With over 200 C-suite executives and policymakers gathering in Colombo, the high-level forum aims to translate recovery into lasting reform and economic stability.
Sri Lanka has emerged from one of the most severe economic crises in its modern history and continues to face turbulence (Cyclone Ditwa in December 2025). The question now is not whether recovery is possible, but how fast, how inclusive, and how durable it will be. On Wednesday, 25 February 2026, the American Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka (AmCham Sri Lanka) will convene its flagship CEO Forum 2026 — a full-day summit designed to translate high-level dialogue into actionable strategy, held under the theme “Accelerating Sri Lanka’s Rebuild.”
The Forum will run from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. at the Oak Room, Cinnamon Grand Colombo, bringing together more than 200 C-level executives, senior government officials from both Sri Lanka and the U.S., development partners, and global thought leaders. Its scope reflects the scale of the moment: Sri Lanka’s recovery demands coordinated action across government, business, and the international community, and the CEO Forum is structured precisely to produce that alignment.
The Forum’s speaker roster signals both diplomatic and economic weight. The Keynote addresses will be delivered by Jayne Howell, Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka; April Palmerlee, President of AmChams of Asia Pacific; and Carey Arun, Principal Commercial Officer at the U.S. Commercial Service; and Victor Antonypillai, Senior Country Officer for IFC and the World Bank in Sri Lanka, will be a panellist.
The programme will also feature addresses from senior government figures including Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance; Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development; and feature Mr. Gregory Smith,Manger for Country Advisory and Economics in South Asia World Bank Group.
Hatton National Bank (HNB) comes on board as the Title Partner for the CEO Forum 2026, a commitment that carries its own signal. As one of Sri Lanka’s largest domestic banks, HNB’s involvement underscores private-sector confidence in the recovery narrative and in platforms that convene the leadership needed to sustain it.
The CEO Forum 2026 is the latest expression of AmCham Sri Lanka’s broader mission to deepen U.S.–Sri Lanka commercial ties, advocate for a more transparent and competitive business environment, and build the cross-sector coalitions that sustainable growth requires.
