Business
Mahindra IDEAL Finance among 15 Best Workplaces for Millennials in Sri Lanka – 2022
One of Sri Lanka’s fastest-growing licensed finance companies, Mahindra IDEAL Finance Limited recently marked yet another milestone on its journey of being an employer of choice, as it was ranked amongst the 15 Best Workplaces for Millennials™ in Sri Lanka 2022, by Great Place to Work®. The achievement is significant as Mahindra IDEAL Finance has been working hard to position itself and deliver on being the employer of choice for young professionals looking to build careers in the financial services space. The accolade was presented to Mahindra IDEAL Finance Limited at the Great Place to Work® in Sri Lanka awards ceremony, held on the 6th of September 2022 at the Hilton Colombo.
Expressing pleasure at receiving the accolade, Mr Duminda Weerasekare, Chief Executive Officer at Mahindra IDEAL Finance said, “It is a privilege to be ranked among the 15 Best Workplaces for Millennials™ in Sri Lanka for 2022. We believe our sincere intention of caring for and moulding our young team, while moving forward despite external challenges, has been recognized. This also helps us to better present our proposition to young professionals considering a career in the financial services sector, as we are presently in the midst of a massive islandwide network expansion drive. If you are looking to make a name for yourself in this space, then Mahindra IDEAL Finance could be the ideal platform for you.”
From its inception, Mahindra IDEAL Finance has been committed to being a caring and trustworthy employer, understanding the fundamental truth that human capital is the most valuable capital of all. Particularly during the pandemic, the Company went to exceptional lengths to ensure the safety, security and health of its employees in all aspects, both physical and psychological, at work and at home. Mahindra IDEAL Finance has also striven to foster and drive a performance-based culture that provides a meritocratic mechanism for advancement to provide maximum potential for personal and professional development, in the shortest possible time. The Company values each of its team members individually and is keenly cognizant of their roles in making Mahindra IDEAL Finance one of Sri Lanka’s leading and fastest-growing licensed finance companies.
The ranking of the Great Place to Work® List of Best Workplaces for Millennials™ in Sri Lanka 2022 was undertaken in accordance with Great Place to Work®’s rigorous 2 lens model of the Trust Index© employee survey and the Culture Audit© people practice analysis framework and matched the global qualification criteria required to be a Great Workplace. The study was conducted by assessing 72,350 employees at an 85% response rate across more than 160 organizations in Sri Lanka from July 2021 to June 2022. Nearly 20,000 Millennials responded to the anonymous survey. The assessment for the list of Best Workplaces for Millennials also further considered organizations with 20% or more millennials, with 70% or more having a positive perception of their employer. Organizations that scored higher on collaboration, work-life balance, non-discrimination by age, meaningful work, making a difference, contributing to society and pride in the organization, attributes considered valuable by millennials, were also ranked higher in the list.
Having been tipped as one of the Best Workplaces ™ in Sri Lanka for 3 years consecutively, Mahindra IDEAL Finance Limited is an employer of choice within the financial services space in Sri Lanka. The Company’s rapid network expansion drive, which is creating many new opportunities for young and aspiring professionals, was launched subsequent to Mahindra and Mahindra Financial Services Limited, India acquiring a controlling stake in IDEAL Finance Limited in 2021, soon after which Fitch Ratings upgraded the Company’s rating to AA – (lka) with a stable outlook, in recognition of the Company now being backed by a global financial services giant.
09 March 2026; Colombo – SriLankan Airlines would like to inform passengers that it is resuming daily services to Riyadh tonight and Dubai tomorrow, while continuing to closely monitor the situation in the Middle East and prioritising the safety and wellbeing of its passengers and crew.
The following flights are scheduled to operate:
For more information please contact: 1979 (within Sri Lanka); +94 11 777 1979 (international); WhatsApp +94 74 444 1979 (chat only); your travel agent; visit www.srilankan.com; or follow us on social media.
Global oil prices have jumped above $100 (£75.11) a barrel for the first time since 2022 as the escalating US-Israeli war with Iran has fuelled fears of prolonged disruption to shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran on Sunday named Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father Ali Khamenei as Supreme Leader, signalling that a week into the conflict hardliners remain in charge of the country.
The US and Israel launched fresh waves of airstrikes across Iran over the weekend, hitting multiple targets including oil depots.
Major disruption to energy supplies from the region threatens to push up prices for consumers and businesses around the world.
Early on Monday in Asia, Brent crude was around 15.5% higher at $107.16, while Nymex light sweet was up by more than 17% at $106.77.
Stock markets in the Asia-Pacific region fell sharply in early trading on Monday, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 index down by more than 5% and the ASX 200 in Australia more than 3.5% lower.
Many in the markets predicted that oil would hit the $100 a barrel mark this week.
In the event it took about a minute to jump 10%, and then another 15 minutes to rise a further 10% in early Asian trading.
Last week the markets had been relatively relaxed about the seeming nightmare scenario for millions of barrels of crude and liquefied natural gas trapped in the Gulf, unable or unwilling to transit the Strait of Hormuz.
But the escalations over the weekend, alongside scenes of destruction of energy infrastructure both in Iran and across the Gulf, saw the markets take rapid fright.
The question now is where does this go? Some analysts argue that if the shutdown in the strait lasts until the end of March, we could see record oil prices above $150 a barrel.
The existing rise is likely to further increase petrol prices, and those of important derivative products such as jet fuel and vital precursors for fertilisers.
The physical supplies from the Gulf are mainly consumed in Asia.
Already however there are signs that Asian consumers are bidding up prices for US gas, with some tankers originally heading for Europe turning around in the mid-Atlantic.
US President Donald Trump responded to the jump in prices by saying that short term rises were a “small price to pay” for removing Iran’s nuclear threat.
His energy secretary told US broadcasters on Sunday that Israel, not the US, was targeting Iran’s energy infrastructure, amid some concern about rising domestic pump prices caused by the war.
(BBC)
The Ceylon Motor Traders’ Association (CMTA) has issued a stark cautionary note to prospective vehicle buyers, warning that the initial price advantage of reconditioned imports often masks significant long-term financial risks.
By highlighting a “structural imbalance” in the current duty valuation system – which allows near-identical vehicles to be imported under a 15% automatic depreciation bracket – the CMTA argues that the lack of manufacturer-backed warranties and tropicalised specifications in the grey market could lead to a “reconditioned trap” for unsuspecting consumers. For the savvy buyer, the association suggests that the true cost of ownership is increasingly tilting the scales in favour of brand-new vehicles from authorised agents.
If two identical 2026 models are sitting on different lots, and one is significantly cheaper because it was technically “registered and de-registered” abroad, the frugal buyer’s instinct is to take the discount. But the CMTA argues that this 15% depreciation benefit – intended for genuine used cars – is being leveraged as a loophole for zero-mileage vehicles.
For the savvy buyer, this raises a fundamental question of transparency. If the entry price of a vehicle is built on a “procedural” technicality rather than actual wear and tear, where else is the transparency lacking? Does the lower price reflect a genuine saving passed to the consumer, or does it mask a lack of manufacturer-backed after-sales support?
When a buyer chooses an authorised agent, they are essentially purchasing an insurance policy against the unknown. With a five-year manufacturer warranty, the financial burden of a faulty transmission or a software glitch stays with the global giant that built the car, not the local owner. In an era where vehicles are increasingly “computers on wheels,” the technical specialised tools and genuine parts held by authorised agents are no longer a luxury – they are a necessity for longevity.
The CMTA’s perspective also invites the buyer to look at the “Big Picture.” Every time a vehicle is imported under an under-declared value or an artificial depreciation bracket, it isn’t just a loss for the Treasury; it is a blow to the country’s foreign exchange discipline.
“A savvy buyer today is more informed than ever. They realize that a “cheap” import with no service history and no tropicalised specifications may eventually become a “minus” on the balance sheet. Frequent repairs and lower resale value can quickly evaporate the initial few lakhs saved at the point of purchase. Ultimately, the choice between brand new and used is a choice between certainty and speculation,” the Association says.
The CMTA is advocating for a level playing field where duty is based on true transaction value. Until that day comes, the burden of due diligence rests on the consumer. To be a “savvy buyer” in 2026 means looking past the showroom shine and asking: Who stands behind this car if something goes wrong tomorrow?
In conclusion, CMTA says,” For those seeking long-term peace of mind, the “brand new” path – supported by a transparent duty structure and a solid warranty – remains the gold standard for steering Sri Lanka’s complex automotive landscape.”
Before signing the papers on a reconditioned vehicle, the CMTA suggests buyers evaluate the four “minus” factors against a “brand new” purchase:
By Sanath Nanayakkare
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