BIZ BRIEFS  

SLIM Brand Excellence 2015

The Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) has again set a benchmark in excellence with the attraction of a record number of new brands for the SLIM Brand Excellence Awards 2015.

This is a reiteration of the wide acceptance and sustainability of the program among local brands in the country which remains the only awards ceremony in the brand marketing arena.

According to SLIM sources, new brands show an increase of 40% this year, which is in addition to the brands that are regular, annual participants. The local Brand of the Year category has become very competitive, with a record number of entries.

Urbanisation set to increase

Sri Lanka’s current urbanisation rate is set to increase from 18% to 30% in the prevailing peace and stability, resulting in nearly 2.5 million people moving into cities over the next few years.

This number, will be further enhanced by the inward migration of a three million strong diaspora.

The government’s investor-friendly policies, such as the move to liberalise foreign exchange rules to facilitate inward investments into the country and the removal of restrictions on repatriation of capital and gains, are expected to attract further investments in real estate.

Hotel Asia 2015

The food, beverage and hospitality industry is gearing up for Maldives’ largest and most anticipated event ‘Hotel Asia 2015’.

This annual expo will be held at the Dharubaaruge Exhibition Hall, Male from September 19-21, with the International Culinary Competition starting a day earlier. As in the past, this year’s event is again supported and endorsed by the Ministry of Tourism of Maldives, the Maldives National Chamber of Commerce and Industry with the Sri Lanka–Maldives Bilateral Business Council and the National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lankan Chambers will host two of the largest pavilions at the expo.

nccSL seminar on e-payments

The National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka (NCCSL) with LankaClear (Pvt) Ltd, the National Payment Network Operator (LankPay), will present a seminar on ‘Electronic Payments to power the Digital Era of Business’, on Thursday, September 17 from 3.00-5.00 p.m at the Chamber auditorium, D. R. Wijewardene Mawatha, Colombo 10.

The seminar will focus on the role played by LankaPay in driving the economy into the digital future of payments and the regulator, Central Bank’s vision and the progressive policies and regulations in creating an era of electronic payments in the country that will propel growth and development in business segments, the commercial banks’ role and their plans on innovating and introducing the latest in digital payment products.

ComBank wins FinanceAsia ‘Best Bank in SL’ Award

The Commercial Bank of Ceylon won the 2015 FinanceAsia award for the ‘Best Bank in Sri Lanka’ in Hong Kong recently. The fifth ‘FinanceAsia Country Award for Achievement’ presented to Commercial Bank by the magazine was accepted on behalf of the Bank by its Chief Financial Officer Nandika Buddhipala. Here Buddhipala (left) with FinanceAsia’s Senior Reporter Danny Leung.