Business
Padel Chief’s Maxxis Ceylon Open 2026 concludes with champions crowned across 9 categories
The Maxxis Ceylon Open 2026 concluded successfully with its Grand Finale Weekend, held on August 22 and 23 at Padel House, CR & FC, capping one of Sri Lanka’s largest padel doubles championships.
Organised by Padel Chief, a Sri Lankan-built digital infrastructure platform for competitive premium racket sports, with Maxxis Sri Lanka on board as title sponsor, the tournament ran across three divisions, Pro, Intermediate and Beginner, and nine categories covering Men’s, Women’s and Mixed Doubles. Play was spread across two months, with early rounds completed on a flexible schedule before semi-finals and finals were brought together for the two-day finale.
The championship carried a total prize pool of LKR 330,000, among the largest cash prizes offered at a Sri Lankan padel tournament. It also featured the country’s first public padel draw, hosted at Headquarters by W15 and sponsored by W15 Collection. Anujon Yogendran and Anjana De Silva conducted the draw and officiated throughout the tournament.
Nine championship titles were awarded across the weekend. Rajeev Rajapakse and Sankha Athukorale won Men’s Pro; Bianca Acquistapace and Dinali De Silva took Women’s Pro; and Athukorale paired with Acquistapace for Mixed Pro. Chinthake Dissanayake and Dominik Simonsen claimed Men’s Intermediate, Annika Fernando and Sachini Iddamalgoda won Women’s Intermediate, and Dissanayake partnered Shayanika Fernando for Mixed Intermediate. In the Beginner division, Roland and Yasir Issadeen won Men’s, Kala Perry and Shana Dandeniya took Women’s, and Igor Diuburg and Alika Malonoh won Mixed.
Athukorale and Acquistapace were the standout performers of the weekend, each securing two Pro titles.
Plate titles went to Angus Hopkinson and Arvindh Fernando, Niroshan and Nilushi Fernando, Sulaiman Siraj and Yasir Issadeen, Ayendree Seneviratne and Sasala Dissanayake, Ruvin Kularatne and Sujani Bogollagama, Gavindu Widanaarachchi and Randula Hettige, Hasanji Ellawela and Nayanthara de Silva, and Rukshan De Silva and Aditi Amalean.
“Maxxis Ceylon Open 2026 is proof of what this platform can do when players, clubs and partners come together around a proper competitive structure. Every match this season fed into an official rating, every result was tracked, and the players who stood out at the Grand Finale Weekend earned it over two months of competition. This is the future.” said Nisal Sudila, Chief Operating Officer of Padel Chief.
Padel Chief now turns to the Grand SLAM25 Championship Finale on September 12 and 13, followed by the invitation-only Padel Chief Awards Night on September 18.
Business
SLT-MOBITEL driving Sri Lanka’s economic resilience through digital infrastructure
Corporate accolades underscore the alignment between its operational excellence and national development
In an era where national competitiveness is intrinsically tied to digital connectivity, strengthening the country’s digital backbone has become an urgent priority. Within this context, the evolving role of Sri Lanka’s leading telecommunications provider, SLT-MOBITEL, offers valuable insight into how technological infrastructure can underpin broader economic resilience.
Telecommunications and digital networks are foundational to economic transformation. By expanding high-speed broadband access, upgrading enterprise cloud capabilities, and bridging the urban-rural connectivity divide, SLT-MOBITEL helps reduce business transaction costs, streamline supply chains, and enable micro, small, and medium enterprises to reach global markets.
Recent corporate accolades further underscore this alignment between operational excellence and national development. SLT-MOBITEL’s triple triumph at the National Business Excellence Awards 2026 – winning in the Infrastructure and Utilities sector, Performance Management, and ICT Services categories – highlights its growing impact. Notably, the recognition of eChannelling’s contributions to digital healthcare reflects a broader strategic pivot toward integrated technology solutions.
“Institutional efficiency of this nature is critical for attracting foreign direct investment, as global partners increasingly assess a country’s digital maturity and systemic stability before committing capital,” noted industry observers.
Moreover, the company’s transition from a conventional telecom utility to a comprehensive digital solutions provider aligns seamlessly with Sri Lanka’s national digitalisation agenda. As the country pursues public sector modernisation, enhanced e-governance, and a competitive knowledge economy, the private sector must step up to deliver secure, scalable, and future-ready networks. Investments in data centres, cybersecurity frameworks, and advanced ICT infrastructure act as strategic buffers, ensuring that Sri Lanka’s economic apparatus remains agile and resilient amid future global uncertainties.
However, industry experts caution that while these achievements are commendable, SLT-MOBITEL still has a considerable distance to cover in fully enabling a truly digital economy.
Business
Port City Colombo strengthens Gulf investment ties at Dubai diplomatic engagement
Port City Colombo (PCC) took a prominent role as Platinum Sponsor at the second edition of Sri Lanka Beyond Your Dreams, a high-level diplomatic and investment engagement hosted by the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Dubai and the Northern Emirates. The event, held on 2nd September 2026 at the Hilton Dubai Al Habtoor City, brought together over 400 senior UAE-based business leaders, investors, diplomats, and institutional stakeholders, alongside Sri Lanka’s most senior government representatives.
The gathering was graced by Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, as Guest of Honour, and Vijitha Herath, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism. A high-level Sri Lankan delegation – including the Secretary to the Prime Minister, the Chairman of the Board of Investment, the Chairman of the Export Development Board, and the Director General of Commerce – underscored the government’s strong commitment to deepening economic diplomacy with the UAE.
In his keynote address, Minister Herath reaffirmed the centuries-old ties between Sri Lanka and the Arab region, emphasising the UAE’s vital role as a key economic partner. He stressed the urgency of finalising a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the UAE, which would establish a robust framework to elevate trade, investment, and bilateral cooperation. Declaring Sri Lanka “open and ready for business,” he positioned Port City Colombo as the physical embodiment of this economic mission – a modern Special Economic Zone (SEZ) with a dedicated legal framework and competitive incentives, offering UAE investors a natural gateway to South Asia while maintaining strong Gulf connectivity.
Business
American Premium Water strikes Gold at Dragons of Sri Lanka 2026
American Premium Water has secured four wins at Dragons of Sri Lanka Awards 2026, including three Gold Dragons and one Black Dragon, marking a significant milestone for the brand following its relaunch last year.
Part of the prestigious Dragons of Asia awards, Dragons of Sri Lanka brings the program’s regional platform to the local market, celebrating creative and effective marketing communications, with entries evaluated on strategic thinking, creativity, execution and impact. Established in 2000, Dragons of Asia is one of Asia’s premier results-driven marketing awards programs.
For American Premium Water, the achievements are particularly significant given that the company’s debut at the Dragons awards has resulted in four Dragons across four categories. In the distinction of Gold Dragons, American Premium Water was recognized across three categories including Product Launch or Re Launch, Cause, Environment or Sustainability and Creative Excellence while the Black Dragon was awarded in recognition of Small Budget.
Competing alongside leading brands and agencies in Sri Lanka, American Premium Water’s four wins demonstrate the strength and effectiveness of its recent work. Winning three Gold Dragons across three distinct categories highlights the breadth of the brand’s achievements, while the Black Dragon for Small Budget further emphasizes its ability to create meaningful impact through focused and efficient investment.
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