Mark Francis heads Sri Lanka Germany Business Council
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The SL Germany Business Council AGM Seated (From left): Kamani
Bartholomeusz (The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce), Mark Francis -
President (Malship (Ceylon) Ltd) Dr. Jurgen Morhard , Ambassador
Designate to Federal Republic of Germany, Neil Umagiliya -Vice
President (Dial Textile Industries Limited), Standing (From
left): Asoka Hettigoda (Hettigoda Industries (Pvt) Ltd) Mohan
Hapuarachchi (Aitken Spence Travels Pvt Ltd, Hans Reuter
(Prestige Automoblie (Pvt) Ltd), Senaka Amerasinghe (Carmart
Limited) M.Nazvi Hassan (Yasui Lanka (Pvt) Ltd), Absent: Ranjith
Pandithage- Vice President (Diesel and Motor Engineering Co.
Ltd), Michael Elias (Walkers Tours Limited), Navindra Abeysekera,
Delmege Forsyth and Co Ltd.
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I want to learn from you, how I myself and the German Embassy will
be able to give services best for you in time to come said Dr. Jurgen
Morhard, Ambassador Designate to the Federal Republic of Germany
addressing the 13th Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka Germany
Business Council (SLGBC). The event was also a formal welcome to Dr.
Jurgen Morhard, Ambassador Designate to the Federal Republic of Germany.
He is also the Patron of the Business Council.
Dr. Jurgen Morhard further said that being market oriented he intends
to go around and listen carefully to the problems and needs of the
members and expressed his desire to visit as many of the companies here
as possible to understand their operations and businesses.
He also invited the Boards to meet with him frequently in order to
discuss pending problems and to focus on new ideas and projects.
The ambassador invited the Business Council to cooperate with the
German Embassy on the Commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of German
Sri Lankan relations in 2013 as this anniversary next year will serve as
an excellent opportunity to raise the visibility of the Council and its
member companies.
Addressing the gathering President SLGBC, Mark Francis said, that at
the invitation of Minister, Basil Rajapakse, a discussion was pursued at
his Ministry to deal with issues of German Enterprises and many matters
were resolved on the spot whilst the others were referred to the Board
of Investment for redress. He also pointed out that the BOI followed up
with two more meetings and almost all concerns were dealt with.
Speaking of the activities of the Council he noted that they
organized a number of meetings and interactive evenings with eminent
speakers during the past year and informed that the same will continue
in the New Year.
The Sri Lanka Germany Business Council was inaugurated in 1999 with
a primary objective of promoting trade, investment, tourism and services
between Sri Lanka and Germany and to promote mutual understanding and
strengthen the relationships between Sri Lanka and Germany. Mark
Francis, Executive Director of Malship (Ceylon) limited was re-elected
as the President of the Council for the year 2012/2013. Neil Umagiliya,
Managing Director, Dial Textile Industries Limited and Ranjith
Pandithage, Chief Executive officer, Diesel and Motor Engineering Co.
Ltd. were elected as the vice presidents of the council.
Michael Elias, Chief Executive Officer Walkers Tours Limited, Senaka
Amarasinghe- Managing Director Carmart Limited, H A Reuter Managing
Director, Prestige Automoblie (Pvt) Ltd, Niranjan Rodrigo Director
Quality and Standards, Aitken Spence Travels Pvt Ltd, Mr. Asoka
Hettigoda, Managing Director, Hettigoda Industries (Pvt) Ltd, Navindra
Abeysekera, Director New Business Development, Delmege Forsyth & Co
Ltd, M Nazvi Hassan, Director, Yasui Lanka (Pvt) Ltd were appointed as
Committee Members for the year 2012/2013. Ms Regina Von Ahn, Second
Secretary of the Embassy of Federal Republic of Germany, would also
serve in the committee. |
