Gold medal-winning athlete becomes the face of ComBank Digital
The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has appointed internationally acclaimed track athlete Tharushi Karunarathna as a Brand Ambassador.
Tharushi, a gold medal-winning star who has quickly become a celebrity in Sri Lanka, will represent the ComBank Digital App, the nation’s most popular and convenient digital banking solution. The Bank said Tharushi Karunarathna personifies resilience, dedication and an unyielding commitment to growth, that perfectly align with Commercial Bank’s identity as Sri Lanka’s most awarded financial institution.
Commenting on her partnership with Commercial Bank, Tharushi Karunarathna said: “I am excited to join hands with Commercial Bank, a trusted leader in Sri Lanka’s financial industry. Just as I push my limits on the track, Commercial Bank is driven by a commitment to excellence and innovation. I am privileged to represent a brand that shares my passion for performance and continuous growth.”
This appointment builds on the Bank’s successful onboarding last year of Matheesha Pathirana, the renowned Sri Lankan fast bowler, as a Brand Ambassador. That collaboration has helped strengthen customer loyalty and drive greater use of the ComBank Debit Card brand, the biggest debit card base in the country.
By partnering with Tharushi Karunarathna, Commercial Bank aims to forge deeper emotional connections with customers while reinforcing its position as a forward-thinking institution that champions progress and celebrates Sri Lankan talent.
Tharushi Karunaratne is Sri Lanka’s most promising middle-distance runner, specialising in the 800 metres event. She made history by winning a gold medal at the 2022 Asian Games in the women’s 800m final at just 19 years of age, becoming the first Sri Lankan since Susanthika Jayasinghe and Damayanthi Dharsha to claim an Asian Games gold medal. In 2023, she captured further glory at the Asian Athletics Championships in Bangkok, where she won the women’s 400m gold medal and broke a 25-year-old Asian record in the event.
The first Sri Lankan bank with a market capitalisation exceeding US$ 1 billion, Commercial Bank was also the first bank in the country to be listed among the Top 1000 Banks of the World, and has the highest capital base among all Sri Lankan banks. The Bank is the largest private sector lender in Sri Lanka and the largest lender to the country’s SME sector. Commercial Bank is also a leader in digital innovation and is Sri Lanka’s first 100% carbon-neutral bank.
Commercial Bank operates a network of strategically located branches and automated machines island-wide, and has the widest international footprint among Sri Lankan banks, with 20 branches in Bangladesh, a fully-fledged Tier I Bank with a majority stake in the Maldives, a microfinance company in Myanmar, and a representative office in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). The Bank’s fully owned subsidiaries, CBC Finance Ltd. and Commercial Insurance Brokers (Pvt) Limited, also deliver a range of financial services via their own branch networks.
Photo caption:
Pictured here at the signing of the Brand Ambassador agreement are Mr Sanath Manatunge, Managing Director/CEO of Commercial Bank, Mr S. Prabagar, Chief Operating Officer, Ms Aparna Jagoda, Chief Manager – Marketing and Ms Suranji Peiris, Tharushi’s Personal Manager with Ms. Tharushi Karunarathna.
