APB holds evening lecture on financial sector consolidation

Monday, 2 June 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Association of Professional Bankers (APB), the country’s premier organisation for banking professionals, organised yet another very successful evening discussion on 28 April at Hatton National Bank Towers. The discussion, titled ‘Too Small to Succeed,’ was on a very topical theme: Financial sector consolidation. The keynote speaker was Keith Pogson, Senior Partner, Financial Services- Asia Pacific at Ernst & Young.

Pogson drew examples from his vast experience in many capacities in restructuring banks during the Asian Financial crisis to elaborate how methodically consolidation process should be approached. He also pointed success stories as well as failures while some key criteria to focus upon when consolidating financial services institutions were discussed in detail. The panellists for the evening discussion were Ananda Silva, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Jonathan Alles, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Hatton National Bank, Asitha Talwatte and Arjuna Herath, both Partners of Ernst & Young, and Piyal Hennayake, President of the Association of Professional Bankers of Sri Lanka.

The panellists elaborated on topics related to Sri Lankan financial consolidation and what lessons can be learnt from the regional experience and how they can be applied in the local context. A very fruitful question and answer session ensued after the presentations. Over 125 banking professionals attended this evening lecture program. APB has planned to hold many similar programs during the coming months aimed at continuous professional development of bankers in the country.