LBR LBO Debrief – “Economic Outlook 2014” – 19th December 2013

Description

In a world of increasing economic interconnections, the challenges facing Sri Lanka are great; but so too are the opportunities. Thus, no business executive can afford not to have a finger on the pulse of the economy. Performance of Sri Lankan economy during the next 12 months will be closely linked to that of US and Euro Zone. The gradual withdrawal—or ‘tapering’—of unconventional monetary policy in the U.S. may have potential spillover effects on Sri Lanka. Whilst continue to exploit opportunities in traditional markets, Sri Lanka must also turn to the Orient for future growth prospects, as the bulk of world GDP growth is expected to come from Pacific rim and India. The challenge corporate executives facing are; how to make sense from the present day economic volatility and identify what probable impact the evolving economy will have on their respective sectors. With this in mind, Razeen Sally PhD (LSE), Visiting Professor at Lee Kuan Yew nstitute of Public Policy of National University of Singapore will critically examine the outlook of world economy, the state of play of key economies and what one can expect in Sri Lankan economy in the year 2014 at LBR LBO Debrief on “2014 Economic Outlook” on 19th December from 9 am to 1 pm. The program will end with a panel discussion, with the participation of Chamira P. Wijetilleke , Deshal de Mel, Riyaaz Rasheed2nd, Razeen Sally, Anushka Wijesinha (moderator).

Sessions & Speakers

Moderator Anushka Wijesinha Research Economist Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS)       Anushka is an economist and policy advisor, currently consulting with several international agencies including the World Bank and GIZ. He has published extensively in local and international publications, and government, multilateral, and private sector institutions regularly seek his insights. Anushka was formerly Research Economist at the Institute of Policy Studies, where he headed the Industry, Competitiveness and Regulatory Policy Unit. He previously worked with the Presidential Commission on Taxation (2009-10), as Assistant Director of the Economic Affairs Division of the Peace Secretariat (2009), and the World Bank (2006 and 2007).   Panelist Razeen Sally Associate Professor - Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore       @razeensally  |  Facebook  |  LinkedIn Associate Professor, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, Singapore. Chairman Designate, Institute of Policy Studies, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Prof Sally earned his PhD from London School of Economics. Formerly: research, teaching and advisory positions at institutes and think tanks in Europe, the US, Asia and South Africa; Faculty Member, London School of Economics. 2006, Co-Founder and current Director, European Centre for International Political Economy, a global economy think tank in Brussels. Adjunct Scholar, Cato Institute, Washington DC. Chair: Global Agenda Council on Competitiveness, World Economic Forum; Mont Pelerin Society. Research and teaching focuses on global trade policy and Asia in the world economy. Has written extensively on the World Trade Organization, free-trade agreements, different aspects of trade policy in Asia, history of economic ideas, especially the theory of commercial policy.   Panelist Deshal de Mel Economist Hayleys      

Mr. Deshal de Mel presently works for the Hayleys Group as its Senior Economist. Prior to joining Hayleys, he worked for the Institute of Policy Studies, Sri Lanka. His research has been published in a number of books and journals. Along with policy research, Mr. de Mel has also represented the Government of Sri Lanka in inter-governmental trade negotiations. He has a degree in Philosophy, Political Science and Economics from the University of Oxford, UK, and a Master's in International Political Economy from the London School of Economics, UK. He serves on the Board of Directors of Sampath Bank PLC as a Non-Executive Director, and also serves on the Economic, Fiscal and Policy Planning (EFPP) Committee and Export Committee of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.

  Panelist Chamira P. Wijetilleke Head of Corporate Banking HSBC Sri Lanka and Maldives         Chamira Wijetilleke's banking career spans over 20 years, having entered the banking sector in 1993 as a Management Trainee in ANZ Grindlays, Colombo, He has also served as a member of the Corporate  Banking  Audit team in Australia with ANZ, and as Head of Corporate Banking in Standard Chartered, Jordan. He joined HSBC in 2004 as Senior Manager - Corporate Banking, and was appointed Head of Corporate Banking in 2009.  He holds a BSc in Finance from the University of Houston Texas and an MBA from the University of Western Sydney.   Panelist Riyaaz Rasheed CEO Etisalat Sri Lanka       Born in Kandy, a product of Trinity College, Riyaaz Rasheed takes with him 14 years of experience and expertise in the Telco industry, as he becomes CEO of Etisalat (Pvt) Ltd. Previously Chief Financial Officer of the company; he has a diverse academic background, boasting qualifications in Accountancy (ACMA UK, FCMA SL), Science (B.Sc) and Business Administration (MBA). Despite all these qualifications, he remains modest and amiable, characterized by his intelligent yet unassuming persona. Here we have this corporate high flier and family man, talk about himself, the telecommunications industry, Etisalat's presence in the market and the future prospects for the company, country and industry.