Arpico Insurance appoints finance professional Naresh Tillekeratne to Board

Naresh Tillekeratne 

Arpico Insurance PLC, has announced the appointment of Naresh Tillekeratne to its Board of Directors. This move further reinforces the company’s commitment to operational excellence and stakeholder value as it embarks on its next phase of growth.

With a career spanning over 35 years in International banking and non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs), Tillekeratne brings deep expertise in enterprise risk management, compliance, and corporate structuring. With over 15 years in C-level and senior management roles across Sri Lanka and the Middle East, he has forged a reputation for driving bottom-line efficiency and structural transformation.

Commenting on the appointment, Arpico Insurance PLC Chairman Ramal Jasinghe said: “We are pleased to welcome Naresh Tillekeratne to our Board. He is a respected figure in the financial services landscape, recognised for his risk-management acumen and strategic foresight. As Arpico Insurance continues to scale and navigate complex and ever-evolving business and governance environments, his extensive cross-border experience will be invaluable in safeguarding stakeholder value and steering our sustainable growth trajectory.”

Prior to joining the board at Arpico Insurance PLC, Tillekeratne served as Chief Executive Officer of Assetline Finance PLC (previously Assetline Leasing Company Ltd), following a tenure as General Manager - Credit and Operations at AMW Capital Leasing and Finance PLC.

Arpico Insurance PLC CEO Jayalal Hewawasam said: “We are entering a dynamic phase of innovation and growth at Arpico Insurance, and strong corporate governance remains at the very heart of that journey. We are delighted to welcome Naresh Tillekeratne to our Board of Directors and the Company Management looks forward to working with him, and to harness his expertise in supporting our growth trajectory. We are confident that his proficiency in international banking, coupled with his acumen in enterprise risk management, will add tremendous depth to our leadership structure.” 

Tillekeratne’s international exposure includes C-level responsibility at the Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (UAE), where he engineered the restructuring of credit approval mechanisms and documentation controls to maximize portfolio returns. Prior to that, he completed a distinguished tenure spanning over two decades at Citibank NA Middle East, ascending to the level of Senior Vice President and Regional Head of Credit Risk Management for the Middle East, Egypt, and Pakistan. During his time with Citibank, he was also a key member of the specialized projects team tasked with advising and structuring financing for iconic state-backed development projects across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Egypt, and Bahrain. 

A specialist in Lean management and advanced organisational leadership, today Tillekeratne is recognised as an industry expert, providing consultancy and advisory services to organisations seeking robust governance frameworks and sustainable growth. 

Speaking on his new role, Tillekeratne noted “It is a privilege to join the Board of Arpico Insurance PLC, an institution anchored by the enduring 90-year legacy of the Richard Pieris Group. My primary focus will be to enhance our risk-governance architectures to ensure we meet our promises to policyholders while driving growth and innovation. I look forward to collaborating with the Board and the Senior Management to drive our strategic evolution with absolute integrity.”