Business
Sri Lanka Insurance Life Honoured at Great Managers Awards, Becoming First SOE to Achieve this Recognition
Sri Lanka Insurance Life (SLIC Life) was recognised at the prestigious ‘Great Managers Awards 2025’, held on 26th March 2026 at Cinnamon Grand, Colombo, marking a significant milestone as the first State-Owned Enterprise (SOE) to receive this recognition.
Organised by CLA Coaching in collaboration with the Colombo Leadership Academy, the awards recognise organisations and individuals who demonstrate excellence in leadership and managerial effectiveness, benchmarked against global best practices through a rigorous evaluation process.
Sri Lanka Insurance Life was recognised under the category of ‘Companies with Great Managers’, reflecting its commitment to nurturing leadership talent and building a culture that supports sustainable performance and people development.
Several SLIC Life team members were also honoured across multiple categories, highlighting the depth of leadership within the organisation. Duminda Pieris, Assistant General Manager/Zonal Head, was recognised for Driving Results and Execution Excellence, while Chaminda Athauda, Deputy General Manager – Life, received recognition for Aligning Organisational Vision. Jagath Welgama, Deputy General Manager – National Sales, and Manjula Darmaprema Branch Manager – Pilimathalawa were acknowledged for Building Team Effectiveness and Collaboration. Amali Gomez, Manager – Corporate & Marketing Communications, was recognised for Integrality and Holistic Approach. Ruchira Edirisinghe, Brand Manager, and Uththara Kapugamage, Manager – Employee Engagement, were both recognised as Great Millennial Managers.
Commenting on the achievement, Nalin Subasinghe Chief Executive Officer of Sri Lanka Insurance Life stated: “We are truly humbled and honoured to be recognised at the Great Managers Awards 2025, especially as the first State-Owned Enterprise to receive this accolade. This achievement is a testament to the strength, dedication, and professionalism of our team, who continue to demonstrate exceptional leadership across all levels of the organisation. We take great pride in this collective success.” He further added, “We also commend this initiative for its role in encouraging organisations to nurture and develop future leaders. Platforms such as these are vital in shaping strong leadership cultures that drive sustainable business success and industry-wide progress.”
This recognition underscores Sri Lanka Insurance Life’s ongoing commitment to developing its people, strengthening leadership capabilities, and fostering a high-performance culture that contributes to long-term organisational success.
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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