In this issue

The dreaded R-word

The economy will probably dip into a recession in 2020. Two consecutive quarters of GDP contracting is the definition of a recession. Sri Lanka’s economy contracted 1.6% in the first quarter of 2020. The government has delayed the release of second-quarter GDP data. Should the economy have contracted in the second quarter, Sri Lanka would now be in recession.

It won’t be alone, the Coronavirus pandemic’s aftermath will similarly tip many countries into recession. The World Bank expects global GDP will contract 5.2% in 2020 and forecasts Sri Lanka’s economy will shrink by 3.2%.

Of course, R-word or not, Echelon is obsessed with how an investment strategy can be crafted in the face of uncertainty. In this issue of the magazine, we explore the pandemic and the resulting recession’s impact on the largest asset class in the country; homes.

In Sri Lanka, their returns have boomed for nearly two decades. But now the economy is in recession. Will real-estate continue to be the safe haven it has been in the past? For those who have allocated part of their savings to real estate, should an economic downturn signal the need to re-evaluate the strategy? We explore these and more questions in our cover story related coverage ‘On solid foundations?’.

Echelon Magazine Description:

Intelligent Storytelling

The one thing that will define the Echelon magazine will be the quality of the storytelling. Echelon,published monthly, will cover in depth Sri Lanka’s most successful businesses, examine their winning strategiesand profile their leaders in immersive stories. Great stories are also never limited to words, and our approach includes rich photography, bold graphics and leading edge design which together will make for a compelling read.

But business doesn’t start and end in a boardroom;it extends to the golf club greens, to international travel and to pursuits that blurthe lines between commercial venture and sheer passion. The Echelon team will present the best in business and lifestyle coverage that will appeal to an exclusive and affluent readership: an otherwise hard to reach demographic.

Content will be developed by one of the most experienced and proven teams of editors, financial journalists, photographers and designers in the country.This team has already raised the bar for powerful and expertly crafted business news. Shamindra Kulamannage, will lead the editorial team.

The reputation of Echelon is being built on the separation between editorial and advertising. However we are also looking for the most creative and impactful new formats that can be applied in our magazines, iPad app as well as website to help our clients reach our audience. We are flexible and creative and we will have a solution for every single advertiser who wants to reach our audience.

We are passionate about creative results and about working with our advertisers to help them create bespoke multi platform creative solutions with our in house creative team and of course our sales team.

Echelon will be a great place to show off the products and capabilities of our clients because they will be surrounded by an editorial product that is expertly crafted, full of integrity and intelligence.