October 25, 2024
Don Upul Hettiarachchi is a seasoned banker with over 40 years of experience in the financial services sector. Having worked his way up through the ranks at Hatton National Bank (HNB), one of Sri Lanka’s leading commercial banks, Mr. Hettiarachchi developed deep expertise in retail, corporate, and regional banking. He served as the Regional Head – South Western Region at HNB, where he was responsible for strategic leadership and operational management across a network of branches in a key economic region of the country.
Mr. Hettiarachchi first joined Pan Oceanic Bank in November 2019 and served as the Chief Executive Officer until June 2024. During his tenure, the bank consistently recorded year-on-year profit growth and achieved the position of second highest in the Solomon Islands banking sector in terms of bottom-line profitability.
He rejoined Pan Oceanic Bank as General Manager on 15 April 2025, bringing his wealth of experience and strategic insight to support the bank’s next phase of growth and transformation.
Mr. Hettiarachchi holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Manipal University, and a National Diploma in Human Resource Management (N.D.H.R.M.) from the Institute of Personnel Management (IPM). His blend of academic grounding and hands-on banking leadership makes him a valuable asset to POB and its executive leadership team.