Business

AIA Sri Lanka sets new benchmarks in workplace culture

Published

2 years ago

2024/12/15

AIA Sri Lanka sets new benchmarks in workplace culture – winning Best Workplaces in Sri Lanka for the 12th year, Best Workplaces for Women and Young Talent, winner of the Wellbeing Champions and Sri Lanka’s Happiest Workplace in the life insurance industry.

AIA Sri Lanka continues to redefine the standard for workplace excellence in Sri Lanka, celebrating a remarkable series of wins that affirm its standing as a leading employer and a company that prioritises the happiness and wellbeing of its employees. AIA has been honoured as one of Sri Lanka’s Best Workplaces by Great Place To Work®, making it the only life insurer to achieve this recognition for 12 consecutive years. This historic milestone comes alongside several other prestigious awards, including the Best Workplaces for Women for the 7th consecutive year, Best Workplaces for Young Talent and the prestigious Wellbeing Champions award. AIA was also recognised as the Happiest Workplace in the life insurance industry award by LMD and PepperCube Consultants.

These accolades underscore AIA’s unwavering commitment to fostering a workplace culture that inspires, supports and celebrates its employees, creating an environment where happiness is at the heart of everything the company does. Recognised both internally by employees and externally by industry peers, AIA stands out as a beacon of corporate culture where innovation, inclusion and collaboration thrive.

The Great Place to Work® recognitions determined by direct feedback from AIA’s own employees speak to the company’s ongoing efforts to cultivate a workplace where employees feel valued, supported and motivated. Meanwhile, the Happiest Workplace award, given by industry peers through LMD and PepperCube Consultants’ surveys, further highlights the broader impact of AIA’s culture, one that resonates beyond the walls of the organisation. This external acknowledgment is a testament to the positive and inspiring atmosphere AIA has built for its people, a place where happiness is more than a byproduct; it’s an integral part of the company’s philosophy.

“AIA’s achievements at the Great Place To Work® awards are a reflection of our ‘people-first’ approach, which has been a cornerstone of our corporate philosophy. We believe that when our employees are happy, their excellence is amplified, leading to remarkable service and results for our customers,” said Thushari Perera, Director HR. “To be celebrated not only by our employees but also by our industry peers as Sri Lanka’s Happiest Workplace is an incredible honour and a powerful affirmation of our commitment to nurturing a workplace where everyone feels a true sense of belonging.”

In addition to being a great place to work overall, AIA’s recognitions as a Best Workplace for Women and Young Talent highlight the company’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. These awards emphasize AIA’s dedication to supporting women in the workplace and creating opportunities for the next generation of leaders. By fostering an inclusive environment, AIA provides a space where each individual, regardless of gender or age, can thrive and achieve their full potential. “Our efforts to empower women and young talent are grounded in our belief that diversity strengthens our team and fuels our success. We are proud of the strides we have made to create a level playing field where everyone, from seasoned professionals to young graduates, can grow and excel,” said Thushari Perera, Director HR.

At AIA, happiness and fulfilment are central to the employee experience. The company’s dynamic work culture is designed to encourage collaboration, spark creativity and build lasting camaraderie among team members. Initiatives that support personal growth, work-life balance and open communication have created a workplace where employees feel empowered to bring their best selves to work each day. In addition, AIA’s programmes prioritize health and wellbeing, recognizing the holistic nature of employee satisfaction. This approach, which addresses both the physical and mental wellness dimensions of employees’ lives, has been integral to AIA’s ongoing success as a Best Workplace in Sri Lanka and as a company that truly values the happiness and wellbeing of its people.

With these awards, AIA Sri Lanka reaffirms its place as an industry leader in workplace excellence, setting new standards that inspire other organisations in Sri Lanka and across the region. By consistently achieving these honours, AIA demonstrates its deep-rooted commitment to a positive workplace environment that is both productive and joyful, a place where every individual feels supported, appreciated and encouraged to excel.

Looking to the future, AIA Sri Lanka remains committed to building on this legacy of excellence and continuing its mission to be a workplace where happiness fuels success.

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Business

AIA delivers strong first half results in 2026; double-digit growth across key financial metrics

Published

17 hours ago

2026/09/5

Thilina Walpola

The Board of AIA Group Limited (the “Company”) is pleased to announce the Group’s financial results for the six months ended 30 June 2026. Growth rates are shown on a constant exchange rate basis unless otherwise stated:

New business performance and embedded value

Value of new business (VONB) of US$3,212 million, up 10 per cent overall and 14 per cent excluding Thailand(1)

Record high annualised operating ROEV of 18.0 per cent, up from 15.8 per cent in full year 2025

EV Equity of US$83.4 billion, up 6 per cent per share over the first half on an actual exchange rate basis

IFRS earnings

Operating profit after tax (OPAT) of US$4,163 million, up 13 per cent per share

AIA now expects to exceed OPAT per share CAGR target of 9 to 11 per cent from 2023 to 2026(2)

Record high annualised operating ROE of 17.5 per cent, up from 15.5 per cent in full year 2025

Cash generation and capital returns

Underlying free surplus generation (UFSG) of US$3,935 million, increased by 10 per cent per share

Net free surplus generation (net FSG) of US$2,758 million, up 12 per cent per share

US$3.6 billion returned to shareholders in the first half through dividend and share buy-back

Interim dividend increased by 10 per cent to 53.90 Hong Kong cents per share

Lee Yuan Siong, AIA’s Group Chief Executive and President, said:

“AIA has delivered another strong performance in the first half of 2026, with double-digit growth across our key financial metrics, while continuing to return substantial capital to shareholders. VONB reached a record high of US$3.2 billion with growth across all distribution channels, and all reportable segments excluding Thailand. The Group has achieved 17 per cent CAGR since the first half of 2023(3), demonstrating consistently strong demand for AIA’s professional advice and differentiated products.

“At the core of our unrivalled distribution platform is our market-leading Premier Agency. I am delighted that AIA has once again been ranked the number one Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) multinational company globally. We have held this position for a record 12 consecutive years and we have more than double the number of MDRT members of our nearest competitor. In the first half of 2026, our Premier Agency achieved strong VONB growth of 11 per cent excluding Thailand(1). Our extensive network of strategic distribution partners further expands our market reach and generated an 18 per cent increase in VONB, supported by very strong performance in both the bancassurance and independent financial adviser (IFA) and broker channels.

“Strong new business, together with disciplined management of our in-force portfolio, has supported sustained growth in recurring earnings with OPAT per share up by 13 per cent in the first half. As a result, we expect to exceed our 9 to 11 per cent OPAT per share CAGR target for 2023 to 2026(2). UFSG, the Group’s core measure of operating cash generation, increased by 10 per cent per share. After allowing for new business investment, net FSG increased by 12 per cent per share. In accordance with our prudent, sustainable and progressive dividend policy, the Board has declared a 10 per cent increase in the interim dividend to 53.90 Hong Kong cents per share. These achievements demonstrate that our financial strategy is working as intended.

“Asia remains the most compelling growth opportunity for life and health insurance. Powerful structural tailwinds across the region continue to create substantial demand for our professional advice and differentiated products and underpin the exceptional long-term prospects for AIA’s business. I am confident that AIA’s disciplined execution of our strategic priorities will continue to deliver long-term sustainable value for all our stakeholders.”

Business

British Council Sri Lanka launches soft skills workshops to elevate learning and empower communication

Published

17 hours ago

2026/09/5

Thilina Walpola

The British Council team answering questions on Corporate English Solutions from leading corporates about professional development skills courses

The British Council Sri Lanka has launched Corporate English Solutions (CES), tailored to the Sri Lankan corporate and education ecosystem, aimed at helping organisations strengthen workplace communication and professional development.

The launch event took place recently at the NH Collection, Colombo 3, gathering corporate partners, clients and education stakeholders throughout the country.

CES extends the British Council’s long-standing work in English language education and teacher training into a dedicated offering for the corporate sector. The launch introduced two new components to the British Council’s presence in Sri Lanka such as public workshops and teacher training programmes, open to learners and educators beyond the organisation’s existing corporate and academic partners. Guests at the event were shown a short video introducing Corporate English Solutions before the formal proceedings began.

Talal Meer, British Council Regional Business Development Director, South Asia, welcomed guests and introduced the British Council’s team in Sri Lanka. In his remarks, Meer set out the scope of the CES launch, covering the introduction of public workshops in Sri Lanka, the rollout of teacher training programmes, and an overview of the CES product portfolio. Meer’s role covers educational partnerships in the South Asia region, and his address framed the Sri Lanka launch within the British Council’s broader regional strategy.

Business

Ogilvy Group tops award tally at ‘Dragons of Sri Lanka’ 2026

Published

17 hours ago

2026/09/5

Thilina Walpola

Ogilvy Group Sri Lanka delivered a standout performance at the recently concluded Dragons of Sri Lanka 2026 Awards, securing a total of nine awards comprising two Gold Dragons, one Silver Dragon and six Black Dragons, among the festival’s highest overall award tallies. Gold Dragon wins for Phoenix Ogilvy and Ogilvy Digital, together with the seven additional recognitions across multiple categories, highlighted Ogilvy’s ability to combine creativity, strategic thinking and commercial effectiveness to deliver business results.

Organised by the 4As Sri Lanka, the third edition of Dragons of Sri Lanka shortlisted more than 50 agencies and corporates, making it one of the country’s most competitive marketing communications awards. These local awards, along with the chapters in Malaysia and Pakistan are part of the Dragons of Asia platform, one of the region’s leading programmes for marketing communications effectiveness, with entries being judged on strategy, originality, execution and measurable results.

Ogilvy Digital accounted for eight awards in total, including a Gold Dragon in the Business & Trade Marketing category, and a Silver Dragon in the Innovative Idea or Concept category. The Agency additionally received six Black Dragons across the categories of Innovative Idea or Concept, Business & Trade Marketing, Content Creation, Small Budget, Event or Experiential, and Brand Trial or Sales Generation.

Commenting on the achievement, Sajith Weerasinghe, Chief Operating Officer of Ogilvy Digital, said, “These recognitions reflect the breadth of capabilities we’ve built across strategy, creative, content, experience design, technology and performance marketing. The fact that the work was recognised across so many different disciplines demonstrates our ability to apply creativity to a wide range of business challenges and objectives. We’re proud that this achievement spans multiple clients, categories and types of work, reflecting both the versatility of our people and our commitment to delivering results.”