SDB Bank appoints industry veteran Aruna Jayasekera as Chief Human Resources Officer

SDB Bank announced the appointment of Aruna Jayasekera as its new Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), marking a significant step in the bank’s ongoing transformation and people-strategy agenda. With this leadership change, SDB Bank aims to reinforce its commitment to building an empowered, high-performing workforce and strengthening its Employee Value Proposition.

Aruna Jayasekera brings with him rich multi-sector human-resources experience spanning banking, telecommunications, manufacturing, legal and agriculture — with senior HR leadership roles at prominent organisations such as CIC Holdings PLC, Sampath Bank, and Sri Lanka Telecom. His diverse background — both local and international — along with strong credentials (holding an LLB and being a Fellow Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management, plus certifications as Executive and Wellness Coach) position him well to lead the bank’s human-capital transformation.

In his new role, Aruna will oversee a strategic HR roadmap intended to enhance organisational culture, boost employee engagement, and build a future-ready leadership pipeline. His responsibilities will include driving HR and industrial-relations strategy, designing compensation and reward systems, and shaping performance-management and recognition frameworks — all aimed at strengthening SDB Bank’s people-first growth trajectory.

According to SDB Bank’s leadership, this appointment underscores a renewed focus on human capital as a key competitive differentiator. With growing pressures in the banking sector, the bank expects that under Aruna’s guidance, it will attract, retain and nurture talent capable of driving growth, innovation, and operational excellence. The move also reflects evolving industry norms where HR is increasingly viewed as a strategic driver — not just a support function.