HSBC celebrates 125 years of banking in Sri Lanka
HSBC Sri Lanka celebrated a milestone 125 years of banking in the country on 1 July 2017, having commenced its operations in the country in 1892, just 27 years after its first offices were established in Hong Kong and Shanghai.
A special ceremony to mark the 125th year anniversary was held on 3 July with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque at its heritage Head Office building in Fort by Matthew Lobner, Head of International and Head of Strategy and Planning, HSBC Asia Pacific and Mark Prothero, Chief Executive Officer, HSBC Sri Lanka and Maldives together with senior management and employees of the bank.
HSBC’s main Head Office Building, built in 1922, remains a proud testament to HSBC’s 125-year presence in the country and commitment to Sri Lanka.
Following a complete renovation project that lasted over two years, the building is the first of its age in the country to achieve a LEED GOLD rating for energy efficiency. 98% of the structural elements of the building were retained, the carbon footprint was reduced by 20%, including a 40% water saving and 26% energy saving.
Furthermore, clients were invited to share in the celebrations at a special event held at the Galle Face Hotel on 3rd July.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy, Governor of Central Bank of Sri Lanka commented, “HSBC is the largest foreign bank in the Island. HSBC has played a key role in bridging financial intermediation requirements of the economy. More importantly its global and regional expertise has been useful in communicating Sri Lanka’s potential to the investor communities, searching new markets for exports and introducing modern banking products for the local customers.”
He further added, “The financial sector of the country has a key role to play when the economy is moving to a higher growth trajectory. I am confident that HSBC’s global footprint makes it well-placed to promote the financial sector innovation which is imperative in meeting the demands of a rapidly modernizing economy.”
Mark Prothero, CEO of HSBC Sri Lanka and Maldives stated, “For 125 years, HSBC has grown together with Sri Lanka and as Sri Lankan companies become globally successful, HSBC will continue to be a committed banking partner in serving our customers in and out of the country. We thank all our customers and our alumni who have supported us through this long journey.”
HSBC has been a true advocate of supporting the community through its Corporate Sustainability initiatives and programmes in the country. The bank has joined together with many partners to empower and uplift local communities in the spheres of education, environment and cultural heritage in the country, and on its 125th year the bank will further extend its support with its latest pillar- Health.
Prothero revealed that “We are delighted to launch our latest pillar in corporate sustainability that places importance on Health and medical research mainly focusing on developing a Safe Drinking Water Supply System for disadvantaged communities in Chronic Kidney Disease affected areas in the Anuradhapura District.”
He further commented, “We believe that a healthy population is key to the economic success of the country and HSBC will continue to support communities in tackling these critical health issues in future and help Sri Lanka achieve its ambitions in our 125th year in Sri Lanka.”
HSBC is the leading foreign bank in the country with a local network of 14 branches, strategically located in key cities and business hubs supporting the country and its economy in all aspects through its Commercial Banking, Retail Banking & Wealth Management and Global Banking and Markets businesses. HSBC was also the first foreign bank to open a branch in Jaffna post the end of the civil war in 2009, which has helped to connect customers globally through its international network.
Such success has been recognized by the market and customers through several awards the bank has won over the years. Just to name a few of the most recent awards; Best International Bank by AsiaMoney in 2017, Best Foreign Bank by Finance Asia in 2017, International Retail Bank of the year by Asian Banking & Finance in 2017, Best Sub Custodian in Sri Lanka by The Asset Triple A Asset Serving, Fund Management and Investor Awards 2017 and Asia Responsible Entrepreneurship Awards 2017, among others. HSBC Sri Lanka was also the only corporate entity to be recognized by the Ministry of Sustainable Energy and Wildlife for the conservation of Horton Plains and Peak Wilderness.
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