Sri Lanka Retailers’ Association holds 3rd Annual General Meeting

From left: Founder President Hussain Sadique; President Sidath Kodikara; General Secretary Infiyaz Ali and Vice President Murali Prakash 

The third Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka Retailers’ Association (SLRA) was held on 29 November at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.

SLRA President Sidath Kodikara spoke on the significance of the retail industry in Sri Lanka and the key initiatives planned for the association for 2020.

“The retail Industry continues to be the engine of the economy. It is the machinery that enables trade and services and uplifts rural economic activity. Considering its scope and breadth, it is important to understand the impact of retail to the national economy. Retail plays a vital role in three key areas - GDP, employment and tourism,” he said.

Established in 2015, the Sri Lanka Retailers’ Association has an ambitious vision to ‘Achieve Retail Excellence’ and be the ‘Voice of the Retail Industry in Sri Lanka’. The SLRA aims to educate retailers as to how they could work together to improve retail standards in an inclusive manner, improve consumer service across all facets of retailing and facilitate the growth of the retail industry through innovation. The key initiative of the association for 2018/19 is the ‘Leadership Excellence’ training conducted for retail and allied professionals. 

During the course of the year, the SLRA also attended the 19th Asia-Pacific Retailers Convention and Exhibition (APRCE), which was held from 5-7 September, in Chongqing, China. Moreover, it was invited to attend the Heads of Delegation meeting of FAPRA which was held on 7 September, at which the association was inducted as a full member by the FAPRA Executive Council.

The association further expects to host an executive directors meeting of the Federation of Asia Pacific Retailers’ Association (FAPRA) in May 2020 and organise a business conclave and trade fair aligned with the Executive Directors’ meeting of FAPRA.

The office-bearers for 2019/20: Sidath Kodikara is SLRA President while Ambeon Capital and Ambeon Holdings Plc Group Managing Director and CEO Murali Prakash and Jay Kay Marketing Services Ltd. CEO Charitha Subasinghe will serve as Vice Presidents.

The newly-appointed Executive Council for 2019/20 is as follows: General Secretary - Healthguard Pharmacy Ltd. CEO Infiyaz M. Ali; Assistant General Secretary – Abans Plc Director Dinesh Perera; Treasurer – D. Samson and Sons Ltd. Director Kaushalya Perera; Assistant Treasurer – Ajith Amarasekara; Sector Chair, Durables including Households and Consumer Electronics – Cargills Ceylon Plc and Hatton National Bank Plc Director Asoka Pieris; Sector Chair, E commerce - Kapruka.com Ltd. Founder Dulith Herath; Sector Chair, Entertainment, Restaurant and QSR - Perera and Sons Bakers Ltd. Corporate Manager Ruvini Kariyawasam; Council Member – Singer (Sri Lanka) Plc CEO Mahesh Wijewardena; and Council Member - Kaymu Lanka Ltd. Managing Director Rakhil Fernando.