Commercial Bank emerges Sri Lanka’s most awarded bank at 2026 ABF Awards

Central System Support Head Upul Perera, Corporate Branch Head Ruvini Samarasinghe, Centre for Excellence Chief Manager Sonali Goonasekara and Corporate Banking Unit Chief Manager Geehan Jayawickrama with some of the awards won by the bank at the Asian Banking and Finance Awards in Singapore

Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC has bagged six awards – the highest number won by a Sri Lankan bank – at the 2026 Asian Banking and Finance (ABF) Awards in Singapore across three key segments.

Presented at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, the six-award haul spanned retail banking, wholesale banking, and corporate and investment banking, reflecting the bank’s strength across customer segments, technology-led innovation, sustainability, and complex financial solutions.

In the retail banking category, Commercial Bank was named ‘Private Bank of the Year’ and ‘SME Bank of the Year,’ recognising both its sector-leading financial performance and its sustained leadership in supporting Sri Lanka’s SME sector. The bank achieved a significant milestone in 2025, becoming the first private sector bank in the country to grow its loan book beyond Rs. 2 trillion, recording growth of Rs. 541 billion over 12 months while doubling its annual asset growth over the preceding year and leading peers across multiple key performance indicators. Its SME banking credentials are equally compelling, having been ranked the largest lender to the sector in Sri Lanka for five consecutive years by the Ministry of Finance.

The bank’s commitment to innovation and sustainability was recognised in the wholesale banking segment, where it received the titles of ‘Sri Lanka Domestic AI Initiative of the Year’ and ‘Green Financing Bank of the Year.’ The AI award acknowledges the bank’s pioneering AI-powered SME Credit Underwriting Solution, which has transformed credit evaluation processes, while the green financing accolade reflects its leadership in advancing sustainable lending and environmentally responsible banking practices.

In corporate an investment banking, Commercial Bank won the awards for ‘Corporate Client Initiative of the Year’ and ‘Debt Deal of the Year,’ highlighting its advisory-led approach and execution capabilities. The Corporate Client Initiative award was presented for the impact of the Bank’s TradeLink platform, which has redefined trade finance for businesses, while the Debt Deal recognition was awarded for the Bank’s landmark Rs. 15 billion Green Bond issued in 2025 to fund sustainability-linked projects.

Managing Director/CEO Sanath Manatunge said: “These awards are a powerful affirmation of the strength and balance of our strategy, one that is anchored in financial performance, deep customer relationships, technology-driven innovation and an unwavering commitment to sustainable growth.”

“What makes this recognition especially meaningful is its breadth, spanning private banking, SME banking, AI-led transformation, green finance and sophisticated corporate transactions. It reflects the collective effort of our teams and the trust placed in us by our customers, and reinforces our role as a bank that not only leads in performance, but also in shaping the future of banking in Sri Lanka and beyond.”

The Asian Banking and Finance Awards are among the region’s most respected platforms recognising excellence, innovation, and leadership in financial services. Commercial Bank’s performance this year is particularly significant, signalling a well-rounded and resilient franchise that demonstrates excellence in multiple domains.