Business
DSI Samson Group appoints prominent legal professional Uditha Egalahewa as chairman
DSI Samson Group, one of the leading business conglomerates and leading manufacturer of footwear and bicycle tyres in Sri Lanka, ceremonially inducted President’s counsel Uditha Egalahewa as the Chairman of the Group on 24th April 2023. He is one of three Independent Non-Executive Directors of the Group and also served as the Chairman of the Group’s Risk Management Committee for the past five years.
Egalahewa is a leading practitioner in Public Law and Commercial Law, with over 32 years of experience at the Bar. He has served as a Senior State Counsel and as a Counsel in both original and appellate courts dealing with various areas of law and is a senior visiting lecturer at several academic and professional organizations. Egalahewa has published over 40 academic publications and made over 30 public presentations on topics relating to law. In addition to his legal practice, Egalahewa currently serves as an Independent Director in several Companies, both listed and unlisted. He holds a Masters in Law (Public Law) (LLM) from the University of Colombo, a second Masters degree (Maritime and Shipping Law) (LLM) from the International Maritime Law Institute of Malta, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Insurance Law from the University of Colombo. He was awarded the Professor Walter Muller Prize for his outstanding performance at the International Maritime Law Institute.
As Chairman, Egalahewa will harness his vast experience and knowledge to lead and guide DSI Samson group, which celebrated its diamond jubilee last year. The Group, which over the years has expanded and diversified into many businesses beyond its core footwear business, is now managed by the 3rd generation family members of founder Chairman, the late D. Samson Rajapaksa. The appointment of Egalahewa is expected to further strengthen the Group’s corporate governance and strategic decision-making and help drive growth and success in the years to come.
Egalahewa expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to lead such a successful and diverse conglomerate while emphasizing his commitment to advancing the Group’s ambitious development plans by working closely with the Board and Stakeholders to achieve continued success. “As the new Chairman of DSI, I am honoured to lead a company with such a rich history and a strong legacy of success. I believe that the key to success is collaboration, and I am excited to work with the talented and experienced team at DSI Samson Group to drive innovation, improve efficiency, and enhance our competitiveness. Together, we will continue to grow the company and create value for all our stakeholders,” he added.
Mr. Kasun Rajapaksa, Managing Director of DSI Samson Group stated that the 3rd generation board members are strong believers of the fact that in order to establish a system aimed at spanning generations, one must be willing to evolve. The Board has now appointed its first ever non-family, non-executive independent director as the Group Chairman for this reason.
“We believe that bringing outside experience and knowledge to Chair the Group along with the other Independent Non-Executive Directors will further enrich and strengthen the Group’s corporate governance. Someone from outside the family will inevitably possess a neutral perspective and will uphold the best interests of the shareholders, employees, customers, and the entire organization. The Chairman’s independence means they are not impacted by internal or external forces, and the Board can leverage that centred approach to reach informed decisions.” he added.
DSI Samson Group is a leading Sri Lankan business conglomerate, with a rich history spanning over 60 years. The company is renowned for manufacturing high-quality footwear and bicycle tyres while diversifying into rubber products, solid tyres, coir products, clay roof tiles, bikes, synthetic leather and many more products. The Group consists of many sectors such as Manufacturing, Engineering, Power Generation, Trading, IT, Shipping and Logistics to name a few.
The Group has a vast global reach, exporting to over 40 countries and enjoying a retail presence in Dubai with its premium flipflop brand – Waves. The Group also represents international brands such as Clarks, Reebok, Puma, Fila, Adidas, Asics and U.S. Polo, in Sri Lanka. The Group currently comprises of 23 subsidiaries that serve local and international markets, with over 200 showrooms and 5,000 dealers across the island. It is one of the largest family-owned groups of companies in Sri Lanka. The group prides itself on being a responsible corporate citizen, undertaking numerous projects that benefit the local community, and demonstrating its commitment to social responsibility. With a dedicated workforce of over 10,000, strong business ethics, and a customer-centric approach, DSI Samson Group is positioned as a leading player in Sri Lanka’s business landscape.
Business
AIA delivers strong first half results in 2026; double-digit growth across key financial metrics
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
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
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.”
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