Banking

The Sri Lankan banking sector is well capitalised, well regulated and fast growing. It has faced no collapses in recent years and has benefitted from strong economic growth and relative stability following the end of the civil war in 2009. Financial stability is not seen as a major concern, and any problems related to the health of institutions are regarded as manageable, with the regulators keeping a close watch on the sector. However, Sri Lanka’s banks are more challenged in terms of innovation, efficiency and value added. As strategies to investment shift under the new government, banks will have to adjust, prepare for some instability and take advantage of the opportunities that arise.

This chapter contains interviews with Arjuna Mahedran, Governor, Central Bank of Sri Lanka; and Ajay Kanwal, Regional CEO, ASEAN and South Asia, Standard Chartered.