The event brought together a distinguished audience of exporters, business leaders, and key stakeholders to exchange insights and explore pathways to drive the country’s export growth.
The forum, part of NDB’s ongoing series of regional engagements, was designed to support SMEs and established exporters with financial solutions, advisory services, and practical knowledge to expand their reach into global markets.
The event also underscored NDB’s role as a trusted financial partner for exporters in navigating challenges and seizing emerging opportunities.
Delivering the keynote presentation, Mr. Indika Ranaweera, Vice President – SME, Middle Markets and Business Banking at NDB, highlighted Sri Lanka’s recent export performance and the critical role SMEs play in this journey.
He noted that while Sri Lanka recorded a 15.37% year-on-year growth in merchandise exports in July 2025, the contribution from local SMEs to national exports remains relatively low at just 5%, compared to much higher levels in regional peers such as India and Pakistan.
He stressed the importance of enabling greater SME participation in exports by addressing barriers such as limited access to finance, low investment in R&D, and capacity-building gaps.
Adding valuable perspectives, Mr. Chamara Jayalath, Director at the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), spoke on national initiatives to enhance exporter competitiveness, including policies to expand market access, streamline export processes, and build SME capabilities.
His address provided participants with a comprehensive view of the institutional support available to help exporters align with global trade demands.
The event also featured a panel discussion led by NDB’s Mr. Indika Ranaweera Mr. Surith Priyawansa, Assistant Vice President – Treasury, together with Mr. Nilendra Vithanage, Chief Manager and Zonal Head – Business Banking.
The panel offered actionable insights into financial instruments and risk-mitigation tools that are essential for exporters navigating volatile international markets.
The forum concluded with an engaging discussion where exporters had the opportunity to share experiences, raise questions, and connect directly with NDB’s leadership and the EDB representative, ensuring practical solutions were explored for real-world challenges.
Through initiatives such as the Exporter Forum, NDB Bank continues to strengthen Sri Lanka’s export ecosystem by providing tailored financial solutions, advisory services, and a trusted platform for knowledge exchange.
As the nation advances along its export-led growth trajectory, NDB remains committed to being a catalyst for opportunity, competitiveness, and long-term success for Sri Lankan businesses.
NDB Bank is the fourth-largest listed commercial bank in Sri Lanka. NDB was named Sri Lanka's Best Digital Bank for SMEs at Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2025 and was awarded Domestic Retail Bank of the Year - Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka Domestic Project Finance Bank of the Year by Asian Banking and Finance Magazine (Singapore) Awards 2024.
NDB is the parent company of the NDB Group, comprising capital market subsidiary companies, together forming a unique banking and capital market services group.
The Bank is committed to empowering the nation and its people through meaningful financial and advisory services powered by digital banking solutions.