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President Gotabaya Rajapaksa recently inspected the Altair Commercial and Residential building which is under construction. The construction of the building commenced in 2012 in the 2.5-acre land adjacent to the Beira lake.  The ground floor of the building covers an area of 40,000 square feet. It consists of 404 super luxury apartments in addition to a world-class shopping complex. Altire building complex has two soaring towers one with 68 floors and the other with 63 floors. The building will be one of the tallest buildings in Colombo when it is complete. This project has been registered under the Board of Investments (BOI) and the total investment for this project is US$ 250 million. The project is supervised by the Urban Development Authority. Currently, up to 98% of the construction has been completed and the President expects it to be concluded by next January, the President’s Media said in a statement.  President Rajapaksa highlighted that constructions of this caliber will attract tourists into the country. Urban Development and Housing Ministry Secretary Sirinimal Perera, UDA Chairman Harshan de Silva, Altair Director Pradeep Moraes, and other officials of UDA were also present at the site visit.    

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As a bank that takes pride in its Sri Lankan roots, Sampath Bank has always appreciated the immense value generated by the tank (Wewa) systems in and around the country and its ‘Wewata Jeewayak’ programme is a committed endeavour to restore the traditional irrigation networks that were constructed by the ancient kings of Sri Lanka. The ‘Wewata Jeewayak’ programme is a part of Sampath Bank PLC’s community capacity building initiatives that aims to provide sustainable solutions to ensure a dependable supply of water for dry zone farmers to cultivate their paddy land and harvest both the Yala and Maha paddy seasons, annually. Through the project, the Bank aims to promote organic farming as a viable means of maintaining a sustainable livelihood through agriculture. Furthermore, this project contributes to the Bank’s triple bottom line as it enriches the lives of the community in the area, improves the water capacity of the tank and develops the surrounding eco-system and empowers agri-entrepreneurs by making them financially inclusive. A structured undertaking to rebuild the tanks that have suffered neglect and ruin due to the passage of time, the ‘Wewata Jeewayak’ programme has seen the restoration of seven tanks to date namely; Udamaththala Wewa in Lunugamwehera (2001), Ilukpelassa Wewa in Thanamalwila (2002), Konketiara Wewa in Hambantota (2002), Dematawa Wewa in Panduwasnuwara (2014), Halmillakulama Wewa in Nochchiyagama (2017), Ambagahawewa in Kahatagasdigiliya (2018), Dhanyawa Wewa in Divulankadawala (2018) and has just broken ground on its latest project, the Kindagalla Wewa in Bibile. Located in the Kokunnewa area in the Monaragala district, the Kindagalla tank has a surface area of 15 acres and currently provides water to 62 acres of paddy land, benefitting 60 farmer families. Post restoration the tank will supply 262 acres of farming land with water, thereby directly benefiting 260 families. The restoration work will be executed under the supervision and technical expertise of the Agrarian Development Department in Monaragala with the villagers forming most of the labour force. The ground-breaking ceremony was preceded by several cultural and religious observances in order to invoke blessings upon the project. The ground breaking was conducted to the chanting of Pirith by religious leaders from the village temple and saw the participation of representatives of Sampath Bank, several government officials from the area, customers, members of farmers associations, village leaders as well as members of the community. Speaking about the Bank’s ‘Wewata Jeewayak’ programme, Thusitha Nakandala, Group Chief Human Resource Officer of Sampath Bank PLC said, “It is challenging for the villagers to shoulder the entire burden of renovating and reconstructing these tanks. This task requires a lot of responsibility and such a meticulous process may affect the lives and livelihoods of the people residing in the area. Right from the inception, we have been working with government authorities and local communities to restore tanks around the island. Together with technical support from the Department of Agrarian Development and Department of Irrigation, we are very proud to be able to restore these tanks, thereby uplifting the lives of the people in the area and enabling a return to a historic and effective irrigation system.” Currently, the tank’s bund has been damaged and its height is not enough to maintain the required water capacity for both seasons. Furthermore, the tank’s spill has been damaged, thereby greatly reducing its water retention capability. The restoration work which includes excavation of the tank and rebuilding of the tank bund and spill, is estimated to take approximately three months. Sampath Bank’s CSR activities display a strong commitment to serve the community and generate sustainable benefits for the country and its citizens while supporting the sustainable development goals set by the United Nations. The Bank considers CSR to be an ingrained aspect of its operations and has constantly gone above and beyond the natural obligations which govern its activities in the ordinary course of business. With proven expertise and professionalism in banking and finance, Sampath Bank’s CSR efforts will be central towards economic development and the growth of individuals and society at large.

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It is said that an average of 1000 people die of drowning every year in Sri Lanka. It goes on record as being the second highest cause of death in this country. Lifeworth is a project initiated jointly by Fouzul Hameed, Julian Bolling and Asanka Nanayakkara to create island wide awareness about the dangers of drowning and to parallely encourage safe swimming. Lifeworth works hand in hand with the Rainbow Swimming Academy, Sri Lanka Life Saving Association and together with the My Friend Foundation. The launch event was held recently at the Kinross Beach in Wellawatte under the distinguished patronage of State Minister of Urban Development, Coast Conservation, Waste Disposal and Public Sanitation Dr. Nalaka Godahewa. Also present were Chairman of the My Friend Foundation Fouzul Hameed, President of the Rainbow Swimming Academy Julian Bolling, President of the Sri Lanka Life Saving Association Asanka Nanayakkara, President of the Kinross Swimming and Life Saving Club Manada Yahampath, and several others including Bathiya Jayakody, Dr. Asha de Vos etc. Welcoming the initiative, Dr. Godahewa said that Sri Lanka has nearly 1600 kms of beach front which was for everyone to use. “We need to protect our beaches and the people who use it and that’s where this initiative comes in useful. I’m happy to learn that this project will be extended to other beachfronts too. We all need to get together and work together for our country. That’s the vision of President Rajapakse too, to see people engaged in the running of the country”. Addressing the gathering, Sri Lanka’s multiple medal winning swimmer and President of the Rainbow Swimming Academy Julian Bolling said that this initiative was long overdue. “We are happy to see many stakeholders joining us in this initiative to help save lives. The Kinross Club has said it wants to help young people of this area to learn how to swim. We want to make Wellawatte a model where one can enjoy nature while being safe swimming. We are extending this initiative not only to other coastal areas too but also to inland water bodies too, to make them safe”. Chairman of the My Friend Foundation Fouzul Hameed said that this was a project very close to his heart. “I’m from Wellawatte and what better place to launch this project than at the legendary Kinross Club which has, for decades, been engaged in teaching swimming and lifesaving”. Hameed also went on to thank all the stakeholders, both individuals and organisations who helped make this venture a reality. President of the Sri Lanka Life Saving Association Asanka Nanayakkara said that Sri Lanka was possibly the only country in the world which has the safest waters for swimming all year long. “Tourists come to enjoy the outdoors which includes the beaches too, and not be confined to hotel rooms. Hence the need to promote safe swimming around the country”. President of the Kinross Swimming and Life Saving Club Manada Yahampath also spoke about the importance of safe swimming and life-saving, and enumerated the yeoman service rendered by the Kinross Club over the years. After the ceremonial launch of the project, the guests, invitees and members engaged in a beach clean-up of the surroundings of the Kinross Club. Everyone present was then invited to watch a very interesting and educative series of demonstrations conducted by lifeguards of the Sri Lanka Life Saving Club. Photo Caption: – State Minister of Urban Development, Coast Conservation, Waste Disposal and Public Sanitation Dr. Nalaka Godahewa at the launch.    

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The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a lot of uncertainties in many industries, and while losses are countless and impactful, the wins though not as many have also provided a ray of hope amid gloomy business forecasts. The first half of 2020 brought a new set of experiences for the Rakuten Viber team, but also a new set of milestones. Throughout the Asia Pacific region, Viber’s performance has steadily grown, with a 208% growth in messages sent to Communities and a 129% jump in views in Communities compared to the same period last year. Compared to 2019 data, Viber has recorded an increase of usage in Sri Lanka during the first half of 2020, with a 39% increase in daily activations, and a 34% rise in sending group messages, with a growth of 91% in the number of messages sent in a group. While 1-1 messages increased by 37%, and Community views surged by 118%. Likewise, the rest of the region experience accelerated activity, especially when it comes to communicating within Groups and Communities. Countries in the Asia-Pacific saw strong growth in the number of messages sent within Viber groups compared to 2019—Philippines at 95%, Myanmar at 41%, Nepal at 67%, Vietnam at 43%, and  Bangladesh at 48%. Community Engagement similarly grew, with most countries almost doubling their numbers of Community Views, Myanmar at 106% growth, Nepal at 195% and Philippines at 2.5x increase in community viewers. Bangladesh saw solid growth in their Community Views with their 77% increase. As one of the largest messaging apps in the world, Viber has also entered into new significant partnerships in the first part of the year, which all focused on providing people with reliable and life-saving information about COVID-19 and individuals with a space where they feel can connect with others amid physical distancing rules. Similarly in Sri Lanka, Viber launched an e-commerce bot with the biggest supermarket chain Cargills Foodcity that allows users to purchase essential goods that can be delivered to their homes or to be picked up at their closest outlet. National Lottery Sri Lanka also launched its own Viber bot and Community. The bot supports online purchase of lottery tickets and allows people to check the official results and winners of the lottery. Known for having the largest female customer base in the country, Peoples Bank, launched a special Women’s Day bot and sticker pack. As it celebrates its 10th anniversary in December with an exciting line-up of surprises for users, Viber continues to develop as a lifetime app, empowering people to communicate securely, work conveniently, and connect with brands. With a bold vision to be a lifetime app, Viber has also added several new user-centric features since the start of 2020 to complement the lives of users and provide them with a better app experience. These features are especially relevant now that people are hyper connected to virtual life. My Notes enabled users to sync their to-do lists and media across all their devices. Birthday reminders began appearing on users’ home pages to make it easier for them to know which of their contacts was celebrating their special day. Disappearing messages allowed people to set a limit to the lifespan of sensitive texts, while the one-of-a-kind GIF Creator brought out everyone’s inner creativity with its easy process of turning phone videos into GIFs. Response to COVID-19 and Growth in Community Engagement In response to COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent quarantine orders, Viber has increased its capacities and doubled the maximum number of participants to 20 people at once in Group Video and Audio Calls to address the restrictions on face-to-face interactions. Viber is also allowing users to react to messages in Communities, to help bring online communication a step closer to real life convos. Viber has launched a special chatbot for the World Health Organization, allowing the international agency to share verified information on COVID-19 and answer some of the people’s pressing questions on the coronavirus all within their messaging app. The Philippines’ own Department of Health (DOH) has created its own Viber Community and Kira Chatbot to amplify their online reach and effectively provide crucial updates on the situation in the country. DOH has also used the platform to debunk fake news. In fact, the top health organizations in countries within Asia-Pacific partnered with Viber to help send verified information on the pandemic on a trusted and widely used platform, such as Myanmar’s Ministry of Health and Sports, Sri Lanka’s Health Promotion Bureau, ICT in Bangladesh, and Nepal’s Ministry of Health and Population. Cutting business ties with Facebook One of the biggest decisions Viber did in the first half of the year was to cut all business ties with Facebook for continuously mishandling their user data for profit, joining other big companies in standing up against the social media juggernaut in protecting their users. The messaging app, which considers security as one of its core strengths, has immediately pulled out all its ad spending on the social media platform. It has also removed the Facebook Connect and GIPHY features within the app. “Viber’s continued growth in the Asia Pacific Region shows that despite social distancing protocol imposed by the pandemic, people can continue to maintain quality connections that prioritize their privacy and ease,” says Anna Znamenskaya, Chief Growth Officer for Rakuten Viber. “These past few months, we’ve truly seen how Viber empowers people to make the most out of whatever situation they’re in. With just your smartphone and the Viber app, you can still connect with family and friends, earn a living, have fun online, get verified news, and run errands from the safety of your home.” With such an impressive streak in the first half of the year alone, Viber vows to push harder to help users seamlessly integrate the messaging app into their lives as the world continues to brace for the long-term effects of the pandemic for the rest of the year and beyond. “We envision Viber to be your go-to indispensable app that empowers you to accomplish more, and help you keep all those important connections with solutions that are all right at your fingertips,” adds Znamenskaya.      

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Dubbed the “Oscars” of the design industry, the Red Dot Award: Brands & Communication Design was recently awarded to HUAWEI Assistant · TODAY. Based on Red Dot’s motto of “In search of good design and creativity”, this award is a testament to Huawei’s efforts in continuous innovation to provide a smart consumer experience. The brand was among the select few to win this year, out of the thousands of competition entries that were vying for this revered international seal of outstanding design quality. Located at “the left most screen”, HUAWEI Assistant · TODAY is a personal assistant embedded in HUAWEI smartphone, provides quick access to various services without downloading application. HUAWEI and HONOR mobile device users can simply start it by swiping right from the home screen. The smart assistant brings a new level of intelligent performance by helping users find services and information when and where they are needed. As of Q2 2020, HUAWEI Assistant · TODAY is making the lives of its 210 million MAUs in 170 countries and regions easier and more convenient every day. From a product design perspective, HUAWEI Assistant · TODAY offers a seamless intelligent user experience. It breaks down the barriers between apps by efficiently providing services such as search and discovery, quick access, smart service dynamics and content recommendations at a single touch. It also learns users’ preferences to offer recommendations that make the overall user experience more intuitive and optimised. With HUAWEI Assistant · TODAY, users can now effortlessly search for any apps, settings and files on their smartphones while simultaneously scanning their tailored newsfeed for items of interest. Additionally, a key feature of the HUAWEI Assistant · TODAY is the smart service cards which displays notifications and reminders based on users’ needs and specific usage scenarios. For instance, users can stay up to date on their favourite team with the Sports card while getting reminded of key travel details and updates in real-time with the Travel card based on their locations. HUAWEI Assistant · TODAY will continue to work on bringing more smart services to its users to enhance their everyday lives. To do so, HUAWEI will unceasingly optimise perfect the product experience from the users’ perspective, thereby offering each and every user an experience akin to having a personal assistant in their day-to-day activities. About the Red Dot Design Award: Originating in Germany 1955, the Red Dot Design Award is one of the world’s three major design awards along with the iF Design Award (Germany) and IDEA International Design Excellence Awards (America). With more than 18,000 entries, the Red Dot Design Award is established internationally as one of the most sought-after quality marks for good design. The award winners are presented in the yearbooks, museums and online. More information is available at www.red-dot.de.

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The MarCom Collective, the industry body comprising of eight associations linked to the advertising and marketing communications sectors as well as businesses and professionals associated with them, continued to engage with its members and other stakeholders to bring to light the diverse issues faced by the sectors and how they could work together to address them in a post COVID-19 business environment. As part of these efforts, a team of senior representatives from the MarCom Collective met the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, S. R. Attygalle, recently. They apprised him on the significant contribution the sector has made to the national economy which has largely gone unrecognised. A study undertaken by Ernst & Young notes that the MarCom sector generates Rs.151 billion in annual net revenue and employs over 100,000 people directly and indirectly, with about another 200,000 people depending on it. The sector also contributes 1% to the country’s GDP and it therefore requires immediate and serious attention before the crippling effects of COVID-19 take its toll on the industry and the economy. The revenue yield from the sector as estimated by Ernst & Young is Rs.1.510 million per employee. Thesignificance and relevance of this is accentuated when juxtaposed with the per employee yield from other key sectors such as Tea – Rs.232,000, Textile and Garments – Rs.444,444, Rubber – Rs.452,308 and Tourism – Rs.1.068 million. The MarCom Collective also facilitated a discussion with members from within the industry. Ernst & Young Sri Lanka presented their findings and recommended proposals to help complement the government’s effort to accelerate the recovery of the sector and the economy. Taking note of the policy framework shared at the forum, representatives from the eight constituent industry associations confirmed that they would be incorporated into the final proposal to be presented to the government in the coming weeks.   Image Caption: From left – Rohan Rajaratnam, Convener, MarCom Collective; Santhush Weeraman, President, Video and Film Production Association (VAFPA); Thayalan Bartlett, Convener, MarCom Collective; S. R. Attygalle, Secretary – Ministry of Finance; Arjuna Herath, Senior Partner and Head of Consulting, Ernst & Young, Sri Lanka and Maldives; Sulaiman Nishtar, Partner – Tax Services, Ernst & Young, Sri Lanka; and Thanuja Perera, Tax Policy Advisor, Department of Fiscal Policy, Ministry of Finance.   From left – Delan Silva, President, Sri Lanka Association of Printers (SLAP); Laksiri Wickramage, Secretary – Broadcasters’ Association of Sri Lanka; Roshan Wijeyaratne, President – Event Management Association of Sri Lanka; Roshani Fernando, President – Market Research Society of Sri Lanka; Arjuna Herath, Senior Partner and Head of Consulting, Ernst & Young, Sri Lanka and Maldives; Sulaiman Nishtar, Partner – Tax Services, Ernst & Young, Sri Lanka; Tharaka Ranwala, President – International Advertising Association (IAA), Sri Lanka Chapter; Sugibun Sathiyamoorthi, President – Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies (4As), Sri Lankan Chapter; Santhush Weeraman, President, Video and Film Production Association (VAFPA) and Mario Nesaduray, President – Association for Outdoor Advertising Agencies (AOAA). Absent in the picture – Udesh Gunatunga, Newspaper Society of Sri Lanka

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Ceylinco Life has commissioned two large solar panel installations in Anuradhapura and Jaffna which are believed to be the largest in those cities, with a cumulative capacity to generate 120 MWh per year and further reduce the Company’s carbon footprint by 42.6 tons. The Company said the installation in Anuradhapura has a system capacity of 50Kw and is expected to generate 66 MWh annually. The project which is the second largest solar installation by Ceylinco Life will result in a saving of 66,000 units of grid power per year and an annual reduction of 23.4 tons of CO₂ emitted to the environment by offsetting consumption of power from the national grid. With a system capacity of 40Kw, the installation in Jaffna will generate 54 MWh per year, save 54,000 units of power and reduce 19.2 tons of CO₂ emissions annually. This is the fifth largest solar power installation by Ceylinco Life. These solar panel installations entailed a cumulative investment of Rs 15.9 million. Ceylinco Life’s new Head Office building opened in 2016 with a system capacity of 63.18kW is the largest solar panel installation by the company. It saves 7,200 units of electricity per month and reduced the Company’s carbon footprint by 108 tons. Committed to enterprise-wide sustainability, Ceylinco Life is in the process of building a network of Green branches on company-owned land. These new buildings are solar-powered; have rainwater harvesting facilities and waste water recycling systems that minimise the use of pipe-borne water, are designed for optimal use of natural light and are equipped with the latest energy-efficient lighting and air conditioning systems. The Company has also embarked on an initiative to restore and maintain fifty hectares (123.5 acres) of land owned by the Department of Forest Conservation in the Puttalam range in collaboration with the University of Kelaniya, as part of its commitment to the environment and its effort to achieve zero carbon emissions status. An e-Waste Collection Day organised by the Green Club of Ceylinco Life earlier this year resulted in 11,123 lbs of Carbon emissions being prevented from entering the atmosphere, which is equivalent to saving 369 trees or recycling 12,990 plastic bottles. Sri Lanka’s leading life insurer for more than half of the 32 years it has been in existence, Ceylinco Life was ranked the Most Valuable Life Insurance Brand in Sri Lanka by Brand Finance this year and declared the ‘Peoples Life Insurance Service Provider of the Year’ for the 14^th consecutive year at the 2020 SLIM-Nielsen Peoples Awards. The Company was ranked among the 10 ‘Most Admired Companies’ in the country by the International Chamber of Commerce, Sri Lanka (ICCSL) in 2019 and in the same year was named the ‘Best Life Insurer in Sri Lanka’ for the sixth consecutive year by World Finance, ranked sixth overall in the Business Today ranking of the country’s top 30 companies and certified as a ‘Great Workplace’ in Sri Lanka by Great Place to Work®. Ceylinco Life has close to a million lives covered by active policies and is acknowledged as a benchmark in the local insurance sector for innovation, product research and development, customer service, professional development and corporate social responsibility.   Photo caption: The solar panel installations at Ceylinco Life’s branches in Jaffna (above) and Anuradhapura.

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• Ranked No 1 overall for Honesty and No 1 for Financial Performance in LMD’s 2020 rankings

• Achieves the second place in main ranking of Most Respected Entities in the country

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With a reputation for being the most innovative Life Insurance provider in the country, Arpico Insurance PLC stepped up to create an exclusive policy that provides a life cover of up to Rs. 1,000,000 to customers of Richard Pieris Finance Ltd. The MOU in this regard was signed on the 27th of August 2020 in the presence of senior officials of both companies. Richard Pieris Finance boasts an asset base of Rs. 18 billion with fixed deposits totaling to Rs. 8 billion, both monumental achievements having forayed into the industry only seven years ago. With over 15 branches strategically located island-wide and over 300 dedicated professionals, Richard Pieris Finance claims an extensive product portfolio, ranging from vehicle leasing, fixed deposits, savings, business financing, to home loans, Arpico furniture financing, supplier financing, and alternative financial solutions. Lohika Fonseka, CEO of Richard Pieris Finance Ltd, said ‘We continuously seek ways to add value to our customers in everything we do. The signing of this MOU marks a very important milestone to us. With this initiative in place, we look forward to further strengthen our relationship with Arpico Insurance PLC and work more closely on a number of shared goals that is sure to give our customers the best of both worlds.’ Both companies are backed by the strength and stability of its parent entity Richard Pieris & Company PLC, which is one of Sri Lanka’s most successful and respected conglomerates and a name that has an outstanding reputation for championing the hearts of Sri Lankans for over eighty five years. ‘We take great pride in joining hands with Richard Pieris Finance to provide all their customers with a comprehensive life insurance cover. This agreement accurately reflects our business philosophy and the shared values of our parent company. Being in existence for less than a decade, we are immensely proud to be one of Sri Lanka’s fastest growing and most trusted Life Insurance companies today,’ said Harsha De Alwis, CEO of Arpico Insurance PLC. Arpico Insurance PLC have embarked on an aggressive growth plan that will see them increasing their geographical footprint through several branch openings, the addition of new products and services to their already expansive portfolio as well as building and fostering new partnerships that are certain to benefit all stakeholders. Excluding its Group Life revenue, the company recorded its highest ever monthly sales figure in January of this year, exhibiting over a 100pct growth in new business for the month, in comparison to January last year. It was also one of the first companies to provide medical and life cover during the Covid-19 pandemic. The renowned insurance provider presently offers a range of products such as endowment, term assurance, education, investment, retirement, group assurance and loan protection amongst others. Arpico Insurance PLC was named ‘Most Trusted Life Insurance Brand in Sri Lanka’ for 2019 and ‘Most Successful Life Insurance Company in Sri Lanka’ for 2018 by Global Brands Magazine, and was also awarded the ‘Fastest Growing Life Insurance Company in Sri Lanka’ in both 2017 as well as 2018 by Global Banking & Finance Review Awards. With a reputation for being the most innovative Life Insurance provider in the country, Arpico Insurance PLC stepped up to create an exclusive policy that provides a life cover of up to Rs. 1,000,000 to customers of Richard Pieris Finance Ltd. The MOU in this regard was signed on the 27th of August 2020 in the presence of senior officials of both companies. Richard Pieris Finance boasts an asset base of Rs. 18 billion with fixed deposits totaling to Rs. 8 billion, both monumental achievements having forayed into the industry only seven years ago. With over 15 branches strategically located island-wide and over 300 dedicated professionals, Richard Pieris Finance claims an extensive product portfolio, ranging from vehicle leasing, fixed deposits, savings, business financing, to home loans, Arpico furniture financing, supplier financing, and alternative financial solutions. Lohika Fonseka, CEO of Richard Pieris Finance Ltd, said ‘We continuously seek ways to add value to our customers in everything we do. The signing of this MOU marks a very important milestone to us. With this initiative in place, we look forward to further strengthen our relationship with Arpico Insurance PLC and work more closely on a number of shared goals that is sure to give our customers the best of both worlds.’ Both companies are backed by the strength and stability of its parent entity Richard Pieris & Company PLC, which is one of Sri Lanka’s most successful and respected conglomerates and a name that has an outstanding reputation for championing the hearts of Sri Lankans for over eighty five years. ‘We take great pride in joining hands with Richard Pieris Finance to provide all their customers with a comprehensive life insurance cover. This agreement accurately reflects our business philosophy and the shared values of our parent company. Being in existence for less than a decade, we are immensely proud to be one of Sri Lanka’s fastest growing and most trusted Life Insurance companies today,’ said Harsha De Alwis, CEO of Arpico Insurance PLC. Arpico Insurance PLC have embarked on an aggressive growth plan that will see them increasing their geographical footprint through several branch openings, the addition of new products and services to their already expansive portfolio as well as building and fostering new partnerships that are certain to benefit all stakeholders. Excluding its Group Life revenue, the company recorded its highest ever monthly sales figure in January of this year, exhibiting over a 100pct growth in new business for the month, in comparison to January last year. It was also one of the first companies to provide medical and life cover during the Covid-19 pandemic. The renowned insurance provider presently offers a range of products such as endowment, term assurance, education, investment, retirement, group assurance and loan protection amongst others. Arpico Insurance PLC was named ‘Most Trusted Life Insurance Brand in Sri Lanka’ for 2019 and ‘Most Successful Life Insurance Company in Sri Lanka’ for 2018 by Global Brands Magazine, and was also awarded the ‘Fastest Growing Life Insurance Company in Sri Lanka’ in both 2017 as well as 2018 by Global Banking & Finance Review Awards. Photo Caption: CEO of Arpico Insurance PLC Harsha De Alwis (centre) exchanging the MOU with CEO of Richard Pieris Finance Ltd Lohika Fonseka. Also present are (L-R) Nelushan Gunewardena, Head of Marketing; Sawan Rodrigo, AGM; Toni Kitchilan, GM; Melanga Doolwala, GM from Arpico Insurance PLC; and Ajith Ranasinghe, CFO; Imruz Kamil, AGM; Randil Keerthipala from Richard Pieris Finance Ltd.

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Softlogic Life Insurance PLC announced the inking of landmark deals with Development Financial Institutions; Finnish Fund for Industrial Cooperation Ltd – Finnfund and The Norwegian Investment Fund for Developing Countries. Norfund and financial have collectively signed a USD 15Mn Tier II Subordinated Debt transaction with the Company on 24^th August 2020 that will provide funding to further develop the business objectives of the Company. Norfund and Finnfund are impact investors funded by the Governments of Norway and Finland and private capital markets whose objectives are to fund sustainable development through responsible and profitable businesses across the globe. What makes the transactions even more significant are that they are being executed amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that has impacted the entire world. Softlogic Life also concluded a Financial Reinsurance transaction in March 2020 of USD 15Mn with Münchener Rückversicherungs-Gesellschaft – MunichRe, one of the top providers of reinsurance, primary insurance, and insurance-related risk solutions in the world based on the top quality portfolio of the Company. This arrangement is viewed as an innovative market leading transaction in the South Asian Life and Health Reinsurance arena. Softlogic Life, Sri Lanka’s third-largest life insurance entity is on a growth trajectory and these milestones transactions will further amplify the excellent prospects available for the life insurance industry in Sri Lanka. The Company’s fast paced growth has brought a share of 16.2% of the market as at 31^st March 2020, doubling market share within the past five years and covering more than a million lives. In 2019 Softlogic Life Insurance grew by 25% versus an industry growth of 11% issuing 247,755 policies and selling the highest number of policies accounting for 33% of the market. “These investments by NorFund, Finnfund and MunichRe are a testament to the solid work we have put into building Softlogic Life into a formidable business in Sri Lanka’s insurance industry. We like to think of it as an endorsement that we have done something special,” said Ashok Pathirage, Chairman of Softlogic Life Insurance PLC, “We are always keen to develop our operations by utilizing international expertise and together with Leapfrog Investments who are shareholders of the Company we are continuously assessing possibilities to improve our capabilities even further. We remain fully confident of Sri Lanka’s growth prospects and see the low penetration in the life insurance industry as a great opportunity for future growth. We are proud to state that during 2019 one in every three life insurance policies sold in the market was from Softlogic Life, which is a great testament to the customer segments that we cover and the extent of our product diversification.” The investment marks one of NorFund and Finnfund’s first investments in Sri Lanka’s insurance industry, where, like other developing markets across Asia, they will be looking to provide expansion capital to sustainable businesses like Softlogic Life in the financial sector. “Norfund invests in financial institutions to strengthen their ability to contribute to increased access to capital for companies and previous unbanked people. Softlogic Life is a great fit with our objective to create jobs and improve lives by investing in businesses that drive sustainable development,” said Fay Chetnakarnkul, Regional Director Asia, Norfund. “Softlogic Life’s leadership team has over the years consistently delivered, and together, we hope to continue contributing to its growth journey. We appreciate the partnership with them, and we hope this investment also will contribute to economic growth and increase financial inclusivity in Sri Lanka.” said Ulla-Maija Rantapuska, Investment Manager, Finnfund. “MunichRe enjoys a long standing relationship of over fifteen years with Softlogic Life and has introduced a number of product initiatives that have performed well for our partnership. This Financial Reinsurance transaction heralds the next generation of cooperation where we are pleased to be part of an exciting future,” said Munich Re Spokesperson, Srinivasa Rao, Managing Director, Life and Health, Munich Re India Branch. An innovator in insurance, Softlogic Life recently made it to the Forbes Asia’s ‘Best Under A Billion 2019’ list, a business ranking which spotlights Asia’s 200 top-performing listed companies with less than US$ 1 Billion in revenue with consistent top and bottom-line growth. Softlogic Life is the only company in Sri Lanka and one of the two insurance companies in the Asian region to achieve this momentous feat. Image caption: Softlogic Life Insurance PLC Chairman Ashok Pathirage

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People’s Leasing & Finance PLC the non-bank finance giant in Sri Lanka in a bid to cater to a greater volume of customers via an enhanced and swift customer service with more comforts upgraded and relocated its Kelaniya branch at a more spacious place. The new premises at No. 950 Kandy Road, Himbutuwelgoda, Dalugama, Kelaniya was inaugurated by Mr. Sujeewa Rajapakse, Chairman of the People’s Bank and People’s Leasing & Finance PLC. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Mr. Sabry Ibrahim, CEO/GM, PLC, Mr. D. P. Kumarage, Former CEO/GM of PLC, Mr. Lionel Fernando, Senior DGM and Mr. Rohan Tennakoon, Mr. Damith Malavithanthila, Mr. Laksanda Gunawardene, Mr. Prabhath Gunasena, Mr. Udesh Gunawardene, DGMs,  and with Mr. Saman Liyanage, Mr. Chamil Herath, Mr. Vajira Ramanayake, Chief Managers along with Mr. Samantha Seneviratne, Branch Senior Manager, Kelaniya PLC. A host of PLC customers too attended the event. Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Sujeewa Rajapakse, Chairman of the People’s Bank and People’s Leasing said, in line with the ‘Saubhagye Dekma’ program of the new government ministries has been commissioned to encompass diverse spheres. These new initiatives would shed light on the revival of many traditional and other sectors of industries. He said, “When new industries and business opportunities emerge, finance companies should fall in line to facilitate those. Hence PLC intend to support the government’s ‘Saubhagye Dekma’ in the coming years by way of financial assistance to diverse businesses that crop up with the program. We have fore casted that there would be a boom of new businesses in the vicinity of Kelaniya. Thus now the people in Kelaniya and suburbs have the opportunity to derive services of PLC that has introduced many innovative financial products.” The Chairman also said, “PLC is famous as a one-stop-shop that fulfills all financial and leasing needs of people. I invite people in Kelaniya to obtain financial services without any hassle from PLC to prosper in businesses and in personal lives.” People’s Leasing started its business operations in 1996 as a wholly owned subsidiary of one of the largest State banks in Sri Lanka, People’s Bank. People’s Leasing is currently the highest rated non-bank financial institution in the country, with a “A+(Ika)” rating from Fitch Ratings Lanka Ltd and the number one ranked non-banking financial services brand by Brand Finance PLC. The Company was also recognized as one of the ten best corporate citizens in the country by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. People’s Leasing Ranked No. 03 in Transparency in Corporate Reporting (TRAC)  by the Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL). PLC’s financial service product portfolio includes leasing, auto loans, fixed deposits, savings accounts, housing and business loans, gold loans, margin trading, factoring, and Islamic financial services. People’s Leasing Conglomerate consists of six subsidiaries – People’s Insurance PLC, People’s Micro-Commerce Ltd, People’s Leasing Property Development Ltd, People’s Leasing Fleet Management Ltd, People’s Leasing Havelock Properties Ltd, and its latest foreign venture, Lankan Alliance Finance Ltd, in Bangladesh. The unique features of People’s Leasing are its strength and stability to provide diverse financial solutions under one roof, creating a seamless, convenient and friendly customer service experience. Photo Caption: Mr. Sujeewa Rajapakse, Chairman of the People’s Bank and People’s Leasing doing the first transaction of the new branch Image: Sabry Ibrahim, CEO/GM, PLC accepted the first fixed deposit of the new branch Image: The PLC Kelaniya branch staff with the senior management

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With a growing reputation as one of the largest detergent manufacturers in Sri Lanka catering to both domestic households as well as the industrial sector, Multichemi International Limited was recently awarded the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System (QMS) certification, reflecting well in its continuous and unparalleled commitment towards producing a wide range of detergents and cleaners that are of international standards. Launched in 1993, ‘dash’ the flagship brand of Multichemi takes great pride in being Sri Lanka’s first biodegradable, non-toxic, phosphate-free and environmental friendly range of detergents. Its three dominant product groups namely Household Care, Laundry Care and Car Care have experienced a significant growth over the years. ‘dash’ emerged as the market leader in the car care category within just four years since its inception and remains in the same position today with its presence only growing stronger. Multichemi has also established other reputable brands in Household care and Laundry care categories such as ‘Gliz’ Dish Wash, ‘Safematic’ Laundry liquid, ‘Magic Soft’ Fabric Conditioner, ‘SpringTime’ Air Freshener, ‘Safeol’ Disinfectant and ‘Comox’ Toilet Bowl Cleaner under the ‘dash’ umbrella of products. Since its inception the company has heavily invested in process and system improvements, energy efficiency, waste management measures, training, research and development amongst other initiatives. ‘We are delighted to be recognized with this international quality certification. It truly reflects our ongoing efforts and dedication in offering safe, high quality, and sustainable products to our loyal customers. In a market segment where multinational companies are currently dominant, we are ambitious in aggressively strengthening our product portfolio in order to become the most sought after Sri Lankan Detergent Brand by 2025,’ said Mr. Asanga Rathnayake, Assistant General Manager. Founded in 1993, Multichemi Group of Companies has over 800 employees with state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities both in Sri Lanka and abroad with business verticals in Cosmetics, Food and Beverage, Textile Enzymes, Bio-fertilizers and Detergents. Its ‘dash’ brand has evolved to be a household name, with new products being formulated and launched annually, catering to the ever-changing lifestyles of today’s consumer. The company is focused on innovation with its cutting-edge research and development activities, and has a strong island-wide distributor network.

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INIVOS Consulting, the fully-fledged Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions provider has launched its assortment of solutions to Sri Lanka’s enterprise sector in a bid to provide end-to-end solutions, earmarked to make progress in the business sphere. INIVOS, an authorized partner of global ERP solutions provider IFS, has to-date served a multitude of local and international clients providing consulting and support, ERP suites, software development, and business insights. INIVOS offers comprehensive business solutions to sectors such as automotive, manufacturing, supply chain, retail, asset management as well as Customer Relationship Management (CRM). A service provider to IFS, INIVOS caters to business requirements of the enterprise sector via IFS product selling while it provides services to Acumatica and equips the SME sector with Acumatica’s solutions. Both IFS and Acumatica are duly recognized by Gartner, the world’s leading technological research and advisory company that further adds to INIVOS Consulting’s stature. These partnerships have propelled INIVOS as a holistic solutions provider that distinguishes the company from its competitors in the industry. Its products range from planning to initializing, developing and support services and on top of that, INIVOS offers a handholding period for every project making sure that customers utilize its services for maximum effectiveness. This distinctive effort ensures that every project is streamlined and set goals are realized on time. “Our main focus is to provide end-to-end ERP solutions that ultimately shrink the gaps in the industry. We are well geared to provide widely sought-after business solutions that enable companies to reach their business goals. Our team is committed to cater to customer needs with dedicated support services 24/7  and we share actionable insights helping our customers to be on par in this competitive business sphere. We always focus on building long-lasting relationships with customers and they will be treated to a host of solutions which are highly customizable. Our cutting-edge business solutions will enable business owners to focus on their business goals without worrying about back-end support” said Subashana Suwandarathna, Director and Co-Founder of INIVOS. The ERP solutions offered through INIVOS are expected to lower operational costs, enhance efficiency with integrated systems, provide real-time business information and risk maintenance while building up business values. Its partnership with Novacura Flow enables INIVOS to support the customers who seek such services. The experience gained after working with numerous clients has propelled INIVOS into a trademark company that is capable of identifying client requirements and arranging feasible solutions. INIVOS Consulting‘s strength lies in its highly experienced team of consultants. Commenting on the INIVOS team, Ayomi Gunawardena, Director at INIVOS says: “Our team is the backbone of our company. INIVOS comprises of customer centric technical and support consultants who are well versed in providing comprehensive business solutions that suit their increasing business needs. Our ever expanding team specializes in project management, sales, product implementation and support services.” Based in Colombo, Sri Lanka, INIVOS Consulting, (www.inivossl.com) has risen through the ranks to be a leading ERP solutions provider that has a strong client base in Asia as well as in Europe. It continues to provide user-friendly business solutions to both local and international clients, partnering with world’s leading ERP platforms. Photo Caption: Director at INIVOS Ayomi Gunawardena and  Director and Co-Founder of INIVOS Subashana Suwandarathna

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Singer, Sri Lanka’s premier consumer durables retailer, has partnered with Signature Group, Malaysia’s largest Kitchen Cabinet and Wardrobe manufacturer. With this new partnership, Singer aims to begin manufacturing Signature Kitchen systems and products in Sri Lanka. This collaboration is expected to reinforce Signature brand’s presence in Sri Lanka which treats the local consumers to a blend of Europeanness, elegance, style and products that are manufactured with high quality materials. To showcase the new partnership, Singer will also be displaying Signature’s innovative product portfolio in Sri Lanka for the first time at Singer Homes, Rathmalana and will expand to 30 more outlets in phase 1. Singer will manufacture Signature Kitchen systems at the state of the art Singer Factory complex and will unleash innovative ideas to expand cuisine capacities of Sri Lankan homes backed by Signature Kitchen. Malaysia’s Signature Group has been awarded the FORBES ASIA Best Under a Billion commendation, 2016 MSWG-ASEAN Corporate Governance Excellence Award and even collected many other awards in previous years. Commenting on the recent partnership, Mahesh Wijewardene, CEO of Singer Sri Lanka PLC says: “We are extremely delighted of this partnership with Signature which allows us to bring world-class kitchen solutions to the door-steps of Sri Lankans. As a widely known household brand in Sri Lanka, Singer is well equipped to enter into Kitchen manufacturing with acclaimed Signature brand.” Malaysia’s Signature Kitchen is renowned for staying abreast with innovative and contemporary European designs in kitchens and wardrobes with over 25 years of expertise and a strong presence in 15 countries. Signature Kitchen is a leader in supplying kitchen systems and solutions to the Asian market and continues its great run in retail segments as well. Quality, functionality, design and style are well preserved at Signature Kitchen which focuses on provision of customer-driven, fully customizable solutions with innovation as its core driver. “Singer’s island-wide presence in Sri Lanka and strength in manufacturing has made it a strong candidate to this partnership. We are honored to work with a brand of the caliber of Singer and are looking forward to this partnership which opens the opportunity for Sri Lankans to an international experience in kitchen systems. Signature team is working hand in hand with Singer (Sri Lanka) to share industry’s best practices, coupled with innovation and creativity” said Tan Kee Choong, Group Managing Director of Signature International, Berhad. Singer (Sri Lanka) PLC is at the forefront of Sri Lanka’s retail segment with a portfolio of over 600 electronic items, 1200 home appliances and boasts more than 50 internationally renowned brands. With over 430 retail outlets, Singer has propelled into become a dominant player offering best in class in after sales services. Singer supports customers with credit card offers, hire-purchase and convenient payment schemes along with comprehensive warranties. Singer (Sri Lanka) has won numerous awards for the wide range of top-quality local and international brands and on top of such efforts, it has been awarded the number one People’s Brand for 14 consecutive years at the SLIM-Nielson People’s Awards.

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