The Exclusive Port City Colombo Investor Forum, organised by the High Commission of Sri Lanka in Singapore in partnership with Port City Colombo, was held on 27 January 2026 at the Shangri-La, Singapore as an event to mark 78th Anniversary of Independence of Sri Lanka. The forum positioned Port City Colombo as the centrepiece of Sri Lanka’s next phase of economic transformation.
The Exclusive Investor Forum brought together around 100 senior invitees from across real estate, financial services, investment & asset management, IT & digital services, professional services, and regional business leadership, reflecting broad-based interest in Port City Colombo’s services-led investment proposition.
Opening the forum, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Singapore, Senarath Dissanayake, underscored Sri Lanka’s commitment to strengthening economic engagement with Singapore and regional partners, noting that Port City Colombo reflects the country’s readiness to integrate more deeply with global markets under internationally aligned standards.
Delivering the keynote address, Presidential Special Envoy for Foreign Investment and the Governor of the Western Province, Hanif Yusoof, stated that Sri Lanka today is “not a recovery story, but a transformation story”, with Port City Colombo serving as a platform for that transformation to become tangible. He highlighted Sri Lanka’s rapid economic turnaround following the most severe crisis in its history. He further noted that Sri Lanka offers a clear and familiar investment environment, anchored in common law traditions, bilateral investment protection treaties, double taxation avoidance agreements, and recognition of international arbitration, providing investors with the freedom to repatriate capital and access international dispute-resolution mechanisms.
Chairman of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission (CPCEC), Harsha Amarasekara, PC, elaborated on the governance framework of Port City Colombo, established under the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act, No. 11 of 2021. He highlighted that Port City Colombo is Sri Lanka’s first multi-services Special Economic Zone, governed by an independent Commission and supported by a single-window facilitation mechanism, offering investment protection, predictable incentives, and strong legal safeguards.
The forum also featured insights from Singapore’s business community, with remarks by Deputy Chairman & CEO of GFTN Capital and Chairman of the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI), Neil Parekh, and market perspectives from CEO of the Real Estate Developers’ Association of Singapore (REDAS), Anthony Chua, who highlighted the strategic relevance of Port City Colombo as a gateway for regional and global investors.
The discussions further highlighted Port City Colombo’s growing collaboration with leading regional and global corporates, including Keppel, a long-standing partner and collaborator in Sri Lanka that also provides advisory and consultancy support on EMC-related aspects of the development. Senior Manager, Real Estate Division at Keppel, Siu Chang, shared perspectives on sustainable urban development, infrastructure-led growth, and the role of integrated, future-ready cities in attracting long-term institutional capital, reinforcing strategic alignment with global best practices and institutional interest in Port City Colombo as a long-term investment destination.
A detailed overview of investment opportunities and processes was delivered by Director General of CPCEC, Revan Wickramasuriya, who outlined the streamlined process, long-term fiscal incentives for Businesses of Strategic Importance, enhanced mobility of capital through exemptions under the Foreign Exchange Act, foreign currency transactions in 16 designated currencies, and visa facilitation through a Green Channel for investors and professionals.
Independent third-party perspectives were provided by KPMG Sri Lanka, with Suresh Perera and Rifka Ziyard presenting an objective assessment of Sri Lanka’s economic outlook and the tax and regulatory framework applicable to Port City Colombo.
Investor confidence was reinforced through testimonials from Ansell and Millennium IT ESP, sharing first-hand experiences of operating in Sri Lanka and the Port City Colombo ecosystem.
Concluding the Forum, Assistant Managing Director of the primary developer, CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd, Bai Xiaping, delivered the vote of thanks. He noted that the development represents a comprehensive ecosystem where businesses can establish regional headquarters, scale operations, access global talent, and connect seamlessly to South Asia and the wider Indian Ocean economy.
High Commission of Sri Lanka
Singapore
05 February 2026
