Business
CIMA concludes ‘Hundred & 10%’ – first ever ‘Virtual Career Festival’ on a high
‘Hundred & 10%’, the first ever ‘Virtual Career Festival’ organized by CIMA, the world’s leading and largest professional management accountancy body, concluded with high praise for presenting a program filled with timely informative sessions, closely fought competitions and real world winners. The festival, held from the 13th to the 19th September 2020, featured global and local industry leaders speaking on a diverse array of business topics, an elevator pitch competition and a hackathon.
The weeklong event attracted over thousand registrations for seventeen sessions built around Technical, Leadership, People, Business, and Digital Skills, the five skills covered in the CGMA Competency Framework. Over 45 speakers from Sri Lanka and overseas came together to discuss, debate and deliberate on a diverse array of topics important for employability over seven days.
Day One of the event focused on technical skills with sessions on pushing oneself above and beyond, and the importance of the ‘Power of Numbers’ was presented to the participants. Day Two was all about people skills, with a forum discussion on ‘Swimming with the Big Fish’ and a focused workshop on ‘Creating a Winning Impression’ leading the agenda. The day also saw the much hyped ‘Hackathon’ event take place, with over 50 teams applying for the 24-hour event with cash prizes on the offer, followed with the winning team members also being offered employment from a leading conglomerate.
Zahara Ansary, ACMA, CGMA, Country Manager for CIMA Sri Lanka was ecstatic with the response to the Virtual Career Festival. “When we conceptualized ‘Hundred & 10%’, we were focused on building the relevant skills that will help youth and assure their employability in the post-COVID 19 world. Our aim to inspire the next generation of Sri Lankan professionals has been fully met with the first-ever Virtual Career Festival organised by CIMA, as evidenced by the enthusiastic participation of youth and professionals in the many forums of discussion, and competitions.” she said.
Leadership skills dominated the conversation on Day Three, with the timely topic ‘Breaking the Glass Ceiling’, starting the day off, with a stellar panel of female leaders followed by a lively discussion on ‘Succeeding Through Collaborations’. The more serious discussions on business skills covering topics such as ‘Guardians of the Money’ and ‘Starting Something Big’ were reserved for Day Four, while the closely contested Elevator Pitch competition with over 25 applicants fighting for 4 spots in the final, and a coveted cash prize for the ultimate winner was the highlight of Day Five, which also hosted the discussion ‘Becoming Entrepreneurial’.
“I am encouraged that the youth of tomorrow are gearing up to go above and beyond in their careers. Every industry leader who participated in ‘Hundred & 10%’, both local and global, gave of their knowledge and experience freely, making the event a truly enriching learning experience”, Zahara Ansary continued, on achieving the objective of the Virtual Career Festival.
The last two days of the event dived into interesting offerings. Day Six was all about diversity, with thematic presentations on ‘Creating Magic’ and ‘Employability in the New World’ capturing talent, diversity and inclusivity in the workspace whilst also showcasing the diversity of the CIMA members who ranged from marketing giants to entrepreneurs. The last day of the festival reminded all participants of the newest and most versatile tool, digital skills. ‘Embracing Opportunities and Riding High’, and ‘Digital Innovation’ were first discussed on Day Seven, which ended on the aptly titled presentation ‘Tomorrow’s Skills’.
‘Hundred & 10%’ – first ever ‘Virtual Career Festival’ organized by CIMA explored the various skills necessary for employability in the future world and aimed to inspire the next generation of Sri Lankan professionals to go above and beyond in their careers. Those who wish to hear what the speakers at the ‘Virtual Career Festival’ discussed, can now access the archives of the event maintained by CIMA on their facebook page at
Business
Constituent Change in the S&P Sri Lanka 20 Index
The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) announces the following change in S&P Sri Lanka 20 index constituents made by S&P Dow Jones Indices at the 2026 Mid-Year rebalance.
The exclusion and inclusion as announced by S&P Dow Jones Indices, effective from 22nd June 2026 (after the market close of 19th June 2026) are presented below.
The S&P SL 20 index includes the 20 largest companies, by total market capitalization, listed on the CSE that meet minimum size, liquidity and financial viability thresholds. The constituents are weighted by float-adjusted market capitalization, subject to a single stock cap of 15%, which is employed to reduce single stock concentration.
The S&P SL 20 index has been designed in accordance with international practices and standards. All stocks are classified according to the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS®), which was co-developed by S&P Dow Jones Indices and MCSI and is widely used by market participants throughout the world.
To be eligible for inclusion, a stock must have a minimum float-adjusted market capitalization of 500 million Sri Lankan rupees (Rs), a six-month median daily value traded of Rs 0.25 million and have positive net income over the 12 months prior to the rebalancing reference date. For information, including the complete methodology, please visit: www.spindices.com
Effective from 22nd June 2026 the stocks in the S&P Sri Lanka 20 in alphabetical order are as above.
Business
Teejay Group navigates industry headwinds with financial strength and strategic focus
The Teejay Group recorded revenue of LKR 60.04 billion during the period, reflecting a 10% year-on-year decline, primarily due to continued softness in global textile demand. This performance was largely impacted by reciprocal tariffs imposed by the United States, intensified pricing pressures across key markets, and the resulting decline in volumes, all of which collectively weighed on topline growth.
Group Gross Profit declined by 36% year-on-year to LKR 5.02 billion, mainly attributable to lower production volumes, underutilization of plant capacity, sustained pricing pressures, and an unfavorable product mix. Together, these factors adversely affected margin performance amid a challenging operating environment.
The Group reported a Profit After Tax (PAT) of LKR 54.7 million, representing a 98% year-on-year decline. This was primarily driven by higher rupee-denominated costs and non-recurring items, provision for doubtful debts, and restructuring costs associated with right-sizing initiatives.
Ajit Gunewardene, Chairman of the Teejay Group said, “The year was marked by persistent global demand softness and pricing pressures, which impacted results. Despite this, we focused on operational efficiency, cost discipline, and strengthening our financial resilience. These actions position the Group to navigate ongoing uncertainty while remaining committed to long-term value creation for our shareholders.”
Despite these near-term challenges, the Teejay Group continues to maintain a strong financial position, supported by disciplined working capital management and a robust liquidity base. As at 31 March 2026, cash and cash equivalents stood at LKR 8.3 billion, while the Group’s net asset base increased by 3% year-on-year to LKR 32.4 billion, reinforcing the resilience of its balance sheet.
Business
Fairfirst celebrates 7 years of supporting the Sri Lanka Police K9 Unit
Fairfirst Insurance has once again partnered with the Sri Lanka Police K9 Unit, continuing its support for the seventh consecutive year. This partnership reflects the company’s long-standing commitment to giving back to the community.
Through this initiative, Fairfirst will provide comprehensive insurance coverage for the highly trained canines attached to the Sri Lanka Police K9 Unit. These dogs play a critical role in supporting police operations across the country, assisting with crime detection, narcotics investigations, search and rescue missions, and public safety efforts.
As a company that believes business should create a meaningful impact beyond insurance, Fairfirst remains committed to initiatives that support communities and recognise the vital contributions of those who help keep society safe. This shared commitment to protection and responsibility continues to drive the company’s long-standing partnership with the Sri Lanka Police K9 Unit.
Commenting on the continued partnership, Ravishankar Wickneswaran, CEO of Fairfirst Insurance, said, “It is a privilege for us to continue supporting the Sri Lanka Police K9 Unit for the seventh consecutive year. These dogs serve the country with incredible discipline and loyalty, often in challenging situations. Supporting their wellbeing is one small way for us to give back, and it reflects the FairfirstWay of standing by those who protect and serve our communities every day.”
Fairfirst looks forward to continuing this partnership and contributing to the wellbeing of the Sri Lanka Police K9 Unit in the years ahead.
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