The “Invest Sri Lanka” Forum, jointly organized by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC) and the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE), in association with the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Riyadh, was successfully held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Riyadh Convention and Exhibition Center on 24.01.2026. This was the first-ever capital market investor forum of its kind held in Saudi Arabia. The event highlighted potential investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s capital market aiming to educate participants on the country’s economic progress and the latest capital market developments.
A high-level delegation participated in the Forum, including Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Chathuranga Abeysinghe, Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Senior Professor D.B.P.H. Dissabandara, Chairman of the SEC; Mr. Ray Abeywardena, Director, CSE; Mr. Rajeeva Bandaranaike, CEO, CSE; Dr. Naveen Gunawardane, Co-Founder of Lynear Wealth Management; and senior delegates from the SEC, CSE, and leading brokerage institutions.
Mr. Abdul Hadi Alqarni, Chairman of the Saudi–Sri Lanka Business Council and the Board members of the Council participated as special guests in the event.
Delivering the welcome address, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ameer Ajwad, invited participants to make full use of the presence of high-level authorities from Sri Lanka’s key financial institutions—such as the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Colombo Stock Exchange—and to explore investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s capital market, not only as a pathway to financial growth but also as a meaningful contribution to Sri Lanka’s resilience and long-term prosperity.
Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe outlined the Government of Sri Lanka’s commitment to policy reforms and corruption-free governance and emphasized the importance of capital market development and foreign investment as key drivers of economic growth.
Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Governor of the Central Bank, delivered the keynote address outlining Sri Lanka’s macroeconomic recovery, financial sector reforms, and opportunities in the capital market, highlighting the country’s resilience and investor-friendly policies.
Addressing the “Invest Sri Lanka” Forum, Chairman of the Saudi–Sri Lanka Business Council, Abdul Hadi Alqarni emphasized the importance of the recently established joint Business Council in promoting economic collaboration between the two countries.
The Forum brought together a large number of Sri Lankan professionals from banking, finance, manufacturing, construction, and IT sectors, creating a dynamic platform for meaningful discussions. During the Q&A session, participants sought clarifications on regulatory frameworks, investment incentives, market access, and the latest developments in the Sri Lankan stock market, and responses were delivered by the relevant authorities.
The event concluded with a vibrant networking session, providing an opportunity for the Sri Lankan professional community to engage directly with senior officials from the Securities and Exchange Commission, Colombo Stock Exchange, and leading stock brokerage firms.
As the first-ever capital market investor forum, the ‘Invest Sri Lanka’ Forum made a remarkable contribution to information sharing, fostering collaboration, unlocking investment opportunities, and strengthening capital market participation among Sri Lankan professionals as well as the Saudi business community.
Embassy of Sri Lanka
Riyadh
29 January 2026
