The USA Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Partners with SLASSCOM to promote Corporate Collaboration with the USA

The nation’s chamber for technology and innovation, the Sri Lanka Association of Software Services Companies (SLASSCOM) has long stated their commitment to developing the IT/ BPM sector of the nation through a number of avenues, including talent development, workforce expansion, dissemination of the latest trends and global promotion and outreach. With a large number of concurrent programs put in place to adhere to their remit of developing the local IT/ BPM industry in to one that is worth USD 5 million by the year 2025, through the creation of 1,000 new start-up organizations and 200,000 new employment opportunities, SLASSCOM is still furthering their cause through their newest partnership with the USA Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.

The SLASSCOM and the USA Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce participated in a live MOU signing event between the two organizations with key individuals from each being present. Having been well attended and spoken of by its participants, the partnership is one that has been carefully structured to present Sri Lankan organizations with clear opportunities to work with organizations and individuals in the USA, seeking out their services.

Lead by the Global Trade and Investment (GT&I) Forum of SLASSCOM, the event was kicked off with a welcome address from Shehan Selvanayagam, the GT&I Forum Lead of SLASSCOM. The attendants of the event included the Vice Presidents of the Sri Lanka- USA Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, Chariththra Hettiarachchi and Randeewa Malalasooriya; Dinithi Dias, the Manager of Business Councils; Chaminda de Silva, the Director of the SLASSCOM Corporate Office; and Lakshmi Jaliyagodage, the Program Manager SLASSCOM.

Sanji de Silva, the President of the Sri Lanka- USA Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce addressed the gathering and stated his enthusiasm for the upcoming partnership and on the importance of global outreach and promotion in an industry’s journey to reaching a sustainable market placement on the global stage. Addressing SLASSCOM member companies, who would become the first to benefit from this partnership he further stated, “The creation of this partnership is going to be an exciting springboard for SLASSCOM and its member companies as we join forces in this journey to take Sri Lankan technological brilliance to the world’s stage. This is just the beginning, and we look forward to a very bright future together.”

The areas of collaboration demarcated by the MOU that was signed between the two organizations includes the promotion of market access and trade between USA and Sri Lankan entities in knowledge and innovation solutions as well as the promotion of investments and joint ventures between USA and Sri Lankan entities. Both entities have also committed to jointly develop strategies and marketing campaigns to promote the collaboration between USA and Sri Lanka, while they tap into one another’s networks of professional and industry contacts to support the above objectives. The collaboration has not been limited to purely business initiatives as provisions have also been made for connecting academia within Sri Lanka and the USA in order to develop technological education within the country.

Sandra de Zoysa, the Chairperson of SLASSCOM spoke with pride and determination about the development that the IT/ BPM industry of the country has undergone and the development that is to come through SLASSCOM’s many developmental initiatives. Speaking on the importance of this partnership with the USA Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce she stated, “This partnership will further strengthen our resolve as we journey into international markets. SLASSCOM and the USA Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce are proud to announce this partnership as we develop our nation together with our forums and member companies.”

Both SLASSCOM and the USA Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce view the IT/ BPM sector as an integral asset in the development of Sri Lanka as a whole. With this in mind, the steps taken by both organisations in the advancement of local IT/ BPM exposure to the global stage.