The 26th Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka–Germany Business Council was held at the Hilton Colombo Residences in Colombo. This meeting brought together business leaders and members who work to build strong relation between Sri Lanka and Germany.
The event was honored by Dr. Felix Neumann, who is the Ambassador of Germany. He spoke about the long friendship between Sri Lanka and Germany. He said that for almost seventy years, both countries have worked together in many areas like politics, culture, tourism, and business.
Dr. Neumann also appreciated the work of the Business Council in bringing people and companies from both countries closer. He talked about how Germany values innovation, quality, and working together for a better future. He also said that he supports Sri Lanka’s efforts to fight corruption and improve opportunities for businesses.
At the meeting, the council said goodbye to Asoka Hettigoda, who was the President of the Council. He will now serve as the President of the Hotels Association of Sri Lanka. The Council welcomed a new President, Mr. Gerard Victoria, and other leaders on the committee. The new team will work to grow relations and start new business activities.
Mr. Victoria, the new President for 2025 to 2026, thanked the outgoing leaders for their work and shared his plans for the next year. He said he wants to make trade and business stronger in areas like tourism, energy, logistics, manufacturing, digital services, and job training. These steps are expected to create more jobs and help both countries’ businesses grow.
Other new leaders were also chosen at the meeting. Karim Schadlou, the General Manager of Hilton Colombo Residences, was chosen as Senior Vice President. Sudath Tennakoon, Chairman of Central Bearings and Machinery (Pvt) Ltd, was chosen as Vice President. Several member companies like Aitken Spence Cargo, Ceylon Tours, Walkers Tours, and others were elected to help guide the Council’s work.
The Sri Lanka–Germany Business Council has a long history of helping businesses from both nations work together. They organize programs where business leaders can talk to government and embassy staff, meet visa officers, and create new ways to support trade and cooperation. These efforts help Sri Lankan companies to find partners in Europe and help German companies to understand growth opportunities in Sri Lanka.
Germany has been an important partner of Sri Lanka in many areas. German companies have shown commitment to Sri Lanka’s market, and events like this meeting build more trust. In the past, German groups have worked with Sri Lankan businesses to create investment opportunities and build long term trade relations.
Working together with Germany helps Sri Lanka in different ways. It brings technology, training, and new jobs. German tourists also visit Sri Lanka for tourism, which supports the travel industry. Meetings like this offer a place for business people to talk about future ideas and plans that can help both countries to grow.
This meeting showed that both countries want to continue their friendship and work together for upcoming years. Leaders and members of the Business Council said they will keep finding new ways to help companies from both sides to expand their businesses worldwide.