Business
Women in Management, IFC launch 11th Professional and Career Women Awards
Marking its 11th year of honoring inspiring Sri Lankan women, Women in Management (WIM), in collaboration with Women in Work, a partnership between IFC and the government of Australia, today opened nominations for the ‘Top 50’ Professional and Career Women Awards 2021.
This will be IFC’s seventh consecutive year – fourth under the IFC-DFAT Women in Work program – in co-hosting the awards, which recognizes and celebrates Sri Lankan women who have excelled in their careers, businesses, and everyday life, inspiring others.
Spanning over a decade, the ‘Top50’ Professional and Career Women Awards has recognized over 470 Sri Lankan women representing a wide array of professions, including banking and finance, hospitality, media, legal, logistics, and supply chains.
“This year, the ‘Top50’ awards will recognize resilient women leaders in chosen fields and businesses – the ones who challenged their talents and skills to reach higher in their professions amid a pandemic,” said Dr. Sulochana Segera, Founder/Chairperson at Women in Management. “During the past 10 years, through the Awards, Sri Lanka has been able to understand and accept women’s business leadership not just as a gender representation, but for its important role in promoting economic growth and social inclusion in the country.”
While COVID-19 has exacerbated gender gaps, reversing decades of gains achieved across the world, it has also highlighted the importance of strong and steady corporate leadership. As companies look forward to a resilient recovery, they increasingly recognize the need to promote women’s leadership to achieve more inclusive, productive, and profitable growth across institutional spaces.
“‘Top 50’ Professional and Career Women Awards is an exemplary stage that helps bring hidden Sri Lankan talent to the fore. We have celebrated many exceptional women over the past years who were unafraid to think outside the box – which is exactly what Sri Lanka needs for a more inclusive and diverse economy,” said Sarah Twigg, Program Manager for Women in Work, IFC. “As we live through another unprecedented year with a global pandemic, it’s time to hear how Sri Lankan women persisted in the face of challenges and insisted on building a better future.”
In the course of IFC’s 50 years of operations in Sri Lanka, WIM has been a long-standing partner. Together, IFC and WIM continue to provide skills-building and training opportunities for women in senior and middle management as well as for entrepreneurs who lead, or work in, micro and small businesses in Sri Lanka. These initiatives, including the ‘Top 50’ Professional and Career Women Awards 2021, were initiated under the IFC-DFAT Women in Work program.
“Australia has a strong commitment to promoting equal participation globally, particularly in the time of COVID-19. In Sri Lanka, we see our Women in Work partnership with the IFC, and the partnership with Women in Management, as key to advancing opportunities for women. This is the fourth consecutive year we are supporting ‘Top50’ Professional and Career Women Awards in highlighting the achievements of Sri Lankan women,” said Amanda Jewell, Acting Australian High Commissioner for Sri Lanka. “It is exciting to be part of the Awards judging panel alongside many high-profile judges.”
With presence in Canada and the Maldives, the ‘Top50’ Professional and Career Women Awards sets the stage for the award winners’ own career or business trajectory, and importantly, encourages many other aspiring Sri Lankan women from diverse backgrounds to explore new opportunities, propelling them to reach higher in their chosen field.
The 2021 judging panel—chaired by Nadija Tambiah, Head of Legal, Secretarial and Corporate Social Responsibility at John Keells Holdings—includes Jayanthi Dharmasena, Managing Director of Hayleys Agriculture Holdings Ltd; Kishu Gomes, Group MD/CEO of Dreamron Group of Companies; Nisthar Cassim, Founding Editor and CEO of Daily FT; Rohantha Athukorala, CEO of Clootrack Sri Lanka/Maldives & Pakistan; Sandra De Zoysa, Group Chief Customer Officer at Dialog Axiata PLC; Sandya Salgado, Strategic Marketing Professional; Santosh Menon, CEO of KL.LK; Amanda Jewell, Acting Australian High Commissioner for Sri Lanka; and Sarah Twigg, Program Manager for Women in Work at IFC.
The Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka (AHK Sri Lanka) proudly facilitated the first-ever Sri Lankan delegation’s participation at Drupa 2024, the world’s largest trade fair for the printing industry and technology. Held after an eight-year hiatus, Drupa 2024 was a landmark event, marking significant advancements and opportunities in the global printing industry.
AHK Sri Lanka played a pivotal role in organising and supporting the delegation, which comprised 17 members from the Sri Lanka Association for Printers (SLAP), representing eight companies from the commercial, newspaper, stationery printing, and packaging industries. This pioneering effort by AHK Sri Lanka not only showcased the diverse capabilities of Sri Lanka’s printing sector but also facilitated vital bilateral discussions with key stakeholders from the German printing industry.
Business
Unveiling Ayugiri: Browns Hotels & Resorts sets the stage for a new era in luxury Ayurveda Wellness
In a captivating reimagining of luxury wellness tourism, Browns Hotels & Resorts proudly unveiled the exquisite Ayugiri Ayurveda Wellness Resort Sigiriya. This momentous occasion, celebrated amidst a vibrant and serene grand opening on the 6th of June, heralds a new chapter in the Ayurveda wellness tourism landscape in Sri Lanka. Nestled amidst 54 acres of unspoiled natural splendour, Ayugiri features 22 exclusive suites and stands out as the only luxury Ayurveda wellness resort in the country offering plunge pools in every room, rendering it truly one-of-a-kind.
The grand opening of Ayugiri Ayurveda Wellness Resort was an enchanting event, where guests were captivated by the melodies of flutists and violinists resonating through Sigiriya’s lush landscapes. As traditional drummers and dancers infused the air with vibrant energy, Browns Hotels & Resorts’ CEO, Eksath Wijeratne, Kotaro Katsuki, Acting Ambassador for the Embassy of Japan and General Manager, Buwaneka Bandara, unveiled the resort’s new logo, marking a significant moment witnessed by distinguished guests from the French Embassy, Ayurveda and wellness enthusiasts along with officials from the Sigiriya area, LOLC Holdings and Browns Group.
“Our strategic expansion into wellness tourism with Ayugiri Ayurveda Wellness Resort Sigiriya symbolises a significant milestone for Browns Hotels & Resorts. Wellness tourism has consistently outperformed the overall tourism industry for over a decade, reflecting a growing global interest in travel that goes beyond leisure to offer rejuvenation and holistic well-being. By integrating the timeless wisdom of Ayurveda with modern luxury, we aim to set a new standard in luxury wellness tourism in Sri Lanka. Whether your goal is prevention, healing, or a deeper connection to inner harmony, Ayugiri offers a sanctuary for holistic well-being” stated Eksath Wijeratne.
Ayugiri encapsulates the essence of life, inspired by the lotus flower held by the graceful queens of the infamous Sigiriya frescoes. Just as the lotus emerges from the murky depths, untainted and serene,
Ayugiri invites guests on a journey of purity and rejuvenation, harmonised with a balance of mind, body and spirit, the essence of nature, echoes of culture and the wisdom of ancient Ayurvedic healing.
HNB General Insurance, one of Sri Lanka’s leading general insurance providers, has been honored as the Best General Bancassurance Provider in Sri Lanka 2024 by the prestigious Global Banking and Finance Review – UK.
The esteemed accolade underscores HNB General Insurance’s unwavering commitment to excellence and its outstanding performance in the field of bancassurance. Through dedication and hard work, the HNB General Insurance team has continuously endeavored to deliver innovative insurance solutions, cultivate strong relationships with banking partners, and provide unparalleled service to customers nationwide. This recognition is a testament to the team’s dedication and relentless pursuit of excellence in the bancassurance business.
“We are honored to receive this prestigious award, which reflects our team’s tireless efforts and dedication to delivering value-added insurance solutions and exceptional service through our bancassurance partnerships,” said Sithumina Jayasundara, CEO of HNB General Insurance. “This recognition reaffirms our position as a trusted insurance provider in Sri Lanka and motivates us to continue striving for excellence in serving our customers and communities.”
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