advocacy, support, and collaboration with industry stakeholders.