Sri Lanka Retailers’ Association holds 2nd Annual General Meeting

SLRA Founder Executive Committee (Exco) – June 2016.

From left: SLRA Asst. Secretary/Abans Deputy Director Dinesh Perera, Cargills Foods Company Vice President/CEO Sidath Kodikara, SLRA Founder Chairman/Hameedia Group Director Hussain Sadique, SLRA Group Vice President/Ambeon MD/CEO Murali Prakash, SLRA General Secretary/ Healthguard Pharmacy CEO Infiyaz Ali, SLRA Treasurer/Jaykay Marketing-Keells Super CEO Charitha Subasinghe, and SLRA Retailers-Connect Network Founder Convenor and Head of Business Leonard Michael Perera

Not in picture: SLRA Asst. Treasurer/Swarnamahal Jewellers CEO Ajith Amarasekera

SLRA partners with Consumer Affairs

The Sri Lanka Retailers’ Association (SLRA) is to hold its second Annual General Meeting on 27 November at Hotel Ramada. Hussain Sadique, Group Director of Hameedia and Leonard Perera, Founder Convenor and Head of Business of SLRA founded the Sri Lanka Retailers’ Association (SLRA) three years ago in October 2015 together with leading businesspeople and professionals of top corporates to form the apex body in retailing which is much needed for the retail industry. SLRA was incorporated as a company limited by guarantee in June 2016, and operates under the aegis of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce as the SLRA Secretariat since September 2016. 

SLRA partners with Tourism Ministry and Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau

SLRA Inaugural Founder Member meeting at Secretariat, The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce - Sept. 2016

SLRA’s vision is to achieve ‘Retail Excellence’ and its mission is to be the ‘Voice of Retail’ in Sri Lanka. It represents over 40 top corporate members in diverse sectors varying across FMCG, Clothing, Fashion and Jewellery, Household and Consumer durables, Footwear and Accessories, E-commerce, Entertainment and QSR and Healthcare. SLRA’s purpose is to provide a forum where retailers can work together to improve standards of retailing in an inclusive manner, improve consumer experience and service in all facets of retailing, and aim to facilitate the growth of the retail industry through innovation and sharing of global best practices. SLRA also engages in Government Advocacy in matters impacting retailers in Sri Lanka. 

The Green Retail initiative is one such engagement, where the SLRA is working with the Ministry of Environment, the Central Environmental Authority, and the Consumer Affairs Authority to reduce polythene and plastic usage at supermarkets/retail outlets. The SLRA also lobbied for the Tourism VAT Refund Scheme which was implemented earlier this year.

In addition, the SLRA organises forums such as Retail Academy (Retail Leadership Excellence Programme) and Sri Lanka Retail Forum, which are to facilitate knowledge sharing and networking within the industry. Furthermore, the SLRA organises shopping festivals such as the Colombo International Shopping Festival, and Colombo Christmas Street, to promote Sri Lanka as a retail destination.

Corporates of the retail industry are invited to participate in the Association’s activities, by joining as a member of the SLRA. For more information visit SLRA website www.slra.lk or contact Leonard Perera 0777-916833 [email protected] or Shehara De Silva 011588800 [email protected].