Business
Samsung Signs Up Youth Icon Yohani as Face of Flagship Galaxy Z Fold3 5G & Galaxy Z Flip3 5G in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka’s No. 1 smartphone brand, Samsung, has signed music artist and youth icon Yohani de Silva as the brand ambassador for its premium Galaxy Z Series foldable smartphones, Galaxy Z Fold3 5G, Galaxy Z Flip3 5G and all its future launches, Samsung announced last week.
“Yohani is a singer, songwriter, rapper and multi-instrumentalist (she plays the piano, guitar, trumpet and ukulele) – a genre-breaking force of nature who intermingles pop, rhythm and blues, hip-hop and alternative, with fiery yet focused fluidity. She was also the first local artist to cross one million subscribers on YouTube,” the copany said in a news release.
About its own products, Samsung had this to say: The stunningly stylish Galaxy Z Fold3 5G and Galaxy Z Flip3 5G, also Samsung’s most powerful and premium foldable devices that set new benchmarks for smartphone design and technology, come with an array of more optimized foldable experiences allowing consumers to unfold newer experiences. From the iconic design to the immersive large screen experience, Galaxy Z Fold3 and Galaxy Z Flip3 offer unique new ways to work, watch and play.
“Galaxy Z Fold3 and Galaxy Z Flip3 are an amalgamation of style, premium looks, innovation and utility that promise a smooth smartphone experience for our young users. Yohani’s immense popularity among young Gen Z and millennial consumers will help us deepen our bonds with them.”
“Samsung’s new foldable phones look sleek and come in interesting color options. I love the camera and the large cover screen, and also the fact that these foldable phones are very compact and portable,” she said.
“It is a pleasure to be a part of this innovative journey while adding a little to my own. The campaign has shaped up really well. I really liked the script and the communication that Samsung wants to put forth. I am really excited for the campaign to break, now,” said Yohani.
“We are happy to have partnered with Yohani de Silva for our foldable campaign in Sri Lanka. The launch of Sri Lanka’s first Foldable Smartphone launch demands a youth icon to come on board as a brand ambassador. The main focus of the next generation of foldable smartphones is its openness. We were on the search for a brand ambassador that could fit in with the open and boundary-breaking nature of our flagship products, and Yohani’s persona is an undoubtable fit. We look forward to releasing the best foldable technology to Sri Lanka with Yohani as our brand ambassador,” said Mr Kevin SungSu YOU, Managing Director, Samsung Sri Lanka.
“I am very excited to partner with Samsung in their venture to bring foldable technology to Sri Lanka. The brand is bringing cutting-edge and flagship technology to Sri Lanka and I am proud to be a part of it,” stated Yohani de Silva.
Samsung has created history by launching the first-ever foldable smartphone in the country. Galaxy Z Flip3 5G and Galaxy Z Fold3 5G, Sri Lanka’s first Samsung foldable devices, are a blend of innovation and design which caters to millennials and elite smartphone users who appreciate the breakthrough technology of its proprietary Ultra-Thin Glass (UTG) and hideaway hinge. The Galaxy Z Fold3 5G and Galaxy Z Flip3 5G are true milestones in technological innovation. The devices are being brought down by Samsung Sri Lanka in limited batches and are available on a first-come-first-serve basis.
The Galaxy Z Flip3 5G and Galaxy Fold3 5G will be available through all Samsung partners including John Keells Office Automation, Softlogic Retail, Singer, Singhagiri and Damro, alongside its network Partners Dialog and Mobitel and online portals Samsung EStore (samsungsrilanka.lk), MySoftlogic.lk, Daraz.lk, Keells Super and Kapruka.com.
In Sri Lanka, Samsung has been recognized as the ‘Most Loved Electronics Brand’ for three consecutive years by Brand Finance Lanka’s review of the country’s most valuable brands. As Sri Lanka’s No.1 smartphone brand, Samsung’s customer base in the country spans across all age groups, particularly the Gen Z and Millennial segments.
Business
Dialog delivers strong growth, stronger national contribution in FY 2025
Dialog Axiata PLC announced, Friday 6th February 2026, its consolidated financial results (Reviewed) for the year ended 31st December 2025. Financial results included those of Dialog Axiata PLC (the “Company”) and of the Dialog Axiata Group (the “Group”).
Group Performance
The Group delivered a strong performance across Mobile, Fixed Line and Digital Pay Television businesses recording a positive Core Revenue growth of 16% Year to Date (“YTD”). Group Headline Revenue reached Rs179.6Bn, up 5% YTD, despite the continued strategic scaling down of low-margin international wholesale business. In Q4 2025, Revenue was recorded at Rs46.5Bn up 2% Quarter-on-Quarter (“QoQ”) and 2% Year-on-Year (“YoY”).
The Group Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortisation (“EBITDA”) reached Rs86.0Bn up 30% YTD supported by Core Revenue performance and Cost Rescaling Initiatives. On a QoQ basis Group EBITDA demonstrated a modest growth to record at Rs23.0Bn up 2% QoQ with an EBITDA margin of 49.5% in line with the Revenue performance. Group EBITDA margin reached 47.9% for FY 2025, up 9.2pp.
Group Net Profit After Tax (“NPAT”) reached Rs20.8Bn for FY 2025, up 67% YTD mainly resulting from robust EBITDA growth, despite higher tax and net finance costs. Normalized for forex impact, NPAT growth was recorded at +>100% YTD to reach Rs22.1Bn. On a QoQ basis NPAT grew 3% to reach Rs5.9Bn resulting from strong EBITDA performance.
On the back of strong operational performance, the Group recorded Operating Free Cash Flow (“OFCF”)
of Rs49.3Bn for FY 2025 up >100% YTD.
Dividend Payment to Shareholders
In line with the dividend policy and financial performance of the Group and taking into account the forward investment requirements to serve the nation’s demand for Broadband and Digital services, the Board of Directors of Dialog Axiata PLC at its meeting held on 6th February 2026, resolved to propose for consideration by the Shareholders of the Company, a dividend to ordinary shareholders amounting to Rs1.50 per share. The said dividend, if approved by shareholders, would translate to a Dividend Yield of 5.0% based on share closing price for FY 2025. The dividend so proposed will be considered for approval by the shareholders at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Company, the date pertaining to which would be notified in due course.
Company and Subsidiary Performance
At an entity level, Dialog Axiata PLC (the “Company”) continued to be the primary contributor to Group Revenue (76%) and Group EBITDA (74%). Aided by sustained growth in the Data segment and cost-rescaling initiatives, Company revenue was recorded at Rs135.8Bn for FY 2025, up 18% YTD, EBITDA rose 32% YTD to reach Rs63.6Bn. On a QoQ basis, Q4 2025 Revenue was recorded at Rs34.8Bn, down 1% QoQ due to a reclassification of Hubbing Revenue, while EBITDA decline 1% QoQ to record Rs17.0Bn, largely attributable to network restoration costs and donations made in relation to the Cyclone Ditwah relief efforts. Furthermore, NPAT was recorded at Rs15.6Bn for FY 2025, up 41% YTD. Normalised for forex impacts, the company NPAT was up +>100% YTD to reach Rs17.0Bn. On a QoQ basis, Company NPAT was recorded at Rs4.5Bn, down 6% QoQ.
Business
Ceylinco Life’s Pranama Scholarships reach 25-year milestone
Ceylinco Life has announced the launch of the 25th consecutive edition of its flagship Pranama Scholarships programme, marking a significant milestone in the company’s long-standing commitment to recognising and rewarding excellence among the children of its policyholders.
Under the 2026 programme, the life insurance market leader will present scholarships with a total cumulative value of Rs. 22.7 million, continuing a rewards initiative that has now been conducted without interruption for a quarter of a century. Since its inception, the Ceylinco Life Pranama Scholarships programme has benefitted 3,466 students across the country, representing a total investment of Rs. 240 million in nurturing academic achievement and outstanding performance in sports, arts and other extracurricular pursuits.
Business
Sri Lankans’ artistic genius glowingly manifests at Kala Pola ‘26
The artistic genius of Sri Lankans was amply manifest all over again at ‘Kala Pola ‘26’ which was held on February 8th at Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha Colombo 7; the usual, teeming and colourful venue for this annual grand exhibition and celebration of the work of local visual artists.
If there is one thing that has flourished memorably and resplendently in Sri Lanka over the centuries it is the artistic capability or genius of its people. It is something that all Sri Lankans could feel a sense of elation over because from the viewpoint of the arts, Sri Lanka is second to no other nation. With regard to the visual arts a veritable dazzling radiance of this inborn and persisting capability is seen at the annual open air ‘Kala Pola’.

A bird of Sri Lanka created from scraps of iron waste.
All capable visual artists, wherever they hail from in Sri Lanka, enjoy the opportunity of exhibiting their work at the ‘Kala Pola’ and this is a distinctive ‘positive’ of this annual event that draws numberless artists and viewers. There was an abundance of paintings, sketches and sculptures, for instance, and one work was as good as the other. Ample and equal space was afforded each artist. Its widely participatory and open nature enables one to describe the exhibition as exuding a profoundly democratic ethos.
Accordingly, this time around at ‘Kala Pola ‘26’ too Sri Lankans’ creative efforts were there to be viewed, studied and enjoyed in the customary carnival atmosphere where connoisseurs, local and foreign, met in a sprit of camaraderie and good cheer. Many thanks are owed once again to the George Keyt Foundation for the presentation of the event in association with the John Keells Group and the John Keells Foundation, not forgetting the Nations Trust Bank, which was the event’s Official Banking Partner. The exhibition was officially declared open by Chief Guest Marc-Andre Franche, UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka.
By Lynn Ockersz
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