Over 200 business leaders and policymakers convene in Colombo as government unveils structural reforms to attract investment and grow the economy.
The American Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka concluded its flagship CEO Forum 2026 on 25 February with government officials outlining an ambitious plan to achieve 7% annual economic growth and progress toward a LKR 200 billion economy. The day-long summit, held under the theme “Accelerating Sri Lanka’s Rebuild,” brought together more than 200 C-level executives, senior policymakers, and international partners at Cinnamon Grand Colombo.
Dr. Harsha Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the Treasury, outlined priority reforms including strengthening fiscal stability, maintaining inflation at 5%, improving governance to attract foreign investment, upgrading port infrastructure, supporting IT and pharmaceutical sectors, accelerating digitization, and consolidating the banking sector. The government aims to double the economy within a decade while creating a more predictable business environment.
Opening the Forum, Her Excellency Jayne Howell, Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy, called for expanded two-way trade and highlighted opportunities for Sri Lankan buyers to access American technology and energy solutions. She emphasized that growth in trade and logistics, including Port of Colombo expansion, strengthens supply chains and drives economic growth in both countries.
Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe announced the establishment of the Industrial Transformation and Innovation Agency (ITIA), with LKR 300 million allocated for capacity-building and a “Level Up” program targeting 6,000 SMEs. Currently, only 20% of financial sector credit is accessible to SMEs, a constraint the new initiatives aim to address through simplified registration, expanded financial literacy, and improved equity financing access.
The Forum addressed climate resilience and Sri Lanka’s target to generate 70% of energy from renewable sources by 2030, with panelists emphasizing sustainable financing, ESG transparency, and regional collaboration. A special session on inclusive leadership highlighted that 77% of Sri Lankan women lack access to leadership training, calling for systemic change beyond token representation.
The CEO Forum 2026 was Title Sponsored by Hatton National Bank (HNB), with Starlink by Singer as Gold Sponsor. Additional partners included Barista (Coffee Partner), Carmart (Mobility Partner), LinearSix (Gifting Partner), Good PR (PR Partner), and Emojot (AI-Experience Partner).
ABOUT AMCHAM SRI LANKA
The American Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka (AmCham SL) is dedicated to promoting trade, investment, and economic cooperation between Sri Lanka and the United States. Through advocacy, dialogue, and strategic engagement, AmCham SL serves as a bridge between policymakers and the private sector.
Picture caption: Victor Antonypillai – Principal Country Officer Sri Lanka and Maldives, World Bank Group, Vish Govindaswami – Deputy Chairman/Director, Sunshine Holdings PLC
Suren Fernando – Group Chief Executive Officer, MAS Holdings (Pvt) Ltd
Moderator:
Bertram Paul – Managing Director/CEO, Chevron Lubricants Lanka PLC
