David Haigh to address Economic Summit 2012

David Haigh, CEO/Founder, Brand Finance will deliver the keynote address at the fourth session on 'Branding Sri Lanka' at the Sri Lanka Economic Summit to be held from July 10 to 12.

Being a developing country with a small domestic market of 20 million people, it is imperative for Sri Lanka to look towards exports to achieve high economic growth rates. The intense competition in the global market requires exporters to use diverse strategies to penetrate new markets and thereafter retain market share. The restriction of the size of the domestic market imposed through low income levels and small market size does not facilitate domestic producers to invest in mass scale generic production units. Thus producing niche products targeted at high-end export markets is the more feasible option to enhance our exports. Branding has become increasingly important in the export of niche market products.

This session will have a keynote address highlighting the importance of branding and strategies for branding Sri Lanka. It will be followed by a panel discussion where Sri Lankan entrepreneurs having established brands in foreign markets will speak of their experiences and strategies.

Haigh has represented the British Standards institute on the International Standards Committee working party on the standardisation of brand valuation methods and practices, whose draft standard (ISO 10668) was published in November 2010. He has worked in the area of branded business, brand and intangible asset valuation since 1991 and since January 1995 has specialized entirely in this area.

The distinguished panel at the session on Branding Sri Lanka will include Merrill Fernando, Founder, MJF Group, Prof. Uditha Liyanage, Director, Postgraduate Institute of Management, Dr. Nalaka Godahewa, Chairman, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority and Otara Gunawardena, CEO, ODEL who will share their experiences in building brands in Sri Lanka and abroad. The session will be moderated by Ruchi Gunawardena, Managing Director, Brand Finance Lanka.

More information could be obtained from [email protected].