Business
LANKAQR nationwide rollout campaign
The LANKAQR Nationwide Rollout Campaign was launched on 25th October 2021 at the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) with the aim of popularizing LANKAQR payments among small and medium merchants as well as consumers, as the prevalent digital payment method in the country.
At the invitation of the Governor of CBSL, Ajith Nivard Cabraal, this event was held with the participation of Namal Rajapaksa, Minister of Youth and Sports, Minister of Development Coordination and Monitoring and State Minister of Digital Technology and Entrepreneur Development (Chief Guest), Johnston Fernando, Minister of Highways, Kanchana Wijesekera, State Minister of Ornamental Fish, Inland Fish & Prawn Farming, Fishery Harbour Development, Multi-day Fishing Activities and Fish Exports and D V Chanaka, State Minister of Aviation and Export Zones Development. Heads of several government departments, financial institutions, payment service providers, as well as heads of retail, health and media institutions were also present.
Minister Namal Rajapaksa commended the Central Bank on introducing digital payment methods such as LANKAQR code payments to the country and stated that such payment methods are what is required for Sri Lankan consumers to move towards the future of digital payments. He further explained that the youth of the country were interested in moving towards digital payments rather than continuing with traditional transaction methods and therefore he believes that LANKAQR could be popular amongst the younger generation.
Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal, stated that it is imperative to make digital payments fast, effective, easy and secure, in order to popularize them among
He went on to state that Sri Lanka must continue to embrace digitalization in all spheres and that the LANKAQR initiative is a step in this direction.
During the event, CBSL facilitated the onboarding of several government and retail institutions by LANKAQR certified banks so that these institutions may now accept LANKAQR payments from customers. In the current environment of the COVID-19 global pandemic, it is now more important than ever to reduce the usage of cash and move towards digital payment methods, and hence, with this LANKAQR Nationwide Rollout Campaign, CBSL is confident that the general public will utilize LANKAQR for their daily transactions, at a greater frequency.
The LANKAQR code initiative was introduced by CBSL as a national QR Code Standard that provides a convenient digital payment solution using mobile devices. By scanning the LANKAQR code, customers are able to make payments directly from their bank account to the accounts of merchants or service providers, promoting customer convenience, security and the use of digital transactions, as opposed to cash. Further, LANKQR provides merchants with a low cost method of accepting digital payments.
Business
FRELLA launches world class wellness products locally with Baurs & Co.
FRELLA, Sri Lankan-born and internationally-respected natural beauty and wellness brand, is setting the stage to expand operations by entering the Sri Lankan retail market. As the country’s only dedicated wellness company operating at an international scale, this move marks a new chapter for a brand with a growing global presence that has already earned the trust of luxury hotels and international customers.
For over seven years, FRELLA has emerged as Sri Lanka’s leading wellness brand, serving clients and partners across more than 15 international markets. The brand’s entry into the Sri Lankan retail market marks a significant milestone, allowing local consumers to access globally respected wellness products developed from the island’s own healing traditions. This retail expansion is supported through a strategic partnership with Baurs, a trusted 170-year-old Swedish multinational company, ensuring sophisticated distribution and access aligned with international retail standards.
FRELLA is rooted in Sri Lanka’s ancient healing traditions and inspired by centuries-old Ayurvedic wisdom. All FRELLA products are specially designed as holistic wellness solutions for the body, skin, hair, and soul, and focuses on providing nourishment, balance, and healthy aging through refined, modern wellness systems.
Business
Writer Business Services enters Sri Lanka to partner with institutions to provide information management and payments solutions
Writer Corporation, one of India’s leading business groups, announced the launch of its subsidiary, Writer Business Services Pvt. Ltd., and the commencement of its operations in Sri Lanka. The expansion reflects Sri Lanka’s strategic importance in Writer’s regional growth plans and its role in supporting a highly regulated digital and financial services market which is currently undergoing digital transformation.
Sri Lanka’s continued focus on strengthening regulatory frameworks, digital platforms, and financial systems is shaping how institutions across banking, government, and enterprise sectors approach their business operations. There is a clear emphasis on secure, compliant, and resilient information and transaction environments that can scale with regulatory and business needs. Writer’s entry into Sri Lanka aligns with this direction, bringing global experience and a partnership-led approach to the market.
As part of its launch, Writer will establish a secure records and information storage facility in Seeduwa, Colombo. Designed to meet global standards for security, compliance, and disaster resilience, the facility will support banks, financial institutions, government bodies, and large enterprises in managing physical and digital information across its lifecycle.
Alongside information management, Writer brings established expertise in integrated payment services to support the modernization of transaction infrastructure across the banking and financial services sector. Its payments capabilities focus on strengthening availability, transaction continuity, and transparency across critical payment channels that underpin institutional reliability and customer confidence.
Writer’s digital payments offerings in Sri Lanka include end-to-end ATM and self-service terminal outsourcing, integrated channel ownership and managed services, field management applications, payment and reconciliation platforms, and remote monitoring with near real-time reporting. These solutions support financial institutions in improving uptime, strengthening governance, and enhancing operational efficiency across payment networks, in line with the continued evolution of electronic and automated payment systems.
Across information management and payments, Writer operates with an integrated portfolio spanning records and information management, business process outsourcing, cloud and digital services, data privacy, cybersecurity and enterprise payments infrastructure. These capabilities support institutions in addressing evolving regulatory requirements, digitization of legacy environments, and rising operational and cyber risks.
Writer’s local presence enables closer collaboration with clients and on-ground delivery, while supporting the development of Centres of Excellence across cybersecurity operations, SOC and NOC services, AI-led solutions, and payments operations and monitoring.
Writer’s Sri Lanka operations will be built, led, and run by Sri Lankan professionals, reflecting a long-term commitment to local talent growth and development.
Commenting on this development, Satyamohan Yanambaka, CEO, Writer Global Services Pvt. Ltd., assured Writer’s long-term commitment to the country’s digital ambitions. He said, “Writer’s entry into Sri Lanka reflects our belief that digital ambition in regulated environments must be supported by trust, sound governance, and strong execution. As institutions scale digital services, the reliability of information and payment systems, channel operations, and governance frameworks becomes increasingly important to public and institutional confidence. Our experience across information management, digital transformation, and enterprise payments enables us to support secure, large-scale financial ecosystems, with a clear commitment to building and leading these capabilities locally.”
Sri Lanka’s Digital Personal Data Protection framework raises expectations around how personal and sensitive information is secured and governed.
Business
Altair issues over 100+ title deeds post-ownership change
Altair Residences have, over the past six months, seen more than 100 individual title deeds being executed by apartment owners, providing owners with a clear, registered, legal title to their apartments in accordance with Sri Lankan property law. This has been a key initiative by the new owners and management of Altair to improve governance and will continue in an orderly manner in the coming months.
With the transition of ownership to Blackstone India, Altair’s Management Council has also been formally constituted, enabling owners to play an active and proactive role in the management of the Altair building. In addition, the management council has appointed Realty Management Services (RMS), a subsidiary of Overseas Realty Ceylon PLC, as the new facility manager of Altair.
Commenting on these milestones, Thilan Wijesinghe, Chairman of TWC Holdings, who, together with a team from TWC, represents Blackstone’s interests in Sri Lanka, said, “The issuance of individual title deeds is a critical step in any professionally developed residential asset. Over the past six months, this process at Altair has moved forward in a structured and transparent manner, alongside the formal establishment of owner-led governance. This, combined with the appointment of experienced facility managers are fundamental building block for long-term value-creation for apartment owners and proper asset stewardship.”
With ongoing improvements to the building being undertaken by Indocean Developers Pvt Ltd (IDPL), the owning company of Altair, the issuance of deeds to owners is expected to accelerate over the coming months.
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