14 years at the top: HNB wins Asian Banker Best Retail Bank in Sri Lanka Award 2024

HNB Managing Director/CEO Jonathan Alles

HNB DGM – Retail Banking Group Sanjay Wijemanne

HNB PLC has reaffirmed its dominant leadership position, after being ranked Best Retail Bank in Sri Lanka for the 14th year at the Asian Banker Global Excellence in Retail Financial Services Awards 2024. 

Hosted by the prestigious Asian Banker Magazine, the awards are considered among the most rigorous and influential programs for consumer financial services in the world and are designed to showcase regional institutions that establish new benchmarks in stability, innovation, digital enablement and process re-engineering towards unleashing rapid, sustainable growth.  

“For generations, HNB has stood firm in our mission to serve as a partner in progress to all Sri Lankans. Throughout, we have adapted, and evolved, integrating cutting-edge technology and global best practices into a deeply customer-centric business model. Our success in retaining leadership of the retail banking sector for 14 years provides further validation to our approach and inspires us to continue striving for greater heights moving forward,” HNB Managing Director/CEO Jonathan Alles said.  

Retail banking is a flagship segment for HNB, which caters to the needs of over 2.5 million Sri Lankans Island wide. In addition to the bank’s extensive customer service network of 254 branches and over 800 self-service machines, HNB has also been a pioneer in leveraging digital banking products, services and channels to provide customers with convenient, comprehensive and secured options to transact remotely. 

Throughout the preceding year, HNB demonstrated remarkable resilience and consistent performance amid significant industry headwinds. Notably, the bank reported a 63% Year-on-Year (YoY) surge in digital transaction volumes, complemented by a 65% YoY increment in the customer base engaging with our digital platforms.

In addition, our position as the vanguard of technology-integrated banking has been further solidified by pioneering platforms such as HNB SOLO. This platform offers seamless digital payment experiences, enjoying rapid adoption thanks to strategic alliances with leading technology firms, enhancing merchant access to advanced digital payment options. 

“We are deeply gratified with the resounding recognition that HNB won at this year’s awards. To be crowned Best Retail Bank in Sri Lanka on 14 separate occasions is a remarkable achievement, one that is fueled by a process of constant evolution, and unwavering commitment to excellence from our team. We believe that when retail banking is done right, it has the potential to radically improve the lives of our customers. That is why we continue to seek out all opportunities for streamlining and simplifying our products and processes, in order to deliver maximum value into the hands of our valued customers,” HNB DGM – Retail Banking Group Sanjay Wijemanne said. 

Notably, the bank consolidated its legacy of true leadership in sustainability, good governance and corporate excellence with a resounding victory at the prestigious Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Best Corporate Citizen Sustainability Awards 2022 (CCC BCCSA).   Having been declared the overall winner, HNB further secured additional four accolades including Governance category winner, Sustainability Champion for the Finance sector, Second runner-up for Demonstrated Resilient Practices for COVID-19 category, and ranked among the Top 10 Best Corporate Citizens, a position which HNB has achieved for 13 years. 

Moreover, the bank was also crowned Sustainability Champion for The Finance Sector in recognition of its systemic national contributions in supporting Sri Lanka’s transition towards renewable energy, grassroots-led economic development, and the multi-pronged environmental and social campaigns by the HNB Sustainability Foundation.  

Furthermore, HNB was ranked among the Top 1,000 Banks in world in 2022 for the sixth consecutive year by the acclaimed UK based ‘The Banker Magazine’ while being adjudged the ‘Best Service Bank’ and the ‘Market Leader’ in the Euromoney Trade Finance Survey 2023.