{"id":154779,"date":"2025-07-01T16:08:20","date_gmt":"2025-07-01T16:08:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/?p=154779"},"modified":"2025-07-01T16:09:42","modified_gmt":"2025-07-01T16:09:42","slug":"slra-holds-8th-annual-general-meeting-celebrates-a-milestone-year-for-sri-lankas-retail-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/slra-holds-8th-annual-general-meeting-celebrates-a-milestone-year-for-sri-lankas-retail-community\/","title":{"rendered":"SLRA Holds 8th Annual General Meeting, Celebrates a Milestone Year for Sri Lanka\u2019s Retail Community"},"content":{"rendered":"

SLRA Holds 8th<\/sup> Annual General Meeting, Celebrates a Milestone Year for Sri Lanka\u2019s Retail Community<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

\"SLRA<\/p>\n

Colombo, June 30, 2025<\/strong> \u2013 The Sri Lanka Retailers\u2019 Association (SLRA) held its 8th<\/sup> Annual General Meeting on June 25, at Hilton Colombo Residencies, bringing together leaders from across the retail sector to reflect on the past year and set the course for the future.<\/span><\/p>\n

Retail remains one of the most impactful sectors of the Sri Lankan economy, contributing approximately 15% to national GDP. It stands as the largest private-sector employer, supporting over 1 million livelihoods, and spans more than 300,000 retail locations across the country. With a market size of USD 31 billion and a consistent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.6%, Sri Lanka\u2019s retail industry was recently ranked 12th<\/sup> in retail attractiveness across the Asia-Pacific region. SLRA continues to be a unifying platform for formal retailers, championing industry growth, innovation, and collaboration.<\/span><\/p>\n

Leadership Transition and Vision Forward<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

At the AGM, Charitha Subasinghe, outgoing President, officially handed over leadership of the Association to Infiyaz Ali, who was appointed as the President for the 2025\u20132026 term.<\/span><\/p>\n

In his farewell address, Subasinghe reflected on a year filled with strategic milestones and international recognition for Sri Lanka\u2019s retail sector: \u201cThis past year has been one of meaningful progress for SLRA,\u201d he shared. \u201cWe had the honour of hosting the 21st Asia Pacific Retailers\u2019 Convention & Exhibition (APRCE) in Colombo, an event that welcomed delegates from 18 countries and placed Sri Lanka on the global retail map. We also expanded the reach of the SLRA Academy, strengthened our engagement through new Retail Sector Committees, welcomed several new members to the fold, and launched a revamped website at www.slra.lk<\/a> to better serve our community. Most importantly, we actively engaged in policy advocacy with the government, voicing the concerns and priorities of the retail industry, and contributing to national economic dialogue. These initiatives laid a strong foundation for the future of retail in Sri Lanka.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He concluded by expressing confidence in the new leadership: \u201cI leave with great optimism, knowing that Infiyaz Ali will guide SLRA into a strong and progressive future.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Infiyaz Ali, the newly appointed President, shared his appreciation and forward vision:<\/span>
\n\u201cRetail is not just a sector, it is a source of stability, opportunity, and national development,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m honoured to lead SLRA at this pivotal time and look forward to working closely with all our members to drive transformation, sustainability, and collective progress.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

New Executive Council for 2025\u20132026<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n