Trade Finance Association of Bankers holds 21st AGM

Trade Finance Association of Bankers – Council for the year 2018/2019. Seated from left: Senaka De Silva (NDB Bank) – Editor, K.R. Naguleswaran (DFCC Bank) – Assistant Secretary, Thushy David (Deutsche Bank) – Council Member, Sanjeewa Jayasooriya (Standard Chartered Bank) – Secretary General, A.S.M.W. Kumarasiri (People’s Bank) – Vice President, Susantha Fernando (Seylan Bank) – President, Manoji Hettigoda (Sampath Bank) Senior Vice President, Lawrian Somanader (Commercial Bank) – Treasurer, Manjula Gunawardana (NDB Bank) – Immediate Past President, Gaya Manamperi (Council Member), Shyam De Silva (Hatton National Bank) – Assistant Treasurer. Standing from left: Council Members; A.D.S. Indrani (Bank of Ceylon), J.A.J. Sudharshana (Bank of Ceylon), Kasun Muthukuda (Nations Trust Bank), Susantha Weerasinghe (People’s Bank), Indika Liyanage (Pan Asia Bank) Ilanko Kathiravelupillai (Seylan Bank) Neil Handapangoda (Citibank), Tharindu Amarasinghe (Sampath Bank) Waruna Senanayake (DFCC Bank), Kanchana de Silva (Union Bank) 

The 21st Annual General Meeting of the Trade Finance Association of Bankers (TFAB) was held recently in Colombo amidst a large gathering of trade staff of all banks in Sri Lanka. 

The Trade Finance Association of Bankers was founded in 1997 and continues playing an active role in the banking industry in Sri Lanka. The primary objectives of the Association includes, the exchange of views among members and other individuals and organisations on matters related to trade finance, promoting consistency in trade finance practices among bankers and engaging in educational and development activities for its members as well as other practitioners in trade finance by holding lectures, seminars, workshops and other activities. 

The Association also assists its members to further their learning and enhance their knowledge on matters relevant to trade finance. In addition TFAB promotes goodwill, understanding and fellowship amongst its members in order to create healthy competition. Most importantly TFAB maintain a very good rapport with the regulatory authorities and the other organisations relevant to import/export trade thereby facilitating the speedy action in issues facing import/export operations. The membership of the Association is open to bankers who are engaged in trade finance and who subscribe to the objectives of the Association. 

The Association is backed by an Advisory Committee comprising four very senior bankers and former presidents A. Kathiravelupillai (Inaugural President), Parama Dharmawardene, Michael Peiris and Nilam Jumat, all having extensive experience in international banking business.

At the Annual General Meeting the following were elected as the Council of the Trade Finance Association of Bankers for the year 2018/2019 the following office bearers were elected.

President; Susantha Fernando (Seylan Bank), Senior Vice President; Manoji Hettigoda (Sampath Bank), Vice President; A.S.M.W. Kumarasiri (People’s Bank), Secretary General; Sanjeewa Jayasooriya (Standard Chartered Bank), Treasurer; Lawrian Somanader (Commercial Bank), Assistant Secretary; K.R. Naguleswaran (DFCC Bank), Assistant Treasurer; Shyam De Silva (Hatton National Bank), Editor; Senaka De Silva (NDB Bank).

Newly elected President – Susantha Fernando counts 32 years of banking experience and is presently the Head of Exports at Seylan Bank. He is a holder of Certificate IV in Business Frontline Management of Adelaide of TAFE SA, Department of Education Training and Government of South Australia. Intermediate of Banking Diploma, Certificate course in Project Financing and Trade Finance and Foreign Exchange. He also excels in sports having represented at National and international level with many credits to his account in Hockey, Athletic and Carrom.