AdminRupali Haque Chowdhury to Lead FICCI as President for
2026-27 Term
New Board Announced
Dhaka, December 7, 2025: Rupali Haque Chowdhury, Managing Director of
Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited, has been elected President of the Foreign
Investors' Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) for the 2026-2027 term.
Alongside her, Deepal Abeywickrema, Chairman and Managing
Director of Nestlé Bangladesh PLC, has been elected Senior Vice President,
while Mohammad Iqbal Chowdhury, CEO of LafargeHolcim Bangladesh PLC, has been
elected Vice President.
The announcements were made at FICCI’s 62nd Annual
General Meeting (AGM) held today (December 7, 2025) at Le Méridien Dhaka, where
the Chamber also declared its newly elected Board of Directors for the upcoming
term.
Rupali Haque Chowdhury will succeed Zaved Akhtar,
Chairman of Unilever Bangladesh Ltd., who served as FICCI President for the
2024–2025 period. The newly elected 15-member Board of Directors will assume
charge on January 1, 2026, following the conclusion of the current Board’s
tenure on December 31, 2025.
In her remarks, FICCI President-elect Rupali Haque
Chowdhury said, “I am deeply honored to be elected President of FICCI and
sincerely grateful for the trust placed in me by our member companies. FICCI
has long been a cornerstone of Bangladesh’s investment landscape, and I am
committed to advancing the Chamber’s mission of strengthening foreign
investment and supporting the country’s economic transformation.”
She also expressed gratitude to her predecessor, saying,
“I extend my sincere thanks to Zaved Akhtar for his steadfast leadership over
the past two years. As we enter a new chapter, I look forward to working
closely with the Board of Directors, our esteemed members, and key stakeholders
to drive meaningful reforms, promote a competitive business environment, and
contribute to Bangladesh’s journey toward becoming a future-ready, inclusive,
and globally competitive economy.”
Outgoing President Zaved Akhtar expressed his
appreciation to the Board and members for their support during his tenure. He
said, “It has been a privilege to serve as President of FICCI over the past two
years. I am deeply grateful to the Board of Directors and all our member
companies for their unwavering support and partnership throughout this period.
Together, we navigated a time of significant economic and political transition
for Bangladesh, while advancing key initiatives to strengthen the country’s
investment climate and foreign investor confidence.”
Reflecting on the Chamber’s journey, he added, “This AGM
is not just the closing of a year, it is a celebration of FICCI’s legacy of
vision, resilience, and partnership in shaping the future of Bangladesh. I
extend my heartfelt congratulations to the newly elected President, Senior Vice
President, Vice President, and the Board of Directors. I am confident that the
new leadership will further strengthen our advocacy efforts and forge deeper
partnerships with the government and other key stakeholders, helping make
Bangladesh an even more attractive destination for investment and business.”
He concluded, “As I hand over responsibility to Rupali
Haque Chowdhury, I do so with full confidence in her leadership and commitment
to FICCI’s mission. I wish the new Board great success as they lead the Chamber
into its next chapter.”
Members of the outgoing and newly elected Boards, along
with representatives from FICCI member companies, attended the AGM.
About FICCI: Foreign Investors’ Chamber of Commerce & Industry
(FICCI) the apex chamber of multinational companies has been working as the
development frontier of Bangladesh by creating significant footprints in
economic growth since its journey started in 1963. As a leading chamber, FICCI
represents Foreign Investors from Thirty-five (35) countries across the globe
in Twenty-one (21) sectors in Bangladesh. In its six decades of excellent
journey, around 210 member companies of this chamber are contributing around
30% internal revenue of the government and representing more than 90% inward
FDI in Bangladesh.
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For further
information Please contact Ms. Subarna Mostafa, Assistant Manager,
Communication and PR, e-mail:
subarna.mostafa@ficci.org.bd
Best Regards,
T.I.M Nurul Kabir
Executive Director, FICCI
Email: info@ficci.org.bd,
