Business

World Bank gets straight to the point on charting a new FDI path for Sri Lanka

Published

5 years ago

2021/06/14

By Sanath Nanayakkare

Faris Hadad-Zervos, World Bank Country Director for Sri Lanka, Maldives and Nepal skipped the usual preliminaries at the recent Sri Lanka Invest Forum (SLIF) and came straight to the point and told the participating global investors that Sri Lanka’s potential for attracting investment and creating an equally attractive business environment for new entrants was very clear, and if and when the right combination of things were in place this would become an ideal time to come and invest in Sri Lanka.

Speaking at the plenary session of SLIF on June 7, 2021 he said: “Let’s remember friends, not to focus today much on what Sri Lanka was, is and what it will be. We care about that but the reality is, the investors don’t. They don’t focus on what Sri Lanka is, what it was and what it will be, but what Sri Lanka is versus other countries from an investment point of view. And that’s the name of the game,”

Further speaking the World Bank Country Director said,”

Covid has likely triggered the biggest economic fallout since the Second World War.. I commend Sri Lanka on the many achievements in containing the pandemic in the past two weeks. The government’s management of the health crisis has been recognised worldwide and the measures it has taken to contain the ongoing wave.”

“The Sri Lankan government is focused on addressing its macro fiscal challenge and creating an enabling environment for investment in the short to medium term. We all agree on that and that’s why we are here. FDI has a huge role to play in helping to leverage the potential and diversity of growth in Sri Lanka.”

“In our analytical work, we have identified that some sectors such as textile/clothing, ICT services, Sri Lankan firms are expanding its global footprint, becoming globally competitive moving up the value curve, to diversify its growth and to offer more sophisticated products in different markets. You are showing the potential in these sectors. They have scaled up with the latest outside technology and experience to drive Sri Lanka for transformation. Where can the policymakers tap into the ecosystem to drive innovation in the large existing manufacture sectors such as apparel, ICT and high-tech products to fully harness Sri Lanka’s competitive advantage and integrate into the global value chain further? “

“Then the Tourism sector is the second largest export earner accounting for close to 55% of GDP before the pandemic. Tourism investments were around 10% of total FDI before the crisis. Now we are looking at the light at the end of the Covid tunnel, let’s build back better and greener. It’s time to address logistics, connectivity and shortage of skills to build a service oriented workforce so critical if Sri Lanka is to attract more high value Tourism services. But Sri Lanka’s distance to the frontier markets [in this regard] remains vast. And this is not me speaking about a shortcoming but rather a massive upward potential for a country with very positive horizons.”

“Sri Lanka’s FDI performance in 2019 was less than we wanted it to be.- at 1% of FDIs while Vietnam, Malaysia were able to attract 6% and 2.5% respectively. Sri Lanka aims to attract $ 5 billion FDI by 2025. We believe that this is entirely doable and is realistic given its rich natural resources, strategic location , highly literate workforce and available opportunities for investment.”

“If and when the right combination of things are in place , this becomes an ideal time to come and invest. This alternatively rests on a collective set of policies and practices that make up an investment ecosystem ranging from the improvement of the investment climate and elimination of unnecessary regulatory burdens and to enhancing responsiveness of bureaucracy in order to deliver effective FDI services. What we have seen in other countries is that investment promotion is the beginning of the story and not the end. The name of the game is attracting and retaining investment.”

“Also for the immediate term, the government will face a challenging balancing act between fiscal sustainability and jump starting the economic recovery. All countries are grappling with this. This is not unique to Sri Lanka. So what is the recommendation here? Use this pandemic to turn challenges into opportunities, to tackle the fundamental core issues that existed before the pandemic to build back better, greener and to be more agile. We are believers in the vast potential of Sri Lanka and that’s why we are here today.”

“We need to recognise that the government is focusing on and is trying to balance between fiscal sustainability supporting economic recovery, saving lives and catering to emerging post- pandemic spending needs. We have to recognise that this is a very difficult balancing act.”

“We have to agree that economy depends on production, labour and capital and optimal productivity. These were all affected by Covid leading to prolonged school closures, unemployment, digital barriers in education, reduction in overall investment etc. These will affect growth everywhere. Public investments are likely to be held back by revenue constraints. Sri Lanka is not unique in the world to this unfortunate thing.”

“On the macro fiscal perspective, Covid has aggravated Sri Lanka’s long standing debt vulnerability which pre-existed.. So it is not that Covid created all these problems. Covid exacerbated them and brought to the surface some structural issues that existed, and we have seen sharp contractions in export activities, the largest in recent times.”

“So it is not an easy task contraction in output, lower revenue collection have led to rapid deterioration of fiscal deficits and GDP ratios across the world. No country is immune, so what are the priorities?.First, from a World Bank’s perspective, a policy dialogue is important. When we talk to the policymakers here, it’s agreed that let’s get the debt thing tackled to give more space in the future.”

“Sri Lanka has high debt services obligations that obviously constraints fiscal growth moving forward. We have to focus on this. The government is tackling it. Opportunities for debt financing is limited. Domestic revenue mobilisation is very important which must be central to addressing pressure on public expenditure in the future. I would say, let us keep the momentum on global integration. The government is focused on it and that is commendable. Let us put the export earnings as a key measure over GDP, to follow. Export earnings over GDP – let us follow that over time and see what happens. It would require constant touch-ups to policies. When it comes to import trade regime, I know the government’s policy. I respect it. Let’s address tariffs, para tariffs and barriers to ensure predictability in this regime. While there is no right or wrong policy, look at the role of imports; when does it help exports and domestic industry. Let’s get them in”,: he said.

All News Advertisement

Business

First Capital Holdings records Rs. 3.23Bn Total Comprehensive Income for 9M FY2025/26

Published

16 hours ago

2026/02/13

Thilina Walpola

First Capital Holdings PLC, a subsidiary of JXG (Janashakthi Group) and a pioneering force in Sri Lanka’s investment bank landscape recorded a Total Comprehensive Income of Rs. 3.23Bn for the nine months ended 31 December 2025, compared to Rs. 4.53Bn in the corresponding period of the previous year. For the third quarter of 2025/26, the Group reported a Total Comprehensive Loss of Rs. 0.17Bn, after accounting for a dividend tax expense of Rs. 0.41Bn.

The Group’s Net Income before Operating Expenses for the nine months of 2025/26 amounted to Rs.6.33Bn compared to Rs. 7.69Bn reported in the corresponding period of the previous year. Trading income was primarily driven by the Primary Dealer and Corporate Dealing Securities divisions, reinforcing the Group’s positioning across fixed income and equity market segments.

The Primary Dealer division reported a Profit after Tax of Rs. 1.64Bn for the nine months ended 31 December 2025 (1st nine months of 2024/25 – Profit after Tax of Rs. 2.45Bn). The results include trading gains on the government securities portfolio of Rs. 1.66Bn and net interest income of Rs. 1.41Bn (1st nine months of 2024/25 – trading gains of Rs. 3.18Bn and net interest income of Rs. 1.31Bn), reflecting movements in yields and trading conditions during the period.

The Corporate Finance Advisory and Dealing Securities division recorded a Profit after Tax of Rs. 1.86Bn for the nine months ended 31 December 2025 (1st nine months of 2024/25 – Profit after Tax of Rs. 1.94Bn). The business unit reported total trading gains of Rs. 2.33Bn on its equity portfolio, compared to Rs. 2.23Bn in the corresponding period of the previous year, supported by market participation and portfolio positioning.

The Wealth Management division reported a Profit after Tax of Rs. 78.1Mn for the nine months ended 31 December 2025 (1st nine months of 2024/25 – Profit after Tax of Rs. 90.1Mn). Assets under Management stood at Rs. 96.4Bn as at 31 December 2025, compared to Rs. 115.9Bn as at 31 March 2025, reflecting market conditions and client portfolio adjustments.

The Stock Brokering division recorded a Profit after Tax of Rs. 166.3Mn for the nine months ended 31 December 2025, compared to Rs. 39.5Mn reported in the corresponding period of the previous year, supported by increased trading activities.

Commenting on the Group’s performance, Rajendra Theagarajah, Chairman of First Capital Holdings PLC, stated, “The operating environment during the period was shaped by shifts in interest rates, capital market activities, and fiscal adjustments. Against this backdrop, the Group’s performance reflects the structural strength of its capital markets platform and its ability to generate income across multiple market cycles while maintaining financial discipline.”

Dilshan Wirasekara, Managing Director / CEO of First Capital Holdings PLC, said, “Our priority during the period was to manage each business line with a clear focus on risk, liquidity and execution. Improved performance in stock brokering and consistent contributions from corporate finance reflect our ability to respond to market conditions while aligning capital deployment with client and market opportunities.”

Business

Keells Nexus introduces an all new Loyalty App

Published

16 hours ago

2026/02/13

Thilina Walpola

Keells is set to usher a new chapter in customer experience with the relaunch of Keells Nexus with the introduction of its all-new loyalty app on 13th February. For 25 years, Keells Nexus has been at the heart of Sri Lankan retail, pioneering coalition loyalty and even introducing mobile-based loyalty as early as 2014. The loyalty program is building on this legacy, combining state-of-the-art technology with richer, more personalized rewards and seamless integration across the Keells ecosystem with an intuitive mobile experience.

Today, Keells Nexus stands at over 2 million registered members, a reflection of the trust customers place in Keells and the brand’s commitment to improving the quality of life for the nation. The launch further strengthens Keells’ long-standing focus on tech-enabled retail efficiency, following innovative retail experiences to customers such as self-checkout counters and retail technology that drives efficiency such as advanced inventory management systems.

The new app therefore is the next logical step in this journey, bringing together rewards, offers, and account visibility in one intuitive, streamlined interface. The new Keells Nexus app brings together all deals, savings and partner offers in one place, giving customers complete visibility and control. Members can track their points in real time, scan a QR code at checkout to earn rewards instantly, and enjoy a more personalised, more connected shopping experience.

“At the heart of Keells Nexus is a simple but powerful belief that life is better when we’re connected,” said Nilusha Fernando Head of Marketing, Keells Supermarkets & Senior Vice President, John Keells Group.

Business

IDL, Clouds by SOZO and the Rukmini Tissanayagam Trust partner with the HSBC Ceylon Literary & Arts Festival 2026

Published

16 hours ago

2026/02/13

Thilina Walpola

The HSBC Ceylon Literary & Arts Festival 2026, taking place from 13 to 15 February at Cinnamon Lakeside, Colombo, promises to be one of those rare cultural moments that linger long after the last session ends. It is a gathering not only of writers, artists and thinkers, but of ideas, shared, challenged and celebrated in spaces where curiosity feels welcome.

The HSBC Ceylon Literary & Arts Festival 2026 is supported by several organizations through non-promotional CSR initiatives, including Clouds by SOZO and the Rukmini Tissanayagam Trust. International Distillers Limited contributes in a strictly neutral CSR capacity, providing logistical and resource support for the event without any brand promotion or product visibility.

The Festival celebrates Sri Lanka’s creative voice by showcasing literature, arts, and cultural talent from across the country. All supporting organizations participate solely in a philanthropic and educational role, ensuring that the focus remains on artistic expression and community engagement.

The Rukmini Tissanayagam Trust brings to the Festival a deep and enduring commitment to nurturing literature and the arts as essential pillars of society. Its work is driven by the belief that creative spaces are not optional additions, but vital platforms that shape how communities think, feel and engage with the world around them.

Speaking on this collaboration, Indhu Selvaratnam, Director of SOZO Beverages and Trustee

of The Rukmini Tissanayagam Trust, stated, “The Rukmini Tissanayagam Trust is delighted to partner with the Ceylon Literary Festival for the second time. We are deeply committed to enriching Sri Lanka’s intellectual and cultural landscape and admire the festival’s evolution in embracing literature, art, music, and initiatives that nurture emerging local talent. These efforts align closely with the Trust’s mission to support creative expression, and we look forward to continuing our support as the festival strengthens Sri Lanka’s global cultural presence.”

Adding a complementary dimension to this partnership is Clouds by SOZO, Sri Lanka’s premium mountain spring water brand, whose ethos of purity, sustainability and thoughtful living aligns naturally with the spirit of the Festival. Sourced from a pristine spring in the Knuckles mountain range, Clouds represents a return to authenticity, an idea that resonates strongly within creative and cultural spaces.

Speaking on the partnership, Dushyantha De Silva, Founder of SOZO Beverages (Pvt) Ltd, said, “The arts invite us to slow down, to observe, and to think more deeply, and Clouds comes from that same place of intention. Supporting the HSBC Ceylon Literary & Arts Festival is about being part of a space where ideas flow freely and thoughtfully. It’s a privilege for us to align with a platform that values creativity, dialogue and conscious choices.”

The HSBC Ceylon Literary & Arts Festival 2026 offers something increasingly rare: three uninterrupted days of ideas. Of language and imagination. Of conversations that do not require a screen to feel alive. It is a reminder of the power of gathering, of listening, discovering and engaging with perspectives that challenge and inspire.

As February approaches, the hope is simple: that more people choose to attend, to listen, and to support Sri Lankan creativity in all its forms. Because when a country invests in its writers and artists, it is not merely celebrating talent, it is shaping how it remembers, how it questions, and how it evolves.