Rienzie Wijetilleke: Legendary banker with human touch

THERE have been many articles and contributions by various personalities on the life and times of Rienzie Wijetilleke, particularly his immense contribution towards the financial sector. In this appreciation of mine, I venture and take the liberty to share and give an insight to Wijetilleke’s human touch, having had the privilege of associating with him during my own assignment with HNB for more than three decades. He was a philanthropist with inimitable human qualities and initiated several CSR projects towards assisting the needy and many charitable organisations.

- By M.C.V. Rajanathan

I came to know Wijetilleke during the 70s on my entry to HNB as a junior member attached to one of HNB’s branches in the metropolitan. It was during that time Wijetilleke was attached to the newly opened Ratnapura branch of the bank as the Manager having left Bank of Ceylon, the premier banking institution of the country to join HNB, which was in its infancy. It was during that time Wijetilleke was a frequent visitor to our branch, since HNB had only six branches at that time and the branch I was attached to was very much in the news.

During those visits he never failed to speak to us young bankers even though his major interactions were with the branch management. I should however, confess during my entire career with HNB, I never had the opportunity to work under his direct purview which of course I consider as a lost opportunity since I feel such an opportunity would have expedited my own career prospects as he was a personality capable of identifying and recognising the resources. Nevertheless, after progressing in my own career, I had several interactions with him and he greatly appreciated my contributions on numerous occasions.

Wijetilleke rose up faster in his career and in 1983 relinquished his position as the Manager of City Office which is considered as the "blood of the bank" in his own words to take up a position at the British Bank of the Middle East in Dubai. It was in 1987, the then Managing Director of HNB Dharmaraja who was personally instrumental in inviting Wijetilleke to succeed him as he was well aware of his capabilities to steer the bank as there were no potential successors within the bank which compelled him to extend an invitation to Wijetilleke which he readily accepted. The rest is history.