Category: Daily Financial Times

DHL Express is marking its 45 years of operations in Sri Lanka, connecting local businesses and communities to global opportunities through its logistics network.

DHL Express Asia Pacific CEO Ken Lee said: ‘For 45 years, DHL Sri Lanka has been connecting businesses and communities with the world, driving trade, growth, and opportunity. The anniversary is a celebration of the dedication of our people, customers’ trust, and the strength of DHL’s global network. Our purpose of ‘Connecting people, improving lives’ will continue to ensure we enable our employees and customers to thrive. Into the next decade, DHL is committed to investing in Sri Lanka’s future and delivering excellence.’

DHL Express Sri Lanka Country Manager Dimithri Perera said: ‘For more than four decades, we have remained committed to supporting Sri Lanka’s progress. The journey demonstrates resilience, innovation, and a deep commitment to our customers, employees, and local communities, to create lasting social impact. As we look to the future, we are focused on driving sustainable growth, empowering small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and connecting Sri Lanka to the world.’

DHL Express was established in Sri Lanka in 1980 as the country’s first international logistics provider. It became part of a joint venture partnership with the John Keells Holdings in 1992. The company has remained committed to supporting Sri Lanka’s economic growth, facilitating international trade, and empowering businesses – small and large – across various sectors, including apparel and e-commerce.

In 2007, DHL launched its office complex, followed by a gateway facility at Bandaranaike International Airport in 2008, streamlining international shipments and boosting operational efficiency. Customers benefited from Sri Lanka’s pioneering dedicated bonded warehouse, offering 24-hour customs clearance and support, enabling next-day delivery to selected international markets.

The past decade has witnessed significant achievements that have strengthened DHL’s market leadership. Over the years, the launch of the Digital Live Advisor in 2021 enhanced customer experience through advanced digital touchpoints. In 2022, DHL Express Sri Lanka introduced a dedicated customs clearance landing page, streamlining import-export processes for customers.

Over the years, DHL has partnered with several industry associations and institutions to provide logistics support and expertise for businesses in various sectors. The company’s focus on e-commerce solutions has positioned it as a key enabler for Sri Lanka’s digital economy.

Equally, DHL Express Sri Lanka’s journey is firmly anchored in DHL Group’s global Strategy 2030: Accelerate Sustainable Growth, which is built on four pillars: Employer of Choice, Provider of Choice, Investment of Choice, and Green Logistics of Choice. The framework ensures the company delivers operational excellence while advancing sustainability, customer-centricity, and innovation. The launch of the Digital Live Advisor has enhanced customer experience by providing advanced digital touchpoints. Through the launch of MyGTS and the customs clearance landing page, SMEs can navigate key aspects of cross-border shipping – including customs documentation, import regulations, and how to calculate tariffs upfront.

Demonstrating sustainability and global environmental leadership, DHL Express Sri Lanka launched GoGreen Plus in 2024, offering sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as a key solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the air transport industry. The initiative aligns with DHL Group’s broader commitment to climate protection – Mission 2050: reducing emissions to net-zero by 2050, positioning the company as one of the leading logistics companies shaping the future of the industry.

DHL Express has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Industry Development Board and formed a strategic partnership with the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce under the GoTrade program, an initiative that aims to help SMEs and micro businesses to conduct international trade. To date, over 350 SMEs in Sri Lanka have participated in GoTrade workshops, where they receive training and knowledge on various topics such as customs, financing, and e-commerce.

DHL Express Sri Lanka’s commitment surpasses business excellence and moves toward meaningful social responsibility through community investment, resulting in social impact. Since 2018, the company has partnered with SOS Children’s Villages under the GoTeach pillar, focusing on employability and skills development for young people. Under the GoHelp program, DHL has constantly shown support to Sri Lanka during difficult times, providing rapid assistance in delivering relief supplies and humanitarian aid through its Disaster Response Team. In 2014, DHL also organised a Get Airport Ready for Disasters (GARD) workshop in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), using DHL’s core competency and expertise in aviation and logistics to help airports prepare for worst-case scenarios. In 2016, DHL launched the Women’s Network in collaboration with DHL Global Forwarding to promote gender diversity and empowerment within the organisation.

DHL Express Sri Lanka’s people-first culture and operational excellence have earned consistent recognition throughout the last decade. The company has been certified as a Great Place to Work for 11 consecutive years, most recently in 2025, demonstrating its sustained commitment to employee well-being and organisational culture.

Embarking on the next decade, DHL Express Sri Lanka is committed to innovation, sustainability, and supporting Sri Lanka’s integration into the global economy. Investments in technology, sustainable solutions, and people development, DHL will continue to set the standard for international logistics excellence.

Susan Juriansz, Dr. Shreen Willatgamuwa, Inga Rodrigo, Ingrid Guruge, Meena Lee, Ajith Weerasekera, President Shanaaz Preena, Niloufer Dias Jayasinghe, Desiree Premachandra, Rukmani Manohar, and Lakshan Rahaman. Absent Marie Ann Samaraweera and Nilanthi Mendis

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the UL Club Sri Lanka was successfully held on 6 December 2025 at the Radisson Hotel, Colombo, with the participation of its esteemed members.

The AGM served as a key platform to review the Club’s progress, outline future initiatives, and reinforce the spirit of unity and fellowship among its members.

The UL Club, which comprises former employees of Air Lanka and SriLankan Airlines, is founded on the objective of uniting eligible members while fostering harmony, camaraderie, and lifelong bonds of friendship. In addition to strengthening these relationships, the Club is actively engaged in meaningful social responsibility projects that support the wider community.

A special acknowledgement was extended to the outgoing President, Captain Gihan Fernando, for his dedicated leadership and the significant contributions he made to the Club during his tenure. His guidance and commitment were deeply appreciated by the membership.

During the AGM, the Office Bearers for the year 2025/2026 were elected and appointed. Shanaaz Preena was elected as President, while Ajith Weerasekera and Dr. Shreen Wilatgamuwa were appointed as Vice Presidents. Susan Jurianz and Rukmani Manohar were reappointed as Secretary and Treasurer respectively.

Speaking after her appointment, President Shanaaz Preena said: ‘It is an honour to be entrusted with the leadership of the UL Club Sri Lanka. I look forward to working closely with our dedicated committee and members to further strengthen our unity and to expand our social responsibility efforts for the betterment of our community.’

Secretary Susan Jurianz said: ‘The continued trust placed in the committee reflects the strong bond and confidence among our members. We are committed to ensuring that the Club continues to thrive while upholding its values of fellowship, service, and inclusivity.’

The AGM concluded on an uplifting and forward-looking note, with members reaffirming their commitment to the Club’s mission of unity, service, and shared purpose.

Hatch, the nation’s award-winning startup hub and a driving force behind Sri Lanka’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, is advancing its boldest initiative yet, the creation of the country’s first Innovation District in Colombo 01.

The vision was first introduced publicly during the Startup Nation 2025 launch event in March 2025, and reaffirmed at the program’s culmination on October 1, 2025, marking a defining moment for the nation’s innovation trajectory.

Since its founding in 2018, Hatch has operated on the belief that collaboration fuels innovation, and entrepreneurs are catalysts for economic growth. Over the past seven years, it has grown into the ‘center of gravity for all things startup,’ offering opportunity, global connectivity, and a secure environment where founders can innovate and thrive. Today, a majority of Sri Lanka’s active entrepreneurs have been positively impacted through Hatch’s programs and services whether it’s an innovation event to its focused accelerator programs.

The forthcoming Hatch Innovation District is the next leap in this journey, an ambitious development set to empower over 3,000 entrepreneurs, SMEs, creators, and innovation-led businesses by 2027. Located in the heart of Colombo 01, the district will integrate co-working spaces, maker studios, corporate innovation labs, lounges, meeting rooms and dedicated facilities for public-private sector partners. This purpose-built environment will give founders and growing businesses access to the infrastructure, tools, and support needed to accelerate their ventures.

Guided by the core pillars of collaboration and innovation, the district’s ecosystem model connects startups with corporates, investors, policymakers, NGOs, and global development agencies. Complementing this network is a dedicated Founder and Investors Club designed to cultivate meaningful founder-capital relationships, and creative arts and culinary spaces that bring cultural expression into the heart of entrepreneurship, fostering a vibrant, multidimensional environment for innovation.

Hatch’s proven impact lays a strong foundation for this next phase: over 23 programs, over 400 startups supported, over 95% occupancy, and advancements in GreenTech, AgriTech, Clean Energy, FinTech, and AI-driven solutions. With regional expansions underway in South Asia, the UAE, and Singapore, Hatch is amplifying Sri Lanka’s footprint on the global innovation map.

Hatch Co-Founder and Director Jeevan Gnanam said: ‘The Innovation District is more than infrastructure, it’s a national commitment to empower founders, attract investment, and build an innovation economy shaped by entrepreneurship.’

As Sri Lanka accelerates toward a knowledge-driven future, the Hatch Innovation District stands as the next chapter of a journey ignited through Startup Nation 2025, and a beacon of opportunity for the region.

Sri Lanka’s tourism sector continued to struggle to translate rising visitor arrivals into stronger economic returns, with earnings in November 2025 falling sharply despite a record influx of tourists.

Latest data released by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) shows that tourism earnings in November declined 8.5% year-on-year (YoY) to $ 251.6 million, highlighting a growing disconnect between arrival volumes and actual visitor spending.

The November performance also remains well below pre-crisis benchmarks. In November 2018, Sri Lanka earned $ 367.1 million from tourism, which is $ 115.5 million more than the latest figure, underscoring the depth of the revenue gap even as arrivals recover.

Cumulatively, the sector generated over $ 2.9 billion in the first 11 months of 2025, marking a modest 3.7% YoY increase. However, this total is still 34.2% lower than the $ 3.9 billion recorded during the same period in 2018, the year Sri Lanka achieved its highest-ever annual tourism revenue of $ 4.38 billion.

On a monthly basis, tourism earnings have averaged around $ 264.6 million so far this year.

The weak revenue performance contrasts sharply with arrivals data. Sri Lanka welcomed a record 212,906 tourists in November 2025, the highest-ever for the month, representing a 16% YoY increase and surpassing the previous November record of 195,582 set in 2018. Despite this surge, revenue growth has remained subdued, reinforcing concerns about declining per-visitor spend.

Monthly earnings data for 2025 further illustrate ongoing volatility. Revenue fell by 3% in July to $ 318.5 million compared to $ 328.3 million a year earlier, followed by a steeper 8.2% decline in August to $ 258.9 million. September saw only a marginal recovery, with earnings rising by just 1% to $ 182.9 million. The strongest performance of the year was recorded in January, when tourism earnings reached $ 400.66 million, driven by early-season demand and marking the highest monthly inflow since 2020.

Revisions to visitor spending estimates have also weighed on revenue expectations. The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), which had relied on spending assumptions from a 2018 survey, revised its per-day tourist spending estimate downward from $ 171 to $ 148 following a comprehensive reassessment completed in August 2025.

The updated analysis was based on a 12-month national airport exit survey conducted from July 2024 to June 2025 by the SLTDA, with support from Australia’s Market Development Facility (MDF), providing fresh insights into traveller demographics, motivations, and actual spending patterns.

Against this backdrop, Sri Lanka Tourism has scaled back its revenue ambitions. Acknowledging the growing difficulty of achieving its earlier year-end target of $ 5 billion, the authorities revised the 2025 revenue goal to $ 3 billion last month, a figure now considered attainable.

Under the 2026 Budget, the Government has also adjusted its longer-term outlook, reducing the tourism revenue target for 2030 to $ 8 billion from the previously projected $ 10 billion, signalling a shift towards more realistic expectations amid a slower-than-anticipated recovery in tourist spending.

People’s Bank recently conducted the weekly draws of its ‘People’s Remittance Vaasi Kotiyai 2025 – Send and Win Bangkok Tours’ campaign, selecting 18 winners for the period from 30 July to 2 December 2025. The event was held at the Overseas Customer Services premises in Colombo 10.

Each winner will be awarded an exclusive Bangkok tour package under this special initiative designed to appreciate the contributions of Sri Lankan migrant workers.

The draw was attended by several senior officials of People’s Bank, Deputy General Manager (Retail Banking and Overseas Customer Services) Aruni Liyanagunawardana, Chief Digital Officer Mangala Kariyawasam, Assistant General Manager (Human Recourses) Amalka Ranasinghe, Assistant General Manager (OCS) Buddhika Ranatungage, Cheif Manager (Audit) K.P. Vithana, Chief Manager (OCS) N. Arudeselvan, and Senior Manager (OCS) Thilini Perera. Also present was Senior Tax Officer of the Department of Revenue (Western Province) N.A.S.M. Napagoda.

The ‘People’s Remittance Vaasi Kotiyai 2025 – Send and Win Bangkok Tours’ campaign aims to honour Sri Lankan expatriates who play a vital role in strengthening the national economy through their remittances while uplifting their families’ quality of life.

Cyclone Ditwah wreaked havoc in 21 out of the 25 districts in Sri Lanka during the last few days in November 2025. People were mostly unprepared for the magnitude of the cyclone due to reasons that are yet to be confirmed, but public servants and the public quickly rallied in the aftermath to provide relief to those affected.

The public servants in the frontline are personnel in the Divisional Secretariat Divisions (DSDs) providing relief, beginning with shelters and cooked food for the displaced, with the Grama Niladharis working closer to the action. District Secretariats (DSs) who are at the next higher level are coordinating the work. The tri-forces and government agencies with a ground level presence are working with the District Secretaries. NGOs and citizen groups have been engaging in relief efforts with or without coordinating with the DSDs or DSs. Essentially, those who are closest to disaster are those able to act.

The Provincial Councils are not active because their elections have not been held since 2018-2019, but the Provincial Departments led by the provincial Chief Secretary are involved in operations. By all accounts, the newly elected local councils with 8000+ members, staff and equipment who needed to take care of the convenience, comfort and welfare of the people as per their mandate have not been taking the lead as they should have. There were pictures of DSD secretaries hauling bags of rice or stories of them peeling onions when the respective LGA (Local Government Authority) for the jurisdictions had the workforce and the equipment necessary. A reason could be the lack of formal connections between LGAS and other bodies (Figure 1, bottom left) and/or the inexperience of newly elected members. The complexity of our governance structure with its departments at national, provincial and local levels, often with overlapping responsibilities and political authorities in parallel, is a subject for another time. This column is about the respective roles of planners v. the doers; the national Government v. sub-national levels; and the centre v. peripheries.

The role of the Central Government was over by the time the cyclone began unleashing its fury. If the centre has not done the policy part and the warning part, it is too late for them to do anything at the time of the disaster, except to issue executive directives as per requirements from the field. What we see during disasters in Sri Lanka is on-the-spot decentralisation driven by circumstances.

Subsidiarity is the principle in governance that decision making should be delegated to the lowest level possible, with higher authorities only stepping in to do what the lower levels cannot do. Subsidiarity essentially is the rationale for decentralisation.

How subsidiarity comes into play during the disaster was illustrated by Sunil Kannangara, a retired civil servant with an exemplary service as a District Secretary (or Government Agent as the position is popularly known) and other positions, at a webinar on the topic organized by the National Movement for Social Justice.

All that is required at the time of an emergency is for the President to instruct the tri-forces to give all assistance to the District Secretaries, and that is sufficient for them to proceed, he said. The same is for other Government departments with a presence at district or divisional level. Once the clearance from the centre is given, a District Secretary knows how best to communicate and coordinate with other Government departments.

Kannangara also pointed out the role of parliamentarians or other politicians at a time of crisis. He said a good politician would ask the District Secretary what the politician can do to clear obstacles, if any, and do the needful.

These observations on the importance of decentralisation with coordination and communication are corroborated in a report on Tsunami 2024 published after one year of relief and recovery operations.

A joint report on ‘Post Tsunami Recovery and Reconstruction,’ published by the Government of Sri Lanka and development partners in December 2005, one year after the Tsunami, identifies the full set of post-tsunami activities as emergency response and relief: funding the recovery and reconstruction, getting people back to their homes, restoring livelihoods, addressing health, education and protection needs and upgrading national infrastructure.

The report further lists eight guiding principles, all of which are still valid. I have listed them under the themes Decentralization, Coordination, Communication and Fiscal and Monetary Management.

A ‘Post-Disaster Recovery Plan: Sri Lanka, Floods, And Landslides’ published by UNDP in 2017 recommended the National Planning Department as the focal point nationally, and District Secretaries as the focal point sub-nationally. In the absence of political authority at the provincial level at this point, District Secretaries are positioned well to coordinate all provincial, district and local actors and institutions.

This ‘Decentralization, Communication and Coordination’ trio of principles is well illustrated in the way the present crisis is handled in different provinces or districts. In the Uva province, the charismatic Chief Secretary for the province Anusha Gokula Fernando, seems to be leading. In some other provinces each District Secretary would be leading with the Provincial Secretary facilitating. The President is doing his job of boosting morale by going around the country, except when he gets into unnecessary micro-management in some instances. Ministers or other parliamentarians have allowed the administrators to take the lead, perhaps due to their lack of experience, but I hope that will continue to be the practice, because as Kannangara indicated, politicians best serve by asking what he/she can do, not how I can lead. In some instances, according to the circumstances, politicians may find themselves leading.

Our governance system is a messy one with three levels of political authority and parallel levels of bureaucracy. The present crisis shows that if the goals are clear and the responsibility is given with assurance of fullest support from the top, the lower levels of Government will organise themselves to deliver.

In the present case, the goal is relief, recovery and rebuilding. Relief and recovery seem to be going well. I am sure the rebuild process too will progress satisfactorily if the Central Government continues with the principle of subsidiarity.

In a move aimed at boosting the country’s health system and ensuring continuity in critical patient care, the Cabinet of Ministers last week approved two key procurements involving spinal surgery equipment and essential medication for anaemia and thalassemia patients.

The first decision relates to the purchase of 48 polyaxial MR-compatible lumbar pedicle screws, specialised titanium and cobalt-chrome implants used to stabilise the spine, correct deformities, and treat fractures and tumours during spinal surgeries.

Following an international competitive bidding process that attracted three submissions, the Cabinet approved awarding the contract to Avenierr Pharma Ltd., of Sri Lanka, representing manufacturer Miraclus Orthotech Ltd., of India.

‘The company was identified as the only substantially responsive bidder, with the procurement valued at Rs. 136.32 million as recommended by the high-level Standing Procurement Committee,’ Cabinet Spokesman and Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said at the weekly post-Cabinet meeting media briefing on Thursday.

In a separate approval, the Cabinet cleared the procurement of 540,000 vials of Desferrioxamine Mesylate for Injection BP, a lifesaving drug used to remove excess iron in patients with anaemia and thalassemia who require regular blood transfusions.

Two international bids were received, and based on the recommendation of the higher-level Standing Procurement Committee, the contract was awarded to ABC Pharma Services Ltd., of Sri Lanka, sourcing from Gland Pharma Limited of India. At Rs. 791.1 million, the company was also the only bidder deemed substantially responsive,’ he said.

Dr. Jayatissa said both procurements are essential to maintaining uninterrupted treatment for vulnerable patient groups and improving outcomes in specialised surgical procedures.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has said that the recent Ditwah disaster ‘dealt a severe blow to an economy that was being rebuilt steadily and systematically,’ according to the President’s Media Division (PMD). He said that the Government’s ability to provide substantial compensation to disaster-affected communities is the result of the strong fiscal discipline of the Government.

Addressing the passing-out parade of the Sri Lanka Navy on Saturday, Dissanayake said: ‘In the face of such a challenge, it is the duty of every citizen not to withdraw or remain in hopelessness, but to come together with unwavering determination to restore the nation.’

He stressed that the nation can move forward only when everyone faithfully discharges the duties entrusted to them and that no profession or responsibility should be regarded as secondary, as each contributes to nation-building.

During the weekend, Dissanayake attended meetings in Mannar, Puttalam, and Trincomalee to assess the relief and recovery work post-Ditwah.

According to the PMD, at a District Coordination Committee meeting at Puttalam, the President directed that all compensation payments for crop damage be completed before 25 December.

Taking into account the challenges that have arisen in the distribution of allowances and aid so far, the President instructed Divisional Secretaries to ensure that compensation is provided strictly to eligible recipients and to fully intervene to prevent any deviation from this policy under any circumstances.

As the Government engages in post-Ditwah recovery efforts, for which it is seeking an additional Rs. 550 billion spending bill along with additional International Monetary Fund (IMF) financing, data for the first 10 months of 2025 showed Sri Lanka’s fiscal performance continued to strengthen, with the Budget deficit contracting by nearly 60% from a year ago and the primary surplus exceeding Rs. 1.6 trillion.

According to new Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) data, the Government’s Budget deficit for the first 10 months of 2025 reached Rs. 455.77 billion, down 57% from Rs. 1.06 trillion a year ago, with tax revenue growth outpacing expenditure.

Tax revenue was up 34% year-on-year (YoY) to Rs. 4.03 trillion in the first 10 months of 2025, non-tax revenue was up 19% YoY to Rs. 303 billion, and grants increased 24% YoY to Rs. 14 billion.

Recurrent expenditure was up 11% YoY to Rs. 4.22 trillion, while capital and net lending increased 9% YoY to Rs. 582 billion, while the total allocation for capital expenditure for 2025 was budgeted at Rs. 1.3 trillion.

The Government reported a primary surplus of Rs. 1.63 trillion, up 96% from Rs. 830.7 billion.

Opposition lawmakers have been calling on the Government to deploy the revenue surplus on post-Ditwah relief and recovery measures.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told Parliament last week that the Treasury had Rs. 30 billion at its immediate disposal for post-Ditwah relief from allocations made in the 2025 Budget.

He also called on Parliament to convene this week to approve an additional Rs. 50 billon via a supplementary estimate. The President has proposed a separate suppliant estimate for Rs. 500 billion to be deployed in 2026, which would be presented to Parliament next year.

Earlier this month, in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah, Opposition MP Dr. Harsha de Silva said about Rs. 1 trillion was already available for immediate deployment without new legislation.

Disaster spending would not fall under the 13% of GDP cap on other expenditure, and exemptions under the Central Bank Act allowed monetary support in the event of a natural disaster. Additional allocations would be needed in next year’s Budget as rebuilding advances.

Dr. de Silva said fiscal rules and improved public finance management had strengthened discipline, but warned against using buffers to accumulate surpluses ‘larger than necessary’ at the expense of investment.

Sri Lanka, he said, could not rely on incremental inflows. Sustainable growth depended on opening the economy, accelerating reforms, and attracting substantial foreign and domestic private capital.

The IMF is currently reviewing a Government request for about $ 200 million via a Rapid Financing Instrument to deal with Ditwah, while the Fifth Review under the ongoing Extended Fund Facility which was due to take place on 15 December has been postponed to early 2026 along with the expected $ 347 million tranche.

CBSL Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe told the recent Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit earlier this month that he was not concerned about the Government’s fiscal performance post-Ditwah, but warned that long-term structural reforms must not be forgotten in order to generate sustainable growth.

Diversified conglomerate Sunshine Holdings PLC announced that 21 members from their sales teams have been recently recognised at the SLIM National Sales Awards (NSA) 2025, winning seven Gold, five Silver, seven Bronze and two Merit awards.

Sales forces have become invaluable, especially in the competitive business environment. They act as the bridge between products and the customers and play a key role by being the ambassadors of brands, the custodians of customer relationships, and the growth drivers of businesses. Especially during the last two years, the exceptional efforts of sales teams have enabled Sri Lankan companies to navigate tough macroeconomic conditions.

In such a context, the awards won by members from Sunshine Consumer Lanka and Sunshine Healthcare Lanka (Pharma, Medical Devices, Lina Manufacturing, Healthguard Retail and Healthguard Distribution) sales teams are a testament to their dedication and resilience. Furthermore, each member’s passion, courage and perseverance have ensured exemplary performance to drive sales in tough competition and volatile market conditions.

Sunshine Holdings Group CEO Shyam Sathasivam said: ‘We are proud of our sales champions at Sunshine Holdings, whose achievements at the SLIM National Sales Awards 2025 reflect their dedication and resilience. These awards recognise individual excellence and highlight the collective strength that propels our businesses forward. Further, this recognition reaffirms our commitment to fostering a culture of inclusivity and excellence. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to each member of our sales teams for their outstanding performance and contribution to Sunshine Holdings’ success.’

Candidates were evaluated by an esteemed panel on their ability to drive business in challenging market conditions, achieve targets through effective strategies, demonstrate innovation, and show potential for future growth. Front-liners and executives were assessed on performance and career progression. Territory Managers were judged on sales growth, market expansion, and key KPIs within their regions. Regional Sales Managers were evaluated on their ability to integrate brand and category-building into route-to-market plans, lead teams effectively, and deliver overall business results.

Held for 23 consecutive years, the SLIM National Sales Awards reward high-performing sales individuals in companies for their outstanding efforts and achievements in the sales fraternity and recognise them nationally. Its vision is to recognise sales professionals on par with world standards while positioning the awards scheme as the best in South Asia.