LBN Editor, Author at Lanka Business News

February 1, 2023

Are you one of those people that has always wished your feet were as healthy as the rest of your body? We all are born with different types of feet. Even our own feet are not the same. And every foot is unique in its shape and size. But our feet have a lot more to offer than just carrying us around everywhere we go!

It is found that 75% of us, live with a foot imbalance. We had lived with those imbalances for a long-time causing pain and discomfort at some point of our lives, especially the physically active individuals, disallowing to enjoy their lives.

However, back in 2003, Erkki Hakkala, a physiotherapist who specialised in podiatric medicine founded FootBalance, which brought up the solution to foot imbalances allowing us to move easier and walk faster, making every step better. And in 2020, FootBalance extended its services to Sri Lanka. Currently, FootBalance Sri Lanka is on a journey of healing many sportsmen and women’s feet problems, the pains and aches of individuals who have been suffering by not being able to move those feet faster and easier.

At the time FootBalance is celebrating its third Anniversary in Sri Lanka, we managed to get hold of the Chief Physiotherapist of the FootBalance operation to further help us get to know about how FootBalance heals the feet of Sri Lankans.

1. Can you tell me about yourself and your role at Footbalance?

I am Fasla Fahmy. I am professionally practicing physiotherapy and have been working for FootBalance for the past three years. I also have a keen interest in exercise and sports science that focuses on the science behind the performance of sports individuals. At FootBalance I examine patients to diagnose various foot and ankle conditions and provide the appropriate insoles for a variety of foot and ankle needs.

2. To whom do you recommend these customized insoles?

Custom insoles are recommended for anybody at any time, as they alleviate any symptoms of pain and discomfort while maintaining proper alignment of the body. Although it is of greater importance for people who suffer from flat feet, everyone regardless of their foot type can benefit from insoles. Because they help redistribute weight evenly across your feet. And we have witnessed amazing results in conditions like flat feet, plantar fasciitis, pronated ankle, corns and calluses, and prevention of diabetic pre-ulceration.

3. Are there any restrictions for someone to have their insoles prepared?

Every foot is unique. Hence, the first point of contact is to seek relevant professional examination to investigate whether an orthotic is genuinely required. If this analysis proves the case, the custom insoles must comply with general ergonomic requirements, because exaggerated arches or improper insoles can lead to a range of problems, from occasional pain to permanent structural damage.

4. How many types of insoles are available for customers and how do they differ from each other?

In Sri Lanka, we have introduced six types of insoles, which are in different characteristics;

I. FootBalance Max – It is a moderately cushioned insole for exercise and general lifestyle. It features a stiffer core designed to provide support for heavier individuals with excessive pronation of the ankle.

II. FootBalance Impact – Developed for high-impact activities. This insole provides greater support and stability in explosive foot movements. It comes with a forefoot and heel cushion for better shock absorption. It also has a perforated forefoot for ventilation and quick drying.

III. FootBalance Medical Black – This is one of the top-selling insoles, extremely durable and breathable. It has a topcoat with an anti-fungal finish and thick cushioning for high-quality shock absorption.

IV. Leather insole with ¾ length – Specially designed for snug-fit shoes. The ¾ length insoles are made of genuine leather. Provides arch support for formal, casual,

and open-door footwear.

V. Medical Green Soft – These soft medical insoles are developed for sensitive feet which need to decompress and reduce the concentration of pressure points. Suitable for Diabetic and pre-ulcerative conditions.

VI. FootBalance Kids insole – Pediatric arch supports for kids between 6 to 10 years of age. It promotes proper GAIT pattern and corrects misalignments resulting in premature muscle tightness

5. What materials are used to manufacture these insoles and where are they manufactured at?

FootBalance insoles are originally from Finland. It consists of four layers. A durable top layer with an anti-fungal coating. Then comes a cushion with high-quality shock absorption. Next, patent custom molded balance plate for dynamic arch support. And finally, at the bottom, a high-strength base surface with EVA copolymer.

6. How are these insoles moulded and how long does it take to mould a pair?

Initially, we carry out a manual examination of the feet. Then the feet are analyzed with a special FootBalance Podoscope scan. Based on the scan findings and the activity level of the individual, we decide on a suitable pair of insoles. The heated insoles are molded to each foot individually. The Custom wedges will be added if required to ensure greater stability. Additionally, an exercise plan can be specified for the individual. The whole process of scanning to molding takes 20 – 30 minutes to complete.

7. How often these customized insoles must be changed?

It depends on the severity of the condition and the activity level of the individual. Roughly, insoles last for 2-3 years in general use. And 1-2 years as a highly active sportsman.

8. Where can your potential customers find FootBalance stores?

There is 80+ FootBalance outlets across the globe. And the only store in Sri Lanka is in Colombo 04, it’s operated by FootBalance Sri Lanka. Currently, we do not have any other store in the country but we have plans for a few stores in the coming years.

FootBalance Sri Lanka

FootBalance is completing its successful third year and they are closely working with the global team and introducing the best products to Sri Lanka. With the current economic crisis, FootBalance is trying its level best to provide this new technology and products to the Sri Lankan market as and when it’s available.

FootBalance believes that Sri Lankans deserve the best products and it’s their prime duty to provide them on time. During the coming years, they are looking to expand at least 3 major cities, like Kandy, Galle, or Matara, and in Jaffna. Currently, they are working on some of the proposals and looking for some like-minded and passionate partners to tie up with to expand their reach to the market.

Apart from these plans, FootBalance is in the process of setting up a mobile clinic facility, so they can travel to rural areas and identify the sporting professionals who need their support. We are hopeful that with time and support from like-minded people, we will be able to reach out to more people with our products and help them keep their feet in good shape!

To increase awareness FootBalance team is working with local schools, sports institutions and sports clubs to introduce this product and educate them about the importance of foot health from the beginning of their sporting careers. It’s a breakthrough that will help Sri Lankan sports stars to achieve their potential and create opportunities for them to excel on the world stage.

January 28, 2023

Overpronation and Flat Feet?

In general, overpronation refers to how you walk, which can cause flat feet. The condition of flat feet is characterized by little to no arch in the foot. It is possible to inherit flat feet or develop them over time. People can have flat feet because their arches never developed. Your arches might collapse as a result of injury to the leg tendon that supports them. The condition is referred to as adult-acquired flat feet or fallen arches.

Overpronation

What is overpronation?

Overpronation is when your ankles roll inwards when you walk. It is a common GAIT problem that can cause your feet to fatigue quickly while walking or running. With too much pronation, your foot rolls inwards too far and you put pressure on your shins and knees. Too much pronation can lead to joint, muscle and knee pain. It can also make walking and running difficult and cause foot pain.

Your arches are the bones on the bottom of your feet that support your weight and help you maintain your balance when you move. Your arches play a crucial role in supporting the legs and knees. A normal arch height for an adult is between 5-6 centimeters. People with flat feet have low or no arches, and this can lead to other problems like ankle pain, knee problems, hip problems and lower back pain. Foot complications caused by flat feet can make it uncomfortable to walk or even stand for long periods. The condition can also lead to other problems with your legs like Achilles tendonitis and shin splints.

Overpronation can leads to Fallen Arch

Causes of Flat Feet

The primary cause of flat feet is overuse of the muscles in the leg that are connected to the arch. This can lead to the weakening of these muscles and cause the arch to fall. Other causes include sprains and strains to the ligaments that support the arch, and some babies are born with flat feet because of problems with the development of the bones in the foot. Additional factors that can contribute to developing flat feet include diabetes, obesity, arthritis, pregnancy, an inherited abnormality in the foot structure, and the use of certain medications.

Symptoms

The symptoms of flat feet typically develop gradually over some time. However, they can also develop rapidly following an injury to the foot. The most common symptoms of flat feet include pain in the ankles, legs, and lower back, as well as difficulty walking and performing other physical activities. Other symptoms may include numbness or tingling in the toes, calluses on the bottom of the feet, and heel spurs.

Treatments

Flat feet can be treated with rest, pain medications, physical therapy, and anti-inflammatory medications. If the cause is found to be a medical condition such as diabetes or arthritis, your doctor may recommend treating the condition with medication or a change in your diet. In some cases, surgery may be necessary to repair the damaged ligaments and restore normal function to the foot.

Tips to prevent the development of flat feet

There are a few things you can do to prevent the recurrence of flat feet. Your physician may suggest that you change the type of shoes you wear or wear inserts called orthotics that provide extra support to the bottom of the foot. This is also known as custom moulded insoles. Now available in Sri Lanka as well. Exercising the muscles in your feet regularly will also help strengthen your arches and reduce pressure on your joints. See a doctor if your symptoms are severe or do not improve after a few weeks of treatment.

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January 28, 2023

Multi Award Winning Veteran Indian Actor Ashish Vidyarthi, known for his roles as a villain and many other roles in Bollywood , Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali, has arrived in Sri Lanka on special mission to support Sri Lanka Tourism Industry by creating positive impressions within international tourists including fellow Indians.

He was invited by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau to Promote the Tourism Industry in Sri Lanka and encourage more international tourists to visit Sri Lanka in 2023.

This influencer promotion conducted under Sri Lanka Tourism’s Visiting Blogger Program. With this collaboration, he is expected to create over 5 youtube vlogs about Sri Lanka and many more IG & FB posts covering, local culture, nature, adventure, food,etc. Over the 8 days press trip designed by SLTPB, he will be travelling around the island covering Colombo, Habarana, Mahiyanganaya, Ella, Wellawaya, Galle and Koggala.

Sri Lankan Hospitality partners including Galle Face Hotel, Aliya Resort and Spa , Jetwing Hotels, The Fortress Resort and Spa supported Sri Lanka Tourism for this promotion.

Calling his tour to Sri Lanka ‘Let’s Lanka’, Ashish Vidyarathi has already shared a clip on social media on his arrival to Sri Lanka. The actor invited his fans and well-wishers to visit Sri Lanka, acknowledging Sri Lanka as a beautiful country.

January 17, 2023

Web Designing in 2023 is going to be amazing! Technologies are going to advance and change so much, which is why web designers need to stay up to date with the latest trends. Here are a few web design trends to watch out for in 2023:

Immersive Design
AI and Machine Learning
Voice Search
Block Chain Technology
Micro-Interactions
VR Technology

Immersive Design

Let’s talk about each of these trends in more detail…In 2023, the immersive design will be super important! Because most web users access the internet on their phones or tablets these days, a lot of websites are not optimized for mobile screen sizes. However, by implementing an immersive design on your site, you can increase engagement by providing your users with a unique experience that they will be able to interact with more easily on a mobile device. For example, you can create a 3D animation as a background to your landing page or create a website experience where users can change the settings by moving objects around on the screen.

AI and Machine Learning

One of the biggest challenges for modern-day web designers is how to make your website’s content more accessible on mobile devices. Thankfully, AI and Machine learning are going to be big trends in 2023, so this problem is going to get easier to deal with! One of the best ways to use AI to make your site mobile-friendly is by using dynamic image resizing. Using this method, the AI will analyze your content and adjust the size of the images on your webpage so that the text can be read without becoming too small or too large. It will also adjust the size of the images so that it fits the screen of your user’s mobile device without having to scroll right or left to view the other parts of the page.

Voice Search on Web Pages

The voice search trend is going to blow up this year. This means that more people are likely to use voice commands to search the web than in the past. This presents a huge opportunity for web designers because voice searches are more likely to lead to websites that are optimized for mobile devices and that provide an enjoyable user experience. The key to creating a good voice search experience is to make sure that your website is well-designed and easy to navigate through. It is also important that you include relevant keywords in the titles and descriptions of all of your pages so that your pages can be ranked higher in search engine results.

How to create voice-friendly web pages? – Creating well-structured and useful web pages is the first step towards building a voice search-friendly website. Make sure that your pages have clear headings and subheadings to help users navigate the site easily. Also, make sure that your pages are short and easy to scan. Avoid using large blocks of text and try to keep your paragraphs short and simple. You can use bulleted lists to make your content more scannable. You should also include appropriate metadata in your web pages such as meta descriptions and title tags. This helps search engines like Google understand the page content better and helps rank your web pages in search results.

How to optimize your website for much-needed voice searches? – Create long-form content for your users. While voice search queries are usually longer than typed queries, including long-tail keywords in your content can help to increase your rankings. Consider providing detailed answers to the most common questions your target audience might have so that you can address them in your web content. Make sure that you target specific keywords that are relevant to your business and include them in your website’s title and meta tags. Include a call to action on every page of your website so that users can get in touch with you for more information. You can also optimize your website for mobile by improving the loading speed and load time of each page. You should also use structured data markup on your pages so that it is compatible with speech recognition software.

Voice search continues to grow in popularity, and as a result of it, it is expected to affect the way brands market their products and services online. Brands that adapt their digital marketing strategies to the needs of their users will find it easier to attract new customers and retain existing ones.

Block Chain Technology on Web Development

What is blockchain technology? How does it impact web development? How can it be implemented into web development? These are some of the questions that developers might be wondering about when it comes to blockchain technology and what it can do for their web development projects. The technology for building a blockchain exists since the 1990s, but it’s only in recent years that it has started gaining traction and becoming a popular trend among developers and marketers alike. In this article, we are going to take a look at how blockchain technology is impacting web development and how developers can implement some of its features into their web projects.

Blockchain technology essentially involves recording and verifying transactions in a database that is spread across multiple computers or nodes in the network.

A blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology that is used to record transactions or exchanges of value between two parties in a verifiable and permanent way. Once transactions are recorded to the ledger, they cannot be altered or deleted in any way. This means that there is a high level of transparency with blockchain technology which makes it the ideal platform for recording and tracking digital transactions. It can also be scaled to support hundreds of thousands of users without the need for additional servers as it uses a decentralized peer-to-peer network to record and verify transactions.

Provides a secure environment to store sensitive information such as passwords and financial data
Data is stored in the blocks, where the information is encrypted using cryptographic keys.

Blockchain technology can be categorized into two categories, namely public and permissioned blockchains. Public blockchains can be accessed and used by anyone which makes them very secure and transparent.

VR Technology

VR Technology will transform the web design industry in 2023. Businesses will be able to create immersive experiences using virtual reality technology. Virtual reality experiences can provide users with an unparalleled level of immersion and engaging content. They will allow businesses to create an engaging experience for their customers. In addition, virtual and augmented reality will be used to enable online shopping. Businesses will be able to use virtual reality to enable customers to virtually try on clothes and make purchasing decisions based on their experience. This will allow businesses to attract a larger customer base and increase their profits. VR Technology has been used heavily in the film industry by directors to create a realistic feeling but VR could be used greatly for fashion companies to present looks to potential customers online without necessarily having a trip to the store to buy clothes and try them on first. These features can be enabled in the web design and will help bring life to the brands and get them noticed by people outside their target markets.

If you incorporate these amazing trends in your web design in 2023 you will be ahead of your competition! Using them effectively and consistently will increase website conversions and click rates. Also, it helps with building trust and loyalty with your customers. Feel free to leave your comments below if you have any questions about this article.

July 19, 2022

Sandy Baker brings a wealth of experience in financial services, fintech, biotech and impact investing in emerging markets.

Stanchion Payment Solutions, a leading provider of global payment application solutions and services, is pleased to announce the appointment of Sandy Baker as an independent non-executive director of the company.

Sandy brings significant gravitas to the board of Stanchion, thanks to her more than 30 years’ experience in finance, corporate finance, and governance in the fintech, biotech, and impact investing sectors. Sandy also has more than a decade of experience as an executive and non-executive director, sitting on numerous boards.

“Sandy’s skillset and expertise will add significant value and diversity to our board, and we are delighted to welcome her,” says Stanchion CEO Steve Kirrage. “Sandy’s insights from her impressive executive career together with her significant experience gained on the board of numerous companies will help Stanchion continue with its proven strategy for growth.”

“We look forward to drawing on Sandy’s extensive corporate governance knowledge and experience and are confident she will add balance to the board,” says Kirrage.

About Stanchion Payment Solutions

Over the past two decades since its establishment in South Africa in 2001, Stanchion has expanded its offerings and solutions across the globe, with offices in Australia, the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, the United States, and, most recently, Israel.

The growth of its global footprint is a testament to the value of its offerings and specialist team, along with Stanchion’s ability to constantly innovate and adapt to the changes within the dynamic payments landscape and the needs of the industries it serves.

Stanchion’s access to global operational management expertise across the banking, retail, and payment processing sectors serves as the foundation to creating this world-class service.

July 19, 2022

Michelle Gunesekera, creates platforms for many through her innovative ideas

Colombo, Tuesday 19^th July 2022: Stemming from her own love for writing and reading, Michelle Gunesekera wanted to create a platform for aspiring young writers to step in to the media industry. Seeing an opening in the publication spectrum for a youth magazine she created Chokolaate, Sri Lanka’s first youth-entered magazine back in (enter year here). Today, many years down the line Chokolaate has branched out to become a brand dedicated to paying tribute to women and supporting the youth through its many ventures.

“I started writing at a very young age. I wrote my first novel when I was just 9 years, and a second one at 12 years. What I realized though was that there were many young writers like myself who didn’t have a platform to showcase their work. This is why I decided to create a magazine for the youth, written by the youth as well. Chokolaate is my gift to the younger generation, so that their voices may be heard.”

Michelle is deeply passionate about life and family and has constantly strived to center her work on her family obligations. She is the only child of Shanti and Brian Outschoorn, and wife to Emile. She is a mum of two boys, Tristen and Treyden and one girl Tia and loves spending time with them. It was her relationship with her own mother and her daughter that prompted Michelle to create one of the most unique platforms for fashion design students in Sri Lanka in the year 2010. The Chokolaate Mother-Daughter Fashion Designer Contest has successfully showcased young designers who create looks for real mother-daughter models. The event has been successfully held 12 times and is currently gearing up for its 13^th season.

“Chokolaate, which started out as a magazine did provide a platform for young writers and creative minds. With MDFD however it was an avenue to focus on a whole new segment. What started there has now branched out to different aspects such as singing, debating, public speaking and other soft skills development. This was why we created events such as MDFD, Centerstage etc. and we are constantly thinking of mixing it up and creating new avenues where we can support youth and help them express themselves.”

Michelle believes that there is yet much to be done for the youth segment. The Youth are the future and the most influential segment in society. Today’s youth know exactly what they want and they know how to get it. To provide youth with more opportunities to showcase their talent and creativity is something that has been truly rewarding for Michelle and her team at Chokolaate.

“There have been many instances where the journey has been nothing short of turbulent, where some have tried to sabotage or create issues and even go to the extent to take credit for the brand. However I am thankful to God for being my strength throughout all these and to my parents and husband for being my pillars of strength to sustain and to keep going, no matter what was thrown my way.”

The next five years of Chokolaate will see the brand more prominent and with a wider outreach in empowering the youth, especially in the outskirts of Colombo. Plans are underway to create much needed opportunities especially in the education sector thereby providing greater opportunities for rural youth.

“As a woman, there are many hats we have to wear at different times and it is important that we give our 100% and be in the moment and enjoy it to its fullest. It is also important to take care of yourself so that you, in turn can give your best to your family and to your work. Maintaining the balance may not seem easy some days, but nothing like a slab of chocolate to get you through anything that life throws your way!”

July 19, 2022

Bustanica has unveiled its 330,000sqft environmentally controlled farm facility, with an investment of US$40 million.
Bustanica will annually save in excess of 250 million litres of water and produce over 1 million kgs of produce that are free of pesticides, herbicides and chemicals.

Bustanica has opened the doors to the world’s largest hydroponic farm, backed by an investment of US$40m. The facility is the first vertical farm for Emirates Crop One, the joint venture between Emirates Flight Catering (EKFC), one of the world’s largest catering operations serving more than 100 airlines, and Crop One, an industry leader in technology-driven indoor vertical farming.

Located near Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central, the 330,000sqft facility is geared to produce more than 1,000,000 kilograms of high-quality leafy greens annually, while requiring 95% less water than conventional agriculture. At any point in time, the facility grows in excess of 1m cultivars (plants), which will provide an output of 3,000 kgs per day.

Bustanica is driven by powerful technology – machine learning, artificial intelligence and advanced methods – and a highly specialised in-house team that includes agronomy experts, engineers, horticulturists and plant scientists. A continuous production cycle ensures the produce is super fresh and clean, and grown without pesticides, herbicides, or chemicals.

Passengers on Emirates and other airlines can look forward to forking these delicious leafy greens, including lettuces, arugula, mixed salad greens, and spinach, onboard their flights from July. Bustanica is not just revolutionising salads in the sky – UAE consumers will soon be able to add these greens to their shopping carts at the nearest supermarkets. Bustanica also plans to expand into the production and sale of fruits and vegetables.

HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group said: “Long-term food security and self-sufficiency are vital to the economic growth of any country, and the UAE is no exception. We’ve specific challenges in our region, given the limitations around arable land and climate. Bustanica ushers in a new era of innovation and investments, which are important steps for sustainable growth and align with our country’s well-defined food and water security strategies.

“Emirates Flight Catering constantly invests in the latest technologies to delight customers, optimise operations, and minimise our environmental footprint. Bustanica helps secure our supply chain, and ensures our customers can enjoy locally sourced, nutritious produce. By bringing production closer to consumption, we’re reducing the food journey from farm to fork. Congratulations to the Bustanica team for their remarkable achievements so far and for setting global standards and benchmarks in agronomy.”

Craig Ratajczyk, Chief Executive Officer, Crop One said: “After significant planning and construction, and navigating the unforeseen challenges of the pandemic, we’re thrilled to celebrate this tremendous milestone alongside our joint venture partner, Emirates Flight Catering. It’s our mission to cultivate a sustainable future to meet global demand for fresh, local food, and this first large format farm is the manifestation of that commitment. This new facility serves as a model for what’s possible around the globe.”

The farm’s closed-loop system is designed to circulate water through the plants to maximise water usage and efficiency. When the water vaporises, it is recovered and recycled into the system, saving 250m litres of water every year compared to traditional outdoor farming for the same output.

Bustanica will have zero impact on the world’s threatened soil resources, an incredibly reduced reliance on water and year-round harvests unhampered by weather conditions and pests. Consumers buying Bustanica’s greens from supermarkets can eat it straight from the bag – even washing can damage the leaves and introduce contaminants.

Note: factsheet and photos are available at our media centre.

About Emirates Flight Catering (EKFC)

Emirates Flight Catering is one of the world’s largest catering operations. Offering airline, events and VIP catering as well as ancillary services including laundry, food production and airport lounge food & beverage, EKFC is a trusted partner for over 100 airline customers, hospitality groups and UAE government entities. Each day, the company’s 11,000 dedicated employees prepare an average of 200,000 meals and handle 210 tonnes of laundry.

About Crop One Holding Inc.

Crop One Holdings Inc. (Crop One), headquartered in Massachusetts, USA, is an established and experienced vertical farming leader with continuous commercial operation exceeding 6 years. Leveraging new technological and biological advancements, Crop One has built a scalable, global model to bring fresh, local produce, to previously ungrowable environments.

June 25, 2022

The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has announced that its Flash Digital Bank Account has been linked as a convenient mode of payment, to the revolutionary online pharmacy Flash Health App to facilitate flash-fast home delivery of medicines to users.

Under this collaboration, ComBank Flash Account holders who register their Flash debit card or account as a preferred payment option on the Flash Health App can enjoy discounts of up to 20% on online prescription fulfilment, product purchases on the wellness marketplace, home-visit lab tests and online doctor consultations featured on the digital healthcare platform.

Commercial Bank is the only bank that Flash Health has onboarded as a payment partner via a local product such as the ComBank Flash Digital Bank Account. Customers only have to register their Flash debit card on the health app once to continue ordering medication online without having to re-enter their card details.

Since the Flash Health mobile application enables customers to upload prescriptions and order medicine online, it can also be used by customers employed overseas, who are unable to physically assist their family members during a health crisis, to place online orders for the prescription medicines and have them delivered to the doorsteps of their loved ones.

Flash Health was recently upgraded with a ‘Move, Burn and Earn’ feature which aims to motivate and encourage users to stay healthy by walking more. The initiative allows the health app users to earn Flash credit points while walking and then redeem them against purchases on the app.

Similarly, ComBank Flash too is an innovative and comprehensive digital banking tool that provides financial services required to manage the lifestyle of a customer across aspects such as daily living and utility expenses, budgeting, saving, financing, eCommerce, environmental awareness, and investments. It was the winner of the award for the ‘Digital Banking Initiative of the Year’ in Sri Lanka at the 2021 Asian Banking and Finance (ABF) awards.

Sri Lanka’s first 100% carbon neutral bank, the first Sri Lankan bank to be listed among the Top 1000 Banks of the World and the only Sri Lankan bank to be so listed for 11 years consecutively, Commercial Bank operates a network of 268 branches and 940 automated machines in Sri Lanka. Commercial Bank is the largest lender to Sri Lanka’s SME sector and is a leader in digital innovation in the country’s Banking sector. The Bank’s overseas operations encompass Bangladesh, where the Bank operates 19 outlets; Myanmar, where it has a Microfinance company in Nay Pyi Taw; and the Maldives, where the Bank has a fully-fledged Tier I Bank with a majority stake.

June 3, 2022

The High Commissioner of Bangladesh H E Tareq Md Ariful Islam handed over a donation of essential medicines worth 2.2 million USD to the Health Minister Dr. Keheliya Rambukwella, yesterday (30)

he donation consists of 79 essential medications including anti-cancer, anti-hypertensive, antibiotic oral and injectables, anti-viral, anti-epileptic and anti-asthmatic medication.

The High Commissioner stated that Bangladesh is happy to assist Sri Lanka during this difficult time and are honored to have this opportunity to assist a country that they have ties to historically. He also stated that they stand to assist Sri Lanka in any way possible in the future. The Minister, while thanking the High Commissioner, the Government of Bangladesh, and the people of Bangladesh for the timely donation expressed his desire to further strengthen the relationship between the two countries.

The High Commissioner and Minister also discussed how the two countries can collaborate within the pharmaceutical industry and exchange of human resources in the medical industry.

May 17, 2022

Colombo, May 15^th, 2022 – Nations Trust Bank PLC recently announced the appointment of veteran business leader Sanjeev Jha to its Board, as a Non-Executive Director with effect from May 1, 2022. Mr. Jha, an Oxford scholar on Fintech, brings over three decades of extensive experience in business leadership, strategy, and overall business operations to the table, as Nations Trust Bank surges forward reinventing banking in Sri Lanka.

Sanjeev Jha served as the CEO and Managing Director of Fairfirst Insurance Limited, Sri Lanka until April 2021. In a career spanning four decades, he has worked across geographies including India, the Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Europe, and North America. A veteran of start-ups, turnarounds, acquisitions & integrations, he has hands-on expertise on business operations and change management and has a deep understanding of engaged relationships that lead to a thriving culture that enables high performance.

He currently serves as a Non-Executive Director on the Boards of Paramount Health Care Services & Insurance TPA, Maxop Engineering Company Pvt Ltd and Jaynix Engineering Pvt Ltd. As a versatile leader, he is on the Advisory Board of CamCom Technologies (Pvt.) Ltd and Symbo Platform, India. He also serves as a consultant to Fairfax Asia Limited which is a subsidiary of Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited. In addition, he serves as a member of the industry advisory panel for the Birla Institute of Management Technology.

A Fulbright Scholar in Leadership Management from Carnegie Mellon University, Tepper School of Business, USA, Sanjeev Jha most recently completed his Executive Education in Fintech from the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. He earned his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Mumbai where he also read for his MA in Economics. He also holds a BA, in Economics from St. Xavier’s College.

Nations Trust Bank PLC is among the top 15 business establishments in Sri Lanka as ranked by Business Today. Stemming from its vision of “helping people and businesses by providing financial services and information to achieve their goals and aspirations in a sustainable way”, the Bank serves a diverse range of customers across consumer, commercial and corporate segments, with an enviable portfolio of banking and financial products and services. Strongly focused on digital empowerment through cutting-edge digital banking technologies, the Bank is a pioneer in many innovative customer-centric banking solutions such as extended banking hours and FriMi – Sri Lanka’s first digital banking experience. Delivering premium value, and service and connecting its Cardmembers to rewarding experiences and opportunities. Nations Trust Bank PLC is an issuer and sole acquirer of American Express Cards in Sri Lanka. The Bank operates 96 branches across the country and has an ATM network covering 127 locations and 48 Cash Deposit & Withdrawal Machines, plus more than 3,700 ATMs on the Lanka Pay Network.

Older Posts

FootBalance – Heal your feet and walk faster and easier

What is Overpronation and Flat Feet ? Why does it matter?

Veteran Indian Movie Star Promotes Sri Lanka Across the World

Web designing technologies are going to advance and change so much.

Stanchion Appoints New Non-Executive Director

Paying Tribute to Women and Supporting the Youth

Emirates Flight Catering Opens World’s Largest Vertical Farm in Dubai

Flash Digital Account teams up with online pharmacy Flash Health for convenient payment

Bangladesh Reinforces Relationship with Sri Lanka- 2.2 million USD Donation of Essential Medicines

Sanjeev Jha Appointed Non-Executive Director at Nations Trust Bank