Construction giant Sanken Lanka behind the move

When Bathiya & Santhush took their seats alongside Rohit Sachdev, CEO and Founder of Soho Hospitality, at a recent press briefing in Colombo, it seemed at first like a courtesy appearance. Moments later, it became the headline: the duo were introduced as co-investors in Charcoal Tandoor Fire Grill’s Colombo debut.

That revelation that Bathiya and Santhush are not merely endorsing but co-owning the restaurant venture alongside Sanken Lanka, the company behind the Capitol TwinPeaks skyscraper is likely to resonate strongly with Sri Lankan audiences.

Charcoal Tandoor Fire Grill will open on the 50th floor of Capitol TwinPeaks at Union Place – home to Colombo’s tallest sky bridge, rising nearly 600 feet above the city. The Bangkok-born brand marks the first South Asian expansion of Soho Hospitality’s flagship Indian dining concept.

Founded in 2014 in Bangkok, Charcoal built its reputation by reinterpreting North Indian tandoor traditions and Mughlai richness through a contemporary, design-led lens. Live fire cooking, layered spice profiles and slow techniques define its culinary identity – dramatic yet calibrated.

For Bathiya, the investment is rooted in artistic kinship.

“Rohit is passionate about what he is doing,” he said. “His culinary art goes parallel to our showbiz in its finer details. We wanted Sri Lankans to devour that delicacy. We wanted to bring that brand excellence to our shores.”

Santhush drew an even broader connection between gastronomy and performance.

“For three decades we’ve worked to make Sri Lankan music a global product – to create that Sri Lankan musical vibe felt across the world,” he said. “Hospitality is part of the entertainment landscape. We take music and events to the outside world. Now we wanted to bring a global product and experience home.”

He likened Sachdev’s precision in the kitchen to orchestral mastery. “He works like a master of an orchestra – going into intricate details in his culinary art as we sift through every frequency of sound.”

Sachdev described Sri Lanka as a deliberate, data-driven choice for Charcoal’s first step beyond Thailand.

“Charcoal has always been built on heritage, movement and exchange – of flavours, ideas and experiences,” he said. “Sri Lanka felt like a natural step beyond Thailand. We see strong long-term fundamentals in Colombo, from tourism growth to an increasingly discerning dining audience.”

Colombo’s positioning at the crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East and Southeast Asia aligns neatly with Charcoal’s “Spice Route” narrative — a concept inspired by historic trade routes that blended flavours and commerce across regions.

Bathiya and Santhush built their careers by exporting Sri Lankan creativity to the world stage. Now, in a reversal of that flow, they are importing a globally recognised hospitality brand — embedding it within Colombo’s evolving skyline, backed by Sanken Lanka.

By Sanath Nanayakkare

The strongest financial performance in its history

Sampath Group has delivered the strongest financial performance in its history for the year ended December 31, 2025, recording a Profit Before Tax (PBT) of Rs 53.0 billion and a Profit After Tax (PAT) of Rs 32.6 billion. This marks year-on-year growth of 8% and 13% respectively, solidifying the Group’s position as one of Sri Lanka’s most resilient and forward-thinking financial institutions.

The Group also surpassed a significant milestone with its total asset base crossing the Rs 2 trillion mark—up 12% from 2024—reflecting strong credit expansion and prudent portfolio management.

The Sampath Bank, the Group’s flagship entity, continued to be the main engine of growth, posting its highest-ever profitability with a PBT of Rs 49.3 billion and PAT of Rs 30.2 billion—up 5% and 11% respectively. Adjusted for the one-off gains from the 2024 restructuring of Sri Lanka’s international sovereign bonds, both PBT and PAT grew an impressive 22%.

Driven by strong credit momentum, the Bank’s gross loan book expanded by Rs 259 billion (27%), reaching Rs 1.2 trillion by end-2025. Deposits rose 12% to Rs 1.65 trillion, underscoring the Bank’s trusted franchise and continued market confidence.

Shareholders benefited from a higher final dividend of Rs 10.30 per share, up Rs 0.95 from last year, with a payout ratio of 39.98%. The Bank’s Return on Equity (ROE) edged up to 17.93% (2024: 17.74%), while Return on Assets (ROA, before tax) stood at 2.60%.

Sampath Bank also reinforced its robust balance sheet, ending the year with Tier 1 and Total Capital Adequacy Ratios of 14.75% and 17.65% respectively—well above regulatory requirements. Liquidity remained strong with a Liquidity Coverage Ratio of 239.79% and Net Stable Funding Ratio of 173%.

Gross income grew 12% to Rs 218.8 billion, supported by the Bank’s diversified earnings base. Interest income dipped marginally by 1% to Rs 181.1 billion, reflecting lower market rates, but was offset by significant growth in non-fund-based income streams.

Net fee and commission income rose 21% to Rs 21.2 billion, buoyed by increased economic activity, higher card usage, and process efficiencies. Notably, the Bank recorded a Rs 6.5 billion trading gain, reversing a Rs 2.8 billion loss in 2024—largely due to exchange gains following a Rs 16.63 depreciation of the rupee against the dollar.

In a major turnaround, Sampath reported an impairment reversal of Rs 0.6 billion, supported by recovery efforts, lower Stage 2 and Stage 3 loan exposure, and improved customer repayment capacity. Stage 3 loans dropped to 9.6% from 13.7% in 2024, while Stage 2 fell to 7.6% from 15.7%.

Operating expenses increased 19% as the Bank accelerated investments in technology, staff expansion, and strategic initiatives aimed at long-term growth. Consequently, the cost-to-income ratio rose slightly to 42.7%.

Sampath Bank remained one of the largest contributors to government revenue, paying over Rs 39 billion in total taxes during 2025, compared with Rs 33.8 billion the previous year. Its effective tax rate was 52.3%.

The Sampath Group continues to broaden its financial presence, operating four subsidiaries—Siyapatha Finance PLC, Sampath Securities (Pvt) Ltd, Sampath Information Technology Solutions Ltd, and Sampath Centre Ltd. In January 2026, it established a new wealth management arm to meet emerging customer needs, pending regulatory approval.

Reaffirming its leadership in sustainability, Sampath Bank expanded its ESG-driven initiatives under its “Wewata Jeewayak” program, restoring its 28th village tank to support rural agriculture. The Bank also continued its coral and mangrove restoration, forest replantation, and turtle conservation projects.

In a pioneering move, the Bank implemented Sri Lanka’s SLFRS S1 and S2 standards under its Climate First Action Plan and introduced a Green Fixed Deposit framework with independent assurance for credibility and transparency.

Responding to the devastation of Cyclone Ditwah, Sampath Bank donated Rs 100 million to the “Rebuilding Sri Lanka” fund, alongside humanitarian aid to the Sri Lanka Red Cross and Air Force.

“Our record-breaking performance in 2025 reflects not just financial resilience, but a steadfast commitment to national progress and sustainable growth,” said Sanjaya Gunawardana, Managing Director and CEO of Sampath Bank PLC.

National Savings Bank (NSB) has been awarded the Gold Award in the State Bank Category at the TAGS Awards 2025, organized by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka). Celebrated under the theme “Diamond Chapter – The Grand Honour of Excellence,” the awards recognize organizations that demonstrate exceptional commitment to transparency and governance through their annual reports.

The Gold Award, bagged by NSB, highlights the Bank’s continued dedication to maintaining high standards of disclosure and stakeholder engagement while strengthening governance and accountability across all operations. The rigorous evaluation process assesses not just financial performance, but also how effectively organizations communicate strategy, sustainability initiatives, and long-term value creation.

Chairman Dr. Harsha Cabral PC, accepting the award alongside the NSB team, stated that the recognition is a testament to the collective efforts of the Board, Management, and staff in upholding the highest standards of corporate governance and responsible banking. He noted that maintaining transparency remains fundamental to sustaining public trust, particularly as NSB advances its digital transformation journey while supporting national economic development.

The achievement reflects the Bank’s disciplined financial stewardship and its commitment to presenting a forward-looking account of its performance.