People’s Bank and CA Sri Lanka partner to launch mentoring program for SME exporters

People’s Bank Chairman Sujeewa Rajapakse, CA Sri Lanka immediate Past President Manil Jayasinghe, CA Sri Lanka SME task Force Chairman Lakshman Abeysekara addressing the gathering

People’s Bank has partnered with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka) to provide a timely boost for Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) customers of the bank through a mentoring program.

The inauguration ceremony of this program was held recently at the People’s Bank staff training college. The occasion was graced by the presence of People’s Bank Chairman Sujeewa Rajapakse, CA Sri Lanka immediate Past President Manil Jayasinghe, CA Sri Lanka SME task Force Chairman Lakshman Abeysekara , CA Sri Lanka Council Member Saman Sri Lal, CA Sri Lanka SME Task Force Executive Committee Member Harsha Gunasena, Women’s Chamber of Industry & Commerce Sri Lanka President/ CA Sri Lanka Council Member Anoji De Silva, The National Chamber of Commerce Sri Lanka President Nandika Buddhipala, CA Sri Lanka Asia Pacific Institute of Money and Entrepreneurship Chaaminda Kumarasiri, People’s Bank DGM (Enterprise Banking) Krishani Narangoda, AGM (SME) Wickrama Narayana, AGM (Off Shore Unit & Corporate Banking-1) D.M.D. Dasanayake, AGM (Commercial Credit) P.M. Ariyawanse, AGM (Commercial Banking) Thushari Hewawasam, AGM (Corporate Banking (Relationship II) Nalin Perera, Regional Manager (Colombo North) S.L.M.A.S. Samarathunga and Senior Manager (Project Finance and Rehabilitation) Chamari Perera.

The SME Task Force of CA Sri Lanka invited People’s Bank to join hands to promote SMEs in Sri Lanka through a mentoring program for selected customers of the bank. Through this partnership CA Sri Lanka aims to help People’s Bank customers on a one-to-one basis by appointing mentors on financial and other business-related issues free-of-charge for a maximum period of one year. Accordingly, People’s Bank has selected export or ICT customers from its large base of SME customers spread across the country. CA Sri Lanka has appointed mentors for each customer and the People’s Bank mentor coordinates with the customers (mentees) and with CA Sri Lanka mentors. The program commences after signing a formal tripartite MOU between CA Sri Lanka, the respective mentee and CA Sri Lanka mentor. Initially, the mentees will be provided consultation virtually and subsequently they will be visited twice a month by CA Sri Lanka mentors for closer cooperation and monitoring. 

The Bank’s mentors are responsible for directing and guiding the respective mentees continuously so that they are able to obtain the maximum benefit from the mentoring program during the one-year period. The mentees will be provided relevant information in the form of reading material and booklets in Sinhala and English by CA Sri Lanka, which provides knowledge on financial and other areas of their business operations. 

During the mentoring program the mentees as well as their company accountants will be provided consultations. CA Sri Lanka mentors are supervised and evaluated by CA Sri Lanka continuously in order to ensure that the partnership benefits the mentees and the required goals are achieved. If a mentee requires the service from the CA Sri Lanka mentor beyond the initial one-year period, it can be continued based on a new agreement which will be made on new terms and conditions.

CA Sri Lanka is the National Professional Accountancy Organisation and known as the preferred destination for accountancy education in the country with 7,000 associate and fellow members based both locally and globally. The portfolio of CA Sri Lanka members comprises of top management individuals who serve in leading corporate in Sri Lanka and abroad. The institute also has over 30,000 student members who are aspiring professional accountants.