Russel de Mel new CEO

The Chairman and the Board of Directors of the National Development Bank Plc (NDB Bank) appointed Russell de Mel as the Additional Chief Executive Officer of NDB Bank with immediate effect and as Chief Executive Officer of NDB Bank with effect from March 26 subject to the approval of the Central Bank, succeeding Eran Wickramaratne, who has resigned.

The leadership transition of the Bank has been thought through well in advance.

Since mid last year the Bank together with an international leadership advisory firm was involved in the leadership development and succession planning through an intense exercise taking input from internal and external stakeholders on the long-term strategy and aspirations of the Bank, and translating that into leadership requirements.

The NDB Bank Board took active interest in the process, at all stages.

Eran Wickramaratne joined NDB in April 1999 and has been closely associated with the transformation of the Bank from its project finance roots to building a commercial and retail business.

He became the CEO of the commercial banking business of NDB in 2001, and became the CEO of NDB Bank on 1st April 2008.

During this period and under his leadership the bank has continued to expand and strengthen itself as one of the strongest banks in the country, while transforming itself into a Universal Bank.

Wickramaratne joined NDB Bank from Citibank, where he was Vice President and Corporate Bank Head. In addition to his private sector experience he was the Founder Chairman of the Information Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) and was a pioneer of the e-Sri Lanka programme.

De Mel is an Associate member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, UK and has served NDB Bank for nearly 30 years, largely in the field of Corporate Banking.

Presently he serves the Bank as Vice President Head of the Corporate Banking Group.

Previously De Mel functioned as the Vice President Head of Group Risk Management of the NDB Bank.