Dinesh Thakali Unanimously Elected President of Development Bankers Association Nepal

Dinesh Thakali, Chairman of Kamana Sewa Bikas Bank, has been unanimously elected as the President of Development Bankers Association Nepal (DBAN). The association's 21st Annual General Meeting, held in Kathmandu on Friday, unanimously elected a new nine-member executive committee under his leadership. Under the newly elected committee, Madhav Prasad Upadhyay, CEO of Garima Bikas Bank, has been elected Vice President, while Kapil Dhakal, CEO of Jyoti Bikas Bank, has been appointed Secretary. Similarly, Dipesh Lamsal, CEO of Mahalaxmi Bikas Bank, has been elected Treasurer. The five executive committee members include Tara Manandhar, CEO of Muktinath Bikas Bank; Suman Acharya, CEO of Lumbini Bikas Bank; Rabin Sijapati, CEO of Shangrila Development Bank; Hari Bahadur Budhathoki, CEO of Green Development Bank; and Ananta Kumar Chapagain, CEO of Miteri Development Bank. Thakali had previously been serving as the Acting President of the association following the departure of former President Suyog Shrestha, who completed his tenure as CEO of Shangrila Development Bank. Following his election, newly appointed President Thakali pledged to prioritize corporate governance, risk management, digital transformation, human resource development, loan quality improvement, and effective loan recovery in the banking sector. He also emphasized continued knowledge-sharing and the exchange of best practices among member banks. The AGM also approved the annual report for fiscal year 2082/83, the auditor's report, balance sheet, profit and loss statement, and cash flow statement. Additionally, it endorsed the appointment and remuneration of the auditor for fiscal year 2083/84. Currently, Nepal has 17 development banks in operation, comprising eight national-level and nine regional-level institutions.