HNB Assurance PLC (HNBA) has been recognized among the Top 10 Women Friendly Workplaces in Sri Lanka at Women Friendly Workplaces Awards 2021 organized by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and Satyn Magazine. The event was recently held in Cinnamon Grand, Colombo. Sharing his thoughts, Chief Executive Officer of HNBA and its fully owned subsidiary, HNB General Insurance Limited (HNBGI), Mr. Prasantha Fernando stated, “In today’s society women play multiple roles, taking on many challenges to support their families and children. However, most women find it both difficult and challenging to balance responsibilities of their respective profession with the traditionally female-oriented duties required by them at home. With this thought in mind, HNBA and HNBGI has initiated several work-life balance programs to support women in our workplace to reach greater heights in their career, as well as to break the glass ceiling. Creating a gender equal workplace is not a social imperative but its all about good business sense”. Mr. Fernando continued, “We believe that women’s talent pool is a vital part in our organization and over the years we have seen a higher participation of women in our workforce as well as in higher leadership positions across both organizations. The Group will continue to enhance its programs and initiatives focused on women, further creating a safer and happy work environment”. The Chief Human Resources Officer of HNBA and HNBGI, Mr. Dinuka Pattikiriarachchi stated, “This recognition is indeed a great honor to all of us at HNBA and HNBGI. The HNBA Group’s vision has always been to create a work environment promoting equality, inclusion and diversity and this recognition is a testament to our commitment to women across the country. As I always believe, it starts with creating a human friendly workplace. That is the foundation for gender equity. As an organization our effort is to make sure that we don’t look for a man in a women’s body. We need to respect the fact that women are different and that’s a good thing. That given the opportunity, they will do an equally better job as their male colleagues. As organizations and leaders, it’s our duty to do everything possible to create that opportunity”. Mr. Pattikiriarachchi further added, “In a way we are fortunate to have a Chairperson, and a Board which sets very high standards when it comes to Human Resource Management in general. We have a committed and dedicated set of leaders who aspire to live our values day in and day out. We have a system which has zero tolerance on deviations. I believe it requires all these elements to work in coherence to achieve what we have achieved today. But we are conscious, that it’s only a milestone and our journey never end. We need to continue to do better than yesterday, every day“. HNB Assurance PLC (HNBA) is one of the fastest growing Insurance Companies in Sri Lanka with a network of 63 branches. HNBA is a Life Insurance company with a rating of A+ (lka) by Fitch Ratings Lanka for ‘National Insurer Financial Strength Rating’. Following the introduction of the segregation rules by the Insurance Regulator, HNB General Insurance Limited (HNBGI) was created and commenced its operations in January 2015; HNBGI continues to specialize in motor, non-motor and Takaful insurance solutions and is a fully owned subsidiary of HNB Assurance PLC. HNB General Insurance has been assigned a ‘National Insurer Financial Strength Rating’ of ‘’A+’’ (lka) by Fitch Ratings Lanka Limited. HNBA is rated within the Top 100 brands and Top 100 companies in Sri Lanka by LMD and HNB Assurance has won international awards for Brand Excellence, Digital Marketing and HR Excellence including the Great Place To Work® Certification, and won many awards for its Annual Reports at award ceremonies organized by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka.
Nov
HNB Assurance PLC (HNBA) proudly celebrated its outstanding achievers who were recognized at the prestigious National Sales Awards 2025, organized by the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM). The event recognized the best sales professionals across industries, and the team from HNBA once again demonstrated their excellence and passion for performance.This year, five exceptional individuals brought pride to the organization by securing top honors in multiple categories. Dinushika Rathnayake was awarded Gold in the Front Liner category, while Priyanka Kamalani also claimed Gold in the Sales Supervisors category. Ravichandran Senthujan and Kethaki Anuradha both earned Bronze in the Territory Manager and Other Sales Support categories respectively, and Tharindu Munasinghe received a Merit Award in Sales Support (Manager & Above).Speaking on this remarkable achievement, Mr. Lasitha Wimalarathne, Executive Director / Chief Executive Officer of HNB Assurance PLC, stated, “Our people are the heart of our success. These awards are a true reflection of the dedication and spirit of excellence our sales teams embody every day. Competing on a national stage and emerging victorious is no small feat, it showcases not only individual brilliance but the collective strength of HNB Assurance as a performance-driven organization. I couldn’t be prouder of our team and I must also make mention of the incredible sales training team, who work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that our sales force is equipped with the tools, skills and knowledge to perform to the best of their ability.”The National Sales Awards remains one of the most respected platforms in Sri Lanka that recognizes sales excellence, rewarding individuals who deliver exceptional results and elevate industry standards.
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Oct
HNB Assurance PLC is pleased to announce the appointment of Poornima Ranawaka as Non-Independent Non-Executive Director to its Board with effect from 01 October 2025.Poornima Ranawaka is a distinguished Attorney-at-Law with nearly 19 years of legal practice and more than 22 years of experience across the banking, Insurance, finance, and education sectors. She holds extensive expertise in litigation, risk management, regulatory compliance, human resources, and recoveries. Over the years, she has held several senior leadership positions, including Deputy General Manager – Compliance and Legal at Axis Bank Sri Lanka, Head of Compliance at Pan Asia Banking Corporation and Allianz Insurance Lanka Limited, and Consumer Litigation Manager at Nations Trust Bank PLC.She has been a trailblazer in her field, serving as Vice President and General Secretary of the Association of Compliance Officers of Banks, an Executive Member of the Risk Professionals Association, and a member of Sri Lanka's FATCA advisory committee. She also represented the country during the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) evaluation in 2013. She is currently the General Secretary of the Alumni Association of Sri Lanka Law College.She holds prestigious academic and professional qualifications, including First Class Honours from Sri Lanka Law College and an LL.M. in International Trade Law from the University of Wales. She has also completed a postgraduate diploma in International Compliance from the University of Manchester. Additionally, she is an Associate Member of the International Compliance Association (UK). Her contributions to the field have earned her honorary professorships in Law Teaching from IEMS, India (ACTD, USA).Mrs. Ranawaka has fulfilled the requirements for her PhD in Management at Management and Science University (MSU), Malaysia, and is currently awaiting her convocation. She is deeply committed to education, served as a Commercial Law lecturer and the Chief Examiner at Sri Lanka Law College. In addition, she served as the Chairperson of the Curriculum Development Committee at Sri Lanka Law College from 2022 to 2024, playing a pivotal role in shaping and enhancing the institution's academic framework. Her outstanding contributions to legal education were internationally recognized when she was awarded the prestigious International Achievers Award 2024 in India for her "Most Iconic Role in Law Teaching.
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Oct
HNB Assurance PLC proudly introduces HANA, HNB Assurance Next-Generation Assistant, novel AI-powered chatbot designed to transform how customers connect with them. Developed as part of HNB Assurance’s drive to embrace cutting-edge technology and reimagine customer service, HANA delivers instant, 24/7 assistance, making insurance simpler, faster and more intuitive for every policyholder. From policy inquiries to claims guidance and company updates, HANA offers seamless, personalized interactions that remove the need for wait times on calls or branch visits.Speaking on the launch, Lasitha Wimalaratne, Executive Director and CEO of HNB Assurance PLC, said, “At HNB Assurance, our priority has always been to place the customer at the heart of everything we do. With HANA, we are taking that promise to a new level by introducing a virtual assistant who is always available, always informed and always ready to help. This is not just a launch, it is a reflection of the significant investments and digital roadmap we have developed over the past few years to leverage technology in making insurance easier and more accessible to meet the evolving needs of our customers. My sincere thanks and congratulations to all the teams involved in making this milestone a reality and elevating the way we serve our customers.”Highlighting the vision behind HANA, Suneth Jayamanne, Chief Information Officer / General Manager of HNB Assurance, stated, “Implementing HANA is more than deploying a chatbot, it is about embedding intelligence into every interaction. Powered by advanced natural language processing (NLP), machine learning algorithms and deep integration with our core systems, HANA is designed to handle complex queries, learn from vast datasets, and deliver responses with human-like understanding. We certainly believe that his launch is an exciting first step in our broader strategy of using AI to create meaningful, customer-centric experiences. I would also like to extend my sincere appreciation to CodeGen International (Private) Limited for their invaluable contribution in turning this vision into reality.”As one of Sri Lanka’s leading life insurers, HNB Assurance continues to invest in new digital capabilities that deliver convenience and confidence, allowing customers to engage with the company on their own terms. Customers can now meet, experience and explorer HANA by accessing the website, www.HNBAssurance.com.
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