HNB announces two key appointments

Hatton National Bank (HNB) announced the appointments of Bimal Perera as Deputy General Manager and Chief Growth Officer, and Chandima Cooray as Deputy General Manager and Chief Innovation Officer. 

These strategic additions to the leadership team at Corporate Management level underscore the Bank’s commitment to drive value accretive growth and pioneer innovation in today’s dynamic business environment. 

Bimal Perera joins HNB with over two decades extensive expertise in corporate strategy, investment finance, risk management and digital financial services. With a proven track record of identifying emerging business opportunities and fostering long-term value creation, he brings a wealth of experience in banking, insurance and fintech, into his new role at HNB His career includes key roles at leading organizations in the financial services domain such as NDB Bank PLC, LB Finance PLC, Allianz Insurance Lanka Ltd &Acuity Knowledge Partners.

At his last assignment at NDB Bank PLC as the VP-Strategy and Business Intelligence, he was instrumental in ushering a transformative change in the bank’s business model supported by cutting edge business intelligence tools. At LB Finance PLC, where he served as Chief Risk Officer and later as DGM – Strategy and Digital Financial Services, Perera played a pivotal role in the company’s expansion into Myanmar and led transformative digital finance initiatives, including the launch of an omni-channel mobile wallet platform. 

Chandima Cooray is a visionary leader with over 25 years of experience leveraging technology to solve complex business challenges. Renowned for his innovative mindset and entrepreneurial spirit, Cooray has consistently delivered impactful solutions across industries. 

Starting his career with Unilever and MAS Holdings PLC, Cooray earned national and international recognition for his technological innovations. At Hemas Holdings PLC, he held leadership roles including Chief Process Officer, Chief Digital Officer, and Executive Director of its venture arm, Concept Ventures. His contributions included driving IT transformations, establishing start-up ecosystems, and creating digital landscape blueprints for key sectors. 

In his new role at HNB, Cooray will lead the Bank’s innovation strategies, focusing on harnessing disruptive technologies to enhance customer experiences and operational efficiency.