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Sampath launches Payment Guaranteed Cheque

Sampath bank launched its latest product, to their highest league of current account holders ‘Payment Guaranteed Cheque’ facility, signifying the highest level of confidence that they share with a selected group of their most respected customers.

At the event, held at CASA Colombo last week, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director Harris Premaratne and Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director Aravinda Perera handed over the first ‘Payment Guaranteed Cheque Book’ to first set of selected current account holders including top end business leaders and entrepreneurs of the country.

The uniqueness of this facility is, that the cheques issued by the account holders up to the maximum limit stated in the cheque, will be honoured by the bank making it as good as cash. Special security features have been incorporated to the cheque ensuring highest security.

This scheme allows recipients to accept the cheque without having any doubt about the payment of the cheque unless the instrument is technically not in order.

Also with this facility, business transactions could be carried out smoothly as there is no risk in carrying cash.

This select batch of customers is the first to receive this unique payment guaranteed cheque book and the bank has already identified the next batch of customers in this segment.

Further, in time to come the bank intends to extend this facility to cover all the geographical areas in the country.

STAV marks 14th year

Specializing in the Audio Visual panorama, Swedish Trading Audio Visual (STAV) has just completed its fourteenth year of life after establishing itself as the reference company for the sector.

Renowned as the pioneer in the industry, with a transversal concept of audiovisual, STAV has in a very short time become the only company to provide any audio-visual solution coupled with the latest technology, despite stiff competition posed from new entrants entering the market.

Representing more than 30 manufacturers of high quality state-of-the-art products, STAV has always prided themselves on delivering the most excellent services and solutions to their customers - some of whom include the Sri Lanka Parliament, the President’s House, the Prime Minister’s office, the Presidential Secretariat and the Higher Education Ministry in the Government sector alone.

Gold haul for Emagewise

Annual Report Awards:

Annual Reports produced by Emagewise swept the boards at the ICASL organized Awards for Excellence in Annual Reporting 2010, with the company’s productions winning ten gold awards.

Hatton National Bank PLC secured the highest number of gold awards, winning the night’s ultimate Prize - the overall gold award for excellence as well as three other gold awards.

HNB’s annual report designed under the theme How it works was recognised as the best in Corporate Governance disclosures, the best Management Commentary and best report in Banking sector.

Long-standing Emagewise client John Keells Holdings PLC received two gold awards and the overall bronze award.

The JKH Annual Report was named Gold winner in the diversified holdings (above five companies) sector while their Sustainability Report was named gold winner in the Sustainability Reporting category.

Among the Emagewise-produced reports to win sector gold, silver and bronze awards were John Keells Hotels PLC, Sri Lanka Telecom PLC, Hayleys Advantis PLC, HNB Assurance PLC, Aitken Spence PLC, Aitken Spence Hotels Holdings PLC, Aviva NDB Insurance PLC and Asian Hotels and Properties PLC.

Emagewise Joint Managing Director Varuni Amunugama Fernando said, “We congratulate everyone of our clients on the success of their reports and we are indeed honoured to partner them in their quest for reporting excellence.”

Emagewise General Manager Saruchi Dissanayake said “We try to infuse a strong spirit of partnership in our engagement with our clients and I believe the long-standing relationships we share with many of the top blue chips in Sri Lanka is a true testament to the Emagewise work ethic of professionalism, flexibility and commitment to quality.”

Emagewise, a subsidiary of advertising giant Triad, has been designing and producing Annual Reports and corporate publications for over 15 years and has an enviable selection of top blue chips in its client portfolio.

Emagewise in fact, designed and produced the 2009 and ten reports of ten of the Business Today Top 20 companies.

The company is also engaged in the specialized design and production of corporate collateral, image management solutions, coffee table books and other corporate publications.

ODEL wins Gold for first Annual Report

Five months after its milestone IPO, Sri Lanka’s iconic fashion retail brand ODEL has emerged as a corporate benchmark by winning Gold for its 2009-10 Annual Report at the prestigious awards for financial reporting presented by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (ICASL).

The company’s first Annual Report, produced in the run-up to the July 5 initial public offer, was adjudged the best in the ‘Trading’ category at the 2010 edition of the ICASL awards on December 07, earning ODEL yet another accolade in a momentous year of local and international recognition.

“ODEL is a brand that is seen as a leader in fashion retail,” said the company’s Chief Financial Officer Nishan Fernando. “This award represents another important facet of ODEL, as a professionally-managed corporate entity and a valued stock on the Colombo Stock Exchange,” he said.

The company’s success in communicating its objectives, highlights, performance and compliance to the intended audience through its annual report secured the award. The selection process involved a stringent evaluation including technical and industrial marking and final marking by an eminent panel of judges which included the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal.

The milestone first Annual Report award presented to ODEL was accepted by the company’s founder and CEO, Otara Gunewardene at the awards gala at Cinnamon Grand Colombo.

ODEL’s IPO established a record for the CSE by being over subscribed by over 64 times. The Group reported profit before tax of Rs. 211.31 million for 2009 - 10, reflecting a growth of 233.5 per cent YoY. Revenue grew by 23.9 percent to Rs. 2,416.78 million in the year.

For the first half of FY 2010 - 11 the Group reported 65 per cent growth in pre-tax profit to Rs. 165 million and revenue growth of 55 per cent to Rs. 1,530 million.

The ICASL Annual Report Awards held since 1964, recognise excellence in presentation of information and aim to promote enhancements in communication to stakeholders of business organisations.

Awards in areas such as Corporate Governance Disclosure, Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting and Management Commentary have been added since the commencement of the awards.

Caltex rewards ‘Road Stars’

Chevron Lubricants Lanka PLC completed the final phase of its national campaign on road safety, as they awarded the ‘Caltex Road Star’ Grand Prize to Wattala S Thusitha Weeramunda at a recent ceremony which took place at the Caltex Head office in Colombo. Consolation prizes were presented to Gampaha’s Prajani Nilanthi Rajakaruna and Anuradhapura’s R M Ranaweera Bandara. ‘Caltex Road Star’ is a community-driven project endorsed by the Sri Lanka Motor Traffic Authority, who partnered with the company to help conduct this project across major cities such as Colombo, Galle, Matara, Kalutara, Kandy, Embilipitiya, Ratnapura, Kurunegala, Anuradhapura and Gampaha. The campaign locations were selected based on the alarming number of fatal road accidents that occurred in each area.

The campaign was conceptualized by Caltex following an interim report of the Parliamentary Committee on the increase in road accidents. It said that road accidents in the last decade caused damage of over Rs 100 billion with more than a million vehicles damaged. Further, it said that approximately 150 accidents occurred per day with nearly five to six of the count being fatal. Currently, the Government’s spend on road-accident related hospitalization and recovery accounts

for nearly two percent of the country’s GDP on an annual basis. Under Phase One of the program, nearly 1,000 four-wheel, three-wheel and two-wheel motorists were rewarded with special gift packs, based on their driving competencies and adherence to road rules.

Under Phase Two, a further number of safe drivers from each location were awarded insurance policies worth Rs 1,000,000, Rs 500,000 and Rs 250,000, based on a special evaluation criteria.

In the final phase of the program, a cash prize of Rs 100,000 was awarded to the ‘Caltex Road Star Grand Prize Winner’. Further, a special certificate authenticating this achievement issued by the Motor Traffic Authority was presented to the winner and the two consolation prize winners among several other special gift packs courtesy Caltex.

“The success of the campaign is the result of the motorists who are rewarded through the program emulating responsible driving habits to his or her family, friends and community. This approach we believe can multiply the impact of the campaign to reach thousands of citizens around the country,” Chevron Lubricants Lanka PLC Managing Director and CEO Kishu Gomes said.

The corporate responsibility projects identified and undertaken by Chevron is driven largely by a commitment to socio-economic development, based on research that considers the medical, social, economic, and cultural dynamics shaping the future of Sri Lanka.

Etisalat Elite Club holds draw

The Etisalat Elite Club recently held its quarterly draw at the Royal Colombo Golf Club (RCGC) attended by all Elite Card holders, the RCGC Committees of the Sri Lanka Golf Union, winners and runners-up of the Etisalat Golf Classic and Etisalat Lanka Management.

The Etisalat Elite club is a loyalty scheme offered to Etisalat users of the RCGC.

The scheme qualifies members to the quarterly draw where golf equipment worth Rs 150,000 is presented to a winner.

Elite club members are further bestowed with a host of other offers, discounts and privileges including premium services at Etisalat and discounts at the Etisalat Mirror lounge.

In addition, members will receive attractive seasonal discounts and offers on exclusive golf gear, clothes outlets, airline services and much more.

Etisalat are also hoping to offer the Elite club members great deals and discount in Sri Lanka and overseas at Regional Golf Courses and Clubs and hotels in Asia. Members will also receive monthly gifts of golf apparel, vouchers for the RCGC bar and delectable chocolates. Etisalat further hope to give draw winners expensive Golf accessories this December.

Elite club member Direct Solutions International Ltd CEO Priyanga Hapugalle said, “It certainly is an exciting concept introduced by Etisalat to the RCGC members. From what I gather this program is different to the mundane loyalty programs around because it aims to live up to the Etisalat promise of ‘it’s about you the golfer the member the subscriber.’

Notably, the Elite Club membership entitles a chance at claiming the grand prize of a fully paid Golf Tour for two, to Abu Dhabi including first class travel, business class lodging, provision for three rounds of Golf at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club and premium services).

It further awards tickets to watch the renowned Abu Dhabi Golf Classic tournament.