Damith Pallewatte, Acting CEO, HNB (center) accepting the awards on behalf of HNB, accompanied by Elliot Wilson, Asia Editor, Euromoney (right) and Anita Kapoor, professional emcee and mentor (left).
HNB was honored with the titles of ‘Sri Lanka’s Best Bank’ and ‘Sri Lanka’s Best Bank for SMEs at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2024.
“Our team deserves full commendation for an exceptional performance over the past year. We’ve seen remarkable growth in deposits, healthy fee income, and PAT. HNB’s extensive investments drove this strong performance to boost digital banking capacity, uplift SMEs, and serve as a partner in progress to all Sri Lankans. The confidence placed in us by our customers and the nation inspires us to strive for excellence continuously. We are committed to providing the best banking experience to help Sri Lankan enterprises of all sizes perform at their fullest potential,” said Damith Pallewatte, acting CEO of HNB.
“These awards are a recognition of our team’s resilience and dedication towards banking and the nation, particularly for the SME and grassroots businesses. Since HNB’s inception, we’ve prioritized sustainable growth and grassroots community development. We remain committed to providing our customers with the services, support, and advice they need to thrive. It’s gratifying to see our progress and to be recognized by one of the world’s most renowned financial magazines,” said HNB Chief Operating Officer Sanjay Wijemanne.
Robust financial strategies and customer trust supported HNB’s commendable performance. The bank has seen healthy improvements in fee income, driven by growth in card and digital channel transactions, reflecting the success of its diversified revenue streams. Contributions from Bancassurance, Digital Banking, and Self-Service Machines further bolstered this growth.
“HNB, as a systemically important Bank in Sri Lanka, has always prided itself in supporting the growth of the SME sector. We are a financial services provider to our SME customers and a true partner in their progress. This award from Euromoney Magazine is yet another testament of our commitment towards supporting sustainable growth in this vital sector and thereby the overall economy of the Country.” said Rajive Dissanayake, DGM SME & Micro Finance, HNB.
HNB’s strategic focus on cautious lending in the SME segment safeguarded asset quality and customer financial well-being. Meanwhile, the bank channeled additional resources towards providing SME customers with technical advisory services, capacity building, expansion of market access, facilitation of exports, and supporting more enterprises in growing out of crisis.
