The corporate landscape of Bangladesh paused on November 22, 2025, to honor those at the forefront of the nation’s corporate transformation. The occasion was the Mutual Trust Bank PLC Presents 4th Bangladesh C-Suite Awards, a flagship initiative of the Bangladesh Brand Forum (BBF). Gathering C-suite executives, boardroom leaders, founders, and strategists, the prestigious gala celebrated corporate excellence and the vital role of leadership in shaping the country’s future.
This year’s awards sent a powerful message: Bangladesh’s progress hinges on leaders grounded in clarity, resilience, and purpose.
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The Winners: Who Was Awarded?
The 4th Bangladesh C-Suite Awards recognized a total of 24 outstanding corporate leaders across 23 categories. These winners were chosen from a robust pool of 102 nominations submitted by 51 organizations, indicating a broad participation and a rising competitive spirit in Bangladeshi corporate leadership.
The recognized leaders spanned various sectors and functional roles, emphasizing breadth in corporate excellence:
I. Financial, Entrepreneurial, and Leadership Recognition
The awards included specialized accolades and recognition for overall corporate and financial leadership:
| Award Category | Winner (Title & Company) |
|---|---|
| Chief Executive Officer (CEO)/ Managing Director (MD) of the Year (Financial Institutions) 2025 | Mashirur Arefin, Managing Director & CEO, City Bank PLC. |
| Chief Executive Officer (CEO)/ Managing Director (MD) of the Year (For Business Revenue Per Annum 100 Crore – 499 Crore) 2025 | Rizwan Dawood Shams, Managing Director, IPDC Finance PLC. |
| Entrepreneur of the Year 2025 | Dr. Arif Dowla, Managing Director, ACI PLC. |
| The Positive Impact Leadership Award 2025 | Syed Mahbubur Rahman, Managing Director & CEO, Mutual Trust Bank PLC. |
| The Luminary Award for Sustainable Innovation 2025 | Late Abdullah Hil Rakib, Team Group. |
| Most Transformative C-Suite of the Year 2025 | Md. Tajdin Hassan, Chief Operating Officer, Keeron. |
II. Functional C-Suite Excellence (Finance, HR, Marketing, & Operations)
Several key functional roles were honored, demonstrating the importance of specialized expertise within organizations:
| Award Category | Winner (Title & Company) |
|---|---|
| Chief Finance Officer (CFO)/ Finance Director of the Year 2025 | Uzma Chowdury, Director, Finance, PRAN-RFL Group Moinuddin Mohammed Rahgir, Chief Financial Officer, bKash Limited |
| Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO)/ Human Resource Director of the Year 2025 | M. Shabbir Ali, Corporate Head of HR & Director, Transcom Limited Dilruba Sharmin Khan, Director, Group HR, Admin & Compliance, AkijBashir Group |
| Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)/ Marketing Director of the Year 2025 | Farha Naz Zaman, Chief Marketing Officer, Grameenphone Limited Kazi Md. Mohiuddin, Head of Group Brand Marketing, Meghna Group of Industries |
| Chief Technology Officer (CTO)/ Technology Director of the Year 2025 | Arif Uz Zaman, Head of Technology, Transcom Limited. |
III. Industry and Operational Leadership
The awards also specifically highlighted leaders in major economic sectors and operational management:
| Award Category | Winner (Title & Company) |
|---|---|
| Chief Executive Officer (CEO)/ Managing Director (MD) of the Year (FMCG) 2025 | Tahmina Mostafa, Director, Meghna Group of Industries. |
| Chief Executive Officer (CEO)/ Managing Director (MD) of the Year (RMG) 2025 | Asif Ashraf, Managing Director, Urmi Group. |
| Chief Operations Officer (COO)/ Operations Director of the Year 2025 | Md. Mofijul Hossain Iraz, Chief Operating Officer, Cluster 3, AkijBashir Group. |
| Chief Supply Chain Officer (CSCO)/ Supply Chain Director of the Year 2025 | Md. Tanzir Helal, Chief Supply Chain officer, PRAN-RFL Group Mohammed Zia Uddin, Supply Director, Bangladesh – Sri Lanka Cluster, Reckitt |
| Chief Commercial Officer (CCO)/ Sales Director of the Year 2025 | Mohammad Piroj Alam, Senior Executive Director, Walton Hi-Tech Industries PLC. |
The Process: Why They Were Chosen?
The C-Suite Awards is celebrated as one of Bangladesh’s most trusted platforms for recognizing corporate excellence. The winners were selected not just for delivering results but for setting new benchmarks for corporate leadership in the country.
A Call for Purpose-Driven Leadership
Shariful Islam, Founder & Managing Director, Bangladesh Brand Forum, emphasized the crucial role of leadership in national development, stating: “The strength of a nation lies in the quality of its leadership.” He stressed that Bangladesh requires leaders who can “think beyond profit, act with purpose, and uphold integrity while driving growth,” positioning the C-Suite Awards as more than just a recognition, but a “call to elevate the standards of leadership”.
A Rigorous Assessment Process
The selection of the 24 honored leaders was ensured through a rigorous assessment process managed by a distinguished Council Board. This council was deliberately comprised of respected experts with deep experience in critical areas such as corporate leadership, business education, strategic consultancy, and economic policy.
The panel of experts included:
- Ashraf Bin Taj, Co-Founder & Managing Director, International Distribution Company Bangladesh PLC.
- Professor Imran Rahman, Professor, School of Business, ULAB.
- Mohammad Naquib Uddin Khan, Country Head & Ambassador, University of Technology Sydney.
- Dr. A. K. Enamul Haque, Director General, Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS).
- M. Zulfiquar Hussain, CEO & Lead Consultant, grow n excel.
The involvement of such a highly respected panel underscores the commitment to a fair and high-standard evaluation of the nominees.
Setting the Stage: Resilient Leadership
The awards ceremony was held following the 9th Leadership Summit hosted by the Bangladesh Brand Forum at the same venue. The summit operated under the timely theme: “Resilient Leadership – Thriving Amid Uncertainty,” bringing together influential business and C-suite leaders to explore how leadership must evolve in the face of shifting economic realities.
Discussions throughout the day reinforced the “why” behind the awards, exploring themes such as:
- Financial discipline as a leadership currency.
- The skills required to navigate volatile environments.
- The structural adjustments needed to secure long-term growth.
- The need for accountability, governance, and data-driven decision-making.
Ultimately, the combined events sent a clear message: Bangladesh’s momentum in the global economy during this defining decade relies on leaders who prioritize stability, look beyond short-term gains, and prepare their institutions for future challenges, embodying clarity, resilience, and purpose. The 24 winners of the Bangladesh C-Suite Awards 2025 represent this new standard of leadership.