HNB first to receive ISO 9001:2015 certification for Custody and Trustee Services

HNB Managing Director/CEO Damith Pallewatte (fourth from left) with TÜV NORD Group Sri Lanka Branch Country Head Lakshan Rodrigo. Other from left: Senior Manager – Process Excellence Christopher Thuraisingham, Senior Manager – Custody and Trustee Services Waruna Samarakoon, Executive Vice President – Head of Custody and Trustee Services Tyrone Hannan, , Senior Executive – Business Development Ruwan Kalupahana, Assistant Manager – Custody and Trustee Services Ushira Dharmaratne and Bank Associate – Process Excellence Chamathka Kavimini

Hatton National Bank PLC (HNB) has secured yet another landmark achievement in its commitment to service excellence with the prestigious ISO 9001:2015 certification of its Custody and Trustee Services Department. 

This highly esteemed globally recognised certification has been awarded by TÜV NORD, an internationally renowned German certification body accredited by Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle GmbH (DAkkS), the national accreditation body of the Federal Republic of Germany.

HNB’s Custody and Trustee Services Department, the market leader in its segment, has been awarded ISO 9001:2015 certification in recognition of its comprehensive portfolio of banking, financial, and specialised advisory solutions tailored to support the evolving requirements of capital and debt market participants. The audit assessed the department’s end-to-end service offerings, including fund accounting services for a diverse portfolio of prominent investment fund schemes; custody services for safekeeping, administration, and settlement of equity, debt, and other securities; and trusteeship facilitation in respect of a wide array of capital market and structured finance transactions including securitizations, debentures, corporate Bonds, Sukuk/Islamic Bonds, Green/Blue Bonds, subordinated loans, escrow transactions, and tax agency services. 

Executive Vice President - Head of Custody and Trustee Services Tyrone Hannan said: “For HNB’s custody and trustee services to be awarded the ISO 9001:2015 certification is a recognition of the superior service quality to its exclusive clientele who demand the best in class service from us as the service provider. This recognition is a testament to the high service standards set by the Custody and Trustee Services team to meet client expectations and the rigorous adherence to internal and regulatory requirements.”

Managing Director/CEO Damith Pallewatte said: “Achieving the ISO 9001:2015 certification for HNB’s Custody and Trustee Services Department serves to showcase our relentless pursuit of operational excellence. This recognition reflects our commitment to implementing efficient and standardised processes to strengthen our ability to deliver consistently high-quality service. Aligning our operations with the most rigorous international benchmarks is more than just a matter of compliance; it’s a deliberate statement of our purpose. By becoming a joy to bank with, we’re setting a new standard for customer experience in the industry and reinforcing our position as the trusted financial partner for individuals and businesses alike”. 

Complementing the ISO 9001:2015 certification, the department’s award-winning robotic process automation (RPA) initiative, honored at the Asian Technology Excellence Awards 2023, has remarkably redefined and enhanced operational efficiency and service excellence for its high-profile clientele consisting of high net worth individuals, fund managers, blue-chip companies, conglomerates, government entities and regulatory bodies.

The certification process involved rigorous process documentation, reviews, and comprehensive audits to ensure ISO compliance, demonstrating HNB’s commitment to customer satisfaction through implementation of meticulous and robust quality management systems.