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Multilac flies 225 dealers to Malaysia

Multilac paints, recently took 225 Multilac dealers for a fun-filled tour of Malaysia in keeping with its promise of providing exciting rewards for Multilac dealers who achieve outstanding results during the year.

Multilac places great emphasis on its close relationship with its dealers and this was one more way of strengthening the already close bonds with its dealernetwork.

The dealers who had achieved their sales targets were feted with a trip to Malaysia to enjoy the fruits of their labour whilst reinforcing the fact that Multilac offers exceptional incentives for dealers who achieve outstanding sales for its brands.

Multilac organized a retinue of sightseeing and recreational activities for the touring group of dealers during their four day trip to Malaysia which included major tourist attractions.

The tour was a combination of fun-filled and informative sight-seeing, including shopping. The tour was organized painstakingly by Continents and Oceans Travels, while the Malaysian Embassy assisted greatly in arranging visas for the entire group.

The dealer community expressed their satisfaction and gratitude on such an exciting holiday, noting that their motivation levels have been further enhanced by this magnanimous gesture by Multilac.

A dealer commented, "Multilac has always given us much in recognition of our efforts and we are thankful for their commitment towards our prosperity and well being." Multilac products are sold in local and global markets such as India, Maldives, Pakistan and the Middle East. Multilac has strived to bring innovation to the forefront when developing surface solutions.

Among the company's innovative breakthrough products are the Multilac Waterproofing, Sealer and the Non Yellowing Brilliant white enamel paints that fight against discoloration.

Multilac has introduced six new value additions to its range - further strengthening its status as the first choice for paints. This premium range (Platinum life style) adds greater value through innovative inishes. The most preferred, Multilac Uber cool (Comfort lifestyle), is an exterior paint that promises a cooler environment by reducing the interior temperature by up-to 5oc and helps to save energy.

Multilac continues to spearhead the surface solutions market in Sri Lanka, developing products that are environmentally-friendly.

Genelle opens in Wattala

In response to numerous requests from our customers north of Colombo, Genelle is delighted to announce the opening of a new showroom in Wattala on Sunday March 4th, We assure the ladies in Wattala and surrounding areas that they will have access to our range of ladies' footwear in fashionable wedge heels, stiletto heels, comfortable flats, office wear and our beautiful wedding range. All our vibrant colours will be on display in our brand new showroom. Genelle will help you choose suitable footwear for the special moments in your life which includes shoes for the bride and her maids which will be specially manufactured.

In celebration of our expansion, we have introduced our brand new range for children which will be available at all our outlets namely Duplication Road, Colombo 3, Galle Road Mt. Lavinia and Sri Wickrama Mawatha, Wattala. The children's range has been designed in delightful colours which is a hallmark of our brand.

Another first from Keells Super: recycling plastic bottles

In keeping with its commitment to protect and enhance the environment, Keells Super, along with JKH's CSR arm John Keells Foundation, announced a brand new initiative to recycle plastic bottles. This initiative is an "industry first" in Sri Lanka. The project was launched on Friday, February 24, 2012 as a pilot project by JayKay Marketing Services (Pvt) Ltd at its Keells Super outlet at Union Place in collaboration with Neptune Recyclers (Pvt) Ltd., the contractor who will ensure the collection and recycling of the plastic bottles.

Environmental protection is critical today more than ever: people are taking steps to minimise the negative impact we have on the planet. Undoubtedly, recycling non-biodegradable materials like plastic bottles can be considered a significant contribution to these efforts.

Plastic is a versatile synthetic material and has integrated itself in human usage over the years.

We wrap our food in it, store items in it, drink from it and eat off it, we have parties surrounded by plastic and even wear it; of all this plastic only a small fraction is recycled.

Much of the rest of this plastic goes into landfills and takes 200-400 years to decompose. On the other hand, recycling one ton of plastic saves 7.4 cubic yards of landfill space. Studies also confirm that the recycling of plastic has one of the best carbon saving consequences of any of the major materials.

Recognising the importance of promoting responsible consumer use and disposal of plastic, JayKay Marketing Services, which owns and operates the Keells Super supermarket chain, collaborated with the CSR arm of the John Keells Group, John Keells Foundation, and Neptune Recyclers (Pvt) Ltd to pioneer the concept of collecting and recycling plastic bottles.

Since plastic materials degrade at an extremely slow pace and emit hazardous chemicals into the environment, it is critical to keep plastic out of waste streams.

Neptune will collect the plastic bottles from the bins twice a week. Plastic bottles will then be melted into pellets, which will be reused in a variety of ways. This will minimise the dumping of plastic waste into landfills and arrest the negative impact on the Environment.

Keells Super has given leadership and taken concrete action to create environmental awareness and support conservation.

Prior to this latest initiative, Keells Super has set other industry firsts: like introducing a reusable cloth shopping bag and the promotion of cardboard boxes to carry customers' purchases.

Based on the success of this plastic bottle recycling pilot project, Keells Super will be rolling this out to all other outlets.

As part of the John Keells Group's commitment to protect and enhance the Environment, the Group strives to minimise the impact of its operations on the Environment. The John Keells Foundation is partnering the Group's businesses and its Sustainability Initiative to achieve this aim.

Triumph unveils new product

Triumph International Lanka (Pvt) Ltd held its Annual Sales Conference in at the Taj Samudra Hotel recently. The conference was organized on an innovative 'Las Vegas' theme with much glamour. The conference was attended by Triumphs network of Distributors and performing retailer partners islandwide.

The main highlights of the conference was the unveiling of the latest Triumph collection, the Wild and Sexy T-Shirt Bra in fabulous Leopard and Zebra prints, and is due to hit the market soon.

Another highlight was the awards ceremony for outstanding performers of the year.

The company records a 33% growth and its network of loyal retail partners were the chief contributors. The following retailers were recognized as best distributors Triumph products in Colombo - Cool Planet, Negombo -Thilakawardana Textile (Kiribathgoda), Kandy - New Sriyani Dress Point, Galle - Rich Look, Batticaloa - Nilam Traders (Kattankudi) Jaffna - Linganadan Textiles.

NOLIMIT won the Gold award for Best Key Account Partner while Fashion Bug and Beverly Street won Silver and Bronze respectively. W. K. Amarajeewa from Galle Region , was awarded as the Best Distributor for the year 2011. Asanka Upendra emerged as the Best Sales Executive for the year 2011, and Triumph Store at Liberty Plaza was adjudicated as the Best Own Store Location.

The wholesale and retail channels have grown tremendously during the past two years, and as a result Triumph Brand has managed to establish its presence in every major city in the country.

Triumph International is one of the world's largest underwear manufacturers. The company enjoys a presence in over 120 countries with its core brands Triumph', sloggi, Valis52?re and HOM. It has a workforce over 36,500 and achieved a turnover of CHF 2.2 billion in 2010.

Baby Cheramy 'Thaagi Pahasa' competition

Baby Cheramy, the household name that has always been present to help parents making the right choices in baby care, held its 3rd draw of the 'Thaagi Pahasa' competition. The promotional campaign that spread over 3 months, concluded successfully with the final draw for a super array of valuable prizes. Each competition received a response of over 100,000 entries.

The Baby Cheramy 'Thaagi Pahasa' consumer promotion held over a period of 3 months, conducted three monthly draws selecting 43 lucky winners per draw.

The draws were held on December 15 2011, January 17 and the third and final draw was held on February 16, at Hemas House, Colombo 2.

The Directors and Management of Hemas together with the Baby Cheramy team officiated at the draw. Each draw gave away, a Suzuki Alto Sports Car for the 1st prize, two Scooty Peps for the 2nd, twenty Gold Chains for the 3rd and twenty Mobile Phones for the 4th prize respectively, bringing good fortune to 129 of its loyal consumers.

The brand story began in 1962 and has gone on to reach the number one slot in the country's baby products category. With a rich heritage of over 50 years in serving the nation, Baby Cheramy aspires to continue in its quest of enriching the lives of mothers and babies.

"It has been gratifying to witness such a huge response by our loyal customers to this promotion, who were instrumental in making the draw a success. While being a direct result of the brand's faithfulness to its consumers, we thank all our beloved customers for their wholehearted support and consider it a privilege to have served them well over the years", elaborated Sudharshana Sathianathan, Group Product Manager of Hemas Manufacturing Pvt. Ltd.

Hemas Manufacturing Pvt. Ltd., is a subsidiary of Hemas Holdings PLC, a leading conglomerate in Sri Lanka with a focus on five key sectors FMCG, Healthcare, Transportation, Leisure and Power Generation.

Breakfast Meeting by ACCA, ICCS:

Janshakthi Insurance spotlights the role of directors

Breakfast Meeting by ACCA, ICCS and Janshakthi Insurance spotlights the role of directors

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, Sri Lanka in association with Janashakthi Insurance and the Institute of Chartered Corporate Secretaries held its first Breakfast Meeting at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel recently.

Harsha Cabraal

Ashroff Omar - CEO Brandix

The event held on February 17 saw stakeholders from a diverse cross section of Corporate Sri Lanka engage in a debate and share insights on the topic of 'Accountability and Protection', while the role of a director and the position's responsibilities under the Companies Act received special focus.

The panel discussion and forum saw a number of leading corporate personalities including Harsha Cabraal - architect of the Companies Act, Mohan Peiris - former Attorney General and current President's Council, Ashroff Omar - CEO Brandix, Prakash Shaffter - Managing Director, Janashakthi Insurance and Arithaa Wickramanyake of Nithya Partners.

Opening the forum, Harsha Cabraal drew attention to the role and responsibilities of a director within the context of a private or public company stating that a company's Articles of Association "limit what directors can do".

"Although they (Article of Association) give you a great deal of freedom, you must check them to ensure that you do not violate any conditions laid out," he said.

Outlining responsibilities further, Cabraal underscored that a director must act in good faith and in the interests of the company, which includes treating all shareholders equally, avoiding conflicts of interest and declaring such instances, not engaging in making personal profits at the company's expense, and not accepting benefits from third parties.

"You must comply with employment law in all dealings with your employees or you may be found personally liable for unfair dismissal, discrimination or unfair work practices. You should also ensure that the company complies with all changes to employment law," he added.

A panel discussion followed comprising of Mohan Peiris, Ashroff Omar, Prakash Shafter, Arithaa Wickramanyake, and Sanjeewa Senanayake - Non-executive Director, Sampath Bank.

Commenting in the legal aspects of a director's role Mohan Peris said: "A director's role is to contribute to the value stream of the organisation and, above all, to contributing actively at Board or Functional meetings is of paramount importance. All elected directors should have a clear understanding of their role and responsibilities".

Highlighting the fact that directors should conduct themselves as 'role models' to emulate, Pieris also touched on section 7 of the Companies Act (2007).

Arithaa Wickramanyake of Nithya Partners held the view that the principal role of the board of directors - as representatives of the shareholders, is to oversee the function of the organisation and ensure that it continues to operate in the best interests of all stakeholders.

"Given the complexity of today's organizations, this is no easy task," he said. Adding that, "boards should look beyond the 'old boy network' and select directors with individual areas of expertise, and invest on an ongoing basis on their formal and informal education.

Independent directors should significantly contribute to the functioning of the board through requisite understanding of the company and the business".

As a shareholder and working director, Ashroff Omar held that "decision making is fast", among the advantages of such a position.

"You are both motivated and incentivised to take risk and exploit opportunities that could benefit the company and it is easy to convince the board of directors on decisions to be taken as they are aware that you also stand to either loose out from bad decisions or gain from making the right ones," he added.

Commenting on the role of a non-executive director Sanjeewa Senanayake offered a unique perspective to the proceedings highlighting the "allegiance to shareholders and the responsibilities and the obligation towards them" as being paramount.

Among issues raised by him were primarily identifying the agendas of working directors and understanding the actions, roles and responsibilities, as well as the drivers that would benefit the company".

Bringing the highly successful Breakfast Meeting to a conclusion, Prakash Shaffter drew attention to the importance of managing risk.

"In the modern corporation, the board of directors is responsible for managing the enterprise for the benefit of the shareholders.

Modern principles of brand management and corporate social responsibility expand the constituencies to employees, suppliers, customers and the community. Management responsibility includes planning and execution of business strategies," he said.

Tech Pacific Lanka in partnership with Gate Protect

Sanjeevi JAYASURIYA

Tech Pacific Lanka, a specialist in IT distribution entered in to a strategic partnership with Gate Protect, a leading German manufacturer of IT solutions in the areas of network security to introduce next generation firewall products to the local market.

The alliance will made Gate Protect as a Strategic Business Unit of the Tech Pacific Lanka where a mechanism for the information security has become increasing important in today's context. As Gate Protect is the only vendor to use the patented eGUI technology that significantly simplifies network security management, it will of immense benefit for the Sri Lankan users, Tech Pacific Lanka Managing Director Hafez Wahid said.The latest range of products on offer will give the company the opportunity to cater to the untapped potential in the market and the edge over its competitors, he said.

The next generation firewall solutions are an intelligent system to prevent mistakes entirely. Gate Protect which focused on next generation firewall products, managed security solutions as well as client encryption systems is a highly differentiated best-in-class solution for network security.

The application can be use and manage simply with a click and drag command.

Gate Protect is the world's only manufacturer which implements the guidelines of the ISO 9241 standard and has impressive customers in Europe.

This user friendly reliable information security system is appropriate for any sector and the network appliances while ensuring network security will be a boost for the rapid developing IT industry.

We believe in the capabilities of the product and confident that the solutions will be well accepted by the IT market, he said.

Intel Expands Smartphone Portfolio

Intel Corporation President and CEO Paul Otellini today detailed a number of announcements and plans aimed at expanding the company's smartphone product portfolio and customer ecosystem, including strategic new engagements with Orange, Lava International Ltd. "We are very pleased to add new, important customers and capabilities to our phone offerings today.

We remain focused on delivering exciting new features and outstanding performance to smartphone customers around the world." said Otellini. Otellini made the announcements during an Intel news conference at Mobile World Congress. He also highlighted the company's plans to expand its smart phone SoC and communications product roadmaps for the performance and value smartphone market segments.

Intel also announced plans to enter the high-growth market for smartphones in India through an alliance with Lava International Ltd., one of the fastest-growing Indian mobile handset companies. Vishal Sehgal, Lava co-founder and board director, announced the launch of XOLO Smartphone by Lava.

The XOLO X900 is based on Intel's smartphone reference design and will be the first Intel technology-based smartphone in the India market.

The device will be available from top retail outlets early in the second quarter of 2012 and will support major Indian cellular networks.Similar to its previously announced partnership with Motorola Mobility, Intel also announced a multi-year mobile device collaboration across smartphones and tablets with global handset maker ZTE. Mr. He Shiyou, executive vice president and head of the Terminal Division of ZTE, discussed how his company's alliance with Intel will enable ZTE to move faster and create unique and differentiated products for wireless operators.

He also announced that ZTE's first Intel-powered mobile device is scheduled to debut in the second half of 2012.

Asian Paints' stall at Architect 2012

A replication of a new concept in the retailing of paint and the introduction of an innovative 'Combinations Guide', for exterior surfaces, attracted hundreds of visitors to the stall of Asian Paints at the recent Architect 2012 exhibition.

This year's offering included the launch of a unique combination guide for exterior walls, similar to the combination guide launched by Asian Paints in 2011 for interior walls.

This is a guide that is dedicated to exterior colour combinations rather than individual colours and includes more than 60 colour combinations that can define and give character to any space and influence moods and emotions.

The stall of Asian Paints also featured a replication of a section of its 'Colour Ideas' signature store in Ampara, a new-concept paint retail outlet that focuses on colour as an idea rather than a product.

The company plans to open more such stores in Sri Lanka.

"Asian Paints has always used its stall at the Architect exhibition to give visitors an insight in to the latest developments in the world of colour and coatings," Joseph L. Pulikottil, Asian Paints' Director/General Manager in Sri Lanka said. "Over the years our stalls have served as platforms to introduce new technologies and products before they are launched in the local market by the company."