HNB Deputy General Manager Retail & SME Banking Sanjay Wijemanne exchanging MOU with Daraz Managing Director Rakhil Fernando in the presence of (from left) HNB Undergraduate Trainee Nelomi Neranjana, HNB Head of SME Products & Partnerships Niluka. T. Amarasinghe, HNB Assistant General Manager SME Kailavasan Indravasan, Daraz Deputy Chief Commercial Officer Gerald Sathiyasiva, Daraz Head of Seller Marketplace Saed Meera and Daraz Head of Payments and Partnerships Dulika Jayamanne
Strengthening the digital presence of Sri Lankan businesses, private sector bank HNB PLC partnered with South Asia’s leading e-commerce platform Daraz to on-board the bank’s extensive network of SMEs.
The collaboration enables HNB SME customers to gain access to a wide range of services and facilities to establish an online presence. HNB Deputy General Manager – Retail & SME Banking Sanjay Wijemanne and Kaymu Lanka (Pvt) Ltd Managing Director Rakhil Fernando were present at a special ceremony held to sign the MoU.
“Given the present economic conditions, the possibility of opening physical stores is drastically slim but thanks to technology, businesses now have a lifeline online. As the bank with the largest SME portfolio, we believe it is our duty to provide our customers access to new opportunities and set their growth trajectory. Our partnership with Daraz will open up new avenues and marketplaces regionally for our customer and we hope many will make use of this unique opportunity to strengthen their online presence,” HNB Assistant General Manager – SME Kailaivasan Indravasan said.
Customers who have established new businesses have unlimited access to educational material provided by Daraz University. Moreover, the commission for the first three months would be waived off for HNB customers.
“We are excited for this partnership with HNB that offers the bank’s wide ranging SME client base the opportunity to strengthen their e-commerce capabilities. E-commerce has the potential to drive inclusive growth and level the playing field for all types and sizes of businesses. It also provides a cost-effective gateway for SMEs to explore new markets. Given the wide reach, large active buyer base and the powerful platform technology of Daraz, this partnership will enable small businesses to reach millions of customers island-wide, while taking advantage of our technical support for marketing and logistics.” Stated Rakhil Fernando Managing Director of Daraz.
SMEs on-boarded to the Daraz platform under this partnership will be offered packaging free-of-charge for their first order, along with photo-shoots, warehouse shelf space, as well as pick-up and drop-off services. Additionally, the funds for all transactions will be channeled to vendors within 14 days enabling better cash management cycles.
