APB provides expert insights to bankers on safeguarding banking system from fraud

Thursday, 30 July 2026 05:12 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Association of Professional Bankers (APB) Sri Lanka, successfully hosted its first technical session for 2026, “Building Trust in a Digital Era: Safeguarding the Banking System from Fraud,” at the BOC Head Office Auditorium.

In an era where the rapid shift to digital banking has expanded opportunities for cyber criminals, this timely session addressed fraud prevention as a critical pillar of modern banking. The event drew enthusiastic participation from banking professionals, both in person and virtually, reflecting the industry’s commitment to strengthening security and maintaining customer trust.

The session featured a compelling keynote address by HSBC Managing Director/ Group Head of Fraud Levent Kutluca. An internationally recognised expert, Kutluca provided invaluable insights into the global fraud landscape and outlined advanced strategies for safeguarding financial systems. He emphasised the importance of balancing a seamless user experience with robust security infrastructure to maintain customer confidence. Further he also stated that an Ecosystem Approach is required for managing fraud risk with Governments, banks, telcos, customers, law enforcement and social media and broadcast media required to play their part in mitigating fraud threat to a country.

The keynote was followed by an interactive Q&A session, moderated by HSBC Sri Lanka Head of Audit Dulan Abeyratne. The engaging discussion allowed attendees to delve deeper into the challenges and solutions for combating fraud in today’s evolving digital environment.

Speaking at the event, Association of Professional Bankers President Dilshan Perera mentioned that Cyber risk has become one of the defining systemic risks for modern banking not because technology is failing, but because the threat landscape is evolving faster than ever and can compromise the trust clients have in their respective banks.

“As digital adoption accelerates, we must protect customers and the financial system without compromising convenience and inclusion. That means deeper collaboration across banks, regulators, and technology partners, continuous upskilling of our people, and smarter use of intelligence-led prevention to stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated adversaries. As APB, we believe resilience now depends on treating cyber and fraud risk as a board-level priority, anchored in strong governance, disciplined controls, and a culture where vigilance is everyone’s responsibility,” stated APB spokesperson.

Marking a significant milestone, this was the first session organised by the APB’s Continuing Professional Development Committee to be streamed live, extending its reach to banking professionals overseas and in outstation branches across Sri Lanka. This hybrid initiative underscores the APB’s dedication to providing wider access to professional knowledge sharing opportunities for all banking professionals.