APB Sri Lanka holds 32nd AGM

Association of Professional Bankers – Sri Lanka Advisory Committee 2021-2022

From left: Deepal Abeysekera, Dimantha Seneviratne, Bhanu Wijayaratne, Piyal Hennayake, Jagath Gamanayake, APB Secretary General Anton Arumugam, APB President K.B. Rajapaksa, Hennayake Bandara, Asanka Ranhotty, A. Kathiravelupillai, Lakshman Silva, Shashi Kandambi Jassim

The 32nd AGM of the Association of Professional Bankers – Sri Lanka (APB) was held recently at the Bougainvillea Ballroom of Galadari Hotel – Colombo 04 on a hybrid basis, where a sufficient number of APB members attended the meeting physically in compliance with prevailing health quarantine measures, while majority of members attended the meeting virtually. 

APB – Sri Lanka was formed in July 1988 by a group of dedicated senior bankers, and has been the most represented organisation of banking professionals in the island. The APB was formed with a mission to sustain the highest standards of professionalism and integrity among bakers, to advance public interest and to influence the achievement of the highest ethical standards and governance in banking industry. Additionally, APB functions as a forum that brings together leading personalities in business administration to have intellectual discussion in the contemporary banking and economic context. 

Since 1998, the APB continued to conduct annual conventions on themes of contemporary interest. In fact, the Annual Convention of the APB has become a much-awaited event amongst the bankers in Sri Lanka. Due to the pandemic, the annual convention for the year 2020 was not held. Instead, the ADB Research Symposium 2021 was held on 22 March at the Grand Ballroom – Hilton Colombo with the theme ‘Sri Lanka Economic Resurgence in 2021 through Strategic Vision’, which was a novel experience in the banking landscape in Sri Lanka. Five high quality research papers were presented at the Research Symposium.  

The 32nd AGM was held as scheduled as per the provisions of constitution of APB. At the AGM held on 25 March, APB members elected office bearers and council members for the year 2021/2022. Accordingly, K.B. Rajapakse was unanimously elected as 32nd President of this premier Association of Bankers in the country. 

Rajapakse counts nearly 34 years of experience in banking industry. Having started his career at People’s Bank in June 1987, just after graduation from the University of Sri Jayawardenapura, Rajapakse is currently holding the Senior Deputy General Manager position of People’s Bank.

Following members were elected as office bearers of APB for the year 2021/2022 during the AGM.

• President – K.B. Rajapakse (Peoples’ Bank Senior DGM – Payment and Digital)

• Senior VP – Jeremy de Zilva (Pan Asia DGM/Head of Internal Audit)

• VP – B.A.H.S Preena (Commercial Bank AGM – Corporate Banking)

• VP – Halin Hettigoda (Sampath Bank – Head of Deposit Mobilisation)

• Secretary General – Anton Arumugam (DFCC Bank VP – Trade Sales and Institutional Business)

• Asst. Secretary – Mahesha Amarasuriya (Cargills Bank AGM – Card Services)

• Treasurer – Indika Kudagamage (NDB Asst. VP – Business Banking, SME, Micro-Finance and Liability)

• Immediate Past President – Aruna Fernando (Seylan Bank – Chief Risk Officer)

• Council Member – K. Raveendram (NSB Senior DGM – Operations)

• Council Member – M.R.N. Rohana Kumara (BOC DGM – Recovery Provinces, Business Revival and Rehabilitation)

• Council Member – Theekshana Pandithasekara (SDB Bank Head of Retail Banking)

• Council Member – Hasrath Munasinghe (Commercial Bank DGM – Marketing)

• Council Member – Christine S. Jesudian (NSB DGM – Credit )

• Council Member – Anjali Goonetilake (Sampath Bank Senior Manager – Operations)

• Council Member – A.S.M.W. Kumarasiri (People’s Bank AGM – Trade Finance)

• Council Member – Asitha Pinnaduwa (NTB Asst. VP – Private Banking)

• Council Member – Isuru Jayaweera (Bank of China – Colombo AGM – Settlement and Operations Dept.)
  
   

Following members were elected to Advisory Committee 2021/2022.   

• A. Kathiravelupillai      nLakshman Silva

• Dimantha Seneviratne    nHennayake Bandara  

• Piyal Hennayake

• Deepal Abeysekara

• Shashi Kandambi Jassim

• Asanka Ranhotty

• Bhanu Wijayaratne

• Jagath Gamanayake
  
   

Following were elected as members to the Fund Management Committee 2021/2022.

• Hennayake Bandara

• Aravinda Perera

• Sunil de Silva

• Shashi Kandambi Jassim

Association of Professional Bankers – Sri Lanka Council Members 2021-2022

Seated from left: Sampath Bank Vice President Halin Hettigoda, Pan Asia Banking Corporation Senior Vice President Jeremy de Zilva, Seylan Bank Immediate Past President Aruna Fernando, People’s Bank President K.B. Rajapakse, Commercial Bank of Ceylon Vice President B.A.H.S. Preena, DFCC Bank Secretary General Anton Arumugam, National Development Bank Treasurer Indika Kudagamage, Cargills Bank Assistant Secretary Mahesha Amarasuriya 

Standing from left: National Savings Bank Council Member Christine S. Jesudian, People’s Bank Council Member A.S.M.V. Kumarasiri, Sanasa Development Bank Council Member Theekshana Pandithasekera, Nations Trust Bank Council Member Asitha Pinnaduwa, Commercial Bank of Ceylon Council Member Hasrath Munasinghe, National Savings Bank Council Member K. Raveendran, Bank of Ceylon Council Member Rohana Kumara, Bank of China Council Member Isuru Jayaweera, Sampath Bank Council Member Anjali Goonatilake  

Association of Professional Bankers – Sri Lanka Fund Management Committee 2021-2022

From left: Aravinda Perera, Hennayake Bandara, K.B. Rajapakse (President), Shashi Kandambi Jassim, Sunil de Silva