Sampath Bank Business Circle Brings Northern SMEs Together to Drive Their Next Business Move

Sampath Bank PLC recently brought together SME entrepreneurs, business leaders, strategic partners and members of its management team at The Thinnai Hotel, Jaffna, for its fifth SME Business Circle in the Northern Region, creating a platform for discussions centred on growth, resilience and long-term business success.

The gathering formed part of the Bank’s continued commitment to strengthening Sri Lanka’s SME sector through knowledge sharing, customer engagement, and access to innovative banking solutions, inspiring businesses to make their next business move with confidence. The event provided a platform for direct dialogue between SME customers and the Bank’s leadership, enabling discussions around evolving business needs, emerging opportunities and strategies that can help enterprises navigate an evolving economic landscape.

Addressing the gathering, Asanka Liyanage, Deputy General Manager – Consumer & SME Banking, Sampath Bank PLC highlighted the important role SMEs play in national economic development and reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment to empowering entrepreneurs through innovative financial solutions, advisory services and digital capabilities. He also noted that Sampath Bank is the first Sri Lankan bank to implement a comprehensive end-to-end AI capability designed specifically to enhance SME banking services and customer experience.

A key highlight of the event was a session conducted by Aeshan Buddhakorala, Manager – Environmental & Social Impact at Sampath Bank PLC, who explored the importance of integrating sustainability into business operations. The session covered practical approaches to measuring resource consumption, managing operational impacts and adopting sustainable practices that can strengthen competitiveness, improve market readiness and support long-term growth. The discussion also highlighted climate-related business risks, evolving sustainability expectations and the growing importance of sustainable financing solutions, advisory support and capacity-building initiatives for businesses.

Sanjaya Ariyawansa, Senior Economist from the Strategic Planning Department provided participants with insights into current economic conditions, market developments, challenges facing businesses and emerging opportunities that SMEs can leverage to strengthen future growth and competitiveness.

The event also featured demonstrations and networking opportunities with Sampath Bank’s strategic partners, including SULECO (Pvt) Ltd., Markspen Holdings (Pvt) Ltd. and Link Agro (Pvt) Ltd. The showcase introduced SMEs to innovative solutions across areas such as automation, industrial technology, geospatial services, drone applications and sustainable agricultural practices, highlighting opportunities to improve productivity, efficiency and business performance.

The SME Business Gathering reaffirmed Sampath Bank’s role as a trusted banking partner for Sri Lankan entrepreneurs, providing knowledge, partnerships, innovative solutions and strategic support that contribute towards sustainable business growth and national economic progress.

Photo Caption:

From top left: Asanka Liyanage, Deputy General Manager – Consumer & SME Banking, Sampath Bank; Aeshan Buddhakorala, Manager – Environmental & Social Impact, Sampath Bank. From bottom left: Ranga Pathirana, Senior Manager – SME Banking Strategy Implementation, Sampath Bank; Sanjaya Ariyawansa, Senior Economist from the Strategic Planning Department.