Reaffirming its commitment to fostering financial literacy among students, Sri Lanka’s leading private
sector bank HNB PLC, announced the reopening of its Student Savings unit at St. Joseph’s College,
Colombo.
The reopening comes as part of the bank’s continued efforts to instil the habit of saving among
young minds. The event was graced by the esteemed presence of St. Joseph’s College Rector, Rev.
Fr. Ranjith Andradi, and the Managing Director/CEO of HNB, Jonathan Alles, Executive Director and
Chief Operating Officer Dilshan Rodrigo who are distinguished past pupils of the College, along with
Deputy General Manager- Retail and SME Banking Sanjay Wijemanne, Assistant General Manager,
Network Management and Business Development Supun Dias and Head Office Branch Chief
Manager, Dilanka De Silva.
During the ceremony HNB Managing Director/CEO, Jonathan Alles expressed his delight, stating,
“We are extremely pleased to be a part of this momentous occasion, celebrating the reopening of
the Student Savings Unit at St. Joseph’s College. Through this Unit, we aim to empower students
with a deeper understanding of saving and the value of living within their means. By developing this
essential life skill, students will be well prepared to fund their higher education and make other
important investments in the future.”
The Unit will mainly offer student access to the wide range of savings products and investment plans
available for minors. Moreover, the bank aims to create a digital payment ecosystem for the school
also offering members of the staff and the Old Boys Association with exceptional services and
benefits.
St. Joseph’s College Rector Rev. Fr. Ranjith Andradi, expressing his pride in the partnership, stated:
“We are proud to be associated with HNB in reopening the Student Savings Unit. This initiative not
only imparts valuable lessons in investing and saving but also instils a strong sense of financial
management in our students. We believe this partnership will contribute to their progress and
success.”
The Student Savings Unit, introduced by HNB in 1994, has played a pivotal role in promoting
financial literacy among students. With 162 units established across Sri Lanka, HNB actively engages
students in managing mini-banks within their schools, fostering leadership and financial responsibility.
Each year, HNB provides comprehensive training to over 1,000 students, empowering them to
become financially savvy individuals.
Press Release
HNB is rated A (lka) by Fitch Ratings and was awarded the esteemed title of ‘Sri Lanka’s Best
Corporate Citizen’ for 2022 by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. Other major accolades include
being ranked among the Top 1,000 Banks in the World for six consecutive years by the acclaimed
UK based “The Banker Magazine”, being adjudged the ‘Best Retail Bank in Sri Lanka’ for the 13 th
occasion by the Asian Banker, as well as securing a Top 5 position on Business Today’s Top 40
rankings for 2022.
Photo Captions
Image 01: HNB MD /CEO Jonathan Alles (centre) and HNB Executive Director and Chief
Operating Officer Dilshan Rodrigo (right) presenting the first HNB TEEN+ card to a savings account
holder
Image 02: HNB MD /CEO Jonathan Alles (third from left) and HNB Executive Director and Chief
Operating Officer, Dilshan Rodrigo (far right) with St. Joseph’s College Rector, Rev. Fr. Ranjith
Andradi (second from right) and HNB Head Office Chief Manager, Dilanka De Silva (far left)
presenting the first Singithi passbook and gift pack gift pack to a student.
Image 03: HNB MD /CEO Jonathan Alles (left) and St. Joseph’s College Rector, Rev. Fr. Ranjith
Andradi (right) ceremonially opening the SSU
Image 04: HNB Deputy General Manager- Retail and SME Banking Sanjay Wijemanne,badging the
Student Manager, HNB Head Office Chief Manager, Dilanka De Silva,looks on
Image 05: The HNB Team together with St. Joseph’s College student unit team