SLASSCOM, Sri Lanka’s national chamber for the IT/BPM industry and a trailblazer in the sector, recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Sri Lanka-Australia-New Zealand Business Council (SLANZBC), a bilateral business council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.

The MOU is a part of SLASSCOM’s continuous efforts to support the growth of the Sri Lankan IT/BPM industry to reach global heights through  their Global Referral Programme (GRP), which acts as a facilitator that connects individuals and businesses across the world with IT-BPM companies in Sri Lanka. The GRP covers six verticals, namely: BPO, KPO, digital agencies, software products and solutions, software development services, and AI or ML service providers. Companies that are part of the GRP are bound by a common MoU that ensures the interests of all stakeholders are protected.

With research factors showcasing that Australia ranked highest in terms of export revenue earnings in multiple categories, in particular, in the BPM sector, SLASSCOM is confident that this will be a timely partnership which  will bring countless benefits to the iT / BPM sector in the country.

Present at the MOU signing were SLANZBC President Ruwan Rajapakse, SLASSCOM Chairperson Sandra de Zoysa, SLASSCOM Vice Chairman Jehan Perinpanayagam, SLASSCOM Board Member Shiraz Lye, SLANZBC New Zealand Sector Vice President Udara Cumaratunga, SLASSCOM Corporate Office Programme Manager Lakshmi, and SLANZBC Secretary Ayoni Rangala.

SLANZBC is one of the pioneering business associations in the country, noted the council’s President Ruwan, adding: “We have been actively involved in ICT sector and we are glad to be a part of SLASSCOM’s efforts to achieve its targeted goals of gaining USD 5 billion in export revenue, creating 200,00 jobs, and establishing 1,000 startups in the ICT/BP industry.”

Expressing confidence in the MOU’s capacity to bring value and benefits to both organisations, Ruwan agreed that it was the right step forward. Mirroring this sentiment, SLASSCOM Vice Chairman Jehan said that there was a real synergy between the two associations and that there was a lot of areas to work on jointly for the benefit of the country.

With a membership of over 400 in Sri Lanka and overseas, SLANZBC offers a leverageable network to further SLASSCOM’s objectives in terms of boosting the ICT/BPM industry.

SLASSCOM Chairperson Sandra commenting on this MOU outlined that the key objective of this initiative was  to establish a mutually beneficial working relationship in the true spirit of collaboration between these two institutions, that would enable both parties to collaboratively promote market access and trade, investments and joint ventures; and develop go-to-market strategies and marketing campaigns to promote collaboration.This she said would help  leverage the BPM sector and as well as the knowledge and innovation-based solutions coming out of Sri Lanka .

The potential to explore investor conferences, joint business missions, roadshows, and more were discussed so that members of both institutions could participate and have the opportunity to explore the possibilities that lie within this newly-forged arrangement.

The MOU will also provide a medium through which international diaspora can be connected, along with various organisations to build a strong network and collaborative atmosphere that enables the growth of a healthy startup ecosystem, joint research opportunities across universities in the three countries and enhanced trade and investment.

With over 300 member companies, SLASSCOM’s membership accounting for approximately 90% of Sri Lanka’s IT/BPM export revenue, and  combined with SLANZBC’s own growing membership, tied in with the GRP’s 50-strong network, this partnership is set to open doors for a more connected, collaborative and beneficial future for all involved.