Entrepreneur and Philanthropist
Iqbal Ahmed was born in Sylhet in the northeast of Bangladesh in the late 1950s. He was to become one of its famous and successful sons. He became a visionary entrepreneur, a successful businessman, a banker and a philanthropist.
In 2013, Iqbal Ahmed founded NRB Bank PLC., a fourth-generation bank in Bangladesh. He was the bank’s first Chairman and was re-elected as Chairman on March 23, 2025. It is his vision to turn NRB Bank PLC. into one of the most successful banks in Bangladesh. Establishing NRB Bank PLC. is one of Iqbal’s biggest achievements.
Iqbal is also the Chairman and Chief Executive of the Seamark Group of Companies which he grew from a small enterprise to an internationally renowned business founded on his passion for export, innovation and customer service.
He and his company have been the recipient of many awards recognising his contributions to business and regeneration.
His clear vision for the business has led to a string of prestigious awards for Seamark in the UK such as the Queen’s Award for Export Achievement in 1998, whilst Seamark BD in Bangladesh is a recipient of many gold trophy Awards from the Government for achieving the highest exports of seafood.
His personal recognition came when he was awarded an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in 2001 for his services to International Trade and when he received an honorary Doctor of Business Administration and honorary Fellowship award in the UK.
He has been a Commercially Important Person in Bangladesh since the early 2000.
He formed a charity called Iqbal Bros Foundation which oversaw his charitable works cementing his commitment to the local communities and education and the promotion of corporate social responsibility. He supported Lucy Cavendish College Cambridge University’s scholarship programme awarding outstanding students regardless of background to access a world-class university. He was also a donor to the Manchester Metropolitan University’s First Generation scholarship programme which provides access to education and creates opportunities for underprivileged students whose parents did not go to university.
He chaired UKBCCI (UK Bangladesh Catalysts of Commerce & Industry) since its inception. UKBCCI is a leading umbrella organisation for successful British-Bangladeshi entrepreneurs in the UK and Bangladesh.
Iqbal has been associated with many government bodies in the UK and Bangladesh either as advisor, director, mentor or member.
He is a motivational speaker. He has the ability to speak with such authority thus regularly sought as a speaker at international events and academic institutions.
Iqbal published his autobiography in the UK in 2017 and a Bengali version of the book in Bangladesh in 2020.
Ferdous Ara Begum is the former Additional Secretary to the Government of Bangladesh and former DG of Bangladesh Television. She is a distinguished Gender and Ageing issues specialist in Bangladesh.
As a former civil servant, she was the first woman to lead Bangladesh Television as Director General, and also the first female Commissioner of Taxes in Bangladesh. She served as a Board Member of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Grameen Bank for six years.
Ferdous Ara Begum just concluded her nine years tenure as the member of the Board of Trustees of HelpAge International (2016 to 2025). She is also the former member of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW - 2007-2010) at the UN.
As a CEDAW Committee Member she worked to realize equality between men and women through ensuring women’s equal excess to and equal opportunity in every aspect of their life including public and political life. She took the lead role to formulate the General Recommendation on protection of human rights of older women, which is called G.R.27.
As the member of the Board of Trustees of HelpAge International, she influenced the policy guide line of the organization for the benefit of the older people, so that they have a dignified life with adequate social protection, access to health services, protection from violence and they have a voice.
In her 32 years of continuous public service, she has been active in educating and creating public awareness on the importance of women’s rights and actively influenced women’s financial independence. She helped to mainstream women's and child rights issues in government policies, creating awareness for ageing issues and reproductive rights. She has taken initiatives for GO – NGO collaboration and NGOs engagement as a partner of the development programs implementation. While working at the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, one of her important responsibilities was to oversee 34 gender specific projects that were designed to provide social and legal protection for women and children.
Ms. Begum possesses remarkable educational credentials. She completed her BA (Honors) and MA in Economics from the University of Dhaka. After that, she obtained her Master in Public Administration degree (MPA) from the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, USA. She also completed a Certificate Course in Development Administration at Princeton University, USA, and studied Gender Issues and Participatory Governance at KIT, The Netherlands.
She is the CEO of the Active Ageing and Research Centre, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Mr. Shaikh Md. Salim is a former Executive Director of Bangladesh Bank, the central bank of Bangladesh.
Mr. Salim an impressive academic background having earned a Master of Business Administration in Financial Management from the University of Hull, UK, in 2003. Prior to this, he completed his Bachelor of Science in Engineering with a focus on Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) from Khulna University of Engineering & Technology (KUET) in 1987. Later, Mr. Salim has accumulated six years of valuable professional experience working with various private-sector firms, honing his skills in real-world business environments. Additionally, in 1997, he enriched his knowledge by obtaining a Certificate Course in Economics from the National University.
Mr. Salim began his banking professional journey as an Assistant Director at Bangladesh Bank from January 1993, the central bank of Bangladesh, and advanced to the esteemed role of Executive Director over the course of his career. With over 30 years of extensive experience at Bangladesh Bank, he has developed a profound expertise in various domains, including financial analysis, project management, data-driven decision-making, credit appraisal, and evaluation of the performance of banks and non-bank financial institutions.
His significant contributions encompass policy formulation and implementation, particularly aimed at promoting the development of Cottage, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (CMSMEs). Mr. Salim has been instrumental in enhancing the financial capabilities of CMSMEs through targeted financing initiatives and by managing diverse promotional events, fairs, and rallies.
Additionally, he has excelled in supervision and evaluation of banking sector operations, ensuring compliance and performance excellence. His teaching and training experience at the Bangladesh Bank Training Academy includes course design, coordination, preparation of study materials, development of annual training programs, course delivery, and evaluation of examination scripts. Mr. Salim's multifaceted skills and extensive background position him as a highly regarded professional in the banking and financial sectors.
Mr. Md. Quamrul Islam Chowdhury was appointed as an Independent Director to the Board of Directors of NRB Bank PLC in March 2025.
Mr. Chowdhury is a highly respected and accomplished banker with over four decades of experience in the banking and financial services sector in Bangladesh. He served as the Managing Director and CEO of Mercantile Bank PLC from February 2019 to November 2024, where he led the bank through significant operational and strategic milestones. Prior to becoming CEO, he held various key leadership positions in the bank including Additional Managing Director, Deputy Managing Director, Zonal Head of Chattogram Region, and Head of the Main Branch in Dhaka.
Before joining Mercantile Bank, Mr. Chowdhury began his banking career in 1984 as a Probationary Officer at National Bank Limited. He later served as SAVP and Head of Jubilee Road Branch at National Credit & Commerce Bank Limited from 1994 to 2001. In 2001, he joined Mercantile Bank PLC and played a pivotal role in the expansion of the bank's regional and operational footprint.
Mr. Chowdhury’s expertise encompasses corporate banking, SME finance, international trade, treasury and liquidity management, credit risk management, and regulatory compliance. His leadership was instrumental in the successful implementation of the TEMENOS T24 Core Banking System at Mercantile Bank and in maintaining the bank's strong asset quality and governance standards.
He holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Master of Commerce in Marketing from the University of Dhaka. Throughout his career, Mr. Chowdhury has actively participated in numerous seminars, workshops, and executive leadership development programs both at home and abroad. He attended key international programs in the USA, UK, Japan, UAE, Oman, India, Hong Kong, and Malaysia, covering topics such as banking operations, risk management, total quality management, and leadership development.
Mr. Chowdhury is known for his commitment to ethical banking, institutional integrity, and sustainable growth. His rich experience and proven track record in strategic leadership make him a valuable asset to the Board of NRB Bank PLC.
In his personal life, Mr. Chowdhury is passionate about reading and traveling. He hails from Noakhali and presently residing in Chattogram.
Mr. SK. Matiur Rahman is a highly accomplished financial professional previously held the position of Deputy Managing Director at Prime Bank PLC.
With over 35 years of diverse leadership experience in the financial sector, Mr. Rahman began his career as a Probationary Officer at Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd. in 1989. Throughout his career, he has gained invaluable expertise, particularly in the fields of Treasury Management, Foreign Remittance, Correspondent Banking, International Trade, and Foreign Exchange. Notably, he served as the Chairman of the Technical Committee for the Bangladesh Foreign Exchange Dealers Association (BAFEDA) in 2021, further demonstrating his influential role in shaping the country’s financial landscape.
A graduate of Dhaka University, Mr. Rahman holds both an Honours and Master’s degree in Finance. He has continually enhanced his knowledge through various local and international training programs, seminars and workshops, further solidifying his reputation as a seasoned leader in the financial industry.
Mr. Tarek Reaz Khan has recently joined NRB Bank PLC. as the Managing Director & CEO for 3-years tenure. Prior to joining NRB Bank PLC., Mr. Tarek served as the MD & CEO of Padma Bank PLC.
After completing Masters in Marketing from the University of Dhaka in 1994, Mr. Tarek served in multiple Large Local Conglomerate before starting his banking career with the Standard Chartered Bank as a Trainee Officer in 1997. In his long colorful career of 30 years, he had served at Standard Chartered Bank Bangladesh in different positions including senior management positions particularly in the domain of Retail and Branch Banking, where he served for 16 years. He also served at The Premier Bank PLC. as Deputy Managing Director, COO and CAMLCO, Bank Alfalah Bangladesh as Country Head of Retail Banking and Branches and Mutual Trust Bank PLC. as the Deputy Managing Director, COO and CAMLCO.
Mr. Tarek has led multiple strategic organizational transformation initiatives across different banks, where he served and contributed significantly towards the fundamental improvement in the specific areas of Business, Risk, Operations, Support Functions, Technology and HR, which ensured growth of those banks. He had overseas attachment exposure in the UAE, India and Malaysia during his time with Standard Chartered Bank. He also had attachment exposure in Pakistan during his time with Bank Alfalah Bangladesh Operations. He participated in many professional and management development trainings, workshops and seminars both at home and abroad. He has travelled to 33 countries of the world.
In his personal life, he is married and father of three children.
