Asia Securities to host 3rd annual investment conference at crucial time for SL’s investor community

The third Annual Sri Lanka conference boasts expert speakers and panellists such as Central Bank of Sri Lanka Senior Deputy Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Aletheia Capital Chief Economist Dr. Jim Walker, Ankur Capital Co-Founder and Managing Partner Dr. Ritu Verma and John Keells Holdings Chairman Krishan Balendra

Asia Securities’ investment conference is widely regarded as the leading platform in the investment community

Sri Lanka’s leading independent investment banking and wealth management firm Asia Securities will host its third annual Sri Lanka Investment Conference on 10 December. 

The conference, which has expanded in scope from its financial sector focus of the past, is titled ‘2020; Big Innings on a Tricky Wicket?’ It will explore the outlook for business and investment opportunities in Sri Lanka in 2020, in the context of several local and global complexities that might unfold. The conference boasts an impressive line-up of local and international expert speakers and panellists and participation will be exclusively for Asia Securities clients and partners. 

Central Bank of Sri Lanka Senior Deputy Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe will deliver the opening keynote address focusing on the economic need of the hour and the expected monetary policy direction of 2020. Renowned emerging markets expert Dr. Jim Walker, the Chief Economist at Aletheia Capital based in Hong Kong who counts over 30 years’ experience evaluating financial markets, will be speaking in Colombo for the first time at this event. Dr. Walker has a strong international investor following that is built on his track record of predicting several Black Swan events in global financial markets. 

The duo will be followed by Dr. Ritu Verma, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Mumbai-based Ankur Capital, a fund which makes early stage investments in disruptive technologies in the agricultural and food sector. She will share her experience on how investors can drive advances in a sector that is of critical relevance to Sri Lanka’s rural economy and food security.

Two panel discussions will also evaluate the thoughts and expectations for 2020 of some of Sri Lanka’s most prominent industry leaders and investment experts. Hatton National Bank CEO Jonathan Alles, John Keells Holdings Chairman Krishan Balendra, Ceylon Biscuits Ltd. Group Managing Director Sheamalee Wickramasingha and Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Chairman and Axiata Group South Asia CEO Dr. Hans Wijeyasuriya will discuss how ongoing changes in the local business and policy environment are expected to impact investment and earning potential across sectors. This discussion will be moderated by Asia Securities Chairman Dumith Fernando.

The panel of investment experts counting almost 100 years of collective experience in international and local capital markets – Lynear Wealth Management Co-Founder and Managing Partner Dr. Naveen Gunewardane, Bluestone Capital Founder and CEO Ajit Gunewardene, Asia Securities Wealth Management Chief Investment Officer Kanishka Perera and Dr. Walker – will examine how this unfolding environment is expected to impact the investment thesis across asset classes in 2020. Asia Securities Head of Research Kavinda Perera will moderate this panel.

Asia Securities has been the leader in investor events in Sri Lanka and annually hosts several forums which bring the capital market community closer to underlying factors that drive the performance of their investments. The events are hosted by the firm’s market-leading research division which has the most comprehensive product offering in the country covering macroeconomic, thematic, sector and company research. 

Commenting on this conference, Asia Securities Chairman Fernando said: “The mainstay of local capital markets is the local institutional and individual investor. Yet most of them have little access to world-class thought leadership which supports their investment process. With this conference, Asia Securities is happy to lead the way in generating more value to clients with better insights to help them better manage their businesses and financial assets.”

This is the first investment conference held in Sri Lanka after the Presidential Election and offers the investment community an opportunity to recalibrate its investment strategy based on shifting economic and business realities. Daily FT is the official newspaper partner of the event.