Team

Bijon is the co-founder and CEO of LightCastle Partners, an organization that focuses on creating data-driven opportunities for growth and impact for development partners, corporates, SMEs and Startups.

Over the last seven years, Bijon has led the company in engagements across 150+ businesses/development partners, 1,500+ SMEs/Startups and 50+ accelerator programs in multiple industries including Technology, Agriculture, Health, Energy and Manufacturing.

Recently, LightCastle has also partnered to launch a Smart Capital Investment Program which facilitates growth capital for SMEs/Startups. Additionally, LightCastle is also a local partner to Biniyog Briddhi – a first of its kind catalytic funding/impact investments program jointly run by Roots of Impact and Swiss Development Corporation. Recently, LightCastle has also been appointed as a deal-sourcing and due-diligence partner for multiple public and private investors.

Previously Bijon has worked with Citibank, N.A. and Citi Foundation and oversaw the execution of Bangladesh’s first Interest Rate Swap, Equity Convertible Bonds, Largest IPO, Microfinance Securitization and Block Equity Trades. Due to outstanding performance, Bijon had received the CEO Excellence Awards for two years in a row in the organization.

In 2015 Bijon was nominated as 15 under 35 in Bangladesh by Future Startup (leading Startup media in Bangladesh) and Top 7 Rising Young CEOs by Startup Dhaka. Bijon is an active ecosystem builder and has attended 100+ entrepreneurship development events as judge/panelist/resource-person including Startup Weekend, Startup Cup, Entrepreneurship World Cup (GEN), Global Startup Weekend, Facebook Circle, She Loves Tech, Founders Institute and Innovation Extreme.

Bijon has Bachelors and Masters in Business Administration from the Institute of Business Administration, University of Dhaka.

As an entrepreneur, Ivdad loves to dream big, work more, and talk less. And he believes that his ambition will drive his ability.

Ivdad’s passion for a data-driven economy led him to establish LightCastle Partners (LCP) as a premier consulting firm in Bangladesh. Working at the intersection of data, development, technology and finance over the past six years, he has helped chart 200+ impact stories by enabling 400+ organizations – spanning private, public and development – become comfortable with data-driven decision making.

He has collaborated with some of the leading corporations, foundations and nonprofits including Boston Consulting Group, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank Group, ACDI VOCA & UN Capital Development Fund. Primarily his work focuses on management consulting, impact investing, and ICT for development.

Ivdad has an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University, U.S.A. and holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) at the University of Dhaka. While doing his MBA, he spent his summer working between Microsoft and Venture Hive developing strategy and execution plan for the first ever Microsoft Innovation Center in Miami, Florida. He has also consulted for Awethu – one of the largest social entrepreneurship incubators in South Africa – building bridges between social entrepreneurs and science institutes for commercial application of modern scientific products in the context of African economy.

A collaborator at heart, Ivdad is a big believer in the notion that collaboration > competition. He feels most comfortable playing the role of another cog in the wheel. He enjoys business development, communication design and product management. Winning small, aiming tall and constantly having a ball is his mantra in life. One can’t keep him away from reading and traveling in his leisure time.

Zahed is an entrepreneur and consultant with over 16 years of experience working with development agencies, private enterprises, startups/social enterprises and government entities. He co-founded LightCastle Partners, a consulting firm dedicated to fostering inclusive economic growth in Bangladesh and beyond through a systemic and data-driven approach. Zahedul holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree from the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) at the University of Dhaka.

Zahedul has extensive experience in private sector development, research, program management, landscaping assessment, impact assessment, financial modeling, market entry studies, and consulting for the non-profit, private, and development sectors across more than 15 sectors (agriculture, RMG & Textiles, WASH, digital businesses) and cross-cutting themes including financial inclusion and sustainable & circular finance. He has successfully led over 150 projects for top-tier clients such as The Gates Foundation, WFP, IFC, H&M Foundation, The World Bank, UN Agencies, EKN, BRAC, SNV, Ashoka, A2i, ILO, USDA, World Fish, HSBC, CDC, ADB, ACDI-VOCA, and WaterAid.

Zahed is passionate about research, analysis, geopolitics, macroeconomics, policy analysis, and enterprise development. He mentors young founders and derives joy in guiding them to the next level. He regularly writes on his blog and national dailies on pertinent issues. He is an alum of the International Visitors’ Leadership Program (IVLP) and a social entrepreneurship fellow at the State University of New York (SUNY). Additionally, he is an Acumen fellow.

Md. Mahedi Masud is a highly qualified Chartered Accountant, holding over 5+ years of working in the field of Accounting & Finance, representing firms such as Rahman Rahman Huq (KPMG in Bangladesh). Prior to that, he did his graduation from University of Chittagong. He is highly skilled with numbers, and a master when it comes to accounting and finance. He believes in having a works hands-on with clients providing monthly management accounts, performance reporting, bookkeeping advice, and support. Mahedi always strives to deliver excellent service and is well-equipped with practical financial information.

Saqif is at present working in the Trust and Safety Zone in TikTok, looking after the South Asia Markets. Besides this, he is an Analytics Adviser at Intelligent Machines Limited (a company working with machine learning and big data) and Upksill (a professional training and certification platform), and works on several other strategic and analytics consultancy projects. He is also a Senior Expert in Data Analytics and Business Intelligence for LightCastle Partners, and a professional trainer for Upskill, GP Accelerator and National University of Singapore Executive Education School. 

Recently, he has worked with IBA, Dhaka University to introduce the first ever Business Analytics course for undergraduates doing BBA. He did his Masters in Management, focusing on Data Strategy, from National University of Singapore, before which, in 2012 he completed his MSc in Operations and Risk Management from University of Manchester and did his BBA from IBA, Dhaka University in 2011.

His consulting and work areas of focus are – data-driven decision-making, application of machine learning in businesses, transforming businesses to be data driven, strategic risk management, and simulations. He also specializes on startup scaling up and strategic planning. He has also published in world renowned journals research articles on decision making and future scenario planning.

Strong business acumen with a high level of IT and digital expertise, CTO role running the digital division of this Organization. Rasel is a customer-focused product and technology executive with a passion for driving commercial and social change through digital transformation.

He has a track record of success in corporate and startup environments and has strong leadership with vision and excellent team-building and management skills, able to operate in complex environments whilst managing technologists and digital professionals. Rasel has a passion for customer experience and building compelling digital products for customers combining innovative design with high-performance technology.

He has several years of hands-on experience scaling agile development for larger projects and introducing agile development on an enterprise scale.

Rasel is passionate about tech-based inventions and loves to articulate his thoughts by developing creative software applications. His interests range from technology to travel. His current passions include blockchain, cryptography, and Tech for Good!

Omar Farhan Khan is a Senior Business Consultant & Project Manager at LightCastle Partners with expertise in business incubation, accelerators, market value chain analysis, capacity development, and impact assessment with a market systems approach. Omar believes that innovative data-driven solutions will create value for businesses and the economy, solving the problems of SMEs & Startups via Accelerator, Mentorship & Incubation programs, creating market linkage opportunities, and assisting in access to finance. He envisions Bangladesh’s enterprises will take the next leap along with Private Sector and policy engagement. To make that happen, we must focus on a triple-bottom approach – Profit, People & Planet. Sustainable businesses will create a sustainable economy where everyone can thrive.

With good analytical knowledge, a strategic mindset, and innovative problem-solving skills, Omar has synthesized solutions for the development, government, and private sectors. He has worked on several projects requiring collaboration with institutional stakeholders, community-level organizations, and private organizations catering to many beneficiaries. His client portfolio ranges from development partners and ministries to corporates and start-ups. Some notable clients include Meta, Swisscontact Bangladesh, Embassy of Switzerland, IDB, ITFC, Chemonics, WorldFish, OXFAM, Trade Facilitation Office (TFO) Canada, ACDI/VOCA, USAID, Grameenphone, DFID, WB, IFC, GAIN, WFP (World Food Programme), BFP-B, MRA (Microcredit Regulatory Authority), Invest to Innovate (i2i), UKAid, BYLC, GEN, UNCDF, a2i, TruValu, VCPEAB, BD Venture, UNCDF, ICT Ministry, Ministry of Education, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, ITC, Bangladesh Angel Network (BAN), Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN), Founders Institute (FI), Banglalink Telecom, Babson College, BRAC Bank, Youth Opportunities, BYLC, RDRS, WAVE Foundation, and iDE Bangladesh.

Omar graduated from North South University School of Business and Economics, Bangladesh; he obtained a Bachelor’s in Business Administration with majors in Finance & Accounting and Marketing; currently, he is pursuing an MSc in Economics from the same university. He also has a Post Graduate Diploma in Islamic Finance Practices (PGDIFP) from EDUPRO UK and certificate training in Islamic Finance & Economics and Sukuk: Principles, Structures, and Documentations (AAOIFI Affiliated).

Business consultant bringing 4 years of project management experience, having managed multidisciplinary projects across Bangladesh, Vietnam, Cambodia and Uzbekistan, with a portfolio total of approx. $6 million. Currently working in projects on nutrition, WaSH and investment climate. Completed BBA from Institute of Business Administration, University of Dhaka.

Currently working as a Senior Business Consultant and Project Manager at LightCastle Partners, Md. Mubassir Rahman brings with him the experience of conducting market and consumer research based on numerous well-established methodologies and global models. Within the Strategy Consulting Team, he dedicates his time to sharpening the research tools, instruments, and analytical approaches, leading to the extraction of impactful granular insights from data.

Rafayet is an experienced professional in Business Development, Proposal Writing, Client & Business Management, and Event & Outreach Activities. With a strong background in business strategy development, market research, and project intervention design, he has played a pivotal role in the success of numerous projects at LightCastle Partners.

As the Business Development Lead & Project Manager at LightCastle, Rafayet has contributed significantly to the expansion of the company’s business profile through the creation and implementation of sound business proposals. His expertise in designing problem-solving and sustainable proposals demonstrates his dedication to delivering value to clients. Working with prestigious organizations such as USAID, UNDESA, IFC, UNDP, ILO, Gates Foundation, BRAC, iDE, Oxfam, SwissContact, SNV, and WorldFish, among others, Rafayet has established and maintained relationships with high-stakes clients.

He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a major in Marketing and a minor in Supply Chain Management from BRAC University and also demonstrated his entrepreneurial spirit by co-founding and serving as the COO of Resurgence Bangladesh, a social business organization focused on menstrual hygiene education. With a positive and confident approach, Rafayet brings his 4+ years of expertise to drive growth and achieve impactful outcomes.

Nazmul Kabir Al-Mehmud is an experienced development professional with varied experience over the past 9 years in MoWCA, UNICEF, UNFPA, PSTC, Digicon, and East-West Industrial Park Ltd, he was a change agent to uplift the lifestyle and bring growth of underprivileged groups especially the youth through providing life skills and youth and adolescent empowerment programs. Mehmud is also the president of the United Nations Youth Advisory Panel (UNYAP) in Bangladesh. He is experienced in Project Management, Leadership, Inclusive Education, and Peer Education to enhance youth leaders’ capacity building. He holds a Masters in Population Sciences (MPS) from Dhaka University. Working under various international donor agencies has enabled him to amass vast experience in Youth development at home and abroad. He attended more than 10 National and International Events and represented Bangladesh in ECOSOC Conference in the USA, Indonesia, & HOPE XXL in the Netherlands as the youth leader.

A Business graduate, with a dual major in Finance & Marketing, from North South University. Samiha is a key part of the Management Consulting team, working to solve the most pressing bottlenecks in businesses. From assessing supply chain dynamics to understanding various stakeholder interplay across a sector, she contributes to her team by providing deep insights that foster innovation and guide organizations. She specializes in performing crucial tasks including devising data collection instruments, analyzing clusters of data to turn them into meaningful information, training field teams, and churning out crisp and insightful reports.

A CSE graduate who finds her interest in design and has been successfully working as a designer since 2017. Highly creative with extensive experience in Branding, Print Design, Data Visualization, and UI/UX. Her Bachelor’s in CSE helps her better understand the website and mobile applications.

Shubham has 4 years of professional experience in monitoring and evaluation (M&E), project management, business intelligence, research, data analysis, program evaluation, donor reporting, and knowledge management. In his previous role, he gained experience designing and implementing M&E systems for multiple development projects targeting more than 20,000 beneficiaries. He is interested in qualitative and quantitative research, impact assessment, survey instrument design, data visualization, and data management.

Shubham completed BSS in Economics from the University of Dhaka. He is an International Exchange Alumnus who has been actively involved in youth development and community services over the last 12 years. He also served as a member of the United Nations Youth Advisory Panel in Bangladesh.

Pranto is a finance graduate from North South University, who enjoys working with numbers and data. He is keen to learn about global finance and the fundamentals of financial forecasting. In the future, he aspires to hone his skills in Data Science and use them to generate a positive impact on the sports industry of Bangladesh.

Nishat is a seasoned professional with 3+ years of managerial experience in the fintech industry where she has actively worked on numerous strategic projects aimed at contributing to the vision of achieving financial inclusion in Bangladesh. Having collaborated with diverse partners in both the private and development sector, she now aspires to build a career in strategic consulting focusing on market entry strategies and value chain assessments. Nishat also holds a BBA from the Institute of Business Administration at the University of Dhaka, underscoring her solid educational foundation in the field.

Meenara Khondker is a Business Consultant at LightCastle Partners. With over five years of industry experience in Investment Operations, Meenara’s background entails corporate actions and derivatives with a focus on the life cycle events that occur in bilateral OTC transactions. She has collaborated on technology projects that helped develop and enhance the systematic capabilities of the derivatives platform in her previous role. At LightCastle, Meenara aims to use her data analysis and project management experience to lead and collaborate on client initiatives conducted under the Ecosystems and Investments wing.

Prior to joining LCP, Meenara worked as a senior Derivatives Operations Analyst at Wellington Management Company (2020 – 2023) and Corporate Actions Analyst at State Street Bank and Trust Company (2018 – 2020).

Meenara received her Bachelor of Science in Economics and Finance from Bentley University (2017).

Miskat is currently working as a Business Consultant at LightCastle Partners. He has 3+ years of experience working with seed-level startups in Bangladesh and the USA. He initially started his career as a project manager at a local startup, launching an alternative credit score-generating platform funded by UNCDF, and UNESCAP. Later, he worked independently with startups in industries such as agriculture, P2P marketplace, ed-tech, and electronic vehicle ecosystems in Bangladesh and the USA as an investment readiness consultant.

He holds a BBA from Jahangirnagar University, majoring in Accounting & Information Systems. He later completed his MBA from the Institute of Business Administration at the University of Dhaka; majoring in Finance, and minoring in Marketing.

An International Business graduate from Dhaka University, Ameera has always been an advocate for sustainable solutions. Her past experiences span across health-tech and Digital Financial Services (DFS) industry.

Rafsan Zia is a Digital Product Manager and Business Consultant at LightCastle Partners. He has a 3-year work experience in the financial sector. Starting out in IPDC Finance Limited, Rafsan has worked in the development and management of an award-winning fintech product called IPDC EZ. His primary skills are in product management and analytics.

Data-driven decision-making is at the core of Rafsan’s identity, be it in his personal life or workplace. This has made him passionate about working with vast amounts of data and reading between the lines. 

Rafsan graduated from BRAC University’s Economics and Social Sciences department with a BSc. in Economics. Currently, he is enrolled in a Master of Science in Applied Economics in BRAC University, which he believes will help him level up intellectually.

Rakin is a major in BSc Economics from North South University. The individual has worked for over a year in marketing and content strategy, where he understood the importance of a data-driven approach. Combined with the thought of inclusive growth, he has joined LightCastle Partners with a vision to implement data-driven inclusive systems that better the community and economy.

Ishrat Ashique, currently serving as the Marketing and Partnerships Specialist at LightCastle Partners, brings seasoned experience in the research and consulting industry. Prior to her current role, Ishrat worked as the Partnerships Associate at Inspira Advisory and Consulting Limited. In this capacity, she collaborated with global development partners, government directories, and INGOs to curate interactive campaign strategies, oversee campaign implementation, and devise digital transformation strategies aimed at creating awareness, capacity building and prompting corporate sustainability. 

Throughout her career, Ishrat has fostered significant partnerships with UN Agencies, INGOs, Think Tanks, and Business Associations, impacting over 20 thriving sectors of Bangladesh and the South Asia region. Her expertise in curating effective branding initiatives, accelerator programs, global grants, and joint events has strengthened industry ecosystems. Additionally, her experience with media production agencies and FMCG conglomerates has enabled her to develop impactful branding strategies and product development campaigns.

Ishrat holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and a minor in Development Studies, along with a Master’s degree in Data Science and Analytics from East West University.

Ismat is a Business Analyst at LightCastle Partners, working in the intersection of Business Development and Ecosystem & Entrepreneurship functions. Her professional goal is to enhance her research and consultancy skills, provide innovative business solutions, and contribute to economic development through data-driven approaches. She is a business graduate with a major in Accounting and a minor in Finance from the Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP).

Naziba Ali, a recent graduate from IBA, University of Dhaka, is an emerging professional with a passion for employing data-driven techniques to tackle challenges. Over the course of her academics, she has worked part-time in several industries, including stock brokerage, SaaS startups, digital publications, and youth development organizations. She has decided to venture into the consulting field and recognizes the importance of a strong apprenticeship in achieving her goals. As a result, she has joined LightCastle Partners due to its exceptional emphasis on fostering a culture of continuous learning and maintaining a positive workplace environment.

A business graduate from IBA, University of Dhaka, Raiysa Zuwairiyah is a creative professional with a passion for data-driven approaches with experience in various national and multi-national organizations working on strategic decision-making, data analysis, digital marketing, and campaign management. She is deeply motivated to focus on impact-focused developmental work for gender equity, financial inclusion of marginalized groups, and contributing to the economic growth of Bangladesh.

Sadia is a Business Analyst at LightCastle Partners, working in the Development & Management Consulting wing. She aims to influence public perception and advocate for societal change through policy advocacy.

Previously serving as a Research Officer at DataSense, iSocial, Sadia made significant contributions to various development projects by employing a data-driven approach.

As a recent graduate from East West University with a Bachelor of Social Science in Economics, Sadia’s academic background complements her practical experience. Driven by her fervent dedication, Sadia aspires to advance her career in the consulting field, focusing on implementing data-driven strategies for an inclusive economy that fosters sustainable growth.

Parisa Omar is a Business Analyst at LightCastle Partners. She brings an interdisciplinary approach to the Ecosystems & Investments team with an academic background in development economics and law, and previous experiences rooted in social science research and ESG analysis. She is passionate about understanding and addressing the multifaceted challenges of our times – particularly in the field of corporate sustainability, green finance and impact investing with a focus on emerging economies. At LightCastle, Parisa aims to use her research and analytical skills to synthesise complex issues into strategic insights and data-driven solutions.

Parisa graduated from King’s College London with a BA in International Development, followed by an MA in Law from the University of Law, London Bloomsbury.

Wasif Mahmud is a Business Analyst in the Ecosystem and Investments team. A recent graduate of the Institute of Business Administration at the University of Dhaka, Wasif brings a diverse background, having previously worked in Ed-Tech and in IT companies. His analytical mindset and systematic approach to problem-solving are what drive his passion for consultancy, and he continually seeks opportunities to excel in this field.

Beyond his professional endeavors, Wasif has a keen interest in international politics, anthropology, and sports. He enjoys integrating insights from these areas into his work, enriching his analytical perspective with broader contextual understanding.

Areeba Rahman is a Business Analyst at LightCastle Partners, working in the Business Development team. She recently graduated from The University of Manchester with an LLB (Hons) Bachelor of Laws degree. During her time at university, Areeba worked for a UK-based charity organisation and was actively involved in various societies, volunteer work and events. She also worked as a Strategy Consultant for a university-based consultancy for non-profits, which sparked her interest in the consultancy field.

Specialized in Computer Graphic Design, Video Editing, and Motion Graphics. Asif tells stories with data and visuals. He has over 2 years of experience in the corporate sector and also worked for local clients in the field of IT, Telco, Education, among others. He is a Computer Science graduate from the University of Asia Pacific (UAP).

Shimanto Rozario is a UI/UX designer with nearly three years of hands-on experience in the dynamic realm of design and creativity. He holds a degree from Shanto Mariam University of Creative Technology, specializing in Graphic Design and Multimedia. His journey in this field has equipped him with a profound understanding of user-centered design principles and a keen eye for aesthetic appeal.

A data-driven Graphics Designer, designing creative social media contents, marketing and print materials, web contents & data visualization based on strategic insights since 2020. A Finance graduate from National University (NU) playing with colors, shapes and texts out of passion & bringing out the best.

Md. Shah-Nawaj Sojib is a Senior Manager (Accounts & Finance) at LightCastle Partners Ltd. having 7+ years of professional experience including Chartered Accountancy in the field of Accounting, Finance, Auditing, Direct & Indirect Tax, representing firms such as Hoda Vasi Chowdhury & Co under the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB).

He has also qualified as a NBR certified VAT Consultant and completed the PGD in Customs VAT & Income Tax Management with Distinction jointly organized by DCCI Business Institute (DBI) and AIUB. Prior to that, he completed his BBA & MBA in Accounting and Information Systems from the University of Rajshahi.

Before joining LightCastle Partners Ltd. Sojib worked as a Senior Manager (Accounts & Finance) at SaRa Lifestyle Ltd., a well-renowned fashion brand & manufacturing company in Bangladesh – a sister concern of Snowtex Group.

He has professional expertise in the fields of Accounting, Finance, Auditing, and Direct & Indirect Tax from where he is capable of managing the overall financial reports and risk optimization, strengthening control process, management reports & financial statements in compliance with IAS, IFRS as well as local laws & regulations

Engineer and passionate software developer. Carries over six years of professional experience in developing web-based applications. Loves to run experiments with latest technologies. Currently working on projects in agro analytics. Previously worked in an AI based organization, Socian. Completed graduation in Computer Science and Engineering from National University.

A graduate from American International University – Bangladesh (AIUB) with a degree in Software Engineering. Jakia is a highly experienced Software Quality Assurance Engineer, with an excellent understanding of QA methodology, software development life cycle (SDLC), software testing lifecycle (STLC) and bug lifecycle. She is an expert in picking our bugs and glitches during web and mobile app testing and has in-depth knowledge in writing test plans, based on the requirements and functionalities of the system. Her familiarity with automation tools like Selenium and API testing tools make her a key asset of the team.

A creative and expert lead Android Developer, with over 5 years of experience architecting and building cutting-edge Android apps for mobile devices for the social media, survey and ride-sharing platforms. He has an in-depth understanding of android applications and is currently working on projects in relation to agro-analytics, data analytics and management consulting. He previously worked at Nanosoft, Golden Reign Ltd and Doodle Inc. after completing his graduation in Accounting from National University.

Ibnul Quayum Imran is a Software Engineer at LightCastle Partners with over six years of experience in the software industry. He has developed and worked on various large-scale web application projects in the government ministry, telecommunications, and banking sectors in Bangladesh.

Imran completed his graduation from the National University and his PGDIT from Jahangirnagar University. Additionally, he received one year of professional training in Information Technology from IsDB-BISEW, specializing in Web Presence Solutions and Implementations.

Nuzhat Naoshin is a graduate and highly motivated toward HR management and its functions. She completed her Bachelor of Business Administration from Brac University by pursuing a double major in Human Resources Management and Finance.

By merging her knowledge and skills, she wants to build her career in HR to carry out various responsibilities in different functional areas such as recruitment and selection, policy implementation, etc.

Experienced as a Data Manager at various reputed research firms for over three years, Lotifa previously worked for two years as a BPO center and call center executive at telemarketing companies. She is currently working as an Assistant Data Manager at LightCastle Partners. Lotifa graduated from National University and is currently a postgraduate student in Political Science.

Akeef Khan is a Junior Associate in the Marketing team at LightCastle Partners, where he applies his academic knowledge to address real-world marketing challenges and contribute to the firm’s growth and outreach strategies. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration with a specialization in Marketing at the Bangladesh University of Professionals. His previous role as a content writer for a digital sports portal facilitated a smooth transition to his current position, where he leverages his experience to enhance branding and promotional efforts.

Samad Miraly is an investor. He comes from an industrialist family with experience in frontier markets. Samad is currently an Executive Director at Olympic Industries Limited, a publicly listed FMCG manufacturing company and the largest biscuit manufacturer in Bangladesh.

Additionally he is also a partner in IDLC VC Fund 1 which is managed by the venture capital wing of IDLC Finance – leading NBFI in Bangladesh. He also serves on various other boards and organizations.

Samad’s particular interest in investing in innovation led to his work in Bangladesh’s tech startup industry. He co-Founded Startup Dhaka, which designed and operated the first-in-class GP Accelerator in partnership with Grameenphone (a Telenor company) – a project which he spearheaded.

Anita Ghazi is the founder and partner of The Legal Circle, a renowned firm of barristers, advocates and legal consultants specializing in representing clients in Bangladesh on both domestic and international legal matters. Anita qualified as an Advocate in Bangladesh in 2004, as Advocate of the High Court Division of Bangladesh Supreme Court in 2006 and as Advocate of the apex Court, the Appellate Division of the Bangladesh Supreme Court in 2018. Moreover, she is a proud alumna of Common Purpose, a not-for-profit organization, that develops leaders through leadership programmes, enabling them to cross boundaries and solve complex problems both in organizations and in cities.

Anita has been working with startups for almost a decade, having been listed amongst the “Inspiring individuals to follow in 2015 in Bangladesh” in Dhaka Tribune, Future Startup’s “15 Under 35 For 2015: Entrepreneurs, Trailblazers, Mold-Breakers Of Bangladesh” and has been featured in the book “From Stones to Castles : In conversation with 16 inspiring personalities of Bangladesh” and “Aine Tarunno”. She is a Asia 21 Young Leader for the Class of 2016 and one of the initial signatories to the Belt & Road Legal Service International Cooperation Platform.

Anita is an Independent Director of LightCastle Partners, Chittagong Stock Exchange, previously having served as Independent Director of Golden Harvest Agro Industries Limited, and is a Member of the National Advisory Board for Impact Investment in Bangladesh.

Bijon is the co-founder and CEO of LightCastle Partners, an organization that focuses on creating data-driven opportunities for growth and impact for development partners, corporates, SMEs and Startups.

Over the last seven years, Bijon has led the company in engagements across 150+ businesses/development partners, 1,500+ SMEs/Startups and 50+ accelerator programs in multiple industries including Technology, Agriculture, Health, Energy and Manufacturing.

Recently, LightCastle has also partnered to launch a Smart Capital Investment Program which facilitates growth capital for SMEs/Startups. Additionally, LightCastle is also a local partner to Biniyog Briddhi – a first of its kind catalytic funding/impact investments program jointly run by Roots of Impact and Swiss Development Corporation. Recently, LightCastle has also been appointed as a deal-sourcing and due-diligence partner for multiple public and private investors.

Previously Bijon has worked with Citibank, N.A. and Citi Foundation and oversaw the execution of Bangladesh’s first Interest Rate Swap, Equity Convertible Bonds, Largest IPO, Microfinance Securitization and Block Equity Trades. Due to outstanding performance, Bijon had received the CEO Excellence Awards for two years in a row in the organization.

In 2015 Bijon was nominated as 15 under 35 in Bangladesh by Future Startup (leading Startup media in Bangladesh) and Top 7 Rising Young CEOs by Startup Dhaka. Bijon is an active ecosystem builder and has attended 100+ entrepreneurship development events as judge/panelist/resource-person including Startup Weekend, Startup Cup, Entrepreneurship World Cup (GEN), Global Startup Weekend, Facebook Circle, She Loves Tech, Founders Institute and Innovation Extreme.

Bijon has Bachelors and Masters in Business Administration from the Institute of Business Administration, University of Dhaka.

As an entrepreneur, Ivdad loves to dream big, work more, and talk less. And he believes that his ambition will drive his ability.

Ivdad’s passion for a data-driven economy led him to establish LightCastle Partners (LCP) as a premier consulting firm in Bangladesh. Working at the intersection of data, development, technology and finance over the past six years, he has helped chart 200+ impact stories by enabling 400+ organizations – spanning private, public and development – become comfortable with data-driven decision making.

He has collaborated with some of the leading corporations, foundations and nonprofits including Boston Consulting Group, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank Group, ACDI VOCA & UN Capital Development Fund. Primarily his work focuses on management consulting, impact investing, and ICT for development.

Ivdad has an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University, U.S.A. and holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) at the University of Dhaka. While doing his MBA, he spent his summer working between Microsoft and Venture Hive developing strategy and execution plan for the first ever Microsoft Innovation Center in Miami, Florida. He has also consulted for Awethu – one of the largest social entrepreneurship incubators in South Africa – building bridges between social entrepreneurs and science institutes for commercial application of modern scientific products in the context of African economy.

A collaborator at heart, Ivdad is a big believer in the notion that collaboration > competition. He feels most comfortable playing the role of another cog in the wheel. He enjoys business development, communication design and product management. Winning small, aiming tall and constantly having a ball is his mantra in life. One can’t keep him away from reading and traveling in his leisure time.

Zahed is an entrepreneur and consultant with over 16 years of experience working with development agencies, private enterprises, startups/social enterprises and government entities. He co-founded LightCastle Partners, a consulting firm dedicated to fostering inclusive economic growth in Bangladesh and beyond through a systemic and data-driven approach. Zahedul holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree from the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) at the University of Dhaka.

Zahedul has extensive experience in private sector development, research, program management, landscaping assessment, impact assessment, financial modeling, market entry studies, and consulting for the non-profit, private, and development sectors across more than 15 sectors (agriculture, RMG & Textiles, WASH, digital businesses) and cross-cutting themes including financial inclusion and sustainable & circular finance. He has successfully led over 150 projects for top-tier clients such as The Gates Foundation, WFP, IFC, H&M Foundation, The World Bank, UN Agencies, EKN, BRAC, SNV, Ashoka, A2i, ILO, USDA, World Fish, HSBC, CDC, ADB, ACDI-VOCA, and WaterAid.

Zahed is passionate about research, analysis, geopolitics, macroeconomics, policy analysis, and enterprise development. He mentors young founders and derives joy in guiding them to the next level. He regularly writes on his blog and national dailies on pertinent issues. He is an alum of the International Visitors’ Leadership Program (IVLP) and a social entrepreneurship fellow at the State University of New York (SUNY). Additionally, he is an Acumen fellow.

Saif is a Co-founder of LightCastle Partners and currently a Professor & Program Coordinator at George Brown College, Canada. He also founded and now leads as the President & CEO of JIT Consulting in Ontario, Canada. He is a certified Project Manager (PMP) and Business Analyst (CBAP and PBA) with over 13 years of experience in Management Consulting, Information Technology, and Investment Banking domains. He is also a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt practitioner (ASQ, USA).

Beginning his career in Investment Banking back in 2009 and over the past 13 years, Saif has managed and executed 100+ projects including project planning, financial analysis & budgeting, resource management, work delegation, monitoring and controlling, and reporting. Assessed client’s business for enabling change and creating business value by eliciting and structuring requirements, analyzing current state, devising change strategies, and recommending effective and sustainable solutions. Prepared dynamic financial models and prepared advanced company valuation and financial projection documents for assisting clients make investment decisions.

Affan is a serial entrepreneur with 14+ years of entrepreneurial experience, which includes working with 10+ industry leaders and Fortune 500 companies across Bangladesh, Singapore, Canada, the UK, and the USA.

He is the Co-founder & CEO of Notionhive, a digitally-led, full-service creative agency with offices in Bangladesh and North America. He is also an Independent Business Advisor and Startup Mentor at Invest Ottawa, a leading economic development agency for fostering the advancement of the region’s globally competitive knowledge-based institutions and industries.

Jamal Uddin is a distinguished expert in the Ready-Made Garments (RMG) sector, boasting over two decades of extensive experience in fostering inclusive business ideation and development, HR business partnering, employee engagement, organizational development, and supply chain management within Bangladesh. His professional journey has spanned across various sectors including Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), garments manufacturing, and food processing, alongside collaborations with international development organizations.

Currently he actively collaborates with private enterprises, NGOs, Chambers of Commerce, academic institutions, and international organizations to institutionalize Inclusive Business practices within Bangladesh. This endeavor stems from his prior achievements in designing and developing 10 innovative inclusive business models, which have notably centered on enhancing the health and well-being of garment industry workers over the past decade.

Throughout his career, he has showcased an exceptional knack for ideation, successfully engaging multiple stakeholders to establish responsible business models aimed at promoting better employment opportunities and heightened productivity. His initiatives have significantly contributed to augmenting the purchasing power of underprivileged garment workers, notably through the establishment of fair price shops within factory premises. These initiatives have set a remarkable precedent, resonating as success stories across the entire garment industry landscape of Bangladesh.