BOC appoints veteran banker Sumanasiri as new GM

Monday, 16 August 2021 00:23 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

GM K. E. D. Sumanasiri

Veteran banker K. E. D. Sumanasiri will assume duties as the General Manager of Bank of Ceylon (BOC) from today. He succeeds D. P. K. Gunasekera, who is retiring after a 41-year career at BOC.

Sumanasiri, who joined the bank in 1990, rose up in the different grades as a career banker and has been a Deputy General Manager and member of the bank’s corporate management team since 2013. His experience and industry acumen as a banker ranges across many key areas of banking.

His contribution to retail banking, micro and corporate finance, and human resource development has contributed immensely to the bank’s development. Over the years, he has taken on many roles, such as Area Manager, Operations Manager, and Assistant General Manager, leading him to gain a deep insight into banking in practice.

After his Bachelor of Science (Hons.) Degree in Business Administration from University of Sri Jayewardenepura Sri Lanka, Sumanasiri persevered in his efforts to be an effective professional banker, and thus gained the Associate Membership of the Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka and the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management Sri Lanka.

He has undergone many professional and career trainings. Among them, the following stand out: ‘The Linkage 20 Conversations Leadership Program’, conducted by Harvard Business School of USA, ‘Management Development Program for Key Management Personnel’, and the ‘Special Management Course of Higher Management and Public Policy for Business Leadership’, conducted by the Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM).

Sumanasiri has been a noteworthy contributor to the career development of aspiring bankers. His contribution as the faculty member of the bank’s training institute is well-acclaimed by industry peers. As the training manager, his services towards uplifting the knowledge, professional acumen, career, and skills development of the staff was immeasurable.

With the dawn of peacetime in the North after 30 long years of conflict, he was given the responsibility of uplifting the livelihoods of the resettled population and injecting business confidence and financial management into the hitherto grief-stricken and panicked masses of the region. As the Assistant General Manager - Northern Province, he played a remarkable role in achieving this. He saw the successful upward trend in the economic activities of the area and was able to boost the delivery channels of the area considerably. Microfinance and retail banking took an unprecedented turn-around during his tenure as the AGM - North.

As the Senior Deputy General Manager - Human Resources, he was very quick in adopting the health guidelines recommended by health authorities effectively in all BOC branches and head office. This minimised exposure to the pandemic for both customers and employees. His focus on the safety of the lives of all stakeholders of the bank was remarkable. The human first HR policy successfully adopted by the bank gave BOC the edge as the people-centric bank in the financial landscape of the country.

The competence and potential demonstrated by Sumanasiri over the years, both as a professional banker and a compassionate human being within the bank’s corporate management, led to him being the choice for the task of chief helmsman, for steering Bank of Ceylon ahead as ‘Bankers to the Nation’.