Janakan Selvaratnam joins Serendib Hotels Board as an Independent Director, bringing more than three decades of banking, corporate governance and risk management experience to the listed hospitality company.
Janakan Selvaratnam joins Serendib Hotels Board as Independent Director
Serendib Hotels PLC announced the appointment of veteran banker Janakan Selvaratnam to its Board, strengthening its leadership with an executive who has held senior positions in commercial banking, corporate finance and governance.
Selvaratnam is widely recognised for his long career at Citibank N.A., Sri Lanka, where he served for 25 years. During his tenure, he held the position of Vice President and Head of the Local Corporate Bank & Public Sector, overseeing client portfolios across the corporate, multinational, non-banking financial institution and public sector segments.
His responsibilities extended beyond relationship management to include strategic business planning, corporate governance, compliance, and credit and risk management. He was also a member of Citibank Sri Lanka’s Management Committee and Credit Committee, contributing to key business and governance decisions within the organisation.
The appointment of Janakan Selvaratnam joins Serendib Hotels Board reflects the company’s focus on strengthening board-level expertise as Sri Lanka’s hospitality sector continues its recovery amid growing tourism activity and investment.
Throughout his banking career, Selvaratnam worked extensively with risk management professionals, legal teams, product specialists and regulatory authorities, both within Sri Lanka and internationally. His experience spans credit evaluation, regulatory compliance and strategic advisory services across multiple financial sectors.
Academically, Selvaratnam holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration from the University of Wales (Prifysgol Cymru) and a Diploma in Banking from the Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka. In recent years, he has remained actively involved in business development and consultancy assignments across the banking, finance, insurance brokerage and corporate sectors.
He currently serves as a consultant to the Board Credit Committee of Sampath Bank PLC, where he advises on corporate and commercial banking credit risk evaluation, approval processes, strategic planning and credit portfolio quality.
In addition to his advisory responsibilities, Selvaratnam is a Non-Executive Director of Siyapatha Finance PLC. He also chairs the company’s Board Credit Committee and serves on several board committees, including the Board Integrated Risk Management Committee (BIRMC), Corporate Governance Committee, and Related Party Transactions Review Committee.
His governance experience extends into Sri Lanka’s hospitality industry as well. He currently serves as an Independent Director of Eden Hotel Lanka PLC and Palm Garden Hotels PLC, providing strategic oversight and governance support to both listed hotel companies.
Selvaratnam began his professional career at Citibank N.A., Sri Lanka in 1990, progressing through several leadership roles including Head of Sales and Marketing for Commercial Banking before assuming responsibility for the Local Corporate Bank and Public Sector business until his retirement from Citibank in 2015.
Following his banking career, he served as Consultant on Risk Management to the Board of Richard Pieris Finance PLC and later as a consultant to Foresight Insurance Brokers Ltd., further broadening his expertise in financial services, governance and risk advisory.
The appointment of Janakan Selvaratnam joins Serendib Hotels Board adds significant banking and governance experience to Serendib Hotels PLC at a time when the hospitality sector continues to focus on operational resilience, financial discipline and long-term growth. His extensive background in corporate banking, credit risk management and board governance is expected to support the company’s strategic objectives as it navigates evolving market opportunities.