JCB INTERNATIONAL POWERED LANKAPAY TECHNNOVATION AWARDS 2023 FOR THE 5TH TIME

Mr. Yuta Hashimoto – Deputy Vice President Business Planning, – JCB Card International (South Asia) Pvt Ltd; Mr. Yo Sato – Senior Vice President Global Business Development Department, JCB Co Limited; Mr. Satoru Mori – Managing Director, JCB Card International (South Asia) Pvt Ltd; Mr. Koya Sakuma – Executive Vice President Head of Global Business Development Headquarters, JCB International Co. Limited; Dr. Kenneth De Zilwa, Chairman – LankaPay; Mr. Channa de Silva, CEO – LankaPay; and Mr. Lakshman Liyanage - Consultant to JCB International for Sri Lanka

JCB International – the Japan based international card scheme partnered with LankaPay as the Silver Sponsor of the LankaPay Technnovation Awards 2023. Held at Shangri-la Hotel recently, LankaPay Technnovation Awards saw an audience of closer to 400 consisting top decision makers of the country’s financial sector, policy makers and government officials.

JCB has been associating with this event since its inception in 2017. Organized for the 5th consecutive year, LankaPay Technnovation Awards is the first and the only platform that recognizes payment technology innovators in the country. Within a short span of time, the event has become the most looked forward to awards competition amongst the banking fraternity and De Facto recognition for the payment technology innovators in the country.

Speaking of the sponsorship, Executive Vice President of JCB International, Koya Sakuma stated “Sri Lanka is a country with great potential and we were honored to have been selected as the preferred international card scheme towards launching the National Card Scheme of Sri Lanka back in 2017 and provide the technological support towards implementing this initiative of national significance. JCB has been a partner of similar projects in many countries including India and we truly value partnerships. Our interest in Sri Lanka extends beyond the National Card Scheme to become a part of the country’s digitalization process. It is in this light we see great synergy in this sponsorship which in turn supports an initiative that recognizes the payment technology innovators in the country. This is critical to the development of the digital ecosystem and JCB is truly honored to have contributed towards Sri Lanka’s digital transformation”.

Welcoming JCB aboard Mr. Channa de Silva, CEO of LankaPay said ”We are indeed delighted to have JCB as a sponsor of LankaPay Technnovation Awards which is in testament to their commitment towards developing the country’s payment technology landscape. LankaPay shares a strong relationship with JCB since 2017 and we wish to place on record the continuous patronage extended by JCB at LankaPay Technnovation Awards and being a pillar of strength in lifting the profile of this event every year.”

As the national payment network that functions under the guidance and supervision of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, LankaPay has been leading the country’s payment technology innovations since 2002. Providing the much-needed backbone infrastructure to the country’s financial sector, the entity has contributed immensely towards minimizing the overall cost structure within the financial sector through a common infrastructure making digital financial services accessible and affordable to everyone.

About JCB International

JCB launched its card business in Japan way back in 1961 and began expanding worldwide in 1981. Its acceptance network includes about 41 million merchant points as well as cash advance locations around the world. JCB cards are now issued in 91 countries and territories, including Sri Lanka, with more than 150 million cardholders. As a comprehensive payment solution provider, JCB commits to providing responsive and high-quality service and products to all their customers worldwide.