Hexagon House reflects HSBC's confidence in Lanka

by Channa Kasturisinghe

HSBC, one of the world's largest banking and financial organisations opened its Group Service Centre at Rajagiriya yesterday further demonstrating its strong presence in Sri Lanka.

Hexagon House, an investment of US$ 31 million by HSBC reflected the increasing confidence in Sri Lanka as an investment destination, said Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, the chief guest on this occasion.

The Minister while inviting the HSBC Group for further investments to promote the banking sector in Sri Lanka said that the Government's policy would be to provide maximum institutional support to facilitate such investments.

Chairman of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation in Asia Pacific Vincent Cheng said the Group selects best locations for setting up its processing centers.

"We opened our first Global Service Centre in China in 1996 and today it has grown to 11 centres staffed by more than 19,000 people in five countries.

We look for places with modern telecommunications infrastructure and consider the language and computer skills of the local labour force. Work ethic is another key, consideration. Sri Lanka met our criteria on all of these counts," Cheng said.

Cheng said HSBC's group service centres handle hundreds of different processes which originate from close to 20 different countries. "We have the ability to work across borders to optimise cost savings and offer competitive services. Technology has allowed us to carry out certain activities such as data and transaction processing anywhere the appropriate skills exist," Cheng said.

The state-of-the-art Hexagon House can accommodate 3,000 employees enabling HSBC to increase employment opportunities for local youth. The ergonomically designed building provides relaxing and comfortable working conditions with its learning center, internet cafe, and recreational facilities. HSBC is also planning to open a day and night banking service in the new premises.

Speaking on the occasion the new Chairman of the Board of Investment (BoI) Prof. Lakshman R. Watawala said that HSBC's latest investment would not only benefit the bank but the country as a whole.