Business
POTENZA Partners with HNB to Facilitate Robotic Process Automation for Mainstream Banking

POTENZA, the Sri Lanka-based global business technology consultancy group, recently announced a landmark partnership with Hatton National Bank (HNB), as its official implementation partner, to facilitate and support the bank on its journey of robotic process automation. As a first step, POTENZA is managing the implementation of HNB’s “SWIFT Messages Extraction and Integration” process, which is a critical process for HNB’s import/export trade transactions.
A pioneer in RPA, POTENZA first introduced the technology to Sri Lanka in 2018. Since then, it has established itself as the premier RPA consultancy in Sri Lanka, with a global footprint, including supporting organizations with the most comprehensive software bot pool in Sri Lanka. Worldwide, POTENZA has automated more than 60 process chains with unattended automation across a variety of industries in 9 countries.
Announcing the partnership, Dhanusha Muthukumarana – MD/CEO at POTENZA (Private) Limited said, “We are very pleased to announce this partnership with one of Sri Lanka’s most respected financial institutions. We look forward to supporting HNB on their RPA journey. As many commercial and industrial processes are repetitive, RPA can then reduce human intervention in these processes while increasing efficiency and reducing both errors and costs. This in turn helps to provide better, more seamless services to customers. Most importantly, it allows for companies to better distribute and utilize their human capital, allocating people to positions that actually need human intervention, which is also often much more fulfilling and engaging for people. Thus, RPA creates a win-win situation for businesses, customers and employees, while also pushing commerce and industry towards industry 4.0, which is the future.”
In terms of quantifiable results, POTENZA’s first implementation of RPA at HNB has resulted in an increase in productivity by approximately 68% whilst also improving accuracy.
Commenting on the benefits of the implementation, Ms. L Chiranthi Cooray – Chief Human Resources Officer/Chief Transformation Officer at HNB said, “RPA implementation enables the automation of repetitive processes which are ubiquitous in banks. The implementation at the Trade department has increased the bandwidth of the staff through efficiency gains, thus enabling them to carry out more value adding activities to serve the Bank’s trade customers”.
POTENZA is a global business solutions and technology consultancy company headquartered in Singapore with offices in Sri Lanka and Australia serving a global clientele. The company is driven by the simple purpose of “Removing Business Constraints from enterprises”. POTENZA provides SAP Consulting Services, along with solutions for productivity-related processes such as process reengineering and improvement, automation, and enterprise content management. The company also provides businesses with insights covering BI, analytics and IoT applications.
With 254 customer centres across the country, HNB is one of Sri Lanka’s largest, most technologically innovative banks, having won local and global recognition for its efforts to drive forward a new paradigm in digital banking. Consolidating its reputation for banking excellence, HNB bagged the Best Retail Bank and Best SME Bank awards in the Banking category at the International Finance Awards 2021. The bank was also ranked among the World Top 1,000 Banks list compiled by the prestigious UK-based Banker Magazine for five consecutive years. HNB was also declared Best Sub-Custodian Bank in Sri Lanka at the Global Finance Awards 2020. HNB has a national rating of AA- (lka) by Fitch Ratings (Lanka) Ltd.
Photo Caption: Second Row (Left-Right): HNB Project Manager – Process Re-Engineering, Munaf Afzal, Associate- Intelligent Automation at POTENZA – Prathiba Fonseka, HNB Head of Business Transformation, Christopher Thuraisingham, Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer at POTENZA- Dhanusha Muthukumarana, HNB Deputy General Manager – Chief Human Resource Officer/Chief Transformation Officer, L Chiranthi Cooray, Deputy General Manager – Wholesale Banking Group, Damith Pallewatte, HNB Head of Trade & Financial Institutions, Rozanne de Almeida, HNB Manager – Business Development-Trade, Shyam De silva, HNB Head of IT PMO, Nadun Gomes.
Frist row (left-right): HNB Trainee Bank Associate, Yohani Abeygunawardena, Associate- Intelligent Automation at POTENZA- Krusthiga Murali, Business Analyst at POTENZA -Poshene Sivaruban, HNB Project Manager – Business Transformation, Nuwanka Perera.
Business
Wing Commander (Retd.) D. Pradeep S. Kannangara elected president, Industrial Security Foundation

The Industrial Security Foundation (ISF) which acts as the sole organization in Sri Lanka to represent the Private Security industry having incorporated by an Act passed in the Parliament, Act No. 51 of 1999, elected Wing Commander (Retd.) Pradeep Kannangara as its President for the years 2022/2023 at its 30th annual General Meeting which was held at the PIM Auditorium in Borella. Wing Commander Pradeep Kannangara was appointed President while 14 other members were appointed to the Executive Committee, strengthening the ISF in order to drive and uplift the standards of the private security industry in Sri Lanka.
He has served on the ExCo consecutively since 2012 under four different presidents where he held the positions of Senior Vice President during the last three consecutive years. He has also been a committed member of the ISF and was awarded prestigious coveted FISF title due to his many valuable contributions to the organization and the Private Security Industry in Sri Lanka in 2012.
Wing Commander Kannangara’s journey into private security began after a successful career in the Sri Lanka Air Force for over 24 years where he served in many capacities finally being the Officer Commanding of the Special Air Borne Force. A recipient of the Ranasura Padakkama (RSP) Gallantry award for his bravery, sacrifices and service to the nation by the President of the Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka in 1990. He holds a Master’s in business management from the Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia too and serves as a Board Director in AB Securitas (Private) Limited in Sri Lanka and AB Securitas Bangladesh Limited.
Business
Kitchen & Bedroom reaffirms its partnership with Häfele Sri Lanka

Kitchen & Bedroom, a name synonymous in the interior designing and furniture sector in the country recently celebrated its long-standing partnership with Häfele Sri Lanka during the latter’s 12th year anniversary celebratory event, reaffirming its ambitious plans to further strengthen and explore the numerous opportunities available here.
Häfele Sri Lanka, part of Häfele India which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Hafele Global network, is a technology partner for various projects and initiatives of Kitchen & Bedroom. Both the companies operate in the interior design space, sharing their cumulative knowledge and expertise to provide extensive and personalized solutions catering to domestic requirements.
‘We take great pride in our association with Häfele Sri Lanka having exchanged and collaborated on many projects both commercial and household. We share similar values such as providing high quality, sustainable, functional and customized solutions to our customers, and most importantly to guide them through every aspect and step of the project and how best we could bring out their desired design,’ said Dr. Sacquaff, Kitchen & Bedroom Group CEO.
Business
DSI strengthens its islandwide presence with three new showrooms

Amid the prevailing economic hardships faced by Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka’s premier footwear brand DSI recently expanded its islandwide presence in the country with the opening of three new showrooms in Kahawatta, Akuressa, and Chavakachcheri, with the aim of offering greater access to its diversified product range to a wider customer base.
Gracing the special occasion, the showrooms were declared open by D. Samson & Sons (Pvt.) Ltd. Managing Director Thusitha Rajapaksa, in the presence of Director Asanka Rajapaksa, General Manager Pradeep Samarathunga, National Sales Manager – Retail Sales Naleen Weerawardana, invitees, and well-wishers.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Thusitha Rajapaksa stated: “We are excited about expanding DSI wings to three new locations. Despite the ongoing economic conditions of the country, we took a call to take a proactive measure to expand our islandwide presence. While it has been a challenge, the commitment and hard work of our team has made it possible to serve our loyal customers better, and we are confident that we will be able to continue these efforts in the future as well.”
DSI is renowned for its well-trained staff who offer exceptional customer service. The three new DSI showrooms prioritize providing a unique service and customer support to make purchasing further convenient for the customer.
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