Obituary: FCCISL Mourns the Passing of Immediate Past President Keerthi Gunawardane

The Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) has announced the passing of its Immediate Past President, Keerthi Gunawardane, a prominent corporate leader and champion of the grassroots economy. His funeral will take place this Sunday. • Career & Entrepreneurship: Began as a Management Trainee at Sri Lanka State Trading (General) Company before founding Graphic Systems Ltd in 1991. He grew the firm into Sri Lanka’s leading NCR Business forms provider, winning the National Bronze Award at the "Sri Lanka Entrepreneur of the Year" (1999) and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Sri Lanka Association of Printers (2018). • Chamber Leadership: Assumed the presidency of the FCCISL in October 2022, steering the chamber through a highly challenging domestic economic period. • Trade & Regional Integration: Served as the SAARC contact point for Sri Lanka to boost regional trade and investment. He successfully secured Colombo as the host city for the 39th Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACCI) Conference and partnered with the EDB to open export channels in Japan. • Grassroots & Skill Development: Strongly advocated for local startup ecosystems and pioneered a workplace-based learning program in the hospitality sector alongside NAITA and the ILO. This initiative upskilled returnee and aspiring migrant workers in Anuradhapura, Batticaloa, and Jaffna to boost employment.