The Exporters Association of Sri Lanka (EASL) has elected Nalaka Ratnayake as its new Chairperson at the Association’s 29th Annual General Meeting, bringing together exporters, industry leaders, Heads of Missions, trade officials and representatives from across Sri Lanka’s export sector.
The event was attended by World Bank Group Country Manager for Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Gevorg Sargsyan, who delivered the keynote address, highlighting the importance of enhancing competitiveness to sustain Sri Lanka’s economic recovery and create new employment opportunities.
Ratnayake will be supported by Manuje Hordagoda as First Vice Chairperson and Rozanne de Almeida as Second Vice Chairperson, while outgoing Chairperson Yohan Lawrence will continue to serve as Immediate Past Chairperson.
Reflecting on the Association’s achievements, Lawrence outlined its advocacy on critical issues affecting exporters, including the repeal of the Simplified Value Added Tax scheme, trade facilitation initiatives and the implementation of the National Single Window. He noted that the Association had consistently engaged policymakers to improve Sri Lanka’s international trade competitiveness.
In his inaugural address, Ratnayake called for accelerated reforms to position Sri Lanka among Asia’s most competitive export destinations. He emphasised the urgent need to implement an integrated National Single Window, improve the ease of doing business, strengthen logistics infrastructure and reduce the cost of exporting.
He also highlighted the importance of export diversification, deeper integration into global value chains and increased participation by small and medium sized enterprises, noting that a broader export base would build a more resilient economy.
The newly elected Executive Committee brings together representatives from leading Sri Lankan corporates and industry associations, reflecting the Association’s commitment to strengthening collaboration and driving sustainable export growth.
