Dr. Prasad Samarasinghe to chair HNB FINANCE PLC

HNB FINANCE PLC has announced the appointment of Dr. Prasad Samarasinghe as Chairman with effect from 28 August 2026, succeeding Mr. Rajive Dissanayake, who will retire on the same date following nine years of distinguished service.

Dr. Prasad Samarasinghe brings nearly three decades of senior-level experience spanning information technology, telecommunications engineering, cybersecurity, digital infrastructure, enterprise systems, corporate governance, risk management and regulatory oversight.

He has held senior executive and board-level positions across the banking, telecommunications, technology and corporate sectors.

He holds the globally recognised Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) certifications, together with the CPA qualification from CPA Australia.

He is also a Distinguished Member of CPA Australia, with his professional qualifications and experience spanning cybersecurity, technology risk, financial management, governance and strategic decision-making.

Dr. Samarasinghe holds a Ph.D. in Telecommunications from The Australian National University, Canberra, a Master of Engineering (MEng), and a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering with First Class Honours from the University of Moratuwa.

He joined the Board of HNB FINANCE in February 2024 as a Nominee Director of Hatton National Bank PLC and His board responsibilities have included oversight of technology, procurement, audit, integrated risk management, related-party transactions, strategy and investments, and credit.

He has served on the Board of Hatton National Bank PLC since July 2019 and is also a Director of Hayleys Fibre PLC and Chemanex PLC.

He has also held significant public sector and regulatory positions, including serving as a Member of the Insurance Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka.

His appointment brings to the Chairmanship of HNB FINANCE a broad combination of financial, technological, governance and regulatory expertise at a time when digital transformation, cybersecurity, risk management and regulatory compliance are increasingly shaping the future of the financial services industry.

Photo caption - Dr. Prasad Samarasinghe.