The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has launched its first exclusive Women’s Banking Centre, managed by a dedicated team of female staff to serve female customers, reinforcing the Bank’s commitment to meeting the unique needs of women.
The centre named ‘Anagi Women’s Banking Centre’ was recently opened at the Jaffna branch, located at No 474, Hospital Road, Jaffna.
Designed specifically to cater to the needs of female customers, the Anagi Women’s Banking Centre features special amenities including a lactation room, children’s play area, dedicated pawning unit, counselling unit, cafeteria and provides the full range of financial products and services offered at any Commercial Bank branch.
Through this initiative, the Bank reaffirms its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as its dedication to promote gender equality and empower women, the Bank said. The exclusive ‘Anagi Women’s Banking Centre’ aims to go beyond traditional banking by creating a unique environment specifically tailored to the needs, preferences, and challenges faced by women, while offering a comprehensive range of banking services.
In recent years, Sri Lankan women have made significant progress in entrepreneurship, education, and participation in the workforce. Yet, many continue to face systemic barriers in accessing financial services. The ‘Anagi Women’s Banking Centre’ is designed to address these challenges by providing a safe, supportive, and welcoming space for women to take control of their financial wellbeing, the Bank said.
The inauguration of the ‘Anagi Women’s Banking Centre’ was attended by Commercial Bank’s Deputy General Manager – Human Resource Management Mr Isuru Tillakawardana, along with members of the Bank’s senior and corporate management, underscoring the strategic significance of this milestone initiative.
The Anagi brand name was first introduced by Commercial Bank with the launch of a Women’s Savings Account in 2012, aimed at empowering Sri Lankan women to build financial stability. The Anagi account stands out by offering exclusive benefits such as higher interest rates compared to regular savings accounts, a branded Anagi debit and credit card with access to special offers, Anagi personal loans, Anagi pawning and Anagi business loans for Women Small and Medium Entrepreneurs (WSMEs), among other benefits.
Commercial Bank is the first Sri Lankan bank to be listed among the Top 1000 Banks of the World and has the highest market capitalisation in the Banking Sector in the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE). The Bank is the largest private sector lender, the largest lender to the SME sector, is a leader in digital innovation and is Sri Lanka’s first 100% carbon-neutral bank.
Commercial Bank operates a strategically located network of branches and automated machines island-wide, and has the widest international footprint among Sri Lankan banks, with 20 outlets in Bangladesh, a fully-fledged Tier I Bank with a majority stake in the Maldives, and a Microfinance company in Myanmar. The Bank recently opened a representative office within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) with approval from the Dubai Financial Services Authority, becoming the first Sri Lankan Bank to achieve this milestone, and taking a significant step towards expanding its global footprint. The Bank’s fully-owned subsidiary CBC Finance Ltd., also delivers a range of financial services via its own branch network.
Photo caption:
Commercial Bank’s Deputy General Manager – Human Resource Management Mr Isuru Tillakawardana, Deputy General Manager – International Ms Tamara Bernard, Deputy General Manager – Personal Banking Mr S. Ganeshan, Assistant General Manager – Compliance Ms Chandani Siyambalagastenne and Head of Human Resource Management Mrs Pushpa Chandrasiri at the opening of the Anagi Women’s Banking Centre.
