Page 35 - CPM Sri Lanka-Chartered Manager-Sept. 2021
P. 35
THE INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED PROFESSIONAL MANAGERS OF SRI LANKA
JANUARY 2021
In an interview with ‘Chartered Manager’ Journal, How does the Port City Special Economic Zone
Ms. Sandra De Zoysa, Chairperson of Sri Lanka bolster Sri Lanka’s ease of doing business for
Association of Software and Services Companies the knowledge services sector?
(SLASSCOM) shared her in-depth views on the Every country that grew in knowledge services
workforce proposition of Port City Colombo. sector from the inception offered various
Following are the excerpts of the interview; incentives and facilitated the ease of doing
SLASSCOM recently signed an MoU with Port City business for enterprises, which is one of the key
Colombo to promote Sri Lanka’s knowledge drivers that attract global organizations to invest
and innovation sector and achieve the and expand in countries that offer an attractive
vision 2025 of US$ 5 bn in exports. Could you environment for businesses to thrive and grow.
elaborate on initiatives that form a part of Tax holidays, ease of forex transfers, diligent but
your broad agenda to promote investments smooth, speedy, and convenient legal processes
into the IT sector in Sri Lanka and how will you to commence and continue business, conducive
collaborate with Port City? labor laws are some key aspects fast growing
global enterprises look for especially in the IT-BPM
The Port City has a drive to promote FDIs in some and Knowledge Service sectors. These facets not
key industries such as IT-BPM, Financial and only attract but also become a deciding factor
Tourism to name a few. SLASSCOM - the National for prospective investors and businesses when
Chamber for IT-BPM Industry, is strategically selecting a sourcing destination. We believe,
positioned to partner with the Port City to attract having and promoting Special Economic Zones
FDI, business, and influence policies. Sri Lanka’s IT- such as the Port City Colombo is no longer a
BPM industry differentiates itself through its unique choice but a ‘must have’ to enable and facilitate
talent attributes, niche skills, value arbitrage and it’s growth when we present Sri Lanka to the world.
popularity for being a great location to ‘work and
live’ which are the many facets promoted through Creating an ecosystem for startups to thrive is
the IOI - ‘Island of Ingenuity’ branding. The brand key to developing a vibrant IT sector. What
is promoted globally in priority target markets and are the main challenges currently faced by
the Port City partnership will create a new platform entities in this space and how should we
to go to market in order to attract MNCs and large overcome these?
foreign companies to setup their captive innovation One of the main challenges we face is attracting
and delivery centers and scale-up existing IT- capital from Venture Capital firms, Private Equity,
BPM businesses operating in Sri Lanka. A series Family Offices, Angel Funds, and High Net-worth
of initiatives will be carried out in collaboration Individuals. Enabling policies such as easily
with the Port City Colombo that will include setting up offices here, tax holidays, repatriation
digital marketing initiatives, roadshows, events of profits, outward fund transfer for startups and
and webinars including in-country sales efforts scaleups with regional and global ambitions
in the identified key target markets to support to setup offices in target markets, legislations
and promote the Port City Colombo to businesses protecting intellectual properties are among the
globally. key attractions we must address.
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