The Council for Business with Britain (CBB) of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce celebrated its 25th anniversary in Sri Lanka. The 25th Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held at Westminster house, followed by an exclusive networking session for members at Cinnamon Life, bringing together leading business professionals and stakeholders from the UK-Sri Lanka bilateral business community.
Mark Surgenor, Chief Executive Officer of HSBC Sri Lanka, was re-elected President of the Council while Ameena Ziauddin, President of Norfolk Foods (Pvt) Ltd, and Shiluka Goonewardene, Head of Deal Advisory at KPMG Sri Lanka, were re-elected Senior Vice President and Vice President, respectively. Fadhil Jiffry of London Stock Exchange Group Sri Lanka was elected Treasurer.
The CBB Committee for 2025/26 represents a strong cross-section of Sri Lanka’s corporate sector, including Aitken Spence Travels (Pvt) Ltd, De La Rue Lanka, Hayleys Advantis Ltd, Hilton Colombo Residences, John Keells Holdings PLC, MAS Holdings (Pvt) Ltd, Point to Point Consulting Ltd., Unilever Sri Lanka, We Are Team Rocket by Edmeades & Simpson Ltd, and Wilton Metal Box Company (Pvt) Ltd. Several distinguished professionals were also invited to serve on the committee, strengthening collaboration between Sri Lankan and British business interests.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Hans Wijesuriya, Chief Advisor to the President on Digital Economy, shared valuable insights on trade, investment, and innovation opportunities from the Government’s National Digital Strategy. His Excellency Andrew Patrick, British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka highlighted the ongoing commitment to fostering UK-Sri Lanka business relations and especially how the UK will continue to open trade opportunities.
The key highlight was the networking event, featuring guest speakers, Hon. Chathuranga Abeysinghe, Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship, His Excellency Andrew Patrick, Mr. Somasena Mahadiulwewa Minister (Commercial)High Commission of Sri Lanka (who joined virtually), Mr. Charles Rohan de Alwis, Director & General Secretary of the SL-UK Chamber of Commerce, and emerging business voices from CBB’s NextGen program, including Krystal Reid, also contributed to the discussion.
The two sessions underscored the CBB’s commitment to promoting strong bilateral trade relations, fostering innovation, and creating collaborative opportunities for the UK-Sri Lanka business community. Recently, the UK government announced liberalised rules of origin under the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) from 2026. The reforms will allow Sri Lankan apparel manufacturers in particular to enjoy tariff -free access to the UK market whilst sourcing up to 100% of inputs from any country worldwide.
Details on membership and services from the Council, could be obtained from the Secretariat of the Council for Business with Britain of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, No. 50, Navam Mawatha, Colombo 2. E-mail: dinithi@chamber.lk or Tel.: 011-5588861, 5588800.