Veteran banker and current Independent Non-Executive Director Sriyan Cooray will take the helm as Chairman of National Development Bank PLC, with effect from July 1, 2022.

Cooray succeeds outgoing Chairman Eshana de Silva, who tendered his resignation from the post last week for personal reasons, having steered the bank through the challenges brought on by the pandemic during the past two years.

Cooray joined the NDB board in August of 2018 and currently serves on several board-level subcommittees of the bank, including the Integrated Risk Management Committee, Audit Committee, Strategic Issues Committee, Human Resources and Remuneration Committee and the Nominations Committee, Chairing the Integrated Risk Management Committee and Human Resources and Remuneration Committee. 

He has also served in the capacity of Acting Chairman of NDB on multiple occasions during his current tenure on the NDB board.

An accomplished banker with 28 years of experience at HSBC, having served 25 years on its Executive Committee, acting as the bank’s CEO on numerous occasions, Chairman of the Management Committee of HSBC, which comprised the bank’s second tier management and on many internal committees of HSBC, including the Assets and Liabilities Committee, Human Resource Policy Review Committee and HSBC’s IT Steering Committee. He also served as chair of the Industry Technical Advisory Committee in 2015/16 while at HSBC.

His last position at HSBC was as Chief Operating Officer Sri Lanka and the Maldives, which position he held since 2007. Cooray brings with him a diverse experience ranging from finance, operations, compliance, administration and retail banking at HSBC.

With his extensive hands-on experience in the banking industry, especially around operations and IT, Cooray will no doubt be of immense value to NDB in steering the strategic direction of the bank, as it and the industry as a whole seek to navigate these turbulent times.

Prior to joining HSBC, Cooray was Financial Controller of Speville M and W Ltd. (1987-1990) and prior to that engaged with KPMG Ford Rhodes Thornton and Company, Chartered Accountants.

He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and has gained a wealth of expertise from the widespread executive development programmes offered by the HSBC group. Cooray is also currently an Independent Non-Executive Director of Orient Finance PLC. Having represented the country in rugby, Cooray is still actively involved in sports administration and is a keen advocate of the development of sports in Sri Lanka.