Category: Daily Financial Times

The winners of the grand prize of the 19th edition of Ceylinco Life’s flagship ‘Family Savari’ mega promotion have returned from an immersive and memorable tour of Beijing, experiencing some of China’s most iconic landmarks and cultural highlights.

The all-expenses-paid tour brought together five winning families, a total of 20 participants, for a curated journey through China’s historic capital, accompanied by Ceylinco Life brand ambassador Roshan Ranawana and his family, adding a special dimension of warmth and camaraderie to the experience.

The itinerary combined history, culture and entertainment, offering participants the opportunity to explore globally renowned sites including the Great Wall of China, accessed via the Mutiyanu entrance with a scenic cable car ride, and the 2008 Olympic Stadium. The group also visited Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace, gaining insight into China’s rich imperial heritage.

Adding further variety to the tour were visits to a jade factory, a panda zoo and a professionally staged acrobatic performance, alongside opportunities to enjoy authentic Chinese cuisine and leisure time for shopping.

The Beijing tour represented the pinnacle reward of Family Savari 19, under which five policyholder families were selected at the grand draw to receive this exclusive overseas holiday. The winners were drawn from branches located in Wennappuwa, Kelaniya, Godakawela, Kamburupitiya and Homagama.

Family Savari, launched in 2007, has grown into the largest and most enduring loyalty-cum-rewards programme in Sri Lanka’s life insurance sector, benefitting more than 37,000 people from over 11,000 policyholder families. The promotion is synonymous with shared family experiences and meaningful rewards, reinforcing long-standing relationships between Ceylinco Life and its policyholders.

Over the years, Family Savari winners have travelled to destinations across the globe, with each edition designed to create lasting memories through carefully curated experiences. The successful completion of the China tour marks yet another milestone in the continuing evolution of this iconic programme.

Ceylinco Life has been the market leader in Sri Lanka’s life insurance industry for 22 consecutive years. Recognised as the Best Life Insurer in Sri Lanka by World Finance for the 12th consecutive year and voted the ‘Peoples Life Insurance Service Provider of the Year’ for an unprecedented 20th consecutive year in 2025, Ceylinco Life offers innovative insurance solutions that protect and de-risk the ambitions of policyholders. In 2025, Ceylinco Life was also ranked the most valuable insurance brand in Sri Lanka and the 22nd most valuable brand overall by Brand Finance.

The Colombo Magistrate’s Court yesterday granted bail to Yoshitha Rajapaksa, hours after he was arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) in connection with an ongoing investigation into his recruitment to the Sri Lanka Navy.

Colombo Additional Magistrate Lahiru Silva ordered Rajapaksa’s release on three personal bails of Rs. 5 million each.

The court also imposed a travel ban, preventing him from leaving the country pending further proceedings.

Yoshitha Rajapaksa, the second son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, was arrested yesterday by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) after appearing before the Commission to provide a statement in connection with an ongoing investigation.

Rajapaksa appeared before CIABOC regarding an investigation into his recruitment to the Sri Lanka Navy and his subsequent training at the British Royal Naval College.

Following questioning by investigators, Commission officials had placed him under arrest. Rajapaksa had initially been summoned to appear before the Commission on Monday. However, he informed the authorities in writing that he was unable to attend due to a hearing before the Court of Appeal.

His appearance was subsequently rescheduled for yesterday, when he reported to the Commission and provided a statement.

Sri Lanka has secured the resumption of ammonium nitrate imports from India after the neighbouring country approved a monthly export quota of 220 metric tonnes (MT) in response to a request from the Sri Lankan Government.

India had imposed a ban on the export of ammonium nitrate on 18 March 2026, citing ongoing global supply chain challenges.

Following representations by the Sri Lankan Government highlighting the urgent requirements of local industry, the Government of India has now granted permission for the export of 220 MT of ammonium nitrate per month to Sri Lanka with immediate effect.

The move is expected to provide relief to industries dependent on ammonium nitrate, which is widely used in sectors such as mining, quarrying, and construction.

The approval comes amid efforts by Sri Lanka to secure uninterrupted access to essential industrial inputs and maintain production activities in key sectors of the economy.

India remains one of Sri Lanka’s principal trading partners and has played a significant role in supporting the country’s economic recovery through trade, investment, and development cooperation initiatives.

The spotlight of the Dialog Schools Rugby League 2026 will firmly fall on Maradana this Saturday (20 June) when defending champions Trinity College travel to Colombo for the ninth time this season in what promises to be the league-deciding clash against an inspired Zahira College outfit.

An overflowing crowd is expected hours before the 4 p.m. kick-off as two of the most exciting teams of the 2026 season battle for supremacy. Trinity arrive unbeaten and carrying the weight of expectations, while Zahira have emerged as the competition’s surprise package with a series of memorable victories that have rekindled the school’s rugby tradition.

The Lions from Kandy have been in irresistible form throughout the season. Under the captaincy of Shan Althaf, Trinity have already captured the President’s Trophy Knockout Championship by winning all four of their matches away from home in Colombo.

Their league campaign has been equally impressive, recording convincing victories over Lumbini College (65-3), St. Anthony’s College (65-3), Sri Sumangala College (39-0), D.S. Senanayake College (41-10), and Isipathana College (36-12) before entering the Super Round. In the Super Round, Trinity continued their unbeaten march with dominant wins against Wesley College (43-10) and Royal College (48-15), underlining their status as favourites to retain the league crown.

Head coach and Sri Lanka rugby legend Fazil Marija has moulded a well-balanced outfit, combining a powerful forward pack with a dangerous back division, assisted by forwards coach Viraj Prashanth.

Captain Shan Althaf has led from the front throughout the campaign, while vice-captains Udan Wijekoon and Nisith Kumarasinghe have consistently delivered influential performances. Achintha Jayasena, Hamza Abdeen, Abdul Malik, Minula Yaddehige, and Deemath Ambepitiya have also been among Trinity’s standout performers this season.

However, Zahira will enter the contest full of confidence after producing one of their finest seasons in nearly three decades. Led by Hakeem Chunchie, with outstanding contributions from Zain Zahim and Muzil Mohamed, the Maradana outfit, coached by Radhika Hettiarachchi, has revived memories of the celebrated 1998 side captained by Riyas Hanis.

Zahira have compiled an impressive record, defeating Kingswood College (20-15), Science College (31-25), Royal College (29-26), and Thurstan College (38-28), with their only setback coming against S. Thomas’ College (35-25). They have continued their outstanding form in the Super Round, overcoming St. Peter’s College (38-34) and Wesley College (38-24).

Among the season’s biggest milestones, Zahira defeated Royal for the first time in 63 years and ended a 28-year wait for victory over St. Peter’s, achievements that have transformed belief within the camp.

History also adds significance to the occasion. Trinity first won the league title in 1987 under Tyrel Rajapakse before reclaiming the championship last season under Safraz Usmaan. Another victory on Saturday would see them successfully defend their crown, while Zahira stand on the threshold of one of the greatest achievements in the school’s rugby history.

With two attacking teams, outstanding individual talent, and the league championship at stake, all signs point towards a thrilling contest that could be remembered as one of the defining school rugby matches of the season.

The action begins tomorrow with a Plate Segment encounter between Thurstan College and St. Joseph’s College at the Sugathadasa Stadium. Both teams have shown glimpses of quality during the season and will be eager to secure valuable points as the Plate competition enters its decisive phase.

Saturday promises to be the busiest day, with six matches on the card.

The spotlight will firmly be on the Cup Segment, where Royal College host St. Peter’s College at the Royal Sports Complex. Royal have been one of the strongest teams this season but have lacked the finishing touch and will look to return to winning momentum, while the Peterites will be determined to upset the hosts and strengthen their own title ambitions with one more game against Trinity still to come.

Another major Cup Segment fixture will see Wesley College take on Isipathana College at Longden Place. Isipathana, traditionally one of the powerhouses of schools rugby, will start as favourites, but Wesley have shown considerable improvement and will be keen to produce a strong performance against their more fancied opponents.

In the Plate Segment, Ananda College face St. Anthony’s College at the Air Force Rugby Ground in Rajagiriya. Both sides are evenly matched and a close contest is anticipated. Meanwhile, S. Thomas’ College welcome Sri Sumangala College to Mount Lavinia, where the Thomians will be looking to make home advantage count against a spirited Sumangala outfit.

The Bowl Segment will also feature an interesting battle when Kingswood College meet D.S. Senanayake College at Pallekele. Kingswood have displayed steady progress throughout the season and will aim to maintain their upward trajectory.

The weekend concludes on Sunday with two Bowl Segment matches. Science College host Mahanama College at Mount Lavinia in what is expected to be a fiercely contested encounter. Science have enjoyed a productive campaign and will seek another victory on home turf.

The final fixture of the week will see Prince of Wales College take on Lumbini College at the Air Force Ground in Ratmalana. Both teams will view the match as an opportunity to finish the weekend on a positive note and improve their standing in the Bowl competition.

The two teams finishing at the bottom of the Bowl Segment will be relegated, while Vidyartha College and Dharmaraja College are tipped to earn promotion for the 2027 season.

All matches kick off at 4 p.m.

19 June

Thurstan College vs. St. Joseph’s College at Sugathadasa Stadium

20 June

Zahira College vs. Trinity College at Maradana

Royal College vs. St. Peter’s College at Royal Sports Complex

Wesley College vs. Isipathana College at Longden Place

Ananda College vs. St. Anthony’s College at Rajagiriya

S. Thomas’ College vs. Sri Sumangala College at Mount Lavinia

Kingswood College vs. D.S. Senanayake College at Bogambara Stadium

21 June

Science College vs. Mahanama College at Mount Lavinia

Prince of Wales College vs. Lumbini College at Ratmalana

The Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) successfully concluded an insightful and engaging Experience-Sharing Forum (ESF) on the topic ‘The Evolving Leadership Role of Marketers’ on 18 May 2026 at the Jubilee Ballroom, Galle Face Hotel.

It brought together over 70 SLIM members, associate members, and SLIM professional members for an evening dedicated to thought leadership, professional learning, and industry networking.

The keynote session was delivered by globally renowned academic, INSEAD Singapore Unilever Chaired Professor of Marketing and marketing expert Prof. Paddy Padmanabhan. Widely respected for his research and contributions in the areas of business disruption, organisational renewal, transformation, and emerging markets, Prof. Padmanabhan shared valuable insights on how the role of marketers has evolved far beyond traditional brand communication to become a critical driver of business growth, innovation, and strategic leadership.

The event was attended by SLIM President Enoch Perera, SLIM Joint Secretary Asanka Perera, and SLIM Executive Committee Member Channa Jayasinghe, along with members representing various sectors of Sri Lanka’s marketing and business community.

Sharing his thoughts during the session, Prof. Paddy Padmanabhan said, ‘The marketer’s role today is increasingly intertwined with enterprise leadership. Organisations now expect marketers to not only understand consumers and markets, but also to guide transformation, navigate uncertainty, and help businesses remain relevant in highly competitive environments. It was a pleasure to engage with Sri Lanka’s dynamic marketing community and exchange ideas on these important developments.’

SLIM President Enoch Perera said: ‘SLIM continuously strives to provide meaningful learning opportunities that connect Sri Lanka’s marketing professionals with globally recognised expertise and contemporary industry thinking. Prof. Paddy Padmanabhan’s session offered valuable perspectives on the evolving expectations placed on marketers and highlighted the importance of leadership, adaptability, and innovation in today’s business environment.’

Throughout the session, participants were encouraged to rethink the future responsibilities of marketers in an increasingly complex and rapidly changing global business environment. Discussions focused on leadership agility, customer-centric transformation, data-driven decision-making, and the growing expectation for marketers to contribute meaningfully to overall organisational strategy and long-term value creation.

SLIM Vice President – Education and Research Manthika Ranasinghe said: ‘Today’s marketers are expected to lead with both strategic vision and adaptability in an increasingly dynamic business environment. This ESF created an important platform for professionals to gain fresh global perspectives on leadership, transformation, and the expanding role marketers play in shaping organisational success.’

SLIM Vice President – Events and Sustainability, Rajiv David said: ‘SLIM remains committed to curating impactful forums that encourage meaningful industry dialogue and continuous professional growth. The strong participation and engagement witnessed at this ESF reflected the growing importance of leadership-driven marketing and the value of knowledge-sharing within Sri Lanka’s marketing community.’

The event concluded successfully with an interactive networking session, reaffirming SLIM’s commitment to advancing marketing excellence, professional development, and thought leadership within Sri Lanka’s evolving business landscape.

Congo DR produced another shock result at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, holding one of the tournament favourites, Portugal, to a 1-1 draw in Houston on Wednesday.

The African side created history when Yoane Wissa scored Congo’s first-ever FIFA World Cup goal deep into first-half stoppage time, cancelling out João Neves’ sixth-minute opener for Portugal.

Comms mate Ltd., a new UK-registered platform developed by a PR and communications agency News Publisher established in 2018, has officially launched a suite of AI agents purpose-built to transform how small and medium businesses manage customer engagement.

Unlike generic chatbots trained on internet data alone, Comms mate’s AI agents are developed and refined by communication experts with more than two decades of corporate communications experience – making them among the first truly human-trained customer care solutions available to SMEs.

As businesses grow, so do their inboxes. Managing increasing volumes of customer enquiries across multiple channels – while maintaining speed, consistency, and brand voice – places enormous pressure on lean teams. Add to that the missed opportunities for upselling and cross-selling buried within routine interactions, and the cost of poor communication management becomes very real.

Most businesses know they need better customer engagement. Few can afford enterprise-level solutions to achieve it.

Comms mate’s AI agents are not built on automation alone. Each agent is a closed sourced model trained through a structured briefing process guided by communication experts, ensuring responses are brand-aligned, professionally worded, and contextually intelligent from day one.

The result is a human-trained AI solution that does more than answer questions – it strengthens stakeholder relationships, captures engagement opportunities, and frees teams to focus on higher-value work, all while delivering 24/7 customer support.

The concept was first proven through The Publicist – the world’s first corporate AI agent trained exclusively by communication experts. Developed by News Publisher within hours, its rapid success was underpinned by decades of real-world expertise in managing diverse stakeholder enquiries, navigating varied brand tones, and delivering media-ready responses. Unlike a standard chatbot, Comms mate’s human-trained AI agents are built on that accumulated communications intelligence – effectively cloning the expertise of a seasoned communicator, so businesses can deliver consistent, professional responses at scale, without repeating themselves.

‘Every business wants to provide fast, consistent responses to customers – but doing so can place significant demands on time and resources,’ said Comms mate and News Publisher Founder Fiona Nanayakkara.

‘What surprised us during development was how complicated many AI solutions had become. We wanted to make the process simple. With the right communications expertise and a single briefing document, businesses can have a tailored, affordable AI communications agent ready within a week.’

News Publisher – established in 2018 and operating across the UK and Sri Lanka – believes businesses of all sizes should be able to access the communications capabilities that were previously available only to large enterprises. Through Comms mate, the company aims to bridge that gap: making human-trained AI agents, built by communication experts, accessible and affordable for growing businesses everywhere.

Kandy Sports Club has issued a strongly worded letter to Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR), signed by its Secretary Sujeewa Liyanage, expressing serious concerns over what it described as repeated administrative shortcomings and calling for urgent reforms to protect the image of the sport.

The letter follows the recent visa issue that prevented the Sri Lanka national team, which included two Kandy players, from travelling to South Korea for its scheduled Asia Rugby Top 3 fixture against South Korea. As a result, Sri Lanka was forced to concede the match without taking the field, a development that drew widespread criticism from the rugby fraternity.

In its communication, Kandy SC described the incident as one of the most unfortunate episodes in the history of Sri Lankan rugby administration, arguing that the failure to secure travel documentation on time reflected poor planning and execution of responsibilities that should have been addressed well in advance.

The club stated that the lapse not only denied players and coaching staff the opportunity to compete at international level but also damaged the country’s reputation and disappointed rugby supporters who had placed their confidence in the national side.

While acknowledging that sporting bodies can face operational challenges, Kandy SC stressed that international travel arrangements, documentation and administrative coordination are fundamental responsibilities that must be handled efficiently and professionally.

The club urged Sri Lanka Rugby to ensure that the office of the CEO is managed by a person with the necessary competence, experience and professionalism to safeguard the interests of the game both locally and internationally.

The strongly worded communication is also being viewed by many within rugby circles as an indirect warning that Kandy SC could reconsider releasing its players for national duty unless significant improvements are made to the administration of Sri Lanka Rugby.

This letter is expected to increase pressure on Sri Lanka Rugby to address its administrative shortcomings and restore confidence among players, clubs and supporters. Furthermore, the Minister of Sports is expected to take action following the inquiry into the lapse by

Visa has announced the launch of ‘Click to Pay’ in Sri Lanka, marking an important step in advancing secure, seamless, and frictionless digital commerce experience for consumers.

‘Click to Pay’ massively improves the online payment checkout experience by enabling the consumers to enjoy faster, more secure purchases without any friction, merchants to improve payment success rates and customer conversions and issuer-banks to drive higher card usage.

As digital commerce continues to grow in Sri Lanka, consumers and businesses alike are placing greater value on payment experiences that are fast, intuitive, and secure. However, the important step in online payment experience – guest checkout across websites and apps – often remains cumbersome, relying on manual card entry, multiple form fields, and repeated authentication steps that slows down transactions and even leads to abandoned shopping carts or drop-offs, resulting in unpleasant consumer interactions and loss of business for merchants.

With ‘Click to Pay’, consumers can get started with a simple, one-time setup when they first checkout on a participating merchant website or app. Using just their email address or mobile number, they can securely enroll their Visa card in a few quick steps. For subsequent purchases, shoppers can instantly access their saved card details, select their preferred card, and complete transactions in just a few clicks -without the need to re-enter card information each time. Existing authentication methods, such as one-time passwords, will continue to apply as required, ensuring each transaction remains secure.

Security is central to Click to Pay. It is tokenised by design, meaning – sensitive card details are replaced with secure digital tokens at the back-end rather than being passed through the checkout flow. This makes the actual card number invisible, lowering fraud risk while strengthening payment performance.

Visa Sri Lanka and Maldives Country Manager Avanthi Colombage said: ‘At Visa, we understand that as more Sri Lankans embrace digital ways to shop and pay, it becomes increasingly important to deliver payment experiences that are trusted, secure and seamless. With ‘Click to Pay’, Visa is helping enhance how consumers interact with seamless digital payments by making online checkouts simpler and safer. By embedding tokenisation into the checkout experience, we are reducing the exposure of sensitive card details in the payment flow, empowering consumers to complete every online purchase safely and without friction. This is a significant step that Visa is introducing to advance payment capabilities in Sri Lanka in support of continued evolution of the country’s digital payments ecosystem.’

Black Knight, a leading personal care brand within the ICL Brands Ltd., portfolio, has announced its partnership as Title Sponsor of the Ella Archers franchise ahead of the Sri Lanka Padel League (SLPL) 2026, marking the occasion with the unveiling of the team’s official jersey at ICL Brands Headquarters in Colombo.

The partnership brings together one of Sri Lanka’s most recognised personal care brands and a franchise preparing to compete among the country’s leading padel talent when SLPL Season 2 takes centre stage from 18 to 21 June 2026 at Padel House, CR and FC, Colombo 7. The tournament is expected to showcase the continued rise of padel, one of the world’s fastest-growing sports, while strengthening its growing presence in Sri Lanka.

Black Knight’s association with the Ella Archers reflects a shared spirit built on confidence, energy and performance. Confidence, self-expression and performance have long been central to the brands identity. Those qualities align naturally with padel, a sport that combines athleticism, strategy and intensity, while attracting a growing community of players and supporters across the country.

ICL Brands Marketing Director Chethika Rajapakshe said: ‘Black Knight has always stood for confidence, individuality and the drive to perform at your best. Padel reflects many of those same qualities. Its rapid growth, youthful energy and competitive spirit make it an exciting platform for us to engage with a new generation of sports fans and athletes. Ella Archers is a team that has demonstrated ambition, character and a strong competitive mindset, making them an ideal partner for Black Knight. We look forward to supporting the team throughout the tournament and celebrating the continued growth of padel in Sri Lanka.’

The jersey unveiling offered supporters and stakeholders a first look at the colours the Ella Archers will carry into competition, signalling the beginning of an exciting campaign as the team prepares to take on some of the nation’s finest talent.

As anticipation builds ahead of the opening serve, Black Knight’s partnership with the Ella Archers adds further momentum to a tournament that continues to attract growing interest from players, brands and fans alike. The collaboration reflects Black Knight’s commitment to championing emerging sporting platforms while standing behind individuals who compete with confidence, determination and purpose.