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NGage shines across multiple categories at the Effies

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NGage Team

NGage recorded awards across five diverse categories while being the sole awardee in each category, at the recently concluded Effies. Winning across such diverse categories shows the versatility and salience of the agency’s achievement, underscoring their strategic approach and insights across markets.

The awards included two for their long-standing client of 30 years, Hemas Consumer, for the laundry care brand Diva in the Home Supplies category and Dandex in Personal Care. “As we celebrate our own 30th Anniversary this year, it is fitting that we have won these awards for Hemas, who has been our client since our inception and has entrusted us with several of their brands over the years” said Founder & Chairman of NGage, Nimal Gunewardena. Shiyan Jayaweera, Marketing Director at Hemas Consumer, commented on the agency partnership saying “The strong working relationship we have built with the agency over the years has no doubt helped them to play the role of a knowledgeable steward of the key brands we have entrusted to them. We are delighted about these wins for two of our key brands – Diva and Dandex”.

For Singer, another client for whom NGage has created stand-out TV commercials across several of their retail brands, NGage was awarded in the Electronics category for a quirky and humorous TVC for Dahua CCTV systems. Singer’s Marketing Manager Tharaka Warnakulasuriya expressed his delight saying “NGage has time and again come up with TV commercials that get the attention of our targets and gets them to consider Singer and the multiple brands we sell, with clear and compelling messaging. This was one such instance, and we are delighted!”

NGage Leaders Nimal Gunewardena and Sheron Jayasundara
at the Effie Awards

For their new client, Elephant House, NGage was recognized for their launch campaign of Feel Good Frozen Yoghurt in the Snacks & Desserts category. Kasun Gunarathne, Head of Marketing at Elephant House said “We started working with NGage recently and they have been showing us some great ideas for the brands we asked them to work on. This launch campaign for our Frozen Yoghurts helped us to position this category as something people could Feel Good about enjoying, supported by the endorsement of relevant Influencers.”

Significant also was the win for the nationally vital campaign the agency did in the Non-Profit/ Public Service category for UNICEF to drive ‘Covid-Appropriate Behaviour’ to mitigate the risk and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic through a campaign that educated people to follow correctly the hygiene practices of wearing masks, washing their hands and keeping distance. “This campaign was significant not only because it reflected our strengths in public awareness and behaviour change campaigns, but was among the work that our talented team rallied around to pull off during a difficult year” said NGage CEO Sheron Jayasundara.

NGage, now completing three decades, has been a pioneer in IMC and PR and a place of learning for several industry people who have passed through its portals and was the first Marcom agency to be recognized as a Great Place To Work. Its leadership has continued to contribute to the industry through their commitment to knowledge sharing and leadership in the industry bodies.



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Question of ‘data privacy’ looms large in govt’s DPI strategy

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BIMSTEC Digital Conclave 2025. Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, Chief Advisor to the President on Digital Economy- second from left and High Commissioner of India, Santosh Jha - fifth from left

Hans Wijayasuriya tries to get the elephant out of the room

By Sanath Nanayakkare

As the government of Sri Lanka accelerates its digital public infrastructure (DPI) strategy, the question of data privacy looms large.

The Chief Advisor to the President on Digital Economy, Dr.Hans Wijayasuriya, stepped in to address this critical issue head-on, in a recent keynote at the BIMSTEC Digital Conclave 2025 held at Taj Samudra, Colombo on February 7-8.

Wijayasuriya emphasized the need for robust data protection frameworks to ensure public trust in digital initiatives as the collection and use of personal data may raise significant ethical and legal questions in Sri Lanka.

Dr. Wijayasuriya advocated for a balanced approach, combining innovation with stringent privacy safeguards, at a time the public in Sri Lanka is split down the middle on the implementation of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), and rolling out bio-metric digital ID to provide many key government services online, with the support of tech companies in foreign countries.

Furthermore, the Public Digital Conferences being held in Colombo these days with the participation of foreign players are likely to result in policy action and implementation on the ground at any point in time.

In these circumstances, his insights served as a timely reminder that data privacy is not just a technical challenge, but a cornerstone of sustainable digital transformation.

Taking a question from the moderator at the Conclave whether DPI would compromise the security interests of the Sovereign he said,” I think the question of Sovereignty’s security comes second because fundamental security and control assemblies come first. And this can be subject to proportionate assessment of risk and granular data in use. Different types of data need different treatments in terms of risk mitigation. So, what we strive for is ‘risk proportional safeguards’ plus federated digital platforms with a focus on privacy and data control by not centralizing user information on one single platform. We should have a very well-architectured system to ensure internal and sovereignty-related security in the transferring of data. Sri Lanka has a Data Protection Act in force. Sri Lanka also has a Data Protection Authority in place.This means there is a strong legal framework as well as an institutional framework to implement the mechanisms for data protection. Looking at the cross-border scenario, sovereignty interests are critical, and therefore, we will adhere to the principles based on the categorization of data. Let me add another point about Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). When an additional API is opened to enable seamless integration and automation between different staking platforms and applications, the demand for security escalates. That is the nature of this exercise. If we are to benefit from open architecture systems, we need to consider these issues and build robust systems to mitigate the risks,” he explained.

“There are many layers which lend themselves to integration and the extension of horizontal layers. We should look at multiple dimensions for citizen-centric services without compromising on national security. Also, we will look at businesses in a cross-border angle and in an inclusion angle, where business to business (B2B) interfaces can especially boost trade volumes and transactions in the region,” he said.

High Commissioner of India Santosh Jha speaking at the Conclave said,” “India has over the past decade or so undergone a digital transformation at an unprecedented pace and scale, with unparalleled benefits to all sections of the society. At a time when mobile and data access were seen globally as a convenience, India adopted a model that envisioned digitization not only as a means of connectivity – but as a medium of equity and opportunity. And that to me is the essence of Digital Public Infrastructure.”

Responding to a question from The Island Financial Review as to which foreign companies in which countries would get the contract awards, Eranga Weerarathna, Dep. Minister of Digital Economy replied,” We will explore working with local tech companies. We will also need to outsource foreign collaboration in this exercise to leapfrog in DPI. Wherever we see value, we will work with foreign companies while ensuring the protection of very sensitive data.”

During the networking time, a local ICT expert was overheard saying, ‘The elephant is out of the room, and policymakers need to address it.'”

On Feb. 5, key officials of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Asian Development Bank took part in the Sri Lanka Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Summit held in Colombo where they pledged support to Sri Lanka to become a digital economy powerhouse in the region. The Ministry of Digital Economy had put together that two-day summit in partnership with the UNDP in Sri Lanka, the ADB and key collaborators including Huawei.

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Aitken Spence announces appointment of new chairperson,

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Stasshani Jayawardene – Chairperson Aitken Spence PLC

Stasshani Jayawardena

Aitken Spence is deeply saddened on the passing away of its honourable Chairman, Deshamanya D H S Jayawardena (Harry Jayawardena) who was known for his visionary leadership and unwavering dedication that have been instrumental in shaping the company’s success. The company expressed its deepest gratitude to Deshamanya D H S Jayawardena for his remarkable contributions and extends its heartfelt condolences to the Jayawardena family during this difficult time.

In light of this profound loss, the company is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. D S T Jayawardena (Stasshani Jayawardena) as the new Chairperson with immediate effect. Ms. Jayawardena brings a wealth of experience and a strong commitment to continuing the legacy of excellence established by her predecessor.

Ms. Jayawardena has been an integral part of Aitken Spence for over 10 years, serving in various leadership roles and contributing significantly to our growth and innovation. Ms. Jayawardena marks several milestones for Aitken Spence PLC as the youngest Board Member, and the first female member on the Board. Her appointment demonstrates the company’s trust in her capability to guide Aitken Spence towards continued success and innovation.

Ms. Jayawardena has over 15 years of experience in the management of companies under the guidance of her late father, Deshamanya D H S Jayawardena. She has been managing and providing strategic direction to Aitken Spence Group Companies, including the tourism sector, and carries with her a wealth of knowledge and experience which is imperative for the continuous growth of the Aitken Spence Group of Companies, following the vision of the late Deshamanya D H S Jayawardena.

Ms. Jayawardena was also appointed as Chairperson of Aitken Spence Hotel Holdings PLC and Browns Beach Hotels PLC and, Deputy Chairperson of Lanka Milk Foods (CWE) PLC, and continues as Director of Melstacorp PLC, Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka PLC.

She is a graduate of St. James’ and Lucie Clayton College and Keele University in the United Kingdom, Emeritus Institute of Management, Singapore and an Associate Alumni of University of Cambridge (Judges Business School), United Kingdom. Ms. Jayawardena was the youngest intern to work under US Senator Hilary Rodham Clinton and the Former US President Bill Clinton in 2003.

In recognition of her work and commitment to inspire, she has been recognised on several local and international platforms. Ms. Stasshani Jayawardena’s extensive leadership in diversified conglomerate structures has reinforced her capability to lead Aitken Spence into a new era of success.

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Cargills Bank and Mastercard collaborate to power ‘Tapit’

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From left: Kaushi Fernando - Head of Card Services | Cargills Bank Limited, Senarath Bandara - Managing Director and CEO|Cargills Bank and Sandun Hapugoda - Country Manager, Sri Lanka and Maldives Mastercard

Cargills Bank and Mastercard have collaborated to launch Sri Lanka’s first contactless sticker payment solution. Titled ‘Tapit’, the new solution promises to revolutionize everyday transactions for Mastercard credit and debit cardholders.

Combining Mastercard’s global expertise in payments with Cargills Bank’s local insights, the ‘Tapit’ solution will not only promote digital payments but will also advance contactless transactions, thereby furthering financial inclusion in the country and supporting its digital transformation.

‘Tapit’ is an adhesive payment enabled sticker that can be easily pasted on a mobile phone, handbag or any other item of day-to-day use which has a flat surface. It uses advanced Near Field Communication (NFC) technology and is protected by military-grade EMV chip encryption and security protocols.

Cardholders can simply paste the sticker on the item of their choice and begin their contactless payments journey. To complete a transaction, all they need to do is hold the item close to the Point of Sale (POS) device. The transaction is concluded instantly with an SMS alert in real time.

Senarath Bandara, Managing Director and CEO, Cargills Bank, said, “This contactless sticker card represents Cargills Bank’s commitment to innovative banking solutions. Combining state-of-the-art technology with convenience and security, we are enhancing customer experience while advancing Sri Lanka’s digital banking landscape.”

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