COMMERCIAL BANK OF CEYLON
Q: How does your brand balance a century of heritage with rapid digital disruption while signalling future ready relevance?
A: At Commercial Bank, we do not view institutional heritage and digital evolution as opposing forces; rather, we harness them as a synchronised dual engine. A brand cannot command relevance if it lacks foundational stability; nor can it safeguard that stability if it succumbs to digital stagnation.
Grounded in our core values of integrity and trust, our brand is built on proven scale, financial strength and an unyielding commitment to governance. More than a century of heritage and key financial milestones provide market tested proof of our stability.
As a higher tier D-SIB, our scale signals to depositors, corporate partners and international markets that our foundation of trust, prudence and risk governance remains unwavering across economic cycles. However, a heritage brand cannot rely on history alone; it must build the future by supporting the growth and evolution of Sri Lanka’s financial ecosystem.
Our commitment to digital transformation was reaffirmed at the LankaPay Technnovation Awards 2026 where the bank secured the Overall Gold Award for Excellence in Digital Payments alongside five other major accolades. This leadership was further recognised at the FinanceAsia Awards 2026 where we were named Best Bank for Use of Technology in Sri Lanka and received other prestigious international honours.
Ultimately, our strategy ensures that technology strengthens trust, drives economic value and expands access. By combining our strong physical branch network with digital capabilities, and environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) practices, Commercial Bank offers a dependable foundation of security while supporting customers’ future ambitions.
Q: In today’s increasingly transparent and connected world, what does it take for an organisation to earn and sustain respect?
A: Sustaining respect in a hyper connected environment demands consistency between an organisation’s values and its execution – simply put, walking the talk.
Respect is earned when performance is backed by unquestionable integrity, transparency and meaningful value creation. This aligns with our core value of fairness and our commitment to doing the right thing by all stakeholders.
For Commercial Bank, respect is rooted in being a trusted partner, demonstrated through disciplined management and dependable service. This means engaging with our customers, continuously refining the banking experience, and making every interaction seamless and intuitive.
From smart AI solutions for local businesses to rural financial inclusion through ComBank Shakthi agency banking, we earn lasting trust by delivering on our promises and supporting our communities.
Q: How important are ethical leadership and strong governance in maintaining long-term corporate credibility, particularly in today’s business environment?
A: Ethical leadership and rigorous governance are the bedrocks of corporate credibility, and should be integral parts of organisational culture.
In banking, trust is our primary currency; without robust risk governance and ethical stewardship, financial capital alone cannot secure long-term success. Guided by our core value of accountability, we take responsibility for our actions towards all stakeholders. Meanwhile, our governance framework ensures that strategic growth never compromises risk discipline.
Operating under the directions of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and international frameworks, Commercial Bank maintains comprehensive board oversight across all business verticals including its ESG framework.
We deepened this commitment by establishing a dedicated board sustainability committee and adopting Sri Lanka Financial Reporting Standards (SLFRS) S1 and S2 on sustainability related financial disclosures. And we also report climate and environmental governance alongside financial results, strengthening transparency and stakeholder confidence.
Q: Consumer trust is becoming one of the most valuable business assets. How does your organisation build lasting trust with customers beyond the products and services it offers?
A: We build lasting trust by transforming routine transactions into intelligent, empathetic financial partnerships.
Trust is built when customers feel valued, understood and protected. Although we reinforce digital trust by maintaining a 99.98 percent platform availability rate and operating a 24/7 managed security operations centre, digital protection is only the baseline.
At Commercial Bank, generational trust is built on stability, ethical stewardship and a commitment to transparency, supported by the highest standards of corporate governance and reporting disclosures.
This commitment has earned both local and international recognition including Gold awards for Corporate Governance and Annual Reporting at the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka) TAGS Awards, top honours at the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Sustainability Reporting Awards and benchmark accolades for integrated disclosure.
By ensuring our governance is globally validated, we demonstrate that stakeholder trust rests on an unshakeable foundation.
Q: Looking ahead, what do you believe will define the next generation of Sri Lanka’s most respected organisations?
A: The next generation of respected organisations will combine technological agility with ethics, transparency and human empathy. Digital capabilities and scale will be baseline expectations, and true distinction will belong to institutions that build a sustainable, inclusive and transparent future.
Future leaders will embed double materiality into their core strategy, evaluating success not only by bottom line growth but their contribution to national decarbonisation, digital equity and economic empowerment.
At Commercial Bank, our responsible citizenship commitment includes expanding our green finance portfolio to Rs. 100 billion by 2030 from 71.2 billion rupees in 2025. Paired with our upcoming OneApp unified digital ecosystem, this exemplifies our ambition to provide financial security while supporting progress for customers and the nation.
