Mr. Lasantha Fernando
Chairman
Mr. Fernando, a career banker with over 35 years of industry experience having previously served at the Hatton National Bank PLC Sri Lanka, as a Deputy General Manager, Development banking, with the role encompassing SME, Micro Finance, Rural & Agri. finance, developed strategic plans , closely monitoring the performance and motivating team members to consistently exceed performance targets.
As DGM Recoveries at HNB, adopted a “Hands on” approach working closely with the regions, managers, field and branch staff, leading, directing and motivating them to achieve goals and expectations. A stint at Lakshmi Bank, Kathmandu, Nepal as Deputy General Manager on Secondment from HNB under a Technical service agreement between the two banks. He also served in the board of the Banks subsidiary Sithma Development (Pvt) Ltd. and Associate, Splender Media (Pvt)Ltd. Post retirement under took short term assignments for Asian Development Bank (ADB), vision Fund Lanka & Sejaya micro Credit Ltd. in the areas of SME & micro finance respectively. He served as an independent director in a Non – executive capacity at Richard Pieris Finance Ltd., also as chairman of the Board Audit Committee and Chairman of the Board Integrated Risk Committee.
He has been in general retail and corporate banking in various capacities gathering experience in many areas of activity, ranging from credit, credit administration, branch bank management and Head office credit functions. Also a Branch Manager in several branches in rural, semi urban and urban areas. Also instrumental in creating linkages and market opportunities for micro entrepreneurs using the bank’s network of clients and also assisting in the gradual enhancement in the capacity of enterprises to reach SME and even corporate status.
He holds a Diploma in Bank Management, is a Fellow of the Institute of Bankers (FIB) and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) University of Colombo. He is a distinguished old boy of both St.Thomas College, Mount Lavinia and Royal College, Colombo.
Mr. D.A.P. Abeysekara
Independent / Non-Executive Director
Mr. D.A.P. Abeysekara, a Special Grade senior officer of Sri Lanka Planning Service, a Deputy Secretary to the Treasury has been appointed as the Treasury Representative Board Director to Pradeshiya Sanwardhana Bank. He counts over 30 years of experience in the public service in several positions of different Ministries and Departments.
Mr. Abeysekara holds a Master’s degree in International Development Studies from the Graduate Institute of Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Tokyo Japan (2003). He also holds a post Graduate Diploma in sub National Level Development Planning from the University of Colombo (2000), and Higher Diploma in Advanced English for Administration and Academic Purposes from the University of Colombo in1996,. He was also attached to the United Nations University, Tokyo Japan for six months as an Intern during October 2002- March 2023. He is a graduate from University of Kelaniya with B.Sc. (Hons) in Physics, Mathematics and Industrial Management in 1991.
During his career, he engaged in policy related development matters and contributed to several cabinet appointed committees being the chairman and also as a member . He was also a member of Sri Lankan delegations in several international donor conferences, and undergone number of local and foreign training programs in different subject areas including regional development, sub- national level development, project formulation and appraisal, infrastructure development, strategic management, resources management and budgeting, revenue mobilization, and macro fiscal planning etc.