CA Sri Lanka to create history in Middle East with inaugural conference for Accountants

From left: CA Sri Lanka UAE Chapter Executive Committee member, CA Sri Lanka UAE Chapter Past President Sagara Gamage, CA Sri Lanka UAE Chapter President Sajeep Kalinga, CA Sri Lanka UAE Chapter Vice President Virasha Fernando and CA Sri Lanka UAE Chapter Secretary Kirusantha Raj with CA Sri Lanka President Sanjaya Bandara connecting virtually

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka) which stakes claim for organising the biggest annual business summit in Sri Lanka, is set to create history in the Middle East as it plans to host its very first conference in the region targeting Accounting Professionals including Chartered Accountants.  

The power packed conference which is jointly organised by CA Sri Lanka and its overseas chapters in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia, will be held on 25th February 2023 at the Millennium Airport Hotel, Dubai.  

To formally announce CA Sri Lanka’s first ever Middle East conference, a launching ceremony was held in Dubai on Tuesday, 24th January 2023 under the patronage of Consular General of Sri Lanka to Dubai and Northern Emirates Nalinda Wijerathne and CA Sri Lanka President Sanjaya Bandara who connected virtually from Colombo.  

CA Sri Lanka UAE Chapter President Sajeep Kalinga extended a warm welcome to the invitees during his welcome speech, while Technical CommitteeCo-Chairperson Nishani Perera, elaborated on what’s in store in terms of the technical line up at next month’s conference in Dubai.  

The conference, which will revolve around the contemporary theme “LEAD: Navigating the Future” will focus on Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Agility, and Developments and hopes to attract Accounting Professionals including Chartered Accountants, members of CA Sri Lanka as well as business leaders and thought leaders who are residing in the Middle East.  

The insightful full-day event aims to help participants understand the evolving and volatile surroundings, the increasing need for Accountants to unlearn and relearn and the increasing need for them to embrace and adapt to change, if they are to remain future-ready difference makers across the globe.  

The conference will be an important platform to share knowledge to ensure members of the profession continue to remain relevant and updated amidst volatile economic conditions, and to also create networking opportunities for members to connect with their colleagues residing in Middle East Countries, all while strengthening CA Sri Lanka’s global presence.  

Speaking at the event, Sanjaya Bandara who connected with the event from Colombo, said that CA Sri Lanka has been synonymous to be the change makers in the professional arena in Sri Lanka. “Since CA Sri Lanka was founded in 1959, we have made vast strides across the professional arena, including in the accounting world as the vanguard in developing the profession, apart from the critical role we play across South Asia.

“In our journey to evolve, we are pleased to announce our very first conference in the Middle East, which will be a key platform to disseminate powerful thought leadership to the professional community including Chartered Accountants residing in the Middle East,” Bandara said.  

According to him, at a time when Sri Lanka is enduring its worst economic crisis in history, a conference such as this can also be an important platform to help revive the ties between the Sri Lankans community living overseas, who together with the Overseas Chapters of CA Sri Lanka can take the lead to facilitate trade and investments and help position Sri Lanka on the global map, which can be an important form of assistance for our country in its time of crisis.  

The conference hopes to attract several hundreds of Accountants, including Chartered Accountants who hold distinguished corporate positions across diversified industries in the Middle East. The participants are expected to consist of junior - mid - senior level finance professionals.

The full-day event will feature an exciting line up of speakers and panelists of regional and international fame who will steer the event on Entrepreneurship and Opportunities; Agility - Financial Storytelling, Information Technology & Artificial Intelligence; as well as Global Trends.

Among the other special invitees at the launch were Sri Lanka Business Council in Dubai and Northern Emirates Director Finance Ranil De Silva, Sri Lanka Professionals’ Association President S.P.A. Keerthirathna and Sri Lanka Professionals’ Association Former President Ajantha Premarathne.