HNB and IFC partner to advance supply chain finance and strengthen risk management

HNB Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer Damith Pallewatte (left) with IFC Regional Vice President for Asia and the Pacific Sarvesh Suri

Hatton National Bank PLC (HNB) yesterday announced a strategic partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group focused on the private sector, to expand supply chain finance for Sri Lankan businesses and enhance HNB’s risk management and responsible finance frameworks.

The partnership combines HNB’s relationships with corporates and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Sri Lanka with IFC’s global expertise in supply chain finance and financial-sector advisory.

IFC will help HNB develop scalable supply chain finance solutions connecting its corporate clients with suppliers and distributors. The initiative aims to ease working capital constraints for SMEs in these value chains, strengthen competitiveness and build more resilient, inclusive businesses, with a focus on expanding financing for women-owned businesses.

IFC will also review HNB’s responsible finance and risk management practices against international benchmarks and recommend improvements to its frameworks, analytics, governance and processes.

HNB Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer Damith Pallewatte said: “This partnership with IFC represents an important step in HNB’s strategy to build a more connected, inclusive and resilient financing ecosystem. Sri Lankan businesses require financial solutions that respond not only to their individual balance sheets, but also to the commercial relationships and value chains through which they operate.

By combining HNB’s deep understanding of the local market and longstanding relationships across the corporate, SME and microenterprise sectors with IFC’s international expertise, we aim to develop scalable supply chain finance solutions that improve access to working capital, strengthen business linkages and support sustainable growth. Equally, this program will advance our risk management and responsible finance capabilities, ensuring that growth is supported by strong governance, sound risk disciplines and fair customer outcomes.”

IFC Regional Vice President for Asia and the Pacific Sarvesh Suri said: “SMEs are the foundation of Sri Lanka’s economy, and their growth is critical for creating jobs, building stronger local supply chains and driving sustainable growth. Our partnership with Hatton National Bank aims to open new opportunities for Sri Lankan businesses and enable the private sector to play a stronger role in the country’s long-term development.”

With 256 customer centres, HNB stands as one of Sri Lanka’s largest and most technologically innovative private sector banks.

HNB is rated AA(lka) by Fitch Ratings Lanka Ltd. and was recognised as Sri Lanka’s Best Corporate Citizen for 2025 by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. Reinforcing its reputation for excellence, HNB was honoured with The Bracken Award for the Best Bank in Sri Lanka by the Banker Magazine, UK. The Bank was also recognised by The Asian Banker as ‘Sri Lanka’s Strongest Bank’ and awarded ‘Best Retail Bank in Sri Lanka’ for the 16th time, while receiving the title of ‘Best Bank for Large Corporates’ for the 02nd time at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2026. HNB is further ranked among the ‘Top 1000 Banks in the World’ as affirmed by The Banker Magazine, UK.

IFC — a member of the World Bank Group — is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work in more than 100 countries, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in developing countries. In fiscal year 2026, IFC committed a record $105 billion to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging private sector solutions and mobilising private capital to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.