Awards and Accolades 2013
The Group’s winning streak for 2013 began in March with NDB Investment Bank Ltd. (NDBIB) being adjudged as ‘Best Investment Bank in Sri Lanka 2013’ by Global Banking and Finance Review, a leading online magazine providing informative and independent news within the global financial community. In addition to this feat, NDBIB received two more coveted accolades, namely, Most Innovative Investment Bank in Sri Lanka 2013 and Most Innovative Asset Backed Securitization in Sri Lanka 2013, bearing ample testimony for its continuous quest for excellence and innovation within the investment banking sphere in the country.
In June 2013, the International Financial Magazine (IFM) of UK, recognized the Bank as the ‘Best Commercial Bank’ in its financial recognition awards for Sri Lanka. IFM is a leading online magazine based in London providing information, analysis and insights for the global finance community. IFM’s Financial Awards makes a synergetic effort to shine the spotlight on organizations in niche segments and those exhibiting brilliance in the unsung corners of the finance industry. The recipients of the awards have to qualify on stringent parameters which not only includes their size and performance but also their contributions to the society through CSR initiatives. Therefore with this award, IFM recognized the Bank for the great strides it has made in emerging as a competitive commercial bank in the industry while displaying exemplary corporate citizenship through sustainable business practices; resulting in substantial positive impacts on the economy, community and the environment in which it operates. Meanwhile, NDBIB was also adjudged as ‘Best Investment Bank in Sri Lanka 2013’ by IFM. The award bears testimony to the market leadership position enjoyed by NDBIB and its quest for excellence.
The Bank was adjudged ‘Domestic Retail Bank of the Year - Sri Lanka’ and ‘SME Bank of the Year - Sri Lanka’ at the Asian Banking and Finance Awards 2013 held in July. Running in its seventh consecutive year, the Asian Banking and Finance Awards have established integrity and recognition in the region over time. This year’s awards recognized the Bank along with numerous international banks for their performance, based on criteria such as innovation, effectiveness and dynamism; and nominations sent by top Asian banks were judged by senior officials from PwC, KPMG, Deloitte Consulting, Ernst &Young Advisory LLP and Accenture.
The NDB brand was ranked at the 18th position in Brand Finance’s latest valuation of Sri Lanka’s leading brands for 2013. The Bank’s ranking climbed up one position from last year’s ranking while securing an ‘A’ rating, the Bank’s ranking was published along with other top performing brands in Sri Lanka in the ‘Brands Annual’ special annual edition by Media Services and Brand Finance in recognition of the 100 most prestigious brands in the country.
Also in July, NDBIB continued its winning streak by coveting the prestigious title, ‘Best Investment Bank in Sri Lanka’ for the second consecutive year, at the Awards for Excellence 2013 by Euromoney, the world’s premier financial markets magazine. Having made history in 2012 as the first investment bank in the country to have received an international accolade, NDBIB’s dominance in the Sri Lankan investment banking sphere was further established with the receipt of this award for the second consecutive year. The Company’s success and its leadership position in the capital markets were amply demonstrated with its dominance in both debt and equity fund raising transactions throughout the year where NDBIB raised a total of approximately LKR 20 bn for its clients. The award speaks volumes for the high level of excellence demonstrated by the Company and the benchmark it has set for its peers.
The UK-based World Finance magazine rated NDB Group as the ‘Best Banking Group in Sri Lanka’ in October 2013. World Finance is a highly acclaimed international business journal that is renowned globally for its accuracy, credibility and wide readership. The prestigious accolade recognized the Bank’s commitment to continued excellence and the Group’s overall financial performance. The award justly compliments the success that the NDB Group enjoys with robust profitability, a sound capital base and the best in industry NPL levels. World Finance magazine also recognized NDBIB as the ‘Best Investment Bank in Sri Lanka’ in its award for 2013, further reiterating the leadership position of NDBIB in the investment banking sphere in Sri Lanka.
The month of November saw the Bank having been accorded eighth place in the Business Today ‘Top 25’ ranking of Sri Lanka’s Best Performing Public Listed Corporate Entities in 2012-2013. Since its inception, the Business Today Top 25 has been an annually held event to recognize top corporate performers in Sri Lanka that have strengthened the country’s economy. Financial criteria considered for the ranking include share turnover, revenue, profit after tax, growth in sales turnover, growth in profit, return on equity, growth in earnings per share, market capitalization, value of shares transacted and value addition. Sri Lanka’s fastest growing banking conglomerate climbed up 10 positions from its previous year’s ranking, signalling a significant progress in the Bank’s performance during the previous financial year.
Also in November 2013, the Bank gained significant acclaim for its commitment towards corporate sustainability at the ‘Best Corporate Citizens (BCC) Sustainability Awards 2013’ hosted by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. The Bank was recognized as one of the ‘Top Ten Best Corporate Citizens’ for 2013 for the second consecutive year; along with leading multinationals and several other blue-chip corporates in the country. The Bank also received a category award for ‘Best Performance in Community Relations’ in recognition of the Bank’s engagement with the society and the positive contribution made to the community. Hosted by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, the BCC Sustainability Awards is the main CSR and Sustainability event of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce that recognizes the outstanding work carried out by the corporate entities in the country. The awards strive to raise awareness on the importance of corporate social responsibility and strategic corporate sustainability within the business community while promoting and encouraging these practices amongst the corporate sector. The BCC Sustainability Awards 2013 yet again positively acknowledged the Bank’s display of exemplary corporate citizenship while appraising the Bank’s triple bottom line performance which takes into account the social, ecological and economic performance.
The Bank concluded year 2013 in grand style by gaining significant recognition at the 2013 National Business Excellence Awards held in December by the National Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka (NCCSL). The Bank emerged as a ‘Runner-up for Excellence in the Banking and Finance Sector’ while winning the ‘Award for Excellence in Corporate Governance’. The National Business Excellence Awards is an annual award competition conducted by the NCCSL with a view to recognizing business enterprises which have demonstrated excellence in business, whilst contributing to the economic progress of the country.
