Union Bank once again recognised its top performers up to Q3 2025 at the UB Heroes Awards ceremony held at the Bank’s Head Office. This ongoing initiative highlights remarkable achievements and significant milestones of branches and support functions in driving business growth and reflects the Bank’s appreciation for employee dedication and performance. The winners received their awards from Mr. Dilshan Rodrigo, Director/CEO of Union Bank.

Union Bank is proud to be recognized with a Special Award at the Satyn Women Friendly Workplace Awards 2025 for championing women in leadership! With women representing 50% of the Bank’s total workforce, this recognition reaffirms Union Bank’s dedication to driving equality and empowering women to thrive at every level.

Photo (LtoR): Thishani Dissanayake, Vice President Marketing Union Bank, Nayomini Weerasooriya, Founder & Managing Editor Satyn, Clive Fonseka, CEO/ General Manager Peoples Bank, Devani Konara, Chief Manager Human Resources Union Bank, Nilusha Wanasinghe Manager Marketing Union Bank.

Union Bank is proud to share that Dilshan Rodrigo, Director/CEO of Union Bank was recently honoured at the Association of Professional Bankers (APB) Sri Lanka’s distinguished member felicitation ceremony. This recognition celebrates his exceptional contributions to the banking industry and highlights his commitment to excellence and innovation. His inspiring leadership continues to motivate banking professionals to strive for greater success.

In Picture: Dilshan Rodrigo, Director/CEO

Union Bank proudly recognised the exceptional contributions of its esteemed team members. Long Service Awards were presented to honour those celebrating 20 and 25 years of dedicated service by Dilshan Rodrigo, Director/CEO and the corporate management team.

The awardees included Shiran Punchihewa, Indika Igalawithana, and Janithi Perera Karunasiri, with 25 years and Jayanath Kariyakarawana, Janaka Iroshan, Karthiga Sridhara, Nirosha Somarathne, and Priyadharshani Corea with 20 years of exemplary service.

Union Bank commends these outstanding individuals for their unwavering commitment and invaluable contributions to the organization’s growth and success.

Caption: The 20 and 25 years long service awardees with Dilshan Rodrigo, Director/CEO and the corporate management team.

Union Bank has achieved a significant milestone by obtaining the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) version 4 certification, as the first local bank to receive this level of recognition. This accomplishment underscores the Bank’s continuous commitment to maintaining the highest standards of customer information security, as evidenced by its consistent attainment of the PCI DSS certification over the past five years.

Nisala Kodippili, Chief Information Officer of Union Bank said, “The PCI DSS version 4 certification represents the latest and most advanced standards for secure payment processing, ensuring that customer data is protected with the most up-to-date security measures. This certification is a testament to Union Bank’s dedication to safeguarding customer information and maintaining trust in its financial services. As the Bank celebrates this achievement, it is important to recognize the efforts of all those involved in the certification process, including the IT and security teams, whose diligence and expertise have contributed to this success. The Bank’s proactive approach to security and compliance sets a benchmark for the industry and demonstrates its leadership in adopting cutting-edge security practices”.

Union Bank’s commitment to security and compliance inspires confidence amongst customers and stakeholders, whilst upholding the highest standards of data security and customer protection.

Picture Caption: Nisala Kodippili, Chief Information Officer of Union Bank

Union Bank, in a recently held event, recognised and commended its long-standing employees for their dedicated services and commitment over the years towards the Bank and its progress. Ten employees were celebrated and awarded for the completion of twenty and twenty-five years of service and were presented with awards of recognition and mementoes by Indrajit Wickramasinghe, Director/CEO of Union Bank, in a glitz and glamour evening at the Bank’s Annual Dinner Dance.

Commenting on this important staff achievement that is celebrated annually, Lilanthi Delgoda, Vice President Human Resources said, “These employees have dedicated years of hard work and dedication towards the Bank and its growth and expansion and have been an integral part of the Bank’s journey and milestones. Their commitment resonates with the Bank’s image as a preferred workplace and sets an example for all new members who join the UB team. I extend my sincere congratulations to all our long service award recipients and wish them good luck in all their future endeavours with the Bank.”

Twenty-five years of service awards were received by Indika Galahitiyawa- Assistant Manager Kandy Branch, Chanditha Liyanage- Branch Manager Angunukolapelessa Branch, Hiran De Silva- Manager Recoveries, Sailajah Nadarajah- Senior Manager – Treasury, Christella Sivapragasam- Head of Elite Centre, Hiran Withanachchi- Officer Clearing Operations and Kanchana De Silva- Senior Manager – Trade Operations.

Twenty years of service awards were handed over to Rangika Ekanayaka- Branch Manager Nugegoda, Sarma Sakthitharan- Senior Manager of Systems and Network Administration and Rangi Madhushanka Jayathilake- Senior Quality Assurance Engineer.

Human Resource Management is a core strategic priority of the Bank where it strives to build rewarding careers and be a caring organization for its employees. From effective performance management systems and attractive reward schemes to progressive career development alongside learning and development opportunities. Union Bank provides its employees with the impetus to reach their full potential, being a performance-driven organization, the Bank is consistently focused on developing its employees to reach their optimum levels of performance.

Picture Caption: Indrajit Wickramasinghe, Director/CEO and Lilanthi Delgoda, Vice President Human Resources of Union Bank, together with recipients of the long service awards.

Union Bank was recognised for its continued efforts in building a network of female managers at the recently held Satyn CIMA Women Friendly Workplace Awards 2023. This award further endorses the Bank as an equal opportunity employer empowering woman.

Lilanthi Delgoda, Vice President of Human Resources said, “We believe in a diverse workforce and take pride in fostering a women-friendly environment which gives equal opportunities for growth and success whilst providing a safe and secure environment. We are committed to providing the opportunity for women to break through the glass ceiling and removing all barriers and obstacles that may hinder their growth. Ours is a culture where every woman’s opinion is heard, valued, and celebrated. We have a 45% representation of women in our workforce and women are well represented across all functions with several representing key management positions, thus setting the path and opportunities for women’s leadership to inspire and guide the workforce”.

Picture: Lilanthi Delgoda Vice President of Human Resources, Visal Rupasinghe, Chief Manager Head of Talent Development & Engagement, Dinithi Perera, Assistant Manager Talent Development & Engagement Devani Konara Senior Manager Recruitment & Resourcing and Nisansala Kalupahana, Manager – HR Service Delivery.

Union Bank team was recognised for their outstanding performance at the Union Assurance – Union Bank Bancassurance Diamond Awards 2022 held recently. This event is the most esteemed event in the bancassurance calendar and recognises and rewards top performers. Union Bank team received several top awards in the key categories for the year 2022 for individual and team performances.

The CEO’s Lounge Award for the highest individual achievement for Annualised New Business Premiums (ANBP) was awarded to Lakshika Hedigalle of the Borella Branch whilst the branch performance awards were secured by Borella, Pettah, Kurunagala, Gampaha, Piliyandala, Nawala, Maharagama & Anuradhapura branches respectively. The Diamond Award in the Zonal category was secured by Chaminda Fernando, Zonal-Head of Zone 1B. Zones 1A, 1B & 2 were recognised as the top three contributors in ANBP. The Annual Shield Champion award for the year 2022 was awarded to Borella Branch for their outstanding performance. Several branches and staff members who achieved over and above the annual targets were also recognised during the event with accolades.

Manisha Fernando, Vice President – Retail Liability Products & Alternate Channels of Union Bank, applauded the winners for their dedication, commitment, and drive to grow the bancassurance business of the Bank which enabled them to achieve an overall outstanding performance whilst providing life insurance solutions to the Bank’s customers with the convenience of having all financial services under one roof. He further stated that the Union Bank – Union Assurance partnership has gone from strength to strength and has enhanced the portfolio value of both companies and paved the way for sustainable business growth.

Photo Caption:
Mr Indrajit Wickramasinghe, Director/Chief Executive Officer of Union Bank & Mr Jude Gomes, Chief Executive Officer of Union Assurance with the Union Bank award recipients.

Union Bank was once again recognised for its continued efforts in enhancing customer convenience and received a Merit award as a ‘Best Common ATM Enabler’ for the year 2022 at the recently held LankaPay Technnovation Awards, an event that recognises frontrunners for payment technology innovation in Sri Lanka. Providing convenience and easy access to customers Union Bank currently maintains 108 ATMs island-wide.

Picture – From Left to Right, Yohan Alahakoon – Manager Retail Liability Products & Alternate Channels of Union Bank, Manisha Fernando – Vice President Retail Liability Products & Alternate Channels of Union Bank, Dr. Ranee Jayamaha –A Member of the Monetary Board of Sri Lanka, Indrajith Hapuarachchie – Deputy Chief Information Officer of Union Bank and Channa De Silva – General Manager/Chief Executive Officer LankaPay (Pvt.) Ltd.

Photo Caption:
Ms. Sandamali Munasinghe – Assistant Vice President Legal of Union Bank, receiving the certificate of recognition from, Ms. Nadishani Perera – Executive Director of Transparency International Sri Lanka.

Union Bank was recognised within the Top 100 public limited companies in Sri Lanka for transparency in corporate reporting as a result of the Corporate Reporting Assessment carried out by Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) for the year 2022. Union Bank was placed 14/100 and received an overall rating of 8.39/10 for being significantly transparent in corporate reporting. The Bank was ranked fully transparent on Organisational Transparency and significantly transparent on Anti-corruption and Domestic Financial Reporting.

This recognition is based on improvements carried out by the organisations on the corporate reporting process focusing on TISL guidelines on anti-corruption programmes, organisational transparency, domestic financial Reporting, country-country reporting, gender and non-discrimination policies, and reporting on procurement-related to government contracts/tenders.

Transparency in Corporate Reporting Assessment 2022 is an independent assessment of corporate disclosure practices among the top 100 public limited companies in Sri Lanka, conducted by TISL. The research methodology adapted, draws on Transparency International’s standard TRAC methodology.

Union Bank of Colombo PLC has been ranked amongst the 2022 ‘Most Respected Entities in Sri Lanka’ rankings published by the LMD magazine. Most Respected Entities in Sri Lanka is an annual ranking publication conceptualised by LMD and conducted by Nielsen IQ. The survey covered a sample of 800 respondents and the nominations were based on their perceptions of the best organizations, based on the criteria of financial performance, quality consciousness, management profile, honesty, innovation, dynamism, corporate culture, CSR, vision, and nation-mindedness.

Commenting on this recognition, Mr. Indrajit Wickramasinghe, Director/CEO of Union Bank said, “I’m proud and humbled that Union Bank has been ranked amongst the Most Respected Entities in Sri Lanka for 2022. Amidst tough macroeconomic conditions, I believe it is a noteworthy testimony to our efforts in enhancing value to our customers and stakeholders. With over 25 years of service to the Nation, Union Bank continues to stand true to its corporate ethos and values and this is yet another accolade reflecting our achievements over the years.

Union Bank is one of Sri Lanka’s highest capitalised banks with over 25 years of service and is supported by the strength of the global investment firm TPG. With a solid foundation etched with financial stability and international know-how, Union offers a full range of products and services to Retail, SME, and corporate segments. More details on Union Bank and its products and services may be obtained by dialing its 24-hour Contact Centre on 011 5800 800 or by visiting the corporate website via www.unionb.com.

Union Bank team was recognised for their outstanding performance at the Union Assurance CEO’s Lounge Awards 2022, the annual Bancassurance awards ceremony held recently. The event is the most prestigious event in the bancassurance calendar and recognises and rewards top performers.

Union Bank received several top awards in key categories for the year 2021 for individual and team performances. The Highest award was secured by Dilukshan Lakshitha Jayakody of the Gampaha branch under category 6. Chaminda Fernando of Zone 1 B emerged as the Zonal Head category winner and the Gampaha Branch secured the overall Bancassurance Champions’ Shield Award for 2021. Several branches who achieved over and above the annual targets also received merit awards.

Union Bank and Union Assurance entered a partnership in 2015 and since 2018 it has been an exclusive partnership to provide bancassurance life assurance services. This partnership has tirelessly worked to ensure that the Bank’s loyal customers are provided with the best of financial solutions with long-term protection and a sense of security in these uncertain times.

Commenting on the achievements, Vice President – Retail Liability Products & Alternate Channels of Union Bank, Manisha Fernando said, “I’m delighted by the achievements of the Union Bank Team and would like to congratulate all the winners on their accomplishments. The dedication and the commitment of the team has helped us to give the best value to our customers which is reflected in the performance of the team. As a team we will continue to provide customized solutions and protection to our customers whilst enhancing the portfolio”

Union Bank is one of Sri Lanka’s highest capitalised banks with over 25 years of service and is supported by the strength of the global investment firm TPG. With a solid foundation etched with financial stability and international know-how, Union Bank offers a full range of products and services to Retail, SME, and Corporate segments. More details on Union Bank and its products and services may be obtained by dialing its 24-hour Contact Centre on 011 5800 800 or by visiting the corporate website via www.unionb.com.

Union Bank for the second consecutive year was recognized at the Daraz Payment Partner Performance Awards and received the ‘Most Campaign Partnerships’ award this year in an event held on the 28th of July at Uga Residencies, Colombo.

This award once again re-affirms Union Bank’s continuous efforts to enhance credit card usage on e-commerce platforms and its efforts in developing new campaigns which contributed to developing the most number of campaigns on the Daraz platform by a Bank for the year 2021-2022. The Daraz Payment Partner Performance Awards is an annual event for payment partners and rewards and recognizes the contribution of bank partners towards the success of the platform’s business growth.

Since the inception of its partnership with Daraz, the Bank has continuously introduced innovative campaigns to enhance the online shopping experience. An array of offers have been launched along with Daraz including, Weekly discounts, offers on Utility payments & partnering for special campaigns and extended payment plans such as the 11.11, Black Friday, Avurudu & Christmas Sales etc. to reward the Bank’s cardholder base with an exciting on-line shopping experience.

Daraz is the South Asia’s premier online shopping marketplace, backed by the global ecommerce giant, Alibaba Group, and has successfully brought together consumers and sellers to create Sri Lanka’s largest e-commerce venue over the years.

Union Bank Credit Cards are available in Gold, Platinum and Signature variants based on pre-set eligibility criteria and are offered via the Bank’s Island wide branch network while those interested in applying for a credit card could simply send an inquiry online or via the Bank’s contact center hotline on 011 5800 5800 to avail personalised assistance by dedicated service personnel. More information on the Union Bank Credit Cards and other products and services of the Bank can be accessed via the Bank’s corporate website at www.unionb.com.

Customers that receive money through Western Union^® Money transfer service at Union Bank branches will get attractive gifts through a special gift scheme.

According to the gift scheme, a transaction above a rupee value of 25,000 and above will be eligible for a branded pen. Performing three transactions, each above Rs. 25,000/- will make the customer eligible to receive a branded mug while those who perform five transactions each above Rs. 25,000/- will receive a travelling bag.  The offer will be valid from 15^th March 2021 onwards until the expiration of stocks.

The gifts will be offered in addition to the special remittance rewards scheme where an additional two rupees will be offered for each US Dollar received as an inward worker remittance.

Facilitating greater convenience and access, Union Bank’s 67 branches island wide offers Western Union^® Money Transfer service, enabling customers in Sri Lanka to receive money from their loved ones living and working in more than 200 countries and territories.

Commenting on the offer, Chief Manager, Bancassurance and Remittances at Union Bank Gihan Samarasinghe said, “Remittances are a strong contributor to the GDP and an important source of income for many families in Sri Lanka. The pandemic has affected the flow of remittances into the country and we are keen on joining the national undertaking to support the growth of inward remittances amidst challenges, by collaborating with Western Union^® on providing these incentives to our customers. We are pleased to be able to offer our customers the convenience and reliability of securely receiving the hard-earned income from their loved ones abroad in partnership with Western Union^®.”

About Western Union

The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is a global leader in cross-border, cross-currency money movement. Its omnichannel platform connects the digital and physical worlds and makes it possible for consumers and businesses to send and receive money and make payments with speed, ease, and reliability. With its global reach, Western Union moves money for better, connecting family, friends and businesses to enable financial inclusion and support economic growth. For more information, visit www.westernunion.com.

About Union Bank  

Union Bank is one of Sri Lanka’s fastest growing commercial banks supported by the strength of TPG, the US based global private investment firm. With a solid foundation etched with financial stability and international know-how, Union Bank is amongst the highest capitalised private commercial banks in Sri Lanka, offering a full range of products and services to retail, SME and corporate customer segments.

Union Bank won the prestigious ‘Best Cash Management Bank in Sri Lanka’ title at the Asian Banker Transaction Finance Awards 2020, reaffirming the success of the Bank’s state-of-the-art cash management solution Union Bank Biz Direct.

The Asian Banker Transaction Finance Awards is the most rigorous, prestigious and transparent annual awards programme recognising leadership in cash management, trade finance, supply chain finance and payments amongst domestic and international financial institutions in Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa.
Commenting on the award, Director/Chief Executive Officer of Union Bank Indrajit Wickramasinghe said, “This award is a strong re-affirmation of the steady progress made by Union Bank in the payment and cash management landscape of the country. Union Bank Biz Direct was the first of its type to be launched in Sri Lanka by a local commercial bank back in the year 2016, and has made great strides in being established as an efficient, convenient and effective cash management tool that aids large corporates as well as SME’s to manage their liquidity more prudently. We will build on the success of this solution to continue to innovate in the expanse of cash management automation with a belief that the versatility of this technology is more significant than ever in the new normal.”
Vice President, Transaction Banking and SME at Union Bank, Mr. Asanka Ranhotty added, “We are extremely pleased and proud to be pronounced the Best Cash Management Bank in the country by this prestigious awarding body. The Asian Banker Best Cash Management award recognizes the achievements of Union Bank’s BizDirect in terms of market share and revenue as well as product and operational excellence displayed against competitor products in the market. Union Bank’s revolutionary cash management system BizDirect aims to change the heavily cash-dependent transaction management landscape in the country by providing total control of liquidity management to business owners through automations and customisations that help them make timely managements decisions based on their cash flows. BizDirect proved its worth in many ways during the island wide lockdown that prevailed for months, by enabling timely collections and payment solutions through automation and distant cash management capabilities. We will continue to strengthen our position by extending this proposition to corporates and SMEs with the will to transform their liquidity management capabilities to meet the challenges of the evolving business landscape.”

The automated BizDirect cash management system covers the full working cash cycle of collections, payments, liquidity management, reporting and reconciliation. At every stage real time-data is made available, enabling users to collect cash on-time and maximise on the investment opportunities for their fund balances. The automation, online documentation and real-time data reporting ensure that possibilities for fraud are minimised. The system includes the latest security enhancements, including biometric verification for an added layer of safety.
The system is web-based and integrates with existing accounting platforms on a host-to-host (H2H) basis. There is no hardware to install nor lengthy set-up process making it simple and fast to adopt. Training and ongoing support are provided by Union Bank’s dedicated team who are passionate about sharing their expert knowledge of the cash management system. BizDirect provides wide-ranging functionality comparable to internationally available solutions at an affordable rate.

Union Bank BizDirect is available to both SMEs and corporates, enabling faster and more accurate decision making, to all sizes of businesses. The easy to use functionality enables a business to collect cash in a timely manner and retain it for a maximum period of time while at the same time improving relationships with suppliers through efficient and on-time payments. The customised, automated cash management solution enables corporates to further enhance their working capital cycle management capabilities. Clear visibility on liquidity management provides a holistic view of the business’s cash position so that overnight investment opportunities can be maximised. For SMEs, BizDirect will help them to grow and evolve into larger companies of the future.

The system enables on-line approvals even on the mobile, whereby the manual process of cheque signing is completely eliminated. Through extensive automation, documents required for processing can be uploaded online instantly. Cheques can be printed automatically by the Bank and delivered either to the BizDirect user or to their customer. Through collections service providers approved by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, cash and cheques can be collected directly from the business, and cash delivered back to the business as required. Reconciliations are also automated enabling the users to know their company’s cash position at any given time.

Corporate and SME Banking sector makes up to 50% of Union Bank’s operations and the Bank invests extensively in delivering value added services to these vital segments. The Bank’s recent investment in enhancing its BizDirect system is a clear indication of its continued commitment towards the progress of businesses and especially the SME sector which is identified as a nationally significant sector. The Bank’s strategic approaches in the form of customised products, extended access points and tech- enabled conveniences are well-synced to deliver a positive banking experience to its clients. Having identified some major pain points of its varied client segments, the Bank continues to invest in product and service enhancements that add banking convenience and value to its clientele.

Note to editors: About the Asian Banker (TAB) Transaction Finance Awards

The Transaction Finance Awards, previously called The Transaction Banking Awards, evaluate financial institution’s achievements in cash management, payments, and trade finance. The awards take on an audit-based approach in the building of evaluation processes.

This year, despite the disruption caused by COVID-19, TAB received over 180 submissions from more than 50 banks and non-bank players in over 15 markets in the Asia Pacific region, vying for over 55 awards across Transaction Finance and Bankers Choice Awards. At this year’s awards, TAB has also redefined categories and opened the programme to financial technology (fintech) platforms to compete alongside traditional banks. This involves submissions in a comprehensive data sheet where the applicants submit quantitative figures, which are later collated and compared with peers in the industry. The winners for these awards are determined through a combination of surveys, interviews and field research by The Asian Banker’s research staff.

Two staff members representing the sales teams of Union Bank emerged winners in the Financial Services and Banking category at the SLIM NASCO Awards 2019 concluded early this week.

The Gold award for the ‘Best Territory Manager’ was won by Chamara Rozairo of Union Bank while the Gold Award for the ‘Best Front-liner’ was won by Sumedha Prasadika.

The awards affirm the Bank’s efforts in grooming young professionals with relevant exposure and on-the-job training that equip them with essential skills for career and personal development – as part of its commitment to become one of the most sought-after places to work.

Commenting on the award, Union Bank’s Vice President, Retail Banking Mrs. Chaya Jayawardane said “It is an immense honour and pleasure to witness our staff gaining recognition at a national-level platform dedicated for sales performance and excellence. This achievement is a reflection of the commitment and teamwork of the central sales teams of the Bank that go the extra mile to ensure that the Bank’s business objectives are met successfully while maintaining desirable standards of service delivery. It is also an excellent display of professionalism and hard work by these two individuals that have helped them rise above the rest amidst tight competition at a national-scale awards contest. I wish to congratulate Chamara and Sumedha for their achievements and wish them all the best in their careers”.

Vice President Human Resources, Mr. Ravi Jayasekera opined “We are delighted that our colleagues have been recognized for their performance and contribution. Winning a national level award affirms they have reached the pinnacle of their field. The Bank has made great progress thanks to the dedication and commitment of our staff. We remain committed to ensure they reach their highest potential.”

One of the most anticipated events in Sri Lanka’s annual corporate calendar, the National Sales Congress (NASCO), organised by Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM), is the only credible and respected award ceremony dedicated for sales professionals. This year’s theme ‘Excel. Engage. Ensure – Beyond all Limits’ reflected the call-to -action for sales professionals of tomorrow to be willing to stretch beyond the limits and achieve the unthinkable in a competitive, challenging marketplace. The awards were adjudged on the performance for the financial year starting from 1^st January 2018 /1^st April 2018 and ending 31^st December 2018 /31^st March 2019. The eminent judging panel consisted of seasoned corporate leaders that evaluated applications across 22 sectors, with each category having possible Gold, Silver and Bronze award winners for Front-liners, Sales Supervisors and Territory Managers. The coveted awards were handed over at a gala event held at the BMICH.

Union Bank Website www.unionb.com was awarded the Gold winner under the Finance Category at the dotCoMM Awards 2019 based in USA.

Thishani Dissanayake, Assistant Vice President Marketing stated “We are delighted to share our achievement, which further affirms the Bank’s efforts to enhance its digital presence and its commitment to digital transformation. The new and improved website was launched in January 2019 with the objective of enhancing the Bank’s digital impression which incorporates some of the latest technologies and features to increase digital presence and security while providing greater convenience to users. Further, the enhanced website enables us to stay ahead with changing digital trends. We appreciate the services of our digital service provider DigiBrush for the efforts in delivering a best in class website”.

Some of the key highlights of the website that delivers an elevated experience to its users include; Research-driven information architecture providing shortest steps to obtain information, Quick link dropdowns across the website enabling easily accessible important links based on google analytics, Mobile first design optimized for desktops considering the majority of users explore the internet through mobile, Social Media Integrations, Careers Page with the ability to upload CVs, Live, automated CSE widget for faster and more accurate information on stock price and an ATM/Branch Locator with filter options and google map directions. In addition the website also provides users with highest level of security when accessing the Bank’s online banking platform. The website development was partnered with Digibrush Private Limited an innovative and rapidly growing digital service provider with expertise in website development, digital media marketing and design solutions.

The dotCOMM Awards is an international competition, honoring excellence in web creativity and digital communication. The competition is unique as it reflects the role of creatives in the dynamic web that is transforming how we market and communicate products and services. dotCOMM Awards is administered and judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP), one of the largest, oldest and most respected evaluators of creative work in the marketing and communication industry. Since its inception in 1994, AMCP has judged over 200,000 entries from throughout the world. Two of AMCP’s competitions, MarCom Awards and Hermes Creative Awards, each attract about 6,000 entries each year.

Photo: Thishani Dissanayake, Assistant Vice President Marketing, Union Bank.

Union Bank was awarded ‘Best Cash Management Bank  –  Sri Lanka’ title at the recent Global Business Outlook Awards in recognition of its state-of-the-art cash management solution Union Bank Biz Direct.

The award affirms the continued success of Union Bank Biz Direct which has made great strides in providing Transaction Banking excellence to the corporate and SME clients of the Bank.

The revolutionary transaction banking proposition is a comprehensive solution that provides global access and usage for businesses; enabling local and cross-border trading at the click of a button. This is a user-friendly, customisable transaction banking solution designed to meet specific business banking requirements and giving businesses better control of their payment management.

Commenting on the award, Vice President Wholesale Banking at Union Bank Mrs. Hiranthi de Silva said, “We are honoured and pleased to be awarded as the Best Cash Management Bank, Sri Lanka by this international awarding body, which speaks volumes on the great strides made by Union Bank Biz Direct in such a short span after its introdcution to the market in 2016.  Union Bank BizDirect is designed with a good understanding of the specific business dynamics of the Bank’s enterprise-level clients and is customisable to meet industry-specific requirements.  This is a key highlight of Union Bank’s proposition which has earned it award winning market leadership in cash management amongst domestic banks. We hope to continue to build on this success and continue to offer an enhanced cash management experience to our clients in time to come.”

This technology is offered as an inexpensive solution which affords many benefits for businesses of all sizes and capacities, empowering the smaller players in the economy with the convenience and efficiencies of an automated cash management process – a luxury which was earlier limited to a few top corporates. Security is also a key differentiator.  Secure control is entrenched to the system while the security features for Biz Direct runs on TLS (Transaction Layer Security) which is the latest security standard in the industry, whereas most others are still running on SSL.

Moreover, Union Bank Biz Direct allows the design of specific business payment processes with the convenience of generating automated alerts that confirm transactions. It includes an integrated collections solution for streamlined collections and receivable reconciliation that provide significant value to corporates that have large daily collection volumes from multiple sources. Providing access to comprehensive MI reports and detailed corporate financial transaction history, UB Biz Direct promotes improved decision-making for managers while instigating process efficiencies.

This system enhances business performance by facilitating a wide range of easy, one-click business transactions including domestic and cross-border transfers supported with single currency, multi-currency and foreign exchange solutions, comprehensive cash flow management, Host2Host payments and real-time reporting. In terms of security, Biz Direct offers a superior facility being the only bank to offer a state-of-the-art authentication module which supports hard/soft tokens as well as SMS and emails.

Union Bank Biz Direct enables companies to avoid common inefficiencies and risks in the payment process through automation. The single authorization feature eases cumbersome cheque signing processes for signatories. In addition to cheques, the system processes other printed instruments such as dividends, debentures and pay orders; thus clearing up managers’ time for much needed strategic thinking and decision making. With the use of UB Biz Direct’s fund transfer options, businesses can reduce processing costs and improve workflow efficiencies.

Union Bank is committed to deliver an unmatched banking experience across all customer segments it serves. The Bank’s strategic approaches in the form of customised products, extended access points and tech- enabled conveniences are well-synced to deliver a positive banking experience to its clients.  Having identified some major pain points of its varied client segments, the Bank continues invest in product and service enhancements that  add banking convenience and significant value to its clientele. Having being named Best Cash Managemnt Bank at the Global Outlook Awards 2019,  is a reaffirmation of the success of Union Bank’s commitment in delivering state of the art banking solutions that efficiently serve the emerging banking needs of its diverse clientele.

About Global Business Outlook Awards

The Global Business Outlook awards aim to recognise and reward excellence in business to companies all over the globe, both in the public and private sector. Its goal is to make sure that innovation, creativity and the drive to create value gets its due recognition. The awards scheme prides itself on an efficient, fair and prompt judiciary process and all award winners are entitled to their winnings for a period of 12 months of assesment. The UK-based publication is dedicated to covering vital industry sectors with a goal to be a leading information provider on critical events and developments in the world of business.

Union Bank was recognised for its seamless back-end operations at the LankaPay Technnovation Awards 2018 held recently at Shangri-La Hotel Colombo. The award is yet another testament to the bank’s ongoing commitment to technological enhancements for speedy and fast delivery of services to customers and end users. The award was bestowed based on the bank’s exceptional capabilities in, timely delivery, connectivity uptime, business focus, processes and mechanisms related to the product lines.

Commenting on this outstanding achievement, Vice President – Retail Banking of Union Bank, Mrs. Chaya Jayawardena said “We are delighted to be awarded this title. This pays off all the hard work put in by the employees in ensuring the back end operations takes place seamlessly in ensuring the end user is delighted. Digital banking means more than just going paperless. As one of the fastest growing commercial banks in the country, we always believe in offering improved customer experience and delivering faster and more efficient services.”

ATMs have been an important touch point between banks and their customers, providing convenience of 24/7 self-service transactions. As a part of its growth strategy, Union Bank has made significant investments to agile through developing technologies offering customer convenience and ease-of-transaction for its growing base of clients. Powered by a common ATM switch by LankaClear increasing the efficiency of payment management such as CEFTS and SLIPS, focused expansion of its remote ATM network, rolling out of an enhanced digital banking platform, educating the remote communities through collaborated road shows and customization of cash management services are some of such major steps taken by Union Bank to improve its product and service delivery across all customer segments

Union Bank secured two main awards at the National Sales Congress Awards (NASCO) organised by the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM). NASCO 2018 is its premier event dedicated to recognise the efforts and performance of sales personnel. It is also the only national event to distinguish and reward Sri Lanka’s sales forces who are attached to various organisations. This year, over 750 entries have been registered for the categories from frontline staff, Executives and Territory Managers representing 116 companies across 22 industries 42 of them are first time participants. This shows the competitiveness of the awards.

Out of more than 50 entries from the Banking Category Mr. Chamara Rozairo and Ms. M.A Sumedha Prasadika of Union Bank won the Silver award in the Sales Executive category and the Bronze award in Front Liner Category respectively.

Commenting on the achievement, Mrs. Chaya Jayawardena – Vice President Retail Banking stated “We are proud of this achievement that demonstrates the outstanding performance of our young sales team who has won this recognition at the only national event for Sales Professionals. These achievements require commitment, dedication and hard work. We are proud to have a team of such achievers who made their mark at Union Bank”.