CBi Webinar Highlights the Importance of Shock-Proof Business Systems in Crisis Resilience
A-PAD SL Country Director Mr. Firzan Hashim joins regional experts at the Connecting Business Initiative’s Private Sector Resilience Forum
In celebration of its 10th Anniversary, the Connecting Business Initiative (CBi) hosted its Private Sector Resilience Forum on 21st May 2026, under the theme “A Decade of Impact: Business Driving Crisis Resilience.”
A joint initiative by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), CBi bridges the gap between crisis response and development by strategically integrating and engaging the private sector. Since its founding in 2016, CBi has made remarkable strides — responding to over 200 crises and reaching 76 million people through private sector mobilisation.
As the Sri Lanka representative of CBi, A-PAD SL is proud to be part of this global movement and participated in the forum’s milestone celebrations. The event brought together humanitarian actors, civil society organisations, and private sector networks through a series of seven webinars, featuring more than 25 expert panelists who shared practical insights on collective action and crisis resilience building.
Mr. Firzan Hashim, Country Director of A-PAD SL, participated as a panelist in the session titled “Supply Chains Under Pressure: How Tourism and Finance Build Shock-Proof Business Systems.” The session was moderated by Ms. Veronica Gabaldon, Executive Director of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation, and included Mr. Selly Irfandi, Head of Corporate Security at PT Astra International; Mr. Swandi Wiratno of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce; and Ms. Yasangi Randeni, Chief Sustainability Officer of Aitken Spence PLC.
Drawing on regional experience across Asia, Mr. Hashim addressed critical weak points in private sector disaster preparedness, using the recent Cyclone Ditwah as a case study. He highlighted how communication breakdowns and insufficient consideration of climate and terrain factors in transportation logistics contributed to systemic failures, underscoring the urgent need for more robust contingency planning.
Mr. Selly Irfandi of PT Astra International emphasized the importance of identifying risk escalation pathways during a crisis and having structured emergency response coordination mechanisms in place. Ms. Yasangi Randeni of Aitken Spence PLC outlined practical measures the private sector — particularly the tourism industry — can implement in emergency response and long-term resilience building, stressing the value of community coordination. Mr. Swandi Wiratno rounded out the discussion by examining the financial sector’s role in underpinning resilience and facilitating economic recovery in the aftermath of crises.
The webinar collectively reinforced the imperative for businesses to invest in comprehensive business continuity planning and maintain effective communication frameworks to withstand and recover from crises. This forum stands as a testament to what a decade of committed partnership between the public, private, and humanitarian sectors can achieve, and A-PAD SL remains dedicated to advancing this mission across Sri Lanka and the region. A-PAD SL also congratulates CBi on its 10th anniversary.
