Pan Asia marks anniversary

Pan Asia Bank Katugastota branch recently conducted a CSR initiative at the Cancer Home in Kandy to mark the branch’s 8th anniversary.  Pan Asia Bank staff served meals and dry rations to patients receiving treatment at the hospital on this day.?

Hayleys Group commissions RO plants in North Central Province

?Three Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants sponsored by Hayleys PLC Group companies, Hayleys Industrial Solutions Ltd., Kelani Valley Plantations PLC & Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC and Hayleys....

CMC and Mobitel launch ‘Mo-Buzz Dengue’ app

?The Colombo Municipal Council’s Public Health Department, along with Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel, the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU) and the University of....

JASTECA Awards recognize Unilever Ceytea’s productivity practices

?Unilever Sri Lanka’s Ceytea factory was recognized for its productivity practices at the 18th annual Japan Sri Lanka Technical and Cultural Association (JASTECA) awards held recently. 

Elephant House and Keells Foods implement Axienta’s sales force solution

?Elephant House and Keells Foods, the two main brands under the John Keells Group, recently implemented a dealer management solution through Axienta sales force solution across 230+ dealerships. 

MasterCard offers priceless experiences at Rugby World Cup

?MasterCard announced a range of premium exclusives for its cardholders in Sri Lanka to get them to the heart of the action at the Rugby World Cup 2015.  Having partnered with the 2011 edition of the Rugby World Cup...

Bieco Link is now Adam Carbons

?PCH Holdings PLC has renamed its fully owned subsidiary Bieco Link Carbons (Pvt) Ltd “Adam Carbons (Pvt) Ltd” with effect from 18th February 2015, the company disclosed in a CSE filing.

Holcim Lanka hosts Annual Employee Awards

?Holcim Lanka, construction solutions provider in Sri Lanka hosted its annual employee recognition ceremony to applaud exceptional performers in nine categories. 

NDB-DFCC : Evaluation report to decide merger fate

NDB Bank PLC and DFCC Bank PLC which were supposed to merge under the Central Bank’s financial sector consolidation plan are now awaiting the results of an evaluation conducted by a committee appointed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe.

Mihin Lanka flies International Chamber of Commerce of Bangladesh for International Trade Finance Wo

?Mihin Lanka, Sri Lanka's national low-cost carrier proudly flew members of the International Chamber of Commerce of Bangladesh (ICCB) to Sri Lanka for the International Trade Finance Workshop which took place recently in Colombo. 

Hameedia provides employees with exclusive training on visual merchandising

Continuously setting the benchmark in the fashion industry, Hameedia, Sri Lanka’s leading menswear specialist recently enrolled 34 employees at the University of Moratuwa for a six-week long certificated course in Visual Merchandising. Hameedia’s VM Team, as well as the company’s Showroom Managers and Area Managers attended the programme. 

DFCC Vardhana Bank upgrades its operations in Gangodawila

DFCC Vardhana Bank (DVB), Sri Lanka’s fastest growing commercial bank, recently upgraded its extension office which is located at 601/1 High Level Road, Gangodawila into a fully-fledged branch. The ceremonial opening of DVB’s new branch office was attended by Lakshman Silva, Director/Chief Executive Officer, DFCC Vardhana Bank, DVB’s senior management and staff as well as businessmen and members of the local community. 

Brokers vie for glory at ATL’s ‘Broker Bowling Championship – 2015’

Amãna Takaful (ATL) recently hosted its network of insurance brokers for an evening of fellowship at the ‘Broker Bowling Championship – 2015’ which took place at Excel World - Colombo 10. Many insurance brokering companies participated in the event which was conducted for the third consecutive year. This year’s championship was highly anticipated and provided ATL and the insurance brokering community with an opportu

International fashion experts to speak at CFW Fashion Workshops

HSBC Colombo Fashion Week (CFW) hosted at the Hilton Colombo, invites international fashion experts from important markets to speak at CFW Fashion Workshops. The selected speakers will provide Sri Lankan designers with valuable insights and knowledge of the world of fashion. CFW, the backbone of the Sri Lankan fashion industry, focuses on promoting local designers in key international markets and will host two workshops on public relations (PR),

CFW Fashion Design Fund to support most impressive ‘BrightSpark’ designer

HSBC Colombo Fashion Week (CFW) established the CFW Fashion Design Fund in 2014 to financially support the most impressive young designer who is a participant of the ‘BrightSpark’ Shows. Each year one up-and-coming designer with high potential is selected and given funding to kick-start his/her fashion career. CFW, hosted at the Hilton Colombo, provides a rare opportunity for aspiring designers to showcase their creative talent at the

Sri Lanka needs sensible regulation to keep tourism investments flowing: Hiran

?Foreign investors will not tolerate the treatment the domestic investors have been receiving from the public sector, according to a top figure in the tourism industry, who was speaking at the Sri Lanka Law Summit yesterday.

President orders probe into controversial bond sale

President Maithripala Sirisena has instructed his Secretary to set up a three-member committee to probe into the irregularities that were said to have taken place during a 30-year bond sale by the country’s Central Bank.

Public sector culture should change to adapt RIT Act: Eran

?The organisational culture of the country’s public sector must change to accommodate the upcoming Right to Information (RTI) Act, according to Highways and Investment Promotion Deputy Minister Eran Wickramaratne...

Shares fall to over 1-mth closing low on higher rates

?REUTERS: Sri Lankan stocks fell to a more than one-month low yesterday, losing for a sixth consecutive session, as investors stayed on the sidelines amid rising interest rates and political uncertainty ahead of parliamentary elections.

Rupee steady; downward pressure seen easing

REUTERS: The Sri Lankan rupee ended steady yesterday on moral suasion by the Central Bank, with the market expecting downward pressure on the currency to ease due to higher government borrowing amid rising interest rates.

Tobacco use growing despite dip in cigarette sales: CTC

?Despite a visible reduction in sales volumes of Ceylon Tobacco PLC (CTC), which holds a monopoly in cigarette manufacturing and distribution, the tobacco consumption is growing in Sri Lanka, a top CTC official said.

Property tycoon S.P. Tao conferred Outstanding Business Pioneer Award

?Visionary property tycoon Shing Pee Tao was honoured and conferred the prestigious Outstanding Chinese Business Pioneer Award by the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) for his spirit of entrepreneurship and charity.

Swiss Ambassador visits Baurs’ factories

?Switzerland Ambassador Heinz Walker-Nederkoorn and Senta Walker-Nederkoorn visited Baurs’ factories and facilities.  Baurs was established in 1897 by Alfred Baur and the company celebrates its 150th birth anniversary this year.

Pinnacle Awards recognizes exceptional trade employees, distributors

?Pinnacle Awards 2015, an awards show to recognize and celebrate outstanding Trade Marketing Executives (TMEs) and distributors of Ceylon Tobacco Company PLC (CTC) was recently held at Hilton Colombo amidst its employees and other invitees. 

‘Mr. Robbialac’ promo to offer free paint this New Year

?Lankem Paints Ltd, manufacturers, marketers and owners of the international flagship brand Robbialac, treats its customers islandwide with a novel pre-Sinhala and Tamil New Year promotion.

Dileepa Wijesundera assumes duties as new SLT Group CEO

?Making an announcement with regards to the recent change in leadership at Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT), SLT Chairman P.G. Kumarasinghe Sirisena stated, “Sri Lanka Telecom is the premier ICT solutions provider to the nation and plays a pivotal role in spearheading the digital revolution of our country.

Union Assurance records steady growth at end-2014

?Union Assurance PLC (UA), a leading player in the Sri Lankan insurance sector, recorded steady growth in combined gross written premium (GWP) and profits as at the end of the fourth quarter of 2014.

Dumbara Hotels to open US$ 3.5 mn wellness theme resort near Knuckles Mountain range

Dumbara Hotels, a company of the MAK Alliance Group will be opening Santani; a wellness themed resort, this November on the foothills of the Knuckles Mountain range.

A new era for India–Sri Lanka relations?

After tense ties during the Rajapaksa administration, newly elected Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena’s decision to visit India on his first overseas trip signifies a renewal in the India–Sri Lanka relationship.

Public sector accounting for better transparency and accountability

? Interest in International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) and its adoption has increased sharply in recent years, following the attention focused on government’s management of public finances in the wake of the sovereign debt crisis, and this interest is expected to continue in to the future.