Hennayake Bandara receives APB President Award for outstanding contribution

Hennayake Bandara receives the APB President Award from Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal at the APB Annual Convention. APB President K.B. Rajapaksa and Secretary-General Anton Arumugam are also present

Veteran banker H. Mudiyanselage Hennayake Bandara was recently bestowed with the ‘APB President Award’ for the year 21/22 in recognition of his contribution to the banking industry and in particular to the Association of Professional Bankers (APB) Sri Lanka. 

The award was presented at the 32nd Annual Convention of APB Sri Lanka by Chief Guest Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal.

Bandara is a Chartered Accountant, having served in large State-owned enterprises, who joined National Savings Bank in 2000 as Deputy General Manager (Finance and Planning).

As the youngest member of Corporate Management at that time, in 2001, he was appointed as a Director of NSB Fund Management Company Ltd., the primary dealer arm of the bank; and in 2003, as a Director of then Sabaragamuwa Development Bank.

Recognising his contribution, he was promoted as the Additional General Manager in 2008 and as the General Manager/CEO in 2010. He was appointed to the Board of World Savings Banks Institute (WSBI) in 2013 to represent the Asia-Pacific Region, becoming the first Sri Lankan on the Board of WSBI.

In 2009, he was appointed by the Governor of the CBSL, on the implementation of the stimulus package for the banking, finance and leasing industry, to a group of experts providing expertise to Registered Finance Companies (RFCs) and Specialised Leasing Companies (SLCs). He is a recipient of the award for ‘Excellence in Business Management’ at the SAFA-CMA Management Accounting Summit.

He was involved with APB activities from 2000 and in 2007, he was invited to the Governing Council of APB. This afforded him the opportunity to contribute to the banking community. He served as a Chairperson of several committees, Treasurer, Vice President, Senior Vice President and was elected to the Presidency in 2012. On completion of his term as immediate past President, he was invited to serve on the Advisory Council of APB, in which capacity he serves to date. He also serves as the Chairman of APB Fund Management Committee. He was conferred an honorary life membership in 2018, which is the highest accolade awarded by the association to its members in recognition of the outstanding services rendered to the banking industry in general and to the APB in particular. He has been a regular contributor to the APB Annual Convention publication. He also served on the Boards of Institute of Bankers, Sri Lanka Banks’ Association and Financial Ombudsman, Sri Lanka.

Continuing his contribution to the financial industry, after a distinguished career at NSB, he served as a Director at Chillaw Finance PLC, Chairman, Natwealth Securities Ltd., Director National Wealth Corporation Ltd., and Prime Finance PLC.

Apart from his employment, he was involved in improving professional education in the country for more than two decades. He was a past President of AAT Sri Lanka, Council member of CA Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Institute of Advanced Technological Education, Board Member of Accounting and Auditing Standards Monitoring Board, and Treasurer of Organisation of Professional Associations. Currently, he serves as the Vice President of CMA Sri Lanka. His services also extended to the South Asian Region and served in various capacities as a member of several committees, technical advisor and Vice President of South Asian Federation of Accountants, and on 1 January, he took over the Presidency of SAFA, representing CMA Sri Lanka.