Friday Aug 29, 2025
Friday Aug 29, 2025
Friday, 29 August 2025 01:04 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
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| FCCISL President Keerthi Gunawardena |
FCCISL Director/Chairman – Public Relations Committee Ruwan De Silva |
The Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) will host the Sri Lankan Entrepreneur of the Year Awards 2025 today at 5 p.m. at Cinnamon Life.
Since the mid-1990s, SLEOTY has stood as the country’s premier stage for recognising excellence in enterprise. It has celebrated entrepreneurs who rose from humble beginnings and persevered through adversity to shape Sri Lanka’s economy.
The Awards are inclusive, recognising micro, small, medium, large, and extra-large enterprises, and through rigorous evaluation have showcased firms that embraced global best practices, sustainability, exports, digital transformation, and innovation. Many winners have grown from small family businesses into regional and multinational leaders, proving the transformative power of entrepreneurship.
Over 25 years, SLEOTY has built a legacy of winners who today are among the nation’s most influential business leaders. They generate employment, strengthen exports, introduce new technologies, and promote “Brand Sri Lanka” internationally.
Their value extends beyond profits. They are nation builders, keeping together the social and economic fabric during times of crisis. At a moment when Sri Lanka faces debt burdens, foreign exchange shortages, migration of skills, and global uncertainty, the role of entrepreneurs as national assets is more vital than ever.
The impact of SLEOTY goes beyond its winners. By employing and training thousands, these entrepreneurs have allowed many Sri Lankans to gain exposure to world-class practices. A growing number of these employees and trainees have launched their own startups and ventures, multiplying the economic impact.
Thus, SLEOTY has become a silent victory—not only awarding trophies, but also inspiring, mentoring, and transferring knowledge, creating an expanding entrepreneurial ecosystem across the country.
Marking its 50th Anniversary in 2025, FCCISL stands as the apex chamber and the most inclusive voice of Sri Lankan business. It has led in trade promotion, investment facilitation, entrepreneurship development, training, and policy advocacy, while partnering with governments and international organisations to boost competitiveness.
FCCISL also built strong ties with foreign missions, engaging in people-to-people (P2P), business-to-business (B2B), and business-to-government (B2G) exchanges, enabling local firms to access markets, attract investments, and adopt global standards.
As FCCISL reflects on its legacy, it stresses that entrepreneurs must be treated as equal partners in governance.
“It is vital that our winning entrepreneurs are engaged in policy-making, legislative reforms, oversight committees, and advisory councils,” said FCCISL Director and Chairman – Public Relations Committee Ruwan De Silva. “Their practical experience and insights can help transform public service into a productive, accountable, and value-for-money institution.”
This public–private collaboration is key to embedding real-world solutions in policy, improving service delivery, and building greater trust between government and business.
SLEOTY 2025 will also serve as a platform for economic diplomacy. With the Foreign Affairs Ministry inviting Ambassadors and Heads of Mission, entrepreneurs will gain direct networking opportunities with the diplomatic community.
This engagement will help them:
FCCISL believes that economic diplomacy begins at home, and SLEOTY is the ideal space to connect Sri Lankan business with the world.
Sri Lanka is at a crossroads with economic and social challenges. Yet FCCISL believes the answer lies in entrepreneurs—whose ability to adapt, innovate, and diversify is crucial to recovery.
With the right support, entrepreneurs can lead revival in manufacturing, exports, tourism, technology, sustainability, and renewable energy, paving the way for a more resilient and competitive nation.
The 25th SLEOTY Awards and FCCISL’s 50th Anniversary are more than milestones; they are reminders that Sri Lanka’s future depends on resilience, innovation, and unity between the private and public sectors.
By leveraging the success of winners, nurturing startups, and involving entrepreneurs in policy, FCCISL envisions a future where the entrepreneurial spirit drives transformation.
FCCISL President Keerthi Gunawardena said: “Entrepreneurs are not only wealth creators but also nation builders. By celebrating their achievements, we also celebrate Sri Lanka’s capacity to rise, recover, and reach new horizons.”
In honouring entrepreneurs, the nation honours its own ability to reinvent and grow. The SLEOTY journey shows that with vision, collaboration, and determination, Sri Lanka can once again secure its place on the global stage.
