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Talawakelle plucker harvests 10.42 kg in 20 minutes

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R. Seethayammah from Somerset Estate of Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC was crowned as the Best Tea Harvester for 2023 from across the entire Hayleys Plantations sector, in addition to winning the Gold Award for Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC after she harvested an incredible 10.42 Kgs in just twenty minutes, receiving the highest score of 82.6%.

She won te top spot at Hayleys Plantation’s, second annual ‘Best Tea Harvester’ Competition for 2023.

Organized across Kelani Valley Plantations (KVPL), Talawakelle Tea Estates (TTEL) and Horana Plantations (HPL) the contest is designed to showcase and celebrate the dedication and hard work of the Hayleys Plantations team, a Hayleys news release said..

“Notably, this year’s contest was revived based on popular demand from employees themselves, following a two-year hiatus brought about by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.” it added.

“I am so happy to have won the competition and I want to thank our estate managers, Dr. Roshan Rajadurai and Hayleys for giving us extra training on how to improve our harvesting and the chance to take part. My family and friends have been supporting me and giving encouragement throughout,” Seethayammah said taking home her cash prize of Rs. 300,000.

S. Gomathi from Batlgalla Estate took home the Gold Award for Kelani Valley Tea Plantations, while M. Vigneshwary from Alton Estates took home the Gold Award for Horana Plantations. Hayleys Plantations offered all Gold Award winners with a cash prize of Rs. 100,000, Silver Award with Rs. 75,000 and Rs. 50,000 for the Bronze Award.

The expert Judging Panel consisted of industry specialists from the Tea Research Institute and the senior management of Hayleys Plantations. Competitors were judged based on the quantity and quality of tea they plucked in a set time, and the care they took in maintaining the tea bushes during harvesting.

“Our people are the backbone of our business, and it is our responsibility to acknowledge and reward their unwavering commitment, hard work, and talent. Today Sri Lanka’s tea industry faces significant environmental, social and economic challenges. Despite these issues, the industry continues to play an essential role in generating export revenue for the nation. The survival and continued development of tea is therefore a national imperative. That is why Hayleys is leading by example, and continuously investing in the upliftment of our tea harvesters and their families, in order to secure a brighter future for our people,”Hayleys Chairman and Chief Executive Mohan Pandithage said.

Following the competition, a special awards ceremony was hosted by Hayleys Plantations at Radella Cricket Ground, Nuwara Eliya to felicitate its winning contestants, and all who participated in this year’s contest.

“The remarkable performance of our employees today provides a glimpse into the true potential of Sri Lankan tea. The Hayleys Group’s vision for the future of plantations is built around the needs and aspirations of our employees, and singularly focused on sustainable productivity enhancement across every facet of the business. Our focus on long-term sustainable development is applied across all our estates, with special emphasis on empowerment of our tea harvesters.

“The Best Tea Harvester competition is part of a series of structured programmes we conduct to recognize, support and encourage the hard work of our people. We are also providing a healthy living environment while ensuring access to quality health and nutrition, while empowering the community and its youth. These efforts are critical for the success of our business. However, they are also helping to chart a sustainable new path to success for Sri Lankan tea,” Hayleys Plantations Managing Director Dr. Roshan Rajadurai said.

Hayleys Plantations was also the first in its industry in Sri Lanka to offer field officers the NVQ certification for the National Skills Passport in order to advance their technical expertise. Similarly the company also hosted Sri Lanka’s first Plantations Management Symposium to enable knowledge sharing on innovation and emerging best practices across estate management. Hayleys Plantation companies have also initiated Mother and Child Friendly Plantations polices, and continue to win global and local acclaim for their proven track record, and setting of new benchmarks in ethical and sustainable plantations management, the release added.

The Hayleys Plantations Best Tea Harvester Competition draws its inspiration from a similar contest organized by the Sri Lanka Tea Board in celebration of the 150th anniversary of Ceylon Tea in 2018. Hayleys Plantations boldly decided to carry forward the competition within its estates based on the positive response from its employees.

Winners were chosen from the preliminary stages of the competition held at tea estates across the Group’s three subsidiaries, KVPL, TTEL and HPL. The winner of each company after that competed in a tense finale amidst a cheering crowd.



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AIA delivers strong first half results in 2026; double-digit growth across key financial metrics

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The Board of AIA Group Limited (the “Company”) is pleased to announce the Group’s financial results for the six months ended 30 June 2026. Growth rates are shown on a constant exchange rate basis unless otherwise stated:

New business performance and embedded value

Value of new business (VONB) of US$3,212 million, up 10 per cent overall and 14 per cent excluding Thailand(1)

Record high annualised operating ROEV of 18.0 per cent, up from 15.8 per cent in full year 2025

EV Equity of US$83.4 billion, up 6 per cent per share over the first half on an actual exchange rate basis

IFRS earnings

Operating profit after tax (OPAT) of US$4,163 million, up 13 per cent per share

AIA now expects to exceed OPAT per share CAGR target of 9 to 11 per cent from 2023 to 2026(2)

Record high annualised operating ROE of 17.5 per cent, up from 15.5 per cent in full year 2025

Cash generation and capital returns

Underlying free surplus generation (UFSG) of US$3,935 million, increased by 10 per cent per share

Net free surplus generation (net FSG) of US$2,758 million, up 12 per cent per share

US$3.6 billion returned to shareholders in the first half through dividend and share buy-back

Interim dividend increased by 10 per cent to 53.90 Hong Kong cents per share

Lee Yuan Siong, AIA’s Group Chief Executive and President, said:

“AIA has delivered another strong performance in the first half of 2026, with double-digit growth across our key financial metrics, while continuing to return substantial capital to shareholders. VONB reached a record high of US$3.2 billion with growth across all distribution channels, and all reportable segments excluding Thailand. The Group has achieved 17 per cent CAGR since the first half of 2023(3), demonstrating consistently strong demand for AIA’s professional advice and differentiated products.

“At the core of our unrivalled distribution platform is our market-leading Premier Agency. I am delighted that AIA has once again been ranked the number one Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) multinational company globally. We have held this position for a record 12 consecutive years and we have more than double the number of MDRT members of our nearest competitor. In the first half of 2026, our Premier Agency achieved strong VONB growth of 11 per cent excluding Thailand(1). Our extensive network of strategic distribution partners further expands our market reach and generated an 18 per cent increase in VONB, supported by very strong performance in both the bancassurance and independent financial adviser (IFA) and broker channels.

“Strong new business, together with disciplined management of our in-force portfolio, has supported sustained growth in recurring earnings with OPAT per share up by 13 per cent in the first half. As a result, we expect to exceed our 9 to 11 per cent OPAT per share CAGR target for 2023 to 2026(2). UFSG, the Group’s core measure of operating cash generation, increased by 10 per cent per share. After allowing for new business investment, net FSG increased by 12 per cent per share. In accordance with our prudent, sustainable and progressive dividend policy, the Board has declared a 10 per cent increase in the interim dividend to 53.90 Hong Kong cents per share. These achievements demonstrate that our financial strategy is working as intended.

“Asia remains the most compelling growth opportunity for life and health insurance. Powerful structural tailwinds across the region continue to create substantial demand for our professional advice and differentiated products and underpin the exceptional long-term prospects for AIA’s business. I am confident that AIA’s disciplined execution of our strategic priorities will continue to deliver long-term sustainable value for all our stakeholders.”

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British Council Sri Lanka launches soft skills workshops to elevate learning and empower communication

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The British Council team answering questions on Corporate English Solutions from leading corporates about professional development skills courses

The British Council Sri Lanka has launched Corporate English Solutions (CES), tailored to the Sri Lankan corporate and education ecosystem, aimed at helping organisations strengthen workplace communication and professional development.

The launch event took place recently at the NH Collection, Colombo 3, gathering corporate partners, clients and education stakeholders throughout the country.

CES extends the British Council’s long-standing work in English language education and teacher training into a dedicated offering for the corporate sector. The launch introduced two new components to the British Council’s presence in Sri Lanka such as public workshops and teacher training programmes, open to learners and educators beyond the organisation’s existing corporate and academic partners. Guests at the event were shown a short video introducing Corporate English Solutions before the formal proceedings began.

Talal Meer, British Council Regional Business Development Director, South Asia, welcomed guests and introduced the British Council’s team in Sri Lanka. In his remarks, Meer set out the scope of the CES launch, covering the introduction of public workshops in Sri Lanka, the rollout of teacher training programmes, and an overview of the CES product portfolio. Meer’s role covers educational partnerships in the South Asia region, and his address framed the Sri Lanka launch within the British Council’s broader regional strategy.

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Ogilvy Group tops award tally at ‘Dragons of Sri Lanka’ 2026

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Ogilvy Group Sri Lanka delivered a standout performance at the recently concluded Dragons of Sri Lanka 2026 Awards, securing a total of nine awards comprising two Gold Dragons, one Silver Dragon and six Black Dragons, among the festival’s highest overall award tallies. Gold Dragon wins for Phoenix Ogilvy and Ogilvy Digital, together with the seven additional recognitions across multiple categories, highlighted Ogilvy’s ability to combine creativity, strategic thinking and commercial effectiveness to deliver business results.

Organised by the 4As Sri Lanka, the third edition of Dragons of Sri Lanka shortlisted more than 50 agencies and corporates, making it one of the country’s most competitive marketing communications awards. These local awards, along with the chapters in Malaysia and Pakistan are part of the Dragons of Asia platform, one of the region’s leading programmes for marketing communications effectiveness, with entries being judged on strategy, originality, execution and measurable results.

Ogilvy Digital accounted for eight awards in total, including a Gold Dragon in the Business & Trade Marketing category, and a Silver Dragon in the Innovative Idea or Concept category. The Agency additionally received six Black Dragons across the categories of Innovative Idea or Concept, Business & Trade Marketing, Content Creation, Small Budget, Event or Experiential, and Brand Trial or Sales Generation.

Commenting on the achievement, Sajith Weerasinghe, Chief Operating Officer of Ogilvy Digital, said, “These recognitions reflect the breadth of capabilities we’ve built across strategy, creative, content, experience design, technology and performance marketing. The fact that the work was recognised across so many different disciplines demonstrates our ability to apply creativity to a wide range of business challenges and objectives. We’re proud that this achievement spans multiple clients, categories and types of work, reflecting both the versatility of our people and our commitment to delivering results.”

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