On most days, the story of business is told through numbers — revenue, growth, market share. But behind every balance sheet is something less measurable: a decision taken in uncertainty, a risk that didn’t make sense at the time, a belief that something could be built where nothing existed before. That is the story COYLE has always represented.
For over two decades, the Chamber of Lankan Entrepreneurs (COYLE) has brought together those who chose to build — from scratch, often against the odds. In 2025, under the leadership of Manjula Wijesundera, Immediate Past Chairman, that story took on new urgency. The theme for the year, “Vision to Reality,” was not about ambition alone. It was about follow-through. Because in today’s world, vision is easy. Execution is everything.
Wijesundera’s leadership of the Chamber is grounded in lived entrepreneurial experience. Beyond COYLE, he serves as Managing Director at Manju Agencies and Industrial Multiclean Systems.
The Shift from Knowing to Doing
A defining thread through COYLE’s year was a shift in mindset. Sri Lankan businesses, many realised, can no longer afford to move incrementally. The conversation moved from catching up to leapfrogging.
At “The AI Frontier,” entrepreneurs engaged with artificial intelligence not as a distant concept, but as a practical tool. The questions were immediate: how to automate processes, improve customer understanding, and embed AI into daily operations. For many, it was the first time AI felt usable.
But opportunity brought vulnerability. As businesses digitise, risk evolves. At “Stay Safe, Stay Smart,” ethical hackers demonstrated how easily systems could be breached. The shift in the room was palpable — from curiosity to concern, and then to action. Resilience, it became clear, is no longer optional.
Leadership, Without the Gloss
COYLE’s approach to leadership this year was refreshingly unvarnished. At the “I AM” Leadership Forum, the focus was not on polished success stories, but on the process behind them. Former international cricketer Jason Gillespie spoke about discipline — the kind that shows up when no one is watching. COYLE members shared journeys marked by pivots, setbacks, and difficult calls. Leadership felt less like a destination, and more like a continuous negotiation with uncertainty.
That perspective carried into one of the year’s most anticipated sessions, when Harvard Business School professor Boris Groysberg addressed over 300 senior leaders in Colombo. Beyond frameworks and theory, the moment reinforced something more important: Sri Lanka can create spaces where global thinking meets local ambition.
Looking Outward, With Intent
For years, Sri Lankan businesses have spoken about going global. In 2025, COYLE approached that ambition with structure.
Engagements with foreign missions in Colombo and New Delhi, alongside stronger ties with Sri Lankan missions abroad, laid the groundwork. Delegations travelled to India, South Africa, and China — not as observers, but as participants seeking meaningful connections.
That effort came into focus at COYLE’s Diplomats’ Evening, where Heads of Mission and entrepreneurs shared the same space. Conversations moved beyond formalities — towards trade, investment, and collaboration. It was not transactional. It was relational.
COYLE’s growing role within the G20 Young Entrepreneurs Alliance added further weight. Hosting the 1st Leadership Assembly for G20 YEA 2026 in Colombo positioned Sri Lanka within a global network of innovation and policy dialogue.
At a practical level, B2B engagements with the Nepal Young Entrepreneurs Forum, and delegations from Taiwan and Switzerland, began translating conversations into opportunity.
The Systems Behind the Momentum
While moments define narratives, systems sustain them.
Throughout the year, COYLE focused on strengthening its foundations. Partnerships with organisations such as JETRO and the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce (AHK) expanded access to markets, networks, and expertise.
Financial infrastructure also evolved. The Sampath Bank member Mastercard, while seemingly simple, enabled smoother cross-border transactions — removing friction for entrepreneurs operating internationally.
Mobility, too, was addressed through airline partnerships, making it easier for members to explore new markets and build relationships.
At the same time, COYLE’s membership broadened. New entrepreneurs entered the Chamber, bringing diversity across sectors and perspectives — strengthening the collective.
Rethinking Productivity
Amidst growth and expansion, COYLE introduced a quieter but important shift: the human dimension of business.
In partnership with JETRO, the Chamber launched the Sri Lanka Corporate Health and Productivity Awards, reframing wellbeing as a driver of performance. It challenged a long-held assumption—that productivity can be separated from the people behind it.
For many leaders, it prompted reflection. What does sustainable performance actually look like? And how do organisations build for it? These are questions that will shape the future of work.
The People Behind the Platform
At its core, COYLE is defined by its members. Entrepreneurs who started small. Who navigated uncertainty without a blueprint. Who built, failed, and built again.
Reflecting on the year, Manjula Wijesundera captured this simply:
“The members of COYLE represent the true potential of Sri Lanka. Many started from scratch. Today, we carry a responsibility—not just to grow our own businesses, but to share what we’ve learned and contribute to the country’s future.”
That sense of shared responsibility is what sets COYLE apart. It is not just a Chamber — it is a community that understands its role in shaping something larger.
What Comes Next
“Vision to Reality” does not feel like a conclusion. It feels like a starting point.
Because what COYLE has built over the past year is not just a series of initiatives, but a way of thinking — one that recognises that growth is intentional, global relevance is earned, and resilience must be built.
Sri Lanka’s economic story is still unfolding. It will be shaped by policy, markets, and external forces. But it will also be shaped — quietly and persistently — by entrepreneurs.
And if the past year is any indication, they are no longer just imagining what is possible. They are building it.