HNB MD/CEO Damith Pallewatte appointed to Governing Board of IBSL

Wednesday, 1 October 2025 00:06 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

HNB Managing Director/CEO Damith Pallewatte

HNB Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Damith Pallewatte has been appointed to the Governing Board of the Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka (IBSL), the country’s apex body for banking education and professional development.

Founded in 1964 and incorporated by an Act of Parliament in 1979, IBSL has been at the heart of advancing banking knowledge, certification, and professional standards for over six decades. Its Governing Board includes representatives from the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, state commercial banks, and licensed financial institutions, reflecting its pivotal role in shaping the future of the industry.

HNB Managing Director and CEO Damith Pallewatte said: “I am honoured to serve on the Governing Board of the Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka. For more than six decades, the Institute has been central to building the skills and integrity of our profession. At a time when banking is being reshaped by digitalisation, sustainability, and new customer expectations, the role of professional education has never been more critical. I look forward to working with my colleagues at IBSL. With my experience spanning risk management, corporate and wholesale banking, credit, and operations to expand learning opportunities and ensure that Sri Lankan bankers are equipped to thrive in the years ahead.”

Appointed as HNB’s Managing Director/CEO in November 2024 after serving as Acting CEO earlier that year, he has been instrumental in strengthening HNB’s wholesale banking franchise, having previously served as Deputy General Manager of the Wholesale Banking Group. Before joining HNB in 2015, he was Chief Risk Officer at Nations Trust Bank, where he led the development of robust risk frameworks during a period of global financial turbulence.

An accomplished professional, Pallewatte holds an MBA from the Postgraduate Institute of Management, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, and a BSc. Management (Hons.) from the London School of Economics (University of London). He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (UK), a Chartered Global Management Accountant, and a Certified Financial Risk Manager (FRM) from GARP.