Rupali Chowdhury, the managing director of Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited, has been re-elected as president of the Foreign Investors’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) for the fourth consecutive term. In parallel, Deepal Abeywickrema, the chairman and managing director of Nestlé Bangladesh PLC, has been chosen as the senior vice president, and Mohammad Iqbal Chowdhury, the CEO of LafargeHolcim Bangladesh PLC, as the vice president.
The announcements for the 2026-2027 term were made by FICCI during its 62nd annual general meeting held at Le Méridien Dhaka today. The newly elected 15-member board of directors will officially assume their roles on January 1, 2026, succeeding the current board, led by Zaved Akhtar, the chairman of Unilever Bangladesh Ltd, who served as the FICCI president for the 2024-2025 term.
Expressing her gratitude, Rupali stated, “I am deeply honored to have been re-elected as the president of FICCI and am thankful for the confidence bestowed upon me by our member companies. FICCI has played a pivotal role in the investment landscape of Bangladesh, and I am dedicated to furthering its mission to bolster economic progress.”
She also extended her appreciation to the outgoing president, Zaved Akhtar, acknowledging, “I would like to thank Zaved Akhtar for his unwavering leadership during the past two years. I am eager to collaborate closely with the board and stakeholders to drive impactful reforms and enhance the investment environment.”
In response, outgoing president Akhtar expressed his gratitude to FICCI members and the board for their unwavering support, remarking, “It has been a privilege to lead as FICCI president. Together, we navigated through a period of economic and political transition while spearheading initiatives to enhance investor trust.”
He conveyed his congratulations to the new leadership, expressing confidence in their capacity to propel FICCI towards continued progress.