The Research Intelligence Unit (RIU) was originally founded by Roshan Madawela in 2003 and is registered in Sri Lanka. The RIU serves most of its clients from its office in Colombo whilst also having a ground presence across the island with small district office units. Since inception, the RIU has also had a presence and representation in London which helps to cater to the increasing number of clients that are based in the UK.

The original motivation was based on a dedication to supporting emerging and developing economies to overcome strategy and vision constraints that have cowed growth, trade and sustainable development. Facilitating the growth of global Islamic finance was also pursued from the onset due to the presence of in-house expertise.

Senior consultants are currently sourced from London, Washington, Colombo, Jaffna, and the Middle East. Each have a strong track record of achievement in their specialized areas of work with the world’s premier financial, research and economic development institutions.

The Colombo based organization also focuses on utilizing grass roots resources along with international expertise, a mix that has enabled the RIU to fully optimize on the balance of project resources. Our core team is multi-cultural, multilingual, IT dexterous and highly specialized in their respective areas.

A flexible approach enables the unit to extend services to existing operations in the form of market information and intelligence as well as providing technical assistance and feasibility advice to new projects. Having links that stretch out in many thematic directions has enabled the organization to develop its client network across the entire corporate, government and non-government sectors. Moreover, the breadth of our expertise has enabled us to launch our own monthly magazine – The BIG Issue Sri Lanka – in partnership with the Japan based Smith Clan Group. The RIU is also in partnership with a number of leading publications in the UK, the Middle East and Asia.

Essentially, the work of the RIU can be categorized into two key areas – Development and Finance (both Conventional and Islamic).

Other development projects completed recently include a Tsunami Perception Study along the coastal communities for Oxfam International (2005) that was aired by the UK media to mark the anniversary of the natural disaster. Similar recent work includes the design and construction of medical equipment for World Vision (2005-2007) and for UNICEF (2006-2007) and a Water and Environmental Sanitation Project Evaluation for Plan International (2005).

During 2003/04, the unit spearheaded an international team of consultants working directly under the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka with the task of rehabilitating the depleted roadways of the island.

Financial sector wise, we provide analysis and monthly reporting for a number of firms including Bartleet Maclai and Roy, one of South Asia’s leading foreign exchange trading firms who is part of the prestigious Bartleet Group. Due to strengthening corporate ties with the firm, RIU has based its head-office within Bartleet House located centrally in the financial hub of the capital. We are currently in the process of launching a new service to the financial players in South Asia and the Middle East that will utilize the latest technology advances to provide up to the minute financial information via online services, GSM alert systems and GPS technology.

Under long standing BPO agreements the RIU is also contracted to provide analysis of the vibrant global Islamic Finance sector and manage investment fund databases for UK based firms including a group of financial entities under Crescent Bey.

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