Thursday Apr 18, 2024
Thursday Apr 18, 2024
Thursday, 2 July 2020 00:46 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Seated from left: Assistant Treasurer- Kasun Muthukuda (Nations Trust Bank PLC), Manjula Gunawardana (NDB Bank PLC), Immediate Past President - Susantha Fernando (Seylan Bank PLC), Treasurer – Sanjeewa Jayasooriya (Standard Chartered Bank), Senior Vice President - Lawrian Somanader (Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC), President - A.S.M.W. Kumarasiri (People’s Bank), Vice President - Shyam De Silva (Hatton National Bank PLC), Secretary General - K.R. Naguleswaran (DFCC Bank PLC), Gaya Manamperi (Formerly at Sampath Bank PLC), Assistant Secretary – Indika Liyanage (Pan Asia Banking Corporation PLC )
Standing from left: Thilanke Weerasinghe (The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd), Dilshan Dayananda (NDB Bank PLC), Dilan Wijegoonawardena (Seylan Bank PLC), Tharinda Amarasinghe (Sampath Bank PLC), Niranjan Dabare (Deutsche Bank AG), Saroja Pathirana (Sampath Bank PLC), Kanchana De Silva (Union Bank of Colombo PLC), Rochelle Fernando (Bank of Ceylon), Neil Handapangoda (Citi Bank N.A.), K K Susantha (Bank of Ceylon), Susantha Weerasinghe (People’s Bank)
The Trade Finance Association of Bankers (TFAB) held its 23rd Annual General Meeting on 27 February at the Rainbow Room, Grand Oriental Hotel, amidst a full house, and elected its new Council for the year 2020/2021.
The Trade Finance Association of Bankers, which was formed in the year 1997, has been actively engaged in imparting knowledge and the required skills to its members who are trade practitioners by conducting seminars, lectures, discussions, workshops, trade educational tours, newsletters etc., on a wide range of topics relating to International Trade with the assistance of senior bankers who have mastered the subject in local banks and other resource persons from various trade-related stakeholders. The premium event of TFAB is the Interbank Trade Finance Quiz and Social which promotes trade knowledge and networking among its members.
Whilst there is heavy competition for trade business among the banks, TFAB provides an environment for competing bank trade practitioners to facilitate exchange of views relating to trade, promote consistency in Trade Finance practices and to create the required skill set in the Industry support Trade. The Membership comprises almost all commercial banks operating in Sri Lanka. The office-bearers of the Association from various banks are elected every year at its AGM. It is really fortunate to see some experienced and knowledgeable prominent veterans in the field of Trade to come forward to share their knowledge and experience with new comers in all banks. The Association is backed by an Advisory Committee comprising of four senior bankers A. Kathiravelupillai (Inaugural President of TFAB and Former DGM, International, Bank of Ceylon), Michael Peiris (Past President of TFAB and Former Head of Trade , Union Bank of Colombo PLC), Nilam Jumat (Past President of TFAB and Former AGM, International, Hatton National Bank PLC), and Thushy David (Past President of TFAB and Former Director, Head Global Subsidiary Coverage, Head of Trade and Cash Management Sales, Deutsche Bank AG), all having extensive experience in the International Banking business.
Incumbent President A.S.M.W. Kumarasiri (Assistant General Manager – Trade Finance at People’s Bank) was unanimously elected as the President of the Association for the second time. He counts 33 years of experience in overall banking including 16 years in International Trade. He is a Director of Lanka Swift user group and representing People’s Bank in Banking Committee of International Chamber of Commerce Sri Lanka. He holds Masters of Business Administration (Specialized in Finance) from University of Colombo and BSc (Public Administration) from University of Sri Jayewardenepura. He is an Associate Member of Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka.
The President in his address mentioned the important role played by the association in harnessing the knowledge, expertise and updating information relating to International Trade in an ever-changing global and domestic economic landscape.
The Secretary General, in his address thanked the membership for the election of the present office-bearers and the council who will steer the objectives of the TFAB in 2020 / 2021.
Following members were elected as office-bearers of the Trade Finance Association of Bankers for the year 2020/2021 during the Annual General Meeting:
