First Capital fostering strong bonds with foreign, local clients

First Capital Holdings PLC has continued its pursuits to establishing strategic partnerships with stock brokering houses based in the US and Japan, in addition to reinforcing its local efforts through the group’s expanding branch network, according to officials.

“The company has been playing an active role in exploring capital market prospects and opportunities through international collaborations; in recent years the debt structuring arm of First Capital has completed several successful deals with development financial institutes based in the UK and the Netherlands,” Director/ Group CEO, Dilshan Wirasekara told the Business Times.

Emphasizing its commitment, officials of First Capital concluded a series of successful meetings and critical discussions against the backdrop of the Invest Sri Lanka – Investor Forums recently concluded in New York and Singapore, he added. Cross broader collaborations will not only highlight Sri Lanka as a prominent emerging market, but also focus on exchanging practical experiences and tactical capabilities in implementing strategies to broadbased capital market investment and know-how, he highlighted.

The company further expanded its branch network in an effort to foster stronger bonds with regionally based clients. During the last year First Capital added a new branch in Negombo to its existing network, while also re-locating offices in Kandy, Kurunegala and Matara to state-ofthe-art, stand-alone branches providing value-added products and solutions to both issuer and investor clients.

The First Capital branch network covers all product offerings from the investment bank’s five subsidiary businesses, consisting services in Government Securities, stock broking, Unit Trusts, Wealth Management, Capital Markets Advisory including Debentures, Commercial Papers, Trust Certificate, Share/ Business Valuations and Mergers and Acquisitions, a media release said.

“We embarked on a strategy of improving our branch network, to complement the already existing delivery channels, as we feel it’s an important investment made to broad base the access to capital market knowledge and investment across the country,” Mr. Wirasekara was quoted in the release.