Experienced senior banking professional with nearly 25 years of expertise in customer relationship management, sales and business development, risk management, credit underwriting and post-credit evaluation, asset quality management, stakeholder management, and team leadership. Demonstrated ability to effectively lead teams in achieving objectives while fostering sustainable business relationships and enhancing stakeholder values. Skilled in training and mentoring team members to thrive in competitive business environments.
Hi, I’m
Suminda Gunawardena
Harrison,ACT
Summary
Overview
25
years of professional experience
Work History
Hatton National Bank Plc
Resource person - Credit programmes
01.2013 - Current
Job overview
- Expert Credit Programme since 2013 for staff handling credits for cash flow analysis in lending.
- Basic credit skills programme for Banking Assistants to improve their credit analytical skills.
- Advance credit programme for Credit Officers to evaluate credit requirements against the credit and market risks.
- Awareness programme for Probationary Executives to enhance their credit skills.
- Training on credit operations for Banking Assistants, Junior Executives and Executives.
Hatton National Bank Plc
Senior Manager - Recoveries (Small & Medium-Term Entrepreneurs (SME))
02.2024 - 04.2025
Job overview
- Company Overview: Second largest commercial bank In Sri Lanka with over AUD 5.2Bn asset base.
- Overlooking, coordinating and monitoring the entire credit collections pertaining to the Non-Performing Advances (NPA) of the bank specially the SME portfolio.
- Managing the IFRS impairment provisioning and executing action plans to recover NPA facilities towards the improvement of the bank bottom line through reversal of impairment provisions.
- Supporting process improvement initiatives related to bank collections while improving the process efficiency.
- Supporting Head of Recoveries in formulating the annual recovery strategy and budget in line with the business requirements while supporting with inputs for budgeting process for the regional collection/recovery units in a timely manner and monitoring the performance against the set targets.
- Analysing the board credit papers (NPA settlements) while executing action plans for encouraging amicable settlements.
- Overlooking overall process related to recovery actions and handling WRIT executions under the legal process.
- Second largest commercial bank In Sri Lanka with over AUD 5.2Bn asset base.
- Was able to reduce the bank NPA portfolio by Rs 12Bn through a solid strategic plan which immensely contributed towards the boosting bank bottom line in 2024 to a Profit After tax of Rs 44Bn.
- Streamlined the bank WRIT execution process which expedited the process to achieve writ executions for over Rs 750 Mn during 2024.
Hatton National Bank Plc
Regional Recovery Head - North Western Region (NWR)
01.2020 - 01.2024
Job overview
- Coordinating and monitoring the credit recoveries (NPA) related to 29 branches in the region through a strategic action plan to achieve set regional annual targets.
- Ensure timely reporting of loan collections/recovery activities to internal and external stakeholders as per the business requirements of the bank.
- Support process improvement initiatives (such as new systems) in the regional collection/recovery team to improve process efficiency and participating for weekly recovery meetings with Head of Recoveries and Chief Operating Officer.
- Support the central recoveries team in facilitating customer connect and follow up of recovery actions.
- Executing timely decisions for delinquent loan cases for actions in terms of loan restructuring or push for recovery actions.
- Won the best recovery award for 2023 among 10 regions both in minimizing new additions to non-performing category & also reducing the existing non-performing portfolio by 23%.
- Best region for processing highest number of NPA reschedulments among the regions for the years 2022 & 2023.
Hatton National Bank Plc
Branch Manager - (Dambulla & Maradagahamula branches)
01.2014 - 12.2019
Job overview
- Implementing relevant business strategies to achieve annual branch targets such as profits, deposits and advances through a close monitoring process and supporting and coaching the team members to achieve the set targets.
- Managing the branch advances portfolio and canvassing new business opportunities by identifying real financial needs.
- Encouraging cross selling opportunities & digital adaptation to maximise the non-fund income to minimise the risk inherited with funding income.
- Guiding the branch team towards the set targets with a shared ambition and motivating the staff for customer centric culture & encouraging staff for self-development through on the job training and diversified training programmes.
- Managing a sound stake holding relationship for sustainable business improvement and empowering and developing communities through micro financing support towards the upliftment of their lives while improving financial literacy.
- Assuring operational excellence and efficiency in branch operations and managing cost towards the improved bottom line through innovative process improvements.
- Motivating branch team towards excellent customer service towards sustainable long term customer relationships while encouraging innovation within the team members assuring bank values, ethics and loyalty.
- Adopting a proper risk management process to minimise the credit, operational, reputational and regulatory risk within the strategic direction of the branch.
- Won the best recovery award for 2016 in North Central Region (NCR) by maintaining a very healthy NPA ratio & reducing long over dues which affected the branch bottom line over a period.
- Won the award for best branch for SME lending & demand deposits growth in NCR in 2016.
- Were able to increase both advances & deposits portfolios by 40% respectively with a profit growth of 75% in 2016 over 2015.
- Representing HNB team to obtain the best retail bank in Sri Lanka award at the Asian Bankers awards ceremony held in Japan in March 2017.
- Best Branch in Mobilizing Current Accounts in NCR in 2018.
- Winner in the category of MDRT insurance Producer in 2019 for HNB Assurance Plc.
Hatton National Bank Plc
Credit Executive-Kandy branch
03.2012 - 12.2013
Job overview
- Managing the branch credit portfolio (Rs 7Bn as at Dec 2013) including corporates, SME, PFS and retail clients.
- Preparing credit proposals up to Rs 500Mn through a proper evaluation of the requirement, repayment abilities and also by analysing proper cash flows.
- Handling large corporates for their financial requirements and maintaining excellent relationship for a sustainable business development.
- Canvassing new businesses leads and encouraging cross selling opportunities.
- Handling facilities against margin trading and securitization with a close monitoring on market movements to minimizing losses.
- Able to achieve Kandy branch as the best super grade branch in the network & also the best branch in Central Region in 2012 by achieving all relevant criteria and branch was able to achieve over Rs 450Mn profits for the correspondence year.
- Were able to grow the lending portfolio up to Rs 8Bn by enhancing corporate & PFS lending relationships.
- To manage a healthy NPA ratio of 0.9% in 2012.
- Encouraged all the staff to grow low-cost funds (CASA) through the leadership of the branch sales team.
Hatton National Bank Plc
International Trade Officer-Negombo branch
06.2010 - 02.2012
Job overview
- Trade operations related to imports and exports such as collection of documents to opening LC's & collection bills for online transmission to centralised trade processing unit at Head office.
- Managing trade clients in NWR region through excellent end relationship & canvassing new trade clients.
- Issuing shipping guarantees and obtaining exchange rates from treasury department for import/export settlements.
- 25% trade business growth YOY with 20% new clients onboarding.
- Providing 40% contribution towards the branch commission income from trade finance business.
Hatton National Bank Plc
Credit and Trade Officer-Chilaw branch
01.2007 - 05.2010
Job overview
Hatton National Bank Plc
Banking Assistant- Katunayake & Gampaha branches
06.2000 - 12.2006
Job overview
Education
Certified Management Accountants
Certified Management Accountant (CMA)
01.2023
University Overview
Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM)
Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing
01.2022
University Overview
Chartered Institute for Securities and Investments (CISI)
Risk in Finance Services
01.2021
University Overview
Australian Institute of Business (AIB)
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
01.2017
University Overview
Omega Performance Corp
OMEGA Credit Skills Assessment Programme
01.2013
University Overview
Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka (IBSL)
Diploma in Banking & Finance (DBF)
01.2010
University Overview
Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka (IBSL)
Advanced Certificate in Banking & Finance (ACBF)
01.2008
University Overview
Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka (IBSL)
Certificate in Banking & Finance (CBF)
01.2005
University Overview
Skills
- Technical knowledge in branch banking
- Operational procedures
- Coaching
- Mentoring
- Team empowerment
- Service standards improvement
- Customer relationship management
- Banking standards
- Credit evaluation
- Credit underwriting
- Asset quality management
- Credit risk management
- Market risk management
- Trade banking operations
- International banking operations
- IFRS provisioning
- Non-Performing Advances (NPA)
Affiliations
Affiliations
- Associate member of Chartered Institute of Marketing (ACIM)-UK
- Associate member of Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka (IBSL)
- Associate member of Association of Professional Bankers- Sri Lanka (APB)
- Associate member of Trade Finance Association of Bankers- Sri Lanka (TFAB)
- Member of the Chartered Professional Managers-Sri Lanka (CPM)
- Train the Trainer certifier-Hatton National Bank Plc-Sri Lanka
Training
Training
Credit programmes- Hatton National Bank Plc, Expert Credit Programme since 2013 for staff handling credits for cash flow analysis in lending., Basic credit skills programme for Banking Assistants to improve their credit analytical skills., Advance credit programme for Credit Officers to evaluate credit requirements against the credit and market risks., Awareness programme for Probationary Executives to enhance their credit skills., Training on credit operations for Banking Assistants, Junior Executives and Executives.Timeline
Senior Manager - Recoveries (Small & Medium-Term Entrepreneurs (SME))
Hatton National Bank Plc
02.2024 - 04.2025
Regional Recovery Head - North Western Region (NWR)
Hatton National Bank Plc
01.2020 - 01.2024
Branch Manager - (Dambulla & Maradagahamula branches)
Hatton National Bank Plc
01.2014 - 12.2019
Resource person - Credit programmes
Hatton National Bank Plc
01.2013 - Current
Credit Executive-Kandy branch
Hatton National Bank Plc
03.2012 - 12.2013
International Trade Officer-Negombo branch
Hatton National Bank Plc
06.2010 - 02.2012
Credit and Trade Officer-Chilaw branch
Hatton National Bank Plc
01.2007 - 05.2010
Banking Assistant- Katunayake & Gampaha branches
Hatton National Bank Plc
06.2000 - 12.2006
Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM)
Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing
Chartered Institute for Securities and Investments (CISI)
Risk in Finance Services
Australian Institute of Business (AIB)
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Omega Performance Corp
OMEGA Credit Skills Assessment Programme
Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka (IBSL)
Diploma in Banking & Finance (DBF)
Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka (IBSL)
Advanced Certificate in Banking & Finance (ACBF)
Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka (IBSL)
Certificate in Banking & Finance (CBF)
Certified Management Accountants
Certified Management Accountant (CMA)
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