HNB rises up the ranks in Banker Magazine UK’s Top 1,000 World Banks 2020

Sri Lanka’s leading private sector bank, HNB PLC, has been ranked among the Top 1,000 World Banks 2020 for the fourth consecutive year by the UK’s prestigious Banker magazine. 

“We are honoured to be ranked once again among the world’s most respected financial institutions and to have made strong improvements in our overall rankings. Particularly at the conclusion of a year fraught with challenges and more expected in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, HNB has displayed resilience and an outstanding capacity to adapt in the face of volatility. In this backdrop, the recognition in the Top 1000 ranking is ample testimony to the strength and stability of the bank.” HNB Managing Director/CEO, Jonathan Alles said in a media release

Notwithstanding the challenging macro conditions, the bank continued to progress on its ambitious transformation journey. The bank’s pivot to digitally enabled products and services continued to gather momentum, as the bank provided customers with convenient, comprehensive and secured options to transact remotely. Innovations such as AppiGo and SOLO – a one-stop-shop for digital payments linked through bank accounts, credit, or debit cards, have proven to be timely especially during the lockdown period due to the COVID-19 outbreak and even in the context of a post-COVID landscape.

“Being a true partner in progress, HNB adopted a proactive approach in providing essential support to its network of retail, corporate and Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) clients negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, in an effort to finance a grassroots revival of the Sri Lankan economy, the bank launched a Rs. 5 billion COVID-19 relief fund to provide working capital loans at a concessionary interest rate of 8% per annum directly to the bank’s substantial portfolio of SME customers. At present, HNB has facilitated over 2,500 clients for relief under the CBSL Saubagya working capital loan scheme, in addition to providing over 75,000 individuals and enterprises with debt moratoriums,” the release said.