Biz Briefs

Workshop on ‘Starting a business’

A workshop themed - “Want to start a business” will be held on August 28 from 9am - 5pm at the Industrial Technology Institute.

Presentations will be made by Marketing Consultant, Prasanna Perera. and resource persons from the National Enterprises Development Authority (NEDA), Sri Lanka Standard Institute (SLSI) and the Industrial Technology Institute (ITI).

Successful business people will talk on how they made it to the top including the ‘Story of SMAK’ by the Managing Director of Country Style Foods Ltd.

New owner for Odel

The ownership of Odel, the flagship retail shop changed hands with Parkson Retail Asia Limited (PRAL.SI) agreeing to purchase a 41.82 percent stake in the company for Rs 1.424b.

The Colombo Stock Exchange was informed that the transaction would be followed by a mandatory offer to minority shareholders and a 1 for 1 Rights Issue.

Parkson had entered in to a Share Sale and Purchase Agreement with the controlling shareholders of Odel - the company’s founder and CEO Otara Gunewardene and her brothers Ajit and Ruchi Gunewardene - to acquire 60,625,000 shares of the company.

Modern book store opened

M. D. Gunasena, publisher, printer and bookseller, opened Sri Lanka’s largest book store, in Colombo 4 under the patronage of Country Manager, British Council Sri Lanka, Tony Riley, Chairman M D Gunasena, Percy Gunasena and Deputy Managing Director, Rajiv Gunasena.

The new book store is in Colombo 4, Deputy Managing Director M. D. Gunasena, Rajiv Gunasena said, “With a century of experience in providing knowledge, and being well-renowned as the company who taught the nation to read we are now inviting all book lovers to be a part of the next chapter.
 

Skype on Airtel

Airtel mobile users in Sri Lanka will now be able to use their mobile phone to call any Skype user anywhere in the world.

Available on any handset, customers have to send an SMS to 689 with the Skype ID of the person to be contacted.

Customers will then be sent a return message with a 10 digit Skype dialing ID Code which can then be stored along with the contacts’ usual details and used thereafter to contact the person when they are online.

Brandix crowned Asia’s ‘Best Brand’

Brandix has been adjudged Asia’s ‘Best Brand’ for the second consecutive year by the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council and won three more awards at the 2012 CMO Asia Awards for Excellence in Branding and Marketing held recently at Park Royal, Singapore.

The Best Brand award is based on an independent evaluation by the CMO Council, which considers ‘Mind Share’, ‘Market Share’ and ‘Commitment Share’ as the principal criteria for the accolade.

According to the CMO Council, the principal criteria used in selecting the winner of the Best Brand award encompasses a brand’s strength in the minds of consumers of the product category, a brand’s strength in a certain market in terms of consumers’ buying behaviour and a brand’s strength in encouraging consumers to buy that brand in the future.

Rainco launches ‘Defender Jacket’

Rainco has launched the ‘Defender Jacket’ for motorcycle users targetting youth. The ‘Defender Jacket’ is made in ultra modern manufacturing facilities equipped with state-of- the art technology. The elasticity of the jacket allows freedom to move the hands and for easier removal.

Equarea breathable mesh at sweat zones and a windproof panel at the top of the chest are notable features of the Jacket.This latest addition to the Jacket range is in line with the company’s expanding product range.

 

Cathay Pacific wins Skytrax 'World's Best Business Class' award

Cathay Pacific Airways was voted 'World's Best Business Class' in the annual Skytrax World Airline Awards program where more than 18 million airline passengers from across the world picked their choices.

Cathay Pacific Chief Executive, John Slosar said, "This year's award becomes more meaningful as our new Business Class is a genuine collaboration between customers and our own team.

Merit award for Bal Pharma

Bal Pharma is a ISO 9001 Indian Pharmaceutical Company supplying quality drugs in more than 20 countries worldwide.

This year's State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) annual awards Bal Pharma won a merit award.

Bal Pharma has four manufacturing units in India, two of which are set up as per ICH and PIC guidelines to meet US FDA approval and various European MOH approvals.

Bal Pharma has been a regular supplier to SPC for more than a decade.

NUS Business School conducts program

The faculty of NUS Business School, part of the National University of Singapore, acknowledged as one of the finest universities in the Asia-Pacific region, will be in Colombo to conduct the LAHES-NUS Strategic Human Capital Management program, from September 26 to 29.

This is a rare opportunity for those in senior management roles, especially in the Human Resource Management and Development fields in the private and public sectors to develop their skills and enhance knowledge on Human Capital Management.

ICLP Award Ceremony 2012

K.C. Kamalasabayson scholarship holder Ms Madeeha Mawoon, Attorney-at-Law, receiving the Certificate from Ms Kamalasabayson.

The Institute for Development of Commercial Law and Practice (ICLP) celebrated its 20th anniversary and the ICLP Award Ceremony recently. Chief Justice (Dr.) Shirani Bandaranayake along with Justice Saleem Marsoof PC and Justice P. A. Ratnayake PC emphasised the importance of arbitration as a dispute resolution mechanism in the commercial sphere and the ways in which it could be popularised in Sri Lanka. The ICLP and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) endeavour to strengthen the capacities of personnel in the shipping industry was commended.

The pioneers of ICLP were honoured at the event. The founder Chairman of the ICLP Arbitratrion Centre, the Late Chandra Wijenayeke was honoured.

Chandra Wijenaike, a leading businessman realising the need of an internationally accepted dispute resolution mechanism for booming economic development convinced 13 blue chip companies to contribute towards the establishment of the ICLP.

Award for Softlogic IT

Softlogic Information Technologies, a subsidiary of Softlogic Holdings Group, was awarded the Dell Most Valuable Partner Award - Consumer Segment, at the 'Dell Channel Summit 2012' in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia, recently.

The 'Dell Channel Summit 2012' provided a networking platform for Dell and its partners around the world, highlighting the achievements of its partners and provided a platform to share and learn through an interactive forum.

One hundred and twenty eight channel partners from 22 countries from the South Asia region participated. This event was designed to allow all Dell CXO distributors and channel partners (Partner Direct) to participate in the general session by President, Dell Asia Pacific and Japan Region Amit Midha.
 

Prof Lehman to address CEO Forum

Prof Roger Lehman, the founder and first executive director of INSEAD Global Leadership Centre (IGLC) will deliver the keynote address on "Leading Innovation: What Every Leader Should Know" at the Amcham CEO forum on July 31 at Hotel Galadari. Lehman will outline best practices of multinationals who lead with innovative products and services in the 21st century.

SLT IDD promotion winners rewarded

Four winners of the SLT IDD Promotion received return air tickets at the Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) Head Office auditorium. The 'Fly with SLT IDD' promotion commenced on May 24 and will run until August 31. Winners are selected at a weekly raffle draw.

Calls must be a minimum of four minutes in duration and each call is valid for the draw only during the week in which it is made.

The more calls made, the greater a customer's chance of emerging a winner and flying off to the destination they called.

Deputy Commissioner Revenue Western Province, Mrs. D.A.S. Dadigama and Chief Marketing Officer, SLT, Roshan Kaluarachchi were present.

Commercial Credit powers 'Future Minds 2012'

Commercial Credit recently joined 'Future Minds 2012' as main sponsor and official financial partner. It was organised for the seventh consecutive year by Nalanda Junior OBA. 'Future Minds 2012' will be held at the Galle Town Hall premises on September 1-2 Visitors should to pre-register at futureminds.lk and be part of a draw with prizes on offer.

Ericsson Xperia Arc S launched

Metropolitan, the distributor for Sony mobile in Sri Lanka and Dialog Axiata PLC, launched the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S mobile phone. From left: Senior Executive - Product Management Dialog Axiata PLC, Sajith Niroshan, Manager - Product Management Dialog Axiata PLC, Sashimaal Fernando, General Manager - Mobile Broadband and Postpaid Business, Dialog Axiata PLC Navin Pieris, Head of Marketing Metropolitan, Dilshan Gammampila, Head of Sales, Metropolitan Nalaka Dharmasooriya and Co-ordinator - Product Management Dialog Axiata PLC, Umar A. Nawaz.