Standard Chartered Sri Lanka strengthens regional ties with Correspondent Banking Conference 2023

From left: Standard Chartered (ASA) Regional Head of Correspondent Banking Shivaraman Subramanian, Standard Chartered Sri Lanka CEO Bingumal Thewarathanthri, Asian Development Bank Country Director Takafumi Kadono, Central Bank of Sri Lanka Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Bank of Investment and Development of Vietnam Executive Vice President Truong Thi Thu Ba, Hatton National Bank Sri Lanka Head of International Banking Natasha Hay, Southeast Bank Bangladesh Head of International Banking Jahangir Kobir, Standard Chartered Sri Lanka Head of Financial Institution Praveen Karunaratne, and Standard Chartered India Head of Correspondent Banking Piyush Chaturvedi 

Standard Chartered Sri Lanka announced the conclusion of its Correspondent Banking Regional Conference for 2023, held at the Galle Face Hotel on 23 and 24 November. 

Attended by senior representatives from more than 55 banks across the ASEAN and South Asian region, the event served as a pivotal platform for sharing insights, fostering collaboration, and advancing the landscape of correspondent banking.

The conference delved into a diverse range of topics, reflecting the dynamic nature of the industry. Discussions spanned the digitisation of global payments and trade, navigating the evolving compliance landscape, and exploring the latest global and regional macro-economic trends. Participants benefited significantly from the expertise of esteemed speakers and panellists, contributing to their continuous professional development.

Standard Chartered spearheaded the initiative to facilitate discussions on emerging trends in payments, trade, and compliance. Standard Chartered Regional Head of Correspondent Banking, ASEAN and South Asia Shivaraman Subramanian expressed his sentiments at the event’s success, highlighting its broad participation by regional clients. “Standard Chartered, as one of the largest correspondent banks in the world, takes the initiative to share emerging trends in the areas of payment, trade, and compliance through the Correspondent Banking Conference. I am delighted by the success of the event, which was well participated by our regional clients,” he said.

The conference also featured an evening of fellowship on the first day, hosted by Standard Chartered at the Mount Lavinia Hotel. This provided participants with a taste of Sri Lankan hospitality and culture, enhancing the overall conference experience.

Standard Chartered Sri Lanka Head of Financial Institutions Praveen Karunaratne emphasised the value of hosting such a significant regional client conference in Sri Lanka. He stated, “We are privileged to host such an important regional client conference in Sri Lanka, aimed at providing a platform to share knowledge, best practices, and ideas among regional correspondent banking clients.”

The conference’s highlights included an overview of Sri Lanka by Standard Chartered Sri Lanka Chief Executive Officer Bingumal Thewarathanthri, and a keynote speech on day two by Central Bank of Sri Lanka Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe. Dr. Weerasinghe shared insights into managing Sri Lanka’s economic crises, achieving macro stability, and redirecting the country on a sustainable growth path.

In addition, ADB Country Director Takafumi Kodono shared his views on how ADB is partnering with governments and banks to enable sustainable development and trade in emerging markets, including Sri Lanka.

By hosting this global event, Standard Chartered reaffirmed its commitment to driving collaboration and enhancing its customer experience through innovation. The conference not only highlighted the bank’s regional presence, but also showcased its dedication to fostering meaningful dialogue within the correspondent banking community.