Business
BOC U.K. embarks on digital transformation initiative
Bank of Ceylon (UK) Ltd (BOC UK), the only financial institution with a Sri Lankan heritage in the United Kingdom, celebrating its 75th anniversary next year has partnered with IFINITY GLOBAL to embark on a significant digital transformation initiative. This innovative collaboration aims to redefine banking experiences and strengthen BOC UK’s presence in the UK by transforming its traditional banking environment into a digital banking ecosystem revolutionising the way it would do banking in the future.
BOC UK was established in 1949 as the first overseas branch of the Bank of Ceylon and then in 2010 became a wholly-owned subsidiary bank authorised and regulated by the Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has launched its ambitious plans to capitalise on its presence in London, the second-largest fintech hub in the world, and Europe’s fintech epicentre. The digital transformation roadmap objectives will ultimately transform the bank into a digital bank with an open banking architecture.
Last year, the bank facilitated over GBP 10 million in inward remittances to Sri Lanka, channeling much-needed foreign currency via its remittance services. During the recent economic turmoil, the bank continued to support trade transactions by adding confirmation to LCs issued by most of the Sri Lankan banks to help the Sri Lankan economy. Further, BOC UK was able to channel more than USD 60 million as bilateral funding swap arrangements. The bank has also helped a few Sri Lankan businesses and entrepreneurs to expand their business into the UK and European markets by helping to set up business and banking services.
Business
NSB felicitates the performance and commitment of Grade 5 students
The student, who obtained the highest marks in the Sinhala medium, at the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination – 2026, was felicitated by the National Savings Bank (NSB), recently, at the NSB Head Office, under the Hapan Pranama Scholarship Program -2026, organized by the Bank.
The Chairman of the Bank, Dr. Harsha Cabral PC, the Actg. General Manager/CEO, Rohana Bandara Weerakoon and the Corporate Management were present at the occasion.
Danoj Theekshana Weerasekara, a student of Ahatuwewa Model Primary School in Kurunegala District, has won the first place in Sinhala Medium at Grade 5 Scholarship Examination this year, with 193 marks. His remarkable achievement reflects not only his personal talents, but also the commitment of his family members, guidance of his teachers and support of the entire school community, who came together to make his triumph a reality.
The National Savings Bank, while complimenting his achievement, wishes him good luck, strength and courage for his future academic endeavors.
Being always committed towards realizing the educational goals of the children of the country, NSB organizes a seminar series, well in advance of the Examination, every year, to support them in preparation for the exam. The Bank has been able to hold more than 100 seminars islandwide this year as well.
Through these seminars, it is expected to provide the students with knowledge, guidance and mental strength, required to be successful at the Examination and the Bank has joined hands with them at an important juncture of their lives, assuring support and strength to face the exam with confidence. (NSB)
Business
CSE receives ‘Great Place to Work’ for five consecutive years
The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) has received the ‘Great Place to Work’ Certification’ for the 5th consecutive year in a row. Since 2022 the bourse has been continually awarded the certification in recognition of its commitment to providing a welcome, inclusive and safe environment.
“At CSE, our people remain our greatest strength.” remarked Rajeeva Bandaranaike, CEO of the CSE “Receiving the Great Place to Work Certification for the fifth consecutive year is a meaningful recognition of our commitment to creating a workplace culture founded on trust, respect, and collaboration. It is an achievement shared by every member of the CSE team and reflects the passion, commitment, and teamwork that continue to drive our success.”
The certification was awarded by Great Place to Work®, a global organization that grants this recognition across more than 180 countries and regions and represents over 20 million employees and 22,000 companies worldwide. The certification was based on the results of an anonymous, company-wide survey that evaluated workplace culture across five key dimensions: credibility, respect, fairness, pride, and camaraderie.
The certification reaffirms CSE’s commitment to its foundational values of Professionalism, Integrity, Care, Teamwork, Passion and Agility. By championing equity and inclusion, the CSE has built a welcoming, discrimination-free culture where every individual can thrive. A cornerstone of this success is CSE’s leadership in workplace diversity as an equal opportunity employer and signatory to the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles, alongside its close collaboration with the UN Global Compact and Respectful Workplaces initiatives. Additionally, the exchange fosters dynamic young talent, with early-career professionals accounting for 57% of its workforce.
Business
SEBSA and Addovation form strategic partnership to support IFS customers across the globe
SEBSA and Addovation announced a strategic partnership that brings together senior IFS specialists from both organisations to drive long-term IFS customer success across the globe. The strategic partnership forms one of the largest consortiums of its kind in the industry.
This strategic partnership builds on an existing track record of successful project deliveries together, which has already demonstrated the operational compatibility between the two organisations. Addovation brings a strong presence and deep market understanding across the Nordic region, while SEBSA brings established global IFS expertise.
“Scale alone is not enough. What matters is having experienced specialists who understand complex customer environments and can deliver consistently,” says Muthuraja Nanayakkara, CEO of SEBSA. “Both SEBSA and Addovation bring decades of IFS expertise in our own right, and together, we combine that experience with a strong European business understanding and the capacity to support customers across markets.”
“AI is changing the conversation around ERP. Companies are asking not only how they modernize their systems, but how they build a foundation that allows them to continuously adopt new technology and turn it into business value,” says Mikael Johansson, Interim CEO of Addovation.
-
Sports7 days agoDDS set to lose Test captaincy
-
News7 days agoSri Lanka faces new grid challenge as rooftop solar surges: former CEB GM
-
Latest News7 days agoShafali, Deepti power India into sixth T20 Asia Cup final
-
Latest News6 days agoSri Lanka thwart Fatima Sana challenge to secure Asia Cup final spot
-
News5 days agoGnanasara Thero absconding after SC ruling
-
News6 days agoAmmunition cache found in old Kandy bungalow
-
Editorial7 days agoA flight of fancy
-
News6 days agoGreen Climate Fund (GCF) Regional Dialogue for East and South Asia will be held from 14 to 17 September 2026 at Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams Hotel, Colombo
