Business
From national pillar to modern tower: People’s Bank enters new era
In a ceremony that marked not just the opening of a building but the celebration of a national financial institution, the People’s Bank inaugurated its new iconic head office, the ‘People’s Tower,’ on Oct. 7, signaling a bold new chapter in its 64-year journey of service and resilience.
The grand opening, held at the new address in Union Place, Colombo 2, was graced by the Governor of the Central Bank, Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, and the Secretary to the Treasury, Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, underscoring the building’s significance as a national financial landmark.
Beyond the steel and glass of the 22-storey, environmentally sustainable ‘green building,’ the event was a powerful testament to the Bank’s deep-rooted connection with the citizens of Sri Lanka.
The Bank’s Chief Executive Officer/General Manager, Clive Fonseka, used the occasion to paint a vivid picture of the bank’s pervasive role in the national economy. He revealed stunning statistics that bring its mission to life: “Accordingly, 7 out of 10 people in the country carry out transactions with the People’s Bank,” he told the gathered dignitaries, which included Chairman Prof. Narada Fernando and the Bank’s board.
Fonseka elaborated on the Bank’s reach, noting that its digital services have penetrated far beyond the capital. “By now, about 80 percent of the Bank’s digital transactions are carried out outside of the Western Province,” he said, highlighting its national digital footprint.
Furthermore, he revealed that one-fifth of the people and entities in the country have obtained loans from the People’s Bank. “That is a speciality for the Bank,” Fonseka stated with pride.
The CEO’s address also shone a light on the Bank’s critical role as a stabilising force during the nation’s most challenging periods. He recounted how the bank collaborated with the people during the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent economic crisis.
“During the economic crisis, the Bank provided the largest contribution in facilitating the importation of the essential fuel, petroleum products, coal, pharmaceuticals, and fertilizer,” Fonseka said, acknowledging the immense challenges the institution faced in 2022-2023 as a result of that.
“It was through unstinting resilience and support of the staff, the Bank has now achieved a top spot in the country’s banking sector, standing strong in profitability, liquidity, and capital strength,” he noted.
The new ‘People’s Tower’, which replaces the head office inaugurated in 1977, is a manifestation of this strength and ambition. The state-of-the-art facility, complete with an auditorium, training college, cafeteria and a new Union Place branch, is designed to be a crucial financial centre for the entire country.
Envisioning the tower as a launchpad for future excellence, he went on to share a key insight from his experience: “No matter how many new services are introduced or new technology is deployed, any bank can gain a period of six months to one year in exceeding competency over other banks. So, I am convinced that only a seamless banking experience is the only way to achieve operational excellence and retain people’s trust in the long term.”
Looking ahead, he outlined a competitive and people-centric vision. “Our objective is to compete fiercely with the public sector and private sector banks and exceed their performance and provide an unparallel service to the people,” Fonseka declared, emphasizing that this forward journey would be powered not just by the bank’s size or its state ownership, but by its human resource and premium service.
With the inauguration of the new ‘People’s Tower’ and assets exceeding Rs. 3.7 trillion, the People’s Bank is positioned like never before. The challenge now, however, is to ensure this scale translates into genuine support for people and small and medium enterprises, finally unlocking the transformative growth they have been waiting for.
By Sanath Nanayakkare
Senior business leaders, economists and international development experts, alongside the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, will headline the Sri Lanka Economic & Investment Summit 2026, organised by The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce on 12 and 13 October at the Shangri-La Colombo.
The Summit will open with a keynote address by T. Krishnakumar, Chief Executive Officer, Reliance Consumer Products Ltd, who brings more than four decades of experience in the consumer brands and FMCG sectors. Having previously served as President of Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia, with extensive experience in building businesses and driving growth across emerging markets, Krishnakumar, more popularly known as Kk, now leads Reliance Consumer Products as it expands across categories and builds new customer, partnership and market opportunities.
Day 2 will bring together four international perspectives across discussions on economic resilience, regional connectivity, sector growth and digital transformation.
Lilia Aleksanyan, Senior Country Economist for Sri Lanka at the Asian Development Bank, will open the day’s discussions with a focus on Sri Lanka’s economic resilience. Her work covers the country’s macroeconomic outlook, policy advice and macro-fiscal and financial-sector reform. Her international policy experience also includes roles at the French Ministry of Finance and the French Central Bank.
The Summit will then turn to Sri Lanka’s connections with regional markets, with P. D. Singh, Chief Executive Officer, India & South Asia, Standard Chartered Bank, delivering the keynote for the session on trade corridors and value chains. Singh counts close to three decades of experience in banking and finance, with senior leadership roles spanning Standard Chartered, JPMorgan Chase Bank and HSBC.
The Sector Deep Dives will bring international perspectives to discussions on healthcare and energy.
Tushar Shroff, Chief Financial Officer, Zydus Lifesciences Ltd, will deliver the keynote for the healthcare discussion, drawing on more than three decades of experience in corporate finance, strategic investment and financial transformation. His career spans senior finance and leadership roles with ABB, Piramal Healthcare, Intas Pharmaceuticals and Vedanta Group, giving him a broad perspective on the business and investment decisions shaping the healthcare sector.
For the energy-focused deep dive, Edore Onomakpome, Regional Infrastructure Industry Manager for Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal at the International Finance Corporation, will bring extensive experience in infrastructure investment and project finance across emerging markets. Since joining IFC in 2013, she has held senior roles across Africa and South Asia, including managing IFC’s infrastructure portfolio across 16 countries.
The Summit will conclude its keynote programme with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, who will deliver the keynote for “Nation Building in the Digital Age.” The Prime Minister also oversees the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, bringing a direct policy perspective to discussions on digital transformation, innovation, education and the skills needed for a changing economy.
Together, these perspectives will bring regional, international and policy insight to SLEIS 2026 as Sri Lanka considers how to strengthen economic resilience, attract investment, deepen regional connections and develop new sources of growth.
Held under the theme “Positioning Sri Lanka in a Changing Global Economy: Resilience, Reform, and the Future of Economic Policy,” SLEIS 2026 will take place on 12 and 13 October 2026 at the Shangri-La Colombo.
The Sri Lanka Economic & Investment Summit 2026 is supported by its valued sponsors and partners. Platinum Sponsor – Standard Chartered Bank Sri Lanka, Gold Sponsor – VISA Worldwide (Pvt) Ltd., Bronze Sponsor – South Asia Gateway Terminals (Pvt) Ltd., Strategic Development Partner – Asian Development Bank, Telecommunication Partner – Dialog Telecommunication, Television Partner – Dialog Television, Session Sponsors – David Pieris Motor Company (Pvt) Ltd., Hemas Holdings PLC, Sunshine Holdings PLC, International Construction Consortium (Pvt) Ltd., Microsoft Sri Lanka (Pvt) Limited, Official Logistics Partner – Hayleys Advantis Limited, Official Airline – SriLankan Airlines Ltd., Official Hospitality Partner – Shangri-La Colombo, Airline Partner – China Eastern Air Holding Co. Ltd.
Registrations for SLEIS 2026 are now closed. The Ceylon Chamber looks forward to welcoming participants to the discussions on Sri Lanka’s future trajectory on 12 and 13 October.
Commercial Bank of Ceylon has launched ‘Prestige’, a three-tier banking proposition aimed at high-net-worth (HNW) clients, combining wealth management, advisory services and lifestyle benefits.
The initiative replaces the bank’s existing ‘Elite’ private banking brand with Ruby, Sapphire and Diamond tiers, designed to cater to customers according to their wealth profiles and banking relationships.
The bank said Prestige would provide dedicated relationship managers, priority branch services, preferential rates on loans and deposits, enhanced card privileges, family banking programmes and offshore account solutions.
Its wealth and investment management services include access to capital-protected income solutions, dual-currency investments, institutional deals and estate and portfolio governance.
Clients will also have access to specialist financial and corporate advisory services, including assistance with international relocation, overseas property and capital repatriation.
The programme includes lifestyle benefits such as VIP airport lounge access, travel concierge services, property management and medical coordination, as well as access to selected art and culinary events.
The bank said its flagship Prestige banking residence at R.G. Senanayake Mawatha, Colombo 07, had been refurbished, with the service to be extended to other economically important cities.
Commercial Bank Managing Director/CEO Sanath Manatunge said Prestige was intended to support customers in managing their wealth, business interests, family needs and long-term legacy.
Existing Elite clients are being transitioned to the new programme, the bank said.
Ceylinco Life has rewarded 80 members of its sales force with overseas tours to Vietnam and China for their outstanding performance in the company’s 2025 sales competitions.
The group comprised 62 sales achievers who travelled to Vietnam and 18 who visited China.
The Vietnam tour included visits to Hanoi’s Ho Chi Minh Complex, One Pillar Pagoda, Tran Quoc Pagoda and Hoan Kiem Lake. The group also travelled to Ha Long Bay, where they went on an Aurora Cruise and explored attractions including Sung Sot Cave, Luun Cave and Titop Island.
The tour also featured a sunset party aboard the cruise, with music and refreshments.
The 18 achievers who travelled to China visited several of Beijing’s major historical and cultural attractions, including Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace. They also took a boat ride on Kunming Lake.
A highlight of the China tour was a visit to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, including a round-trip cable car ride. The group also attended an acrobatic show at Chaoyang Theatre and visited the Panda Garden at Beijing Zoo.
The company said the tours were organised to recognise and reward sales personnel for their performance and achievements.
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