Bank of Ceylon (BOC), being the No. 01 Bank in Sri Lanka and the country’s highest rated banking brand, achieved robust financial results in 2024, demonstrating both resilience and persistence. The Bank recorded significant growth in key financial metrics, including total assets, deposits, and profitability. This exceptional performance underscores BOC’s agility and adaptability in the face of volatile market conditions and numerous challenges.

The General Manager / Chief Executive Officer, Russel Fonseka emphasized, “Our robust financial results demonstrate our strength and stability in this challenging economic climate. Looking ahead, we are committed to expanding our services, pioneering digital banking solutions, and solidifying our leadership position in Sri Lanka’s banking sector.”

fluencr, a homegrown tech startup, is shaping the country’s digital economy by enhancing influencer and business collaboration. Recognized among the top 50 at the prestigious Dialog Innovation Challenge, fluencr is on a mission to streamline business and influencer collaborations, aligning with Sri Lanka’s broader digital transformation initiatives.

In an era where influencer marketing is a key driver of brand engagement, fluencr offers a data-driven platform that enables businesses to discover, connect, and collaborate with the right influencers. The platform simplifies campaign management from start to finish, providing seamless performance analytics and ensuring instant payments through an integration with Seylan Bank’s Mastercard payment solutions.

For influencers, fluencr enhances brand discoverability, making it easier to secure collaborations while automating insight sharing and campaign workflows. The added benefit of timely payments ensures creators can focus on what they do best—creating engaging content.

fluencr isn’t just another marketplace; it’s a potential local alternative to global platforms like Fiverr and Upwork. By offering an accessible and free-to-use platform, fluencr has the power to uplift Sri Lanka’s content landscape, creating new opportunities for businesses and creators alike.

Why Now? Why Fluencr

Booming Influencer Market: Since 2019, the global influencer industry has tripled in value, reaching $21.1 billion. Sri Lanka’s share currently stands at an estimated $17.2 million, showcasing immense growth potential.

End of Third-Party Cookies: With platforms like Meta and Google phasing out third-party cookies by 2025, businesses must rethink their digital marketing strategies. fluencr provides a viable alternative, leveraging influencer partnerships for direct audience engagement.

User-Generated Content (UGC) Dominates: Research shows that 93% of marketers believe UGC outperforms traditional ads, making influencer collaborations more crucial than ever.

Rising Influencer Trust: With 63% of Gen Z preferring influencer recommendations over conventional advertising, brands need to adapt to shifting consumer behaviors.

fluencr was not just engineered in theory—it was born out of real-world challenges. The founding team, comprising professionals with experience at top Sri Lankan companies such as Dialog, Cinnamon Hotels, and Daraz, understands the struggles businesses and creators face in the digital marketing landscape. Now, they’re on a mission to solve them.

Whether you’re a business ready to harness the power of influencer marketing or a creator looking to scale, fluencr invites you to be part of Sri Lanka’s digital future: https://fluencr.io

Stasshani Jayawardena, daughter of Harry Jayawardena, has been appointed chairperson of Sri Lanka’s Aitken Spence, and group companies Browns Beach Hotels and Aitken Spence Hotel Holdings.

“Ms. Jayawardena has over 15 years of experience in the management of companies under the guidance of her late father Deshamanya D H S Jayawardena,” the company said in stock exchange filing.

“She has been managing and providing strategic direction to Aitken Spence Group Companies including the leisure sector and carries with her a wealth of knowledge and experience which is imperative for the continuous growth of the Aitken Spence Group of Companies adhering to the vision of late Deshamanya D H S Jayawardena.”

Jayawardena is a graduate of St James’ and Lucie Clayton College and Keele University in the United Kingdom, Emeritus Institute of Management, Singapore and an Associate Alumni of University of Cambridge (Judges Business School), United Kingdom. 

Jayawardena also interned under US Senator Hilary Rodham Clinton and former US President Bill Clinton in 2003.

She is a Director of Melstacorp, Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka, Lanka Milk Foods (CWE), and serves as the Joint Deputy Chairperson and Joint Managing Director of Aitken Spence and Aitken Spence Hotel Holdings.