Sri Lanka Retailers’ Association Unveils Strategic Roadmap for the Future at 9th AGM

The Sri Lanka Retailers’ Association (SLRA) successfully held its 9th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 23 June 2026 at Hilton Colombo Residencies, bringing together members of the country’s organized retail sector to review the Association’s achievements over the past year and outline its strategic priorities for the future.

The AGM formally adopted the Annual Report and Audited Accounts for the financial year 2025/26 and elected the Office Bearers and Executive Council for the year 2026–2027.

Mr. Infiyaz M. Ali, Director of Healthguard Pharmacy Ltd, was announced as President of the Sri Lanka Retailers’ Association for 2026–2027.

He will be supported by Mr. Mahesh Wijewardena, Executive Director and Group Chief Executive Officer of Singer (Sri Lanka) PLC, as Senior Vice President, and Mr. Kumar De Silva, CEO of SPAR SL Private Ltd, as Vice President.

The newly appointed Executive Council comprises senior representatives from leading retail organizations across Sri Lanka, reflecting the Association’s continued commitment to representing the diverse interests of the retail sector.

Addressing the gathering, President Infiyaz M. Ali emphasized the importance of collaboration, innovation, and industry advocacy in driving the next phase of growth for Sri Lanka’s retail sector.

“Retail continues to be one of the most dynamic sectors of the Sri Lankan economy.

As consumer expectations evolve and technology reshapes the industry, the role of SLRA is to create opportunities for knowledge sharing, collaboration, and collective action.

We remain committed to supporting our members and contributing to the sustainable growth of the retail ecosystem,” he stated.

The AGM was honoured by the presence of Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe, Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development, who attended as Chief Guest.

In his address, the Minister highlighted the importance of the retail sector as a key contributor to economic development, employment generation, and consumer welfare, while emphasizing the need for stronger public-private collaboration to strengthen the industry’s competitiveness.

Members also had the opportunity to gain insights from the Guest Speaker, Mr. Chayu Damsinghe, Head of Macroeconomic Advisory at Frontier Research, who shared perspectives on Sri Lanka’s economic outlook, emerging business trends, and the opportunities and challenges facing the private sector in the years ahead.

A key highlight of the evening was the presentation on the upcoming Sri Lanka Retail Forum 2026, SLRA’s flagship industry event, which will be held under the theme “Retail Without Boundaries – Building the Next Growth Engine.”

The forum is expected to bring together more than 500 industry leaders, retailers, entrepreneurs, policymakers, technology providers, and investors to discuss the trends shaping the future of retail.

The Association reaffirmed its commitment to supporting retailers through industry advocacy, professional development initiatives, policy engagement, and knowledge-sharing platforms that foster innovation and business growth.

Since its establishment in 2015, SLRA has played a pivotal role in bringing together retailers from diverse sectors including FMCG, fashion, healthcare, consumer electronics, and digital commerce, creating a unified voice for the industry.

With a renewed leadership team and an ambitious programme of activities planned for the year ahead, SLRA looks forward to working closely with its members and stakeholders to strengthen Sri Lanka’s retail sector and contribute to the country’s economic development.

Sri Lanka Retailers' Association (SLRA) Executive Council for 2026–2027

• President: Infiyaz M. Ali – Director, Healthguard Pharmacy Ltd
• Senior Vice President: Mahesh Wijewardena – Executive Director and Group Chief Executive Officer, Singer (Sri Lanka) PLC
• Vice President: Kumar De Silva – CEO, SPAR SL Private Ltd
• FAPRA Chairman: Murali Prakash – Chairman, FAPRA
• General Secretary: Harsha Maduranga – General Manager / Head of Marketing, Vision Care
• Additional Secretary: Avanthie de Soyza – Assistant General Manager, Overseas Realty Pvt Ltd
• Treasurer: Dr. Chathura Jayawardana – Chief Marketing Officer, Abans PLC
• Assistant Treasurer: Asanka Rajapaksha – Director, D. Samson & Sons (Pvt) Ltd

Council Members:

• Ruvini Kariyawasam – Director, Corporate Affairs, Perera and Sons Bakers (Pvt) Ltd
• Janik Jayasuriya – Founder & Managing Director, Celeste Daily
• Mikail Hameed – Business Development Manager, Hameedia Group
• Imran Iqbal – Chief Business Development Officer, Cool Planet
• Ravindu Thilakawardhana – Director / CEO, Thilakawardhana Textiles
• Dilupa Pathirana – Director & Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Barista Coffee Lanka (Pvt) Ltd
• Past President: Charitha Subasinghe – President – Retail Sector, John Keells Group
• Founder President: Hussain Sadique – Hameedia