Business

Macksons Tower: the latest mixed development project in Colombo

Published

6 years ago

2021/03/13

Macksons Tower by Macksons Developers was recently launched in the city of Colombo signifying the first mixed development project by Macksons Holdings. Situated at 12, Alfred House Gardens, Colombo 3, the property offers retail and office space with ample parking, thereby providing all required facilities at a convenient location. The soft opening was held in the presence of Milfer Makeen, chairman, Macksons Holdings, Mizver Makeen, Managing Director, Macksons Holdings and Ranga Goonawardena, Director/CEO, Macksons Developers.

Macksons Tower consists of of 19 levels, which is a total area of 100,000 square feet; from this area 70,000 square feet is rentable space. As a mixed developed project, the property has three levels of car park, retail space and nine floors of office space with a restaurant on the rooftop, which has two levels with beautiful panoramic views. Designed by renowned Sri Lanka architect, Priyantha Prematilake, the building design focuses on a green concept with in-built energy saving mechanisms. Solar powered renewable energy is used to power the building, together with the use of ‘Low E’, energy efficient glass, which reduces the heat thereby increasing the efficiency of the air conditioning. The interiors are spacious and beautiful with all required facilities provided for the smooth functioning of an office. Furthermore, due to its green concept there is also the provision to work within the office spaces without air conditioning. The construction was done by Tudawe Brothers, which is a C1 contractor. As a 100 percent Sri Lankan owned company, Sri Lankan building materials were used as much as possible.

As Ranga Goonawardena, Director/CEO, Macksons Developers explains, “There are so many advantages; we provide many facilities within the building itself and we are located in Central Colombo.” Due to its convenient location people can travel to Macksons Tower in their own transport or public transport. Though parking is a main issue in Colombo, the building provides ample parking space, many free spaces are available for parking in the vicinity as well. For those traveling by public transport, Galle Road and Duplication Road as well as the Bambalapitiya and Colpetty railway stations are within walking distance.

Macksons Developers did not presell the office spaces as they wanted the customer to see the property and make their decision. Furthermore, flexibility on the terms and conditions are provided as well. “We understand this is a challenging period and that the market too is competitive, therefore, we are open to negotiate and provide the best package that will fulfil the tenant’s requirements,” explained Ranga Goonawardena. Macksons Developers will also provide a reasonable grace period and a reasonable rate if the tenant is signing a long-term contract, where step-up leasing rental would be an option. “Even, if you are coming for a short-term contract we can be flexible on terms,” he further stated. Macksons Towers will offer co-working spaces in two floors. The emphasis is to provide support to businesses so that they are not burdened by rentals, thus both parties will be able to benefit through the process.

“We have an advantage because we completed the project, while new constructions projects have not been initiated in the past year. Therefore, we have a small lead. As a Group we are very positive about the market and we will continue to make investments in property development,” stated Ranga Goonawardena.

Macksons Tower is BOI registered project. Macksons Developers is a BOI approved company and is a member of Macksons Holdings. As a diversified group of 14 companies, other member companies include Multilac, Macktiles, Mans Lanka and Mandarina.

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Business

PM ‘Rings the Bell’ at CSE to champion financial literacy and investor education

Published

6 hours ago

2026/10/7

Sahan Weerasooriya

P.M. Dr.Harini Amarasuriya

As part of World Investor Week (WIW) 2026, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC) and the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) joined stock exchanges around the world in ringing the market opening bell for financial literacy on 5 October 2026, under the patronage of Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.

World Investor Week is an annual global campaign led by the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) to raise awareness of the importance of investor education and investor protection. The “Ring the Bell for Financial Literacy” initiative, pioneered by the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE), brings together stock exchanges and other stakeholders worldwide to promote greater financial literacy and encourage individuals to make informed financial decisions.

The ceremony also marked the 40th anniversary of the CSE and the joint launch by the SEC and the CSE of the Stock Market Game, an online stock market simulation based on the ATrad trading system.

The Stock Market Game enables participants to gain practical experience of how the stock market works, make investment decisions and construct portfolios of listed shares without using real money. The platform is accessible through the websites of the SEC and CSE and is expected to serve as an important practical tool for promoting financial education. It is envisaged that the Stock Market Game will also be used to conduct simulation competitions among universities and the 100 Capital Market Clubs established in schools across the country.

The ceremony also featured the commemorative issuance of a stamp and First Day Cover to mark the 40th anniversary of the CSE. Issued in collaboration with the Department of Posts and the Philatelic Bureau of Sri Lanka, the commemorative stamp and First Day Cover were presented to Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, by the SEC Chairman Snr. Prof. D.B.P.H. Dissabandara and Ray Abeywardena, Director CSE and Chairman of Central Depository Systems (CDS).

Welcoming the gathering, Rajeeva Bandaranaike, Chief Executive Officer of the CSE, highlighted the importance of obtaining reliable information when making investment decisions.

“We operate in a digital world where a vast amount of information and data is disseminated through social media. While some of this information is factual, some may be inaccurate or misleading. When investing in the stock market, it is essential to make informed and prudent investment decisions. Therefore, investors should obtain information and data from reliable and responsible sources and persons before making investment decisions.”

Addressing the gathering, SEC Chairman Snr. Prof. D.B.P.H. Dissabandara emphasised that the SEC’s role extends beyond regulation to facilitating the further development of the capital market.

“The SEC needs to determine how best to introduce the stock market to Generation Alpha, Generation Beta and generations beyond. When it comes to investors, we need to build confidence in the market, because people will invest only when they have confidence in the market.’’

Business

Rs. 5 million worth of prizes to be given at 8th edition of CSE Masterminds Quiz Competition

Published

6 hours ago

2026/10/7

Sahan Weerasooriya

The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) has announced that the eighth edition of the CSE Masterminds Quiz will be held on 9th October 2026, from 3.00 p.m. onwards, at the Main Ballroom, Shangri-La Colombo.

Recognised as Sri Lanka’s premier capital market quiz competition, CSE Masterminds brings together teams from the public and private sectors. Participants will be tested across international business, global markets, current affairs, the Sri Lankan economy and business, the Sri Lankan stock market, and sports and entertainment, before a concluding rapid-fire round.

This year the winning team can win up to Rs. 2,000,000, the runners-up up to Rs. 1,000,000, and the second runners-up Rs. 750,000. Sector awards will also be presented to the highest-performing team from each participating sector. Guest participants will also be able to compete in rounds of Audience questions, and will have the opportunity to participate a raffle draw for three free return tickets provided by Fits Aviation (Pvt) Ltd.

The evening will also include an exclusive after-party with live music provided by the band ‘Doctor’ featuring guest performer Umara Sinhawansa, fine food and beverages, providing an opportunity for networking and celebration. Every participant will receive a premium goodie bag made possible by the support of the event’s sponsorship partners. Collectively, the event will feature over Rs. 5 million worth of prizes, rewards, and giveaways, encompassing championship prizes, sector awards, audience engagement prizes, raffle draw offerings, and goodie bags.

Sponsorship partners include:

Platinum Sponsors: Hatton National Bank PLC and Bartleet Religare Stockbrokers (Pvt) Ltd.

Gold Sponsors: Ex-Pack Corrugated Cartons PLC, Asha Securities Ltd., and Lanka Securities (Pvt) Ltd.

Silver Sponsors: Barista Coffee Lanka (Pvt) Ltd., Capital Trust Holdings (Pvt) Ltd., LOLC Holdings PLC, Arpico Ataraxia Asset Management (Pvt) Ltd., IronOne Technologies (Pvt) Ltd., and LankaPay (Pvt) Ltd.

Co-Sponsors: Access Engineering PLC, Bank of Ceylon, Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC, CryptoGen (Pvt) Ltd., Deloitte Lanka (Private) Limited, Dialog Finance PLC, Efutures (Pvt) Ltd., People’s Leasing & Finance PLC, Senfin Asset Management (Pvt) Ltd., and Softlogic Stockbrokers (Pvt) Ltd.

Business

NCCSL to conduct practical workshop on food labelling and advertising regulations in Sri Lanka

Published

6 hours ago

2026/10/7

Sahan Weerasooriya

The National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka (NCCSL) is organizing a one-day practical workshop on “Food Labelling & Advertising Regulations in Sri Lanka” on Thursday, 8th October 2026 from 9.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. at the National Chamber of Commerce, Colombo 10. The workshop has been organised to provide a practical understanding of the latest regulatory requirements governing the food products labelling and advertising of food products in Sri Lanka, with particular attention to regulatory developments applicable in 2026, compliance requirements, and the potential legal and financial implications of non-compliance.

As food products increasingly compete not only with quality and price but also on packaging, labelling and promotional claims, businesses must ensure the information they communicate to consumers is accurate, transparent and consistent with applicable regulatory requirements. Understanding these requirements is therefore essential for businesses seeking to protect their brands, maintain consumer confidence, and minimize regulatory and legal risks.

The practical workshop will go beyond an overview of regulations and focus on how businesses can apply regulatory requirements in their day-to-day operations. Participants will be guided through key areas of food regulatory compliance, including the national food regulatory framework, recent food labelling regulations and key changes, mandatory approvals and prohibitions relating to food labelling, and the litigation process associated with regulatory violations. The programme will also cover several areas of growing importance to the food industry, including the EU EMPCO Directive, food colour coding regulations, regulations relating to food trans-fatty acids and the importance of compliance in the use of food additives. Practical exercises will further enable participants to apply their knowledge to real-world compliance situations and strengthen their ability to identify potential regulatory concerns.

For further information and registration, please contact the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka on 011 4741788 – Nethmi or Udula – 071 403 4775.