The Hayleys Group delivered a year of exceptional growth and profitability, recording a 40% y-o-y increase in Profit Before Tax to Rs. 35.37 bn during the financial year ending 31st March 2025. Consolidated Revenue grew by 13% to an unprecedented Rs.492.20 bn, marking the highest-ever Revenue achievement in the Group’s operating history.

The performance for the year represents the Group’s continued efforts to collectively pursue its strategic ambitions of building an optimal portfolio of businesses, enabling the Group to remain resilient to evolving dynamics in the operating landscape. As one of Sri Lanka’s most socio-economically impactful organisations, the Group also remained steadfast in its commitment to fulfilling its corporate purpose through a relentless focus on triple bottom-line value creation.

As a Group with considerable exposure to global markets, the operating landscape for the year was defined by increasingly interconnected external and internal influences. While global growth was largely resilient in 2024, persistent geopolitical tensions, shifting trade dynamics and divergent recovery trends across regions adversely impacted economic activity.

Meanwhile, domestic macroeconomic conditions stabilised in 2024, supported by continued focus on fiscal consolidation, prudent monetary policy measures and successful debt restructuring. Resultantly, investor and consumer sentiments demonstrated an improvement during the year, fostering a conducive environment for business growth.

The improvement in performance was broad-based with the Group’s export-oriented sectors, Consumer & Retail, Transportation & Logistics as well as Projects & Engineering sectors leveraging their strong market positions to capitalise on the more conducive operating conditions.

A new cohort of apparel professionals passed out as the Brandix Corporate Campus (BCC) concluded its 2024 Convocation at the BMICH in Colombo recently. The event marked a significant milestone for BCC, as 146 diploma holders graduated — including the first batch from its flagship programme, the full-time Diploma in Fashion, Apparel, and Textiles.

At a time when the apparel sector is undergoing rapid transformation amidst global uncertainties, the accomplishments of these diploma holders reflect the strength and relevance of BCC’s industry-aligned curriculum and practical training model. The convocation brought together industry leaders, students and their families to commemorate the occasion.

“We are in the midst of significant challenges, but it’s precisely during times like these that the need for skilled, innovative graduates becomes most apparent. The apparel industry will thrive because of people like you, who bring fresh thinking, technical skills, and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. It is your ability to respond to change that will determine the success of the industry going forward,” he said.

This message came in the context of recent global tariff changes, which have created new pressures on the apparel sector. Despite these challenges, Premarathne stressed the industry’s resilience and growth potential remain strong, underpinned by the collective strength of skilled professionals entering the field.

The graduating class was a blend of industry professionals who completed the College and Associate Diplomas in Clothing Manufacturing Management and full-time students from the Fashion, Apparel and Textiles program. Impressively, more than 90% of the full-time students have already secured employment within the apparel industry, highlighting the strong industry alignment and practical value of the programs offered.

The chairman of the BOI, Mr. Arjuna Herath, and senior officials met with the Sri Lankan foreign services designated Ambassadors and diplomatic representatives led by Sumith Dissanayake, DG, Human Resources, and Mission Development, and discussed the way forward for FDI attraction to Sri Lanka

During the meeting, Mr. Herath also spoke about the need for targeted marketing initiatives and the establishment of incentives that would attract foreign investors. He encouraged the ambassadors to leverage their networks to create opportunities for partnership and investment in Sri Lanka’s growing economy. Mr. Hearth revisited recent economic developments and the significant turnaround in economic indicators. The significant GDP performance, which outperformed the forecasted 4.4% and realized 5 % growth, is due to the reliance of the Sri Lankan economy. The post-economic crisis period results in better performance in sectors such as tourism and construction.

During the meeting, the context of the Sri Lankan economic landscape and its stance on FDI attraction were further discussed. The monetary discipline, the Central Bank’s commitment to maintaining a stable and predictable money supply, is crucial for achieving price stability and a healthy economic environment. This has been achieved through various monetary policy instruments present-day context. This was evident in such areas as interest rate adjustments and open market operations, managing inflation (single-digit), and maintaining a stable exchange rate.  Further, it was discussed that healthier foreign reserves, in 2024 USD 7 billion, and aiming at USD 8 billion in 2025. Hence, it is evident that almost every aspect of the economic landscape brings positive indicators to investors; it would be a catalyst and provide a better platform for the Sri Lankan foreign mission overseas to promote the country.

The government’s commitment to debt restructuring and the IMF’s approval of the government’s effort to fulfill the economic transformation of the country, and normalizing the political ecosystem, and the effort of anticorruption, further discussed with the diplomatic community and explored new avenues to boost the image of the country. (BOI)