The Sri Lanka Institute of Directors & John Keells Stock Brokers Champions Women’s Financial Empowerment at “Investing in Times of Uncertainty”

Sri Lanka Institute of Directors (SLID), the Young Directors Forum (YDF), and the Women Directors’ Forum (WDF), in collaboration with John Keells Stockbrokers (JKSB), successfully hosted an exclusive knowledge-sharing event titled “Investing in Times of Uncertainty” recently at the Sheraton Colombo.

Held under JKSB’s #SHEinvests initiative, the event brought together SLID members and invited participants for an evening of insightful discussions on navigating today’s evolving economic landscape while encouraging greater female participation in Sri Lanka’s capital market.

The evening commenced with a keynote address by renowned economist and Director of Arutha, Rehana Thowfeek, who provided a comprehensive overview of Sri Lanka’s economic journey from the multiple domestic and global crises experienced between 2018 and 2026 to the country’s ongoing path toward recovery. She highlighted how significant fiscal, monetary, and governance reforms have strengthened Sri Lanka’s economic foundation, improving its resilience against external shocks. While acknowledging that global uncertainty is likely to remain the norm, she emphasized that macroeconomic stability alone is not enough to sustain long-term growth. Instead, increased private sector investment, responsible risk-taking, and greater financial inclusion—particularly through empowering women to actively participate in the economy—will be key drivers of Sri Lanka’s future prosperity.

The keynote was followed by an informative presentation by Dewni Tissera and Navin Ratnayake of JKSB, who guided participants through the fundamentals of investing in the stock market. Their session covered practical steps for first-time investors, key investment principles, and smart strategies for building resilient investment portfolios during periods of market uncertainty, reinforcing the importance of maintaining a disciplined, long-term investment approach. Navin further stated that if one is careful & plan, accordingly, investing in equity markets can give better returns than fixed deposits.

The event also featured a recap of the progress made under #SHEinvests, John Keells Stockbrokers’ flagship initiative dedicated to empowering women through financial literacy and investment education. Over the past two years, #SHEinvests has continued to encourage more women to take charge of their financial futures by providing accessible knowledge, practical investment guidance, and opportunities to confidently participate in the stock market.

The evening concluded with an engaging panel discussion moderated by Navin Ratnayake, Head of Research at John Keells Stock Brokers. Joining the panel were Rehana Thowfeek, Co-founder and Director of Arutha; Sherin Cader, Chairperson of Nations Trust Bank PLC; and Rumal Fernando, Independent Non-Executive Director of Hayleys PLC and DIMO PLC. Drawing on their diverse professional experience, the panelists explored the realities of investing amid uncertainty, discussed the importance of long-term financial planning, shared perspectives on leadership and resilience, and underscored the critical role women play in driving sustainable economic growth.

Ameena Ziauddin, President of Norfolk Foods | Director of CP Norfolk India I Chair of the Young Directors Forum of The Sri Lanka Institute of Directors had this to say regarding this initiative;

“It’s overcoming a lot of fears and myths that exist in the industry about how investing works. This event is educating women on the current economic outlook, the market conditions and the broader investment landscape. We need that information to make the right choices. I hope more women get involved in investing and more women participate in the stock market”.

“Financial confidence is an important part of enabling women to shape their own futures. As the Women Directors’ Forum, we are pleased to support an initiative that translates financial awareness into the assurance to understand investment opportunities and make informed choices. We hope this will encourage more women to engage with the capital market and take a more active role in building their financial futures.” -Sandra De Zoysa, Chair, Women Directors’ Forum, The Sri Lanka Institute of Directors, said regarding the initiative;

“At SLID, we believe women’s empowerment must extend from leadership and the boardroom to financial independence and informed investment. Building the knowledge and confidence to participate in capital markets is an important part of that journey. Through collaborations such as #SHEinvests, we hope to encourage more women to take ownership of their financial futures and contribute more actively to Sri Lanka’s economic growth”, quoted Anitra Perera, Chief Executive Officer, Sri Lanka Institute of Directors.

As Sri Lanka continues its economic recovery, initiatives such as “Investing in Times of Uncertainty” demonstrate the importance of equipping investors with the knowledge to navigate changing market conditions while inspiring more women to become active participants in the country’s financial future.