HNB Completes Acquisition of Acuity Partners, Rebrands as HNB Investment Bank

Hatton National Bank PLC (HNB), Sri Lanka's second largest private bank, has officially completed its acquisition of Acuity Partners, a move that includes the rebranding of the entity into HNB Investment Bank (Pvt) Ltd. Acuity Partners, previously owned in part by DFCC Bank PLC, provided specialized financial and advisory services through its subsidiaries. HNB's acquisition reflects its strategic vision to enhance its investment banking presence in capital markets both locally and internationally. The transaction involved the purchase of 75,500,001 ordinary voting shares, representing a 50% stake in Acuity Partners, for a price of 6.5 billion Sri Lankan rupees. Initially, the deal was aimed at 7 billion rupees but was finalized at the lower price due to prior complications. HNB aims to leverage its strong financial foundations and broad expertise to align the investment bank's operations with its growth objectives, offering services such as mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity capital market services, and advisory solutions.