Hennayake Bandara appointed as SAFA Vice President

From left: Council Members Prof. Harendra Kariyawasam, Adrian Perera, Hennayake Bandara (Vice President), Prof. Lakshman R. Watawala (President), Manil Jayesinghe (Council Member and President CASL) and Council Member J.M.U.B. Jayasekera

A.K.M. Delwer Hussain, Council Member of the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Bangladesh has been appointed as President of South Asian Federation of Accountants (SAFA) and H.M. Hennayake Bandara, Vice President of the Institute of Certified Management Accountants of Sri Lanka, has been appointed as Vice- President of SAFA for the year 2021 with effect from 1 January. 

This is the first time that CMA Sri Lanka representative has been appointed as the Vice President of SAFA since its admission as a member in 2010. Hennayake Bandara was felicitated by the CMA Sri Lanka President, Prof. Lakshman R. Watawala, Governing Council Members and staff at a function held at the CMA office on 4 January.

Bandara is a Fellow Member (FCMA) and Founder Member of CMA Sri Lanka and joined the Council in 2012 and is the incumbent Vice President of CMA Sri Lanka. He currently serves as the Technical Advisor to Board Member of SAFA Prof. Watawala. He has been associated with SAFA since 2005. He is the recipient of the ‘CMA Award for Excellence in Business Management’ at the SAFA-CMA Management Accounting Summit held in 2012. He also had the opportunity of working very closely with all Sri Lankan Past Presidents of SAFA.

His contribution to the field of professional accounting and banking counts more than two decades in various capacities. Bandara is a Past President of Association of Accounting Technicians of Sri Lanka (AATSL), Past President of Association of Professional Bankers - Sri Lanka (APBSL), Treasurer, Organisation of Professional Associations of Sri Lanka, Director, Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka and Council Member of Sri Lanka Institute of Advance Technological Education.

He counts more than three decades of managerial experience in various industries of which two decades in the banking and finance industry. He was a General Manager/CEO of National Savings Bank in Sri Lanka, Chairman NatWealth Securities Ltd. and Director of many companies including financial institutions. He also served as a Director of World Savings Bank Institute (WSBI) representing Asia and Pacific Region. 

He was a member of the expert group appointed by the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, based on a Cabinet decision, on the implementation of the ‘Stimulus Package for the Banking, Finance and Leasing Industry’ to advice during the financial crisis. Currently, he serves as an Advisory Council Member of APBSL, Director, Prime Finance PLC, K Seeds Investment Ltd. and Council Member of Chartered Professional Managers of Sri Lanka.

South Asian Federation of Accountants (SAFA) was formed in the year 1984 and Prof. Lakshman R. Watawala was a Founder Signatory as President CA Sri Lanka in the formation of SAFA and was elected as the 1st Vice President and took over as the 2nd President of SAFA. 

SAFA comprises the National Chartered and Management Accounting Bodies in India, Pakistan Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and Chartered body in Nepal and Associates in Afghanistan and Maldives. SAFA serves the accountancy profession in the South Asian region and uphold its eminence in the world of accountancy. 

SAFA as an IFAC network Partner represents over 375,000 accountants in practice, business and education. SAFA came into existence at the initiative of the accounting professional bodies in the South Asian region and Sri Lanka were instrumental in initiating discussions during their National Conference held in Sri Lanka in 1982. The SAFA Headquarters are in New Delhi India and the SAFA Foundation set up recently is located in Sri Lanka.