Ceylon Chamber appoints Krishan Balendra as Chairperson at 186th AGM

Friday, 27 June 2025 02:26 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Krishan in a rare first follows deceased father and iconic Ken to give leadership to premier private sector lobby group

Chairperson Krishan Balendra

Vice Chairperson Bingumal Thewarathanthri

Deputy Vice Chairperson Vinod Hirdaramani

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce elected Krishan Balendra as its new Chairperson at the 186th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held yesterday.

Balendra, who is the Chairperson of John Keells Holdings, succeeds Ernst & Young Sri Lanka Country Managing Partner and Senior Economic Adviser to the President Duminda Hulangamuwa.

Balendra’s deceased father Ken also served as Chairman of The Ceylon Chamber previously (1998-2000). It is the first time in The Ceylon Chamber’s 186-year history where both father and son assumed the position of Chairmanship.

In his remarks, Balendra thanked Hulangamuwa for his steady leadership and service over the past two years, noting that his steady guidance helped the private sector navigate crisis conditions and laid the groundwork for recovery.

Looking ahead, Balendra stressed the importance of building on Sri Lanka’s recent macroeconomic stability without letting reform momentum stall. “Reform fatigue is a real risk. We have a narrow but vital window to push through long-pending reforms—from SOE restructuring and trade liberalisation to improving the investment climate. The stability we have achieved must now translate into sustained, inclusive growth,” he noted.

He highlighted several low-hanging reforms that could catalyse the next phase of economic progress. These include rolling out the Digital ID system to enhance financial inclusion, implementing the National Single Window to streamline trade processes, modernising the Customs Ordinance, and executing the National Tourism Destination Marketing Plan. “These are not new ideas – they have been on the agenda for years. What we need now is action,” he said.

He reaffirmed The Ceylon Chamber’s commitment to advocating for these changes and maintaining its role as an independent, constructive voice for the private sector.

Chief Guest at the event, the Central Bank Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe addressing the audience emphasised that he is “encouraged, impressed, and confident of the role The Ceylon Chamber has played, and will continue to play, in contributing to the resilience of the private sector and in identifying important reforms in order to ensure sustainability.”

Standard Chartered Bank CEO Bingumal Thewarathanthri and Hirdaramani Group Chairman Vinod Hirdaramani were appointed Vice Chairman and Deputy Vice Chairman, respectively, for 2025/26.

In addition to the office bearers stated above, the following were elected to the Board of The Ceylon Chamber: 5-Hour International Corporation Singapore COO and Head of APAC Kasturi Chellaraja Wilson, Dialog Axiata PLC Director/Group CEO Supun Weerasinghe, Nestlé Lanka Managing Director Bernhard Stefan, Hayleys Agriculture Ltd. Managing Director Jayanthi Dharmasena, Renuka Hotels Managing Director Shibani Thambiayah, and The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Secretary General and CEO Buwanekabahu Perera.

The Ceylon Chamber, now in its 186th year, continues to focus on three strategic pillars: policy advocacy, stakeholder engagement, and expanding market access for Sri Lankan businesses.

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