99RetailStreet unorganised retail platform now in Sri Lanka

99RetailStreet, a cloud-based common commerce platform provides services to ‘Kades’, individual pharmacies and other small retailers. The 99RetailStreet solution helps the ‘Unorganised Retail’ to compete on an equal footing with ‘Modern Trade’ (Supermarkets) through sales growth, access to and improved financial capabilities and increased business efficiencies across the value chain. 

Overcoming business challenges by steering organisations through data-driven transformation

During an in-depth conversation with Oracle APAC Enterprise Performance Management Business Senior Director Mahadevan Natarajan, he addressed ways that CFOs can overcome current business challenges by steering  their organisations through a data-driven transformation. During the interview, 

Promoting ICT as a proper career path for students

Information Technology (IT) is a subject every student should embrace as it has a lot of potential with many  employment opportunities locally as well as globally. 

NDB wins big at Asia Training and Development Excellence Awards

NDB was felicitated with the award for the most innovative use of Training and Development as an HR initiative for Organisational Development and the award for Asia’s Best Employer Brand Award at World HRD Congress, Asia Training and Development Excellence Awards held recently in Le Meridien, Singapore.  

CIM Sri Lanka celebrates academic achievements at 25th graduation ceremony

The Chartered Institute of Marketing Sri Lanka, concluded its Graduation and the Membership Investiture for the year 2017 recently.

Best of the best DPMC dealers rewarded

David Pieris Motor Company (DPMC) held its annual dealers meeting and get-together recognising the best of the best within its 337 strong dealer network at a glittering event at Sri Lanka Karting Circuit (SLKC) at Bandaragama recently.

Just In Time Group acclaimed for ‘Best HR Event of the Year’

At the recently concluded Sri Lanka Best Employer Awards, Just In Time Group (JIT) walked away with the award for the ‘Best HR Event of the Year’ for its inaugural long service awards, that honoured and recognized their long standing employees by celebrating their dedication, commitment and loyalty.

Phoenix Ogilvy planning head wins top WPP Award

Ajinkya Pawar, the planning head of Phoenix Ogilvy Pvt (Ltd), won the prestigious WPP Atticus award 2016.

HNB Grameen recognized as a ‘Great Place to Work’

HNB Grameen Finance Limited has been recognized as one of Sri Lanka’s best work places by Great Place to Work Institute Sri Lanka. 

CEAT honours top dealers in style at Shangri La weekend

The beauty and harmony evoked by the name ‘Shangri La’ was much in evidence when Sri Lanka’s leading tyre brand CEAT recently felicitated top dealers at an entertainment-filled weekend gala at the Hambantota resort and spa of the same name.

ComBank expands social media offerings with attractive new features on Viber

Commercial Bank of Ceylon has further broadened its social media presence with attractive new offerings on Viber, the free, cross-platform instant messaging and voice over IP (VoIP) app. The bank currently maintains the only public Chat Account verified by Viber in the banking sector in  Sri Lanka.

Softlogic Finance opens new Kottawa branch

Continuing on its journey to better serve a growing base of valued customers, Softlogic Finance PLC announced the further expansion of its branch network with the opening of a fully-fledged new branch in Kottawa recently.

NDB bags Gold at CFA Sri Lanka Capital Market Awards

National Development Bank PLC (NDB) was crowned with the Gold award for best investor relations at CFA Sri Lanka Capital Market Awards 2017, which was held recently at The Hilton Colombo.

Business community talks about ‘taking over the mantle’

Family businesses account for two-thirds of all firms around the world and contribute to an estimated 70 to 90 percent of global gross domestic product (GDP) annually. These institutions serve as engines for employment creation, contributing 50 percent to 80 percent of jobs worldwide. 

Sri Lanka reaping benefits from preferential trade

The objective of a free trade agreement (FTA) is not to bring about a balance in trade but to work out a ‘win-win’ situation for both producers and consumers in the FTA member countries. In doing so, there can be instances where the trade deficit increases for one partner. 

A National Economic Council to override CCEM: What next?

President Maithripala Sirisena submitted a cabinet paper last week seeking the approval to appoint a new National Economic Council (NEC) under his purview to take the key decisions on all the economic and development projects of the government. The president is of the view that the policy decisions have to be made by him. 

NSB helps HelpAge Sri Lanka’s medical and eye camps

National Savings Bank (NSB), the largest savings bank in Sri Lanka has taken yet another giant step towards HelpAge Sri Lanka (HASL) to conduct free Mobile  medical  and eye camps around the country.

President declares 28th e-Thilina computer lab at Royal College Polonnaruwa

A state-of-the-art computer laboratory with 20 computers and internet facilities was donated to Royal College, Polonnaruwa recently under the innovative ‘e-Thilina’ initiative, corporate social responsibility (CSR) collaboration between ESOFT and Sirasa Television. 

Swadeshi Khomba illuminates Kiri Vehera and Ruhunu Maha Kataragama Devalaya

The 2017 Esala festivals of the Kataragama Kiri Vehera and the Ruhunu Kataragama Maha Devalaya, two important places of worship in Sri Lanka were illuminated by Swadeshi Industrial Works PLC. The illumination is done under the theme ‘Swadeshi Khomba Aloka Puja Sathkaraya’.

Haycarb 1Q net hit by supply shortages and high coconut shell prices

Activated carbon manufacturer Haycarb PLC said the supply shortages in the Indonesian operations and high coconut shell prices in Sri Lanka, India and Thailand are hurting its operations, and hence is looking at the possibility of passing on a fair share of the cost to the customers.     

Watawala 1Q profit up 58% over tea sector turnaround, sustained palm oil profits

The turnaround in the tea segment and the sustained profitability in the palm oil segment propelled Watawala Plantations PLC’s (WATA) profits during the April - June quarter (1Q18) when the plantations group was readying to segregate its tea business under a separate entity.     

Embattled NDB CFO resigns

National Development Bank PLC Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Faizan Ozman has tendered his resignation following a controversial whistleblowing incident, Mirror Business reliably learns.

Access Engineering mulls own training centre to fight construction labour shortage

Access Engineering PLC (Access) is interested in exploring opportunities of setting up its own educational institute to impart vocational skills on to Sri Lankan youth and attract them to the labour-scarce construction industry.

Sri Lanka’s May fiscal deficit down; tax collection up 13%

Sri Lanka’s fiscal deficit for May 2017 fell 10.93 percent compared to 12 months ago to Rs.52.16 billion, with increased public investment overtaking higher income revenue, pushing the deficit for the first five months of the year down, overshadowing progress made earlier.

Rupee ends firmer on bank dollar sales

REUTERS: The Sri Lankan rupee ended firmer yesterday, as dollar selling by banks surpassed mild importer demand for the greenback in dull trade after the long weekend, dealers said.

Shares fall to 3-1/2-month closing low, blue chips drag

REUTERS:  Sri Lankan shares fell for an eighth straight session yesterday, posting their lowest close in nearly 3-1/2 months, with blue chips such as John Keells Holdings Plc leading the decline while selling by foreign investors also weighed on the market.

Private credit soars in June

Sri Lanka’s private sector credit has made a surprise recovery in June on the contrary to the widespread expectation that demand for private loans is easing in response to the back-to-back policy 

Lankan Chartered Accountant appointed to top UN Audit Committee

Chartered Accountant Lakshman Athukorala was recently appointed to the Independent Audit Advisory Committee of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), in Vienna, Austria as recommended at the 45th session of the Industrial Development Board. 

WiLAT organizes field visit to Finlay Cold Storage

Women in Logistics and Transport (WiLAT), the Women’s Forum of The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Sri Lanka organized a field visit to the Finlay Cold Storage (Pvt) Ltd at Welisara recently. Members of WiLAT, undergraduates and WiLAT friends joined this educational visit.

Indian entrepreneur Suboroto Bagchi to speak on ‘The Burden of Dreams’

Suboroto Bagchi, India’s best selling business author and acclaimed entrepreneur who co-founded Mindtree, a US$ 500 million global IT service company with over 15,000 employees, will be the keynote speaker at the India Day celebrations to be hosted by the Sri Lanka India Society on August 19th.