MTI Forum today

MTI Consulting's banking and financial services forum, themed "Re-strategizing: financial services in Sri Lanka", focuses on identifying key challenges faced by banks and finance companies in Sri Lanka and the avenues to be addressed in overcoming these challenges from a strategic business perspective. The event will be held today, at the Taj Samudra Colombo from 5.30 pm to 8.00 pm.

The Forum will feature a core presentation by MTI CEO Hilmy Cader, followed by a panel discussion. The discussion will be driven by eminent corporate personalities in the Sri Lankan business field - namely the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Deputy Governor Dharma Dheerasinghe, Hatton National Bank MD and CEO Rajendra Theagarajah, LOLC Group CEO Kapila Jayawardena and Dialog Axiata Group CEO Dr Hans Wijayasuriya. The discussion will be moderated by MTI Corporate Finance Associate Mano Tittawella.

Following the end of a 30 year war, Sri Lanka is high on optimism and intent as it gears itself to meet the economic development initiatives taken by the Government. To facilitate these growth plans, the role of the financial services industry needs to change - acting as a catalyst in converting the optimism and intent within the current economy into 'reality'.

However, the sector needs to stay focused on the bottom line, developing strategy to compete on cost effective methods of generating sustainable demand for their services, as opposed to the pent-up demand that has developed post end of the war.

The MTI Banking and Financial Services Forum will take an outside-in look at the entire industry, drawing from the cross border and cross industry learnings gathered from MTI's global consulting experience.

The aim of the Forum is to challenge the conventional methods of banking which are prevalent in the industry, highlighting the changes required in areas such as service quality, work ethics and brand architecture of the products and services offered by the financial institutions. The presentation and discussion will also touch on the opportunities available in areas of mobile banking, focused R&D and CRM practices within the financial services sector.

Commenting on the objectives of the Forum, MTI's CEO Hilmy Cader said that "Corporates in the financial services industry must gear themselves with innovative strategies, to meet the demands of the growing economy.

"With the upturn that is expected in the next few years, this will be crucial to their survival", he said.