ADVERTORIAL

Up-and-coming mobile application developers rewarded:

Etisalat, hSenid encourage budding entrepreneurs

It was yet another significant day in the calendar of Etisalat as the AppZone Award Ceremony recognized and rewarded the best developers of the AppZone islandwide Intra-University and Inter-University competitions. Following the launch of Sri Lanka’s pioneering Mobile Applications Eco-System by Etisalat and hSenid mobile, the AppZone mobile applications competition kicked off in September 2010, giving University students the opportunity to submit applications and compete in one of the most rewarding competitions to ever hit the Sri Lankan mobile sphere.

Since Etisalat partnered with hSenid Mobile in launching the country’s first Mobile Application development platform, users were able to browse and use applications, in addition to significantly creating the opportunity for professional and non-professional Sri Lankan mobile application developers to create, test and sell their own unique applications. As a following phase to this unique setting of the stage for all budding Sri Lankan Mobile software developers to experience rapid development and commercialization of their Mobile applications, teams from Etisalat and hSenid held seminars and workshops in all leading graduate institutes in Sri Lanka, including the Universities of Colombo, Moratuwa, Kelaniya, Peradeniya, SLIIT and APIIT. The sessions focused on explaining the procedures, prospect and potential in terms of opportunity and revenue saw impressive response with a better than expected turn out. It was indeed a unique business proposal which opened up a new breed of entrepreneurs amongst local application developers enhancing their presence in the region while enabling them to earn substantial revenues off their applications.

Supplementing these ‘Developer Community’ initiatives, this project targeted IT students as well as the IT savvy general public to bring out the very best of their creativity. The University level contests held Internal Competitions in the respective universities where the top three performers won cash prizes and certificates. The internal winners were then eligible for the all island inter-university competition for a sensational grand prize of an Apple i-pad. In addition to trophies and certificates, the top three application designers took home to their respective universities a significant library fund, courtesy Etisalat and hSenid mobile.

Meanwhile, encouraged by the success of the intra-university and inter-university competitions, Etisalat and hSenid mobile has opened this competition to the technology savvy general public as well.

Application developers can visit the Etisalat Mobile App Forum (www.appzone.lk), use the development tool kits provided to develop application, test it with the simulators provided and submit it for approval and commercialization. So register today, if you have the potential to bring out the entrepreneur and technocrat in you.

This initiative is aimed at getting the non-professional application developer on board and will see five content winners walking away with a victorious trophy, certificate and a Blackberry device. Etisalat CEO, Dumindra Ratnayaka applauded the winners as upcoming technocrats and entrepreneurs full of talent and prospect, “The Etisalat App- Revolution was groundbreaking in its entry to Sri Lanka’s mobile sphere and we are excited to have discovered such talent and skill within our up coming App developers and are happy at being able to pave the way for taking creations from one’s home to the global platform.

“This competition was a motivator for developers to be a part this trailblazer applications revolution.” CEO of hSenid mobile Dinesh Saparamadu said, “this Eco-system was one which provided incredible revenue prospects for University students as well as anyone who was interested in application development and we are on our way to creating the first Mobile Applications Millionaire!” He added, “We were very impressed by the innovation and invention came about as a result of this platform.”

Meanwhile, Etisalat’s ‘APP ZONE,’ the first cloud enabled telco application store launched in Sri Lanka by a network operator continues to allow consumers to browse, download and utilize a wide variety of lifestyle applications, accessible to all Etisalat subscribers and compatible with all handsets.

Ceymed diagnostic lab opens

Ceymed Healthcare Services (Pvt) Ltd, a member of the Ceyline Group of Companies is a well-known health facility and a leader in diagnostic services for the past 10 years. Dr Sarath Paranavitane, a renowned Family Physician of the country is the Ceymed’s Medical Director.

Ceymed has five main branches with fully equipped laboratories in difference parts of the country. As a part of the outreach program, more than 100 collecting centres are operational in the suburbs and remote villages.

These laboratories and centres are manned by qualified skilled and committed personnel.

Ceymed also has its satellite labs in Ragama, Piliyandala, Kalubowila, Panadura, Horana and Trincomalee. With a view to serving the population in rural areas, Ceymed intends opening collecting centres in underdeveloped and developing parts of the country.

This is to ensure that people from these areas will have access to a diagnostic facility that provides rapid and accurate service.

In setting high standards and maintaining quality continues accreditation is done by Randox International Quality Assessment Scheme (RIQAS) in the United Kingdom.

AVIVA NDB goes to Maharagama

AVIVA NDB Insurance’s new Regional Office was opened in Maharagama yesterday extending its operations for the convenience of customers. The office is located at No.201, Wattegedara junction, High Level Road, Maharagama.

The new premises which has all facilities, would pave the way for residents of Maharagama to experience the products and services offered by AVIVA NDB Insurance. The branch is fully IT enabled and are computer linked to each other.

AVIVA NDB Insurance’s Managing Director, Shah Rouf said, that the opening of the Maharagama Regional Office consolidated AVIVA NDB Insurance’s relationship with existing Maharagama clientele, a number of whom already did business with the insurer even prior to the branch’s establishment. The new branch will be equipped to cater to an even larger clientele.

He said that the successful establishment will increase sales growth, efficiency in management and productivity of the staff.

“Customers are the first and foremost priority and fulfilling their needs will build up strong relationship between the company and the customers.

Driven by the dynamic and committed Aviva NDB family, the Company’s far-sighted strategies have earned both respect and success. We recorded an extraordinary performance as a fast growing insurance company in Sri Lanka last year, The efforts of our Wealth Planners and bancassurance partners have contributed in great measure towards the success of 2010,” he said.

To merge with Multi Finance Company :

Standard Credit, Entrust sign mou

Standard Credit Lanka Limited signed a mou with Entrust Limited, the holding company of the Multi Finance Company Limited at Central Bank of Sri Lanka, on March 22.

Present on this occasion were the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Assistant Governor P Samarasiri and Additional Director, H M Ekanayake, depositors’ representatives,Entrust Limited Chairman and Directors representative of the Merchant Bank of Sri Lanka, the Standard credit Lanka Chief Executive Officer Anuruddha Wijekoon and Chairman and Directors of Standard Credit Lanka Limited.

This memorandum of understanding will enable the two companies to work towards the formulation and implementation of the restructuring plan which is approved by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Monetary Board.

As an initial step, Entrust Limited will be engaged in building confidence in the minds of depositors with regard to the conversion of their deposits into shares. also it is planned to use the systems, procedures and manpower of Entrust Limited in the areas of debt collection to enhance the monthly collection of rentals, which will definitely improve Standard Credit Lanka’s cash flow to service the existing deposits.

Standard Credit Lanka (formerly called and known as Ceylinco Investments and Reality Limited) has been able to manage its business affairs with the guidance of Central Bank appointed Managing Agent, the Merchant Bank of Sri Lanka since the beginning of the Golden Key crisis. Over the last two years the company has managed its business affairs by making part refunds of the deposits, payments of monthly interest at reduced amounts and also its overheads, without soliciting any new deposits or bank borrowings, but merely improving the collection of rentals. However, this situation is expected to improve further with the implementation of the proposed business plan. The merger with Multi Finance Company will add strength in building public confidence, improving the overall management of affairs of the company and will also facilitate the listing in the Dirisavi board of the Colombo Stock Exchange.

The depositors of Standard Credit Lanka who are holding non-voting shares will be able to dispose their shares and recover part of their original deposit. It is also envisaged that the repayment of balance deposits would be done, earlier than anticipated. It is also indicated by market sources that some depositors would prefer to remain as clients of the merged entity and continue to retain their deposits due to the rebuild confidence factor. Market sources also opined that the merged entity will grow in terms of branches and product lines and become a prominent player in the financial sector.

Ceylinco Insurance wins People’s Award

Ceylinco Insurance has been recognized as the “People’s Insurance Brand of the Year” for the fifth consecutive year. The People’s Awards, conducted by the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) in association with Neilsen Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, recognize and honour brands that have won the hearts of Sri Lankans.

The people’s choice is the only measure taken into account in determining the winners. Since its inception five years ago, The People’s Awards, the only such event to measure the pulse of the people of this country, have added value to brands as those preferred by the people. In being chosen for the People’s Awards for the fifth year, Ceylinco Insurance has retained its prestigious position as the most preferred choice of the people of Sri Lanka.

Following an extensive research criteria, the winning brands have been selected over a period of five months stretching from September 2010 to January 2011. People aged 15 to 60 years are interviewed including those in the North and the East for the first time ; the results reflect the opinions of people from all regions and communities.

For the seventh year in a row, Ceylinco Insurance reiterated its market leader position in the Sri Lankan Insurance industry with impressive results for the year 2010. During the year 2010, Ceylinco Insurance recorded a premium income of Rs 18 billion out of which the General Division contributed Rs 9.22 billion with the Life Division contributing the balance Rs 8.78 billion. The company made an exceptional pre-tax profit of Rs 933.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2010 indicating a 12 percent increase when compared to previous year.

“We view this Award as not only the highest recognition in terms of corporate success but also as a measurement of how close we are to the people of Sri Lanka. For us, it is a honour we are proud to share with our customers and all Sri Lankans” said Ceylinco Insurance - General, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Ajith Gunawardena.

Bartleet Finance relocates Horana branch

Horana, right in the middle of rubber estates and plantations is the latest Bartleet Finance relocation endeavour. Moving to a convenient and spacious location is part of the national expansion strategy evolved by Chairman Eraj Wijesinghe.

“Opening branches throughout the island in strategic locations such as Horana, a centre of the rubber industry, has been our way of helping our customers. In this manner we strive to provide an invaluable contribution to the local economy which finally impacts nationally at many levels. Flexibility and innovation are the keywords that illustrate our approach to financial products and services,” said Director L K Wimalachandra, at the opening.