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.

Zahedul Amin is an entrepreneur, sustainable business consultant and a researcher with 12+ years of experience in private & development sector consulting, market research and banking. Zahed has expertise in consulting and research, and has led 140+ projects with private and development sector clients. He believes in the power of data in driving strategic imperatives for clients. Based on his diverse experiences, he’s adept at cross-migrating sector best practices for designing sustainable business models and engaging the private sector in solving development challenges. He has significant expertise in market and consumer research, value chain analysis, business model development, private sector engagement, financial modeling and impact assessment.

Before co-founding LightCastle Partners, Zahed worked for HSBC’s corporate banking department, specializing in relationship management and risk analytics. As part of the relationship management team, he helped manage a portfolio of USD 120 million.

Zahed holds BBA and EMBA degrees from Institute of Business Administration (IBA), University of Dhaka. He’s an International Visitors’ Leadership Program (IVLP) alum and an entrepreneurship fellow at State University of New York (SUNY) Korea.

Shawkat Hossain is the current Managing Partner of Velocity Asia, an alternative investment company based out of Bangladesh. He is the former Managing Director at BD Venture Limited and serves as the General Secretary of VCPEAB. He has 35 years of experience in his credit out of that 7 years in Venture Capital, 10 years as bankers and 18 years in financial management/ accounting profession. He worked for different sectors such as manufacturing, NGO, and banks and in different reputed organization such as BRAC, BRAC Bank, Prime Bank, and ICDDRB, among others. He is experienced to work in multicultural environment such as in Afghanistan for one and half years and was instrumental in setting up a foreign bank in Afghanistan.

He served as Head of SME and Senior Executive Vice President of Prime Bank Ltd., leading a team of 250 staff located at 55 branches and 17 SME branches. He was Head of SME of BRAC Bank Limited and leading a team of 700 staff located at 250 marketing unit offices spread in 62 districts. He was Head of Finance and Finance Manager at BRAC for six years. Mr. Hossain has completed his Masters in Development Management from Asian Institute of Management, Manila, Philippines in 1994, where he received an ADB scholarship.

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!

Radi Shafiq is currently a Principal Business Consultant and Portfolio Manager at LightCastle Partners. He has earned a Master’s Degree in Development Studies from the University of Dhaka and a BBA from IBA (DU) and has been working in various management capacities in the development sector since 2014. He is specialized in project management, human resource development, and system design.

While Shafiq started his career directly working in the coastal salinity-prone areas and northern river islands in women empowerment, agriculture, and water & sanitation projects, he subsequently worked with multiple successful grant proposals and was also involved with overall follow-ups of the Friendship Executive Director’s office – where he had initiated specific PR campaigns and an employee leadership development program. Moreover, He played a vital role in Friendship NGO’s organizational development process, designing the first point of contact for most of the incoming communication, management reporting development, and improving coordination. During his tenure, the organization grew 4x to an annual budget of 16 million Euros, serving 7.5 million people.

In 2016, he was awarded the ‘Asian Development Bank, ASSIST – Youth4Asia Solution Search Award’ in the Philippines, where he presented the role of governance training in remote areas.

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).

Mehad currently serves as the Project Manager & Sr. Business Consultant at LightCastle Partners. In addition, he also holds the role of Country Coordinator at “Biniyog Briddhi”, a 4-year impact investment catalytic program funded by the Swiss Embassy.

Mehad is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP®️). His client portfolio ranges from Development Partners, Ministries to Corporates, and Startups. Some of the notable clients were UN, UKAID, GAIN, WFP (World Food Programme), WorldFish, VentureHive, UN Women, MBDA, BFP-B, MRA (Microcredit Regulatory Authority), i2i, BASIS, OXFAM, BYLC, GEN and a2i.

Previously he led the Strategic Partnership & Investment team of the largest service marketplace/ MSME platform in Bangladesh, Sheba Platform Limited (Sheba.xyz). Some of his essential contributions in the two years of tenure were, (i) Closed 20+ commendable strategic projects in partnership with multiple startup, corporate, development, and public organizations; (ii) Introduced a digital loan banking platform with an alternative credit rating blueprint for MSMEs; (iii) Raised over USD 1.5 million (10 crores BDT) fund capital of grants and equity investment from angels, corporate funds, and development sector donors.

He is a business strategy consultant and an active ecosystem builder, engaged in Bangladesh’s startup ecosystem since 2013. As a patient and structured planner, Mehad’s greatest strength is far-sight strategy formulation and structured problem-solving skills to deliver sustainable solutions. Overall, he possesses 8+ years of startup-related experience, including 6+ years of full-time experience in project management, investment readiness, business modeling, strategy planning and implementation.

An impact-driven individual with an avid interest in economic development, gender inclusion, and climate resilience through policy advocacy and innovative finance. Fariha has experience conducting market research and financial analysis, analyzing and visualizing data, developing reports and policy papers, managing multi-year and cross-country projects, and collaborating with international and local clients. Her client portfolio includes regulatory authorities, development partners, global investors and foundations, large corporates, and startups. Some of her notable clients are: the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), Aqua for All, the Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh, the International Labour Organization (ILO), Roots of Impact and Social Finance, amongst others.

Fariha is a Cum Laude graduate from Maastricht University, with a BSc in Economics and Business Economics. She has previously worked in Innovation Strategy at Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Dusseldorf.

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.

With 3+ years of experience conducting Market systems assessments, providing business intelligence services for private sector clients, and working with development sector stakeholders, Dipa aims to build a career in strategic consulting focusing on market entry strategies and value chain assessments. She has experience working in the major sectors which boost the economy, such as Poultry, Livestock, Aquaculture, Animal feed, WASH, and RMG among others. She has a Business Administrative degree with a dual major in Finance and Marketing and a Master’s in Development Studies from North South University.

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.

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 a Senior Business Consultant 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.

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.

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.

Mrinmoy is currently working as a Business Consultant at LightCastle Partners. An individual with good analytical knowledge, strategic acumen, and innovative problem-solving skills; Mrinmoy has extensive experience in managing multi-year projects that focus on market systems development, entrepreneurship development, financial and digital inclusion, and policy advocacy. Mrinmoy has synthesized solutions for the development, government, and private sector spanning domestic and international spheres.

Mrinmoy has worked on numerous high-value projects, effectively collaborating with a diverse array of stakeholders ranging from institutional powerhouses to grassroots organizations. Currently entrusted with managing a dynamic project portfolio valued at over USD 300K+, Mrinmoy has successfully delivered results on over 10+ projects, surpassing a cumulative value of USD 1 Million.

His client portfolio ranges from development partners, and ministries to corporates, and start-ups. Some of the notable clients include Meta, Swisscontact Bangladesh, the Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh, WorldFish, OXFAM, Trade Facilitation Office (TFO) Canada, ACDI/VOCA, USAID, Grameenphone, iDE Bangladesh, amongst others.

He graduated from Maastricht University School of Business and Economics, The Netherlands, where he obtained a BSc in Economics and Business Economics. Specializing in International Business Economics and Majoring in Strategy. He has also attended the University of Bern in Switzerland during his undergraduate studies under the ERASMUS Program.

In addition to his professional achievements, Mrinmoy is a passionate advocate for social change. He co-founded Ascension Foundation, a youth-focused social organization committed to addressing socio-economic issues at the grassroots level in Bangladesh.

A graduate in Physics and Mathematics from Monash University, Australia, with previous experience in data science. He enjoys working with big data and has a knack for machine learning. He aims to use the power of data in order to generate insights that help in smart and informed decision-making for businesses.

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.

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.

A strategic problem solver with an attention to detail and a diverse professional background. Anusha has experience in accounts and finance, scientific research and healthcare strategy both in Bangladesh and abroad. She also has a Lean Six Sigma green belt and several process improvement projects under her belt.

Anusha was the valedictorian of her Masters in Healthcare Administration cohort at the University of Miami and completed her Bachelors in Neuroscience from Northeastern University.

Tariqur Rahman is currently serving as the Digital Marketing Specialist at LightCastle Partners. Previously, he has served as the Content Lead at an SEO services start-up called OneLitteWeb and as a Marketing Operations Specialist at NewsCred (now acquired by and rebranded as Optimizely), among others.

As a well-rounded marketing professional with experience in various marketing-related roles, he believes in the power of data-driven marketing to bring about positive and measurable business outcomes. His areas of strength include content development, marketing operational excellence, a data-driven approach, and an ROI-focused mindset, among others.

He has completed a Bachelor’s in Accounting from the Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia. He is also pursuing a Master’s in Media and Communication Studies from Independent University, Bangladesh.

John Gomes completed BSc in Economics from East West University and he aspires to be a Strategy Consultant. He takes different data-driven approaches that help businesses create feasible and logical frameworks for sustainable growth.

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).

A highly motivated individual who graduated with a major in Economics and Social Science from Brac University. Prior to joining LightCastle, she completed an internship program at BRAC under the Programme Development Resource Utilization and Learning Department. With a keen determination to adapt and improve, she is committed to making a difference through the use of systematic approach to solving problems.

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.

Wasema is a marketing graduate from the Institute of Business Administration, University of Dhaka. While working across several sectors including development, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence, Wasema has reignited her passion for impact-driven work and wishes to work in areas of gender equity, financial inclusion, and economic development.

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.

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.

Specialized in visualization, UI/UX design, content generation and A/V for branding with an experience of 4 years encompassing a portfolio consisting of both local & multinational clients. Completed Bachelor’s in Computer Science from American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB).

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).

Veteran in cash management, payment processing with records keeping as per standard accounting rules, procurement accounts, fixed assets, bank reconciliation, project basis accounting, budgeting, financial reports. Alongside, he also looks into HR and operations. Previously he worked in Finance & Accounts department at Enroute International Limited.

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.

A graduate of North South University, Jubayer is an enthusiastic software engineer with around 3 years of valuable experience in the field of software development. His passion for creating innovative solutions is his driving force, and he is constantly seeking new challenges and opportunities for growth. With a hunger for knowledge and a relentless commitment to excellence, Jubayer approaches every project with unwavering enthusiasm, aiming to make a meaningful impact in the world of software development.

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.

Has completed Bachelor’s in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB). Has 2 years of experience as a trainer and team leader, having worked across several BPO sectors. He also has vast experience in working with numerous business organizations and consultants and has expertise in the implementation of agricultural-based projects in Bangladesh.

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.

With a knack and enthusiasm for visual illustration, Anjun has a passion for working with a variety of graphical expressions and motions. Before joining LightCastle Partners as an Associate Video Editor and Motion Artist, she worked with various local and international clients to develop expertise in 3D designs and open-world portals. She studied Architecture at the University of Asia Pacific.

Sarina Haque is a dynamic and driven professional with a keen interest in research, marketing, and digital strategy. With a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, she brings a unique blend of analytical thinking and creativity to her role as a Trainee Consultant at LightCastle Partners.

MD. Sohel Rana Basunia is a graduate of the National University (Rangpur) and wants to establish his career as a Researcher, Trainer, and field expert. He is currently employed as a field officer, collecting data, maintaining good relationships with MSMEs, and carrying out directives in the Rangpur region.

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.

Zahedul Amin is an entrepreneur, sustainable business consultant and a researcher with 12+ years of experience in private & development sector consulting, market research and banking. Zahed has expertise in consulting and research, and has led 140+ projects with private and development sector clients. He believes in the power of data in driving strategic imperatives for clients. Based on his diverse experiences, he’s adept at cross-migrating sector best practices for designing sustainable business models and engaging the private sector in solving development challenges. He has significant expertise in market and consumer research, value chain analysis, business model development, private sector engagement, financial modeling and impact assessment.

Before co-founding LightCastle Partners, Zahed worked for HSBC’s corporate banking department, specializing in relationship management and risk analytics. As part of the relationship management team, he helped manage a portfolio of USD 120 million.

Zahed holds BBA and EMBA degrees from Institute of Business Administration (IBA), University of Dhaka. He’s an International Visitors’ Leadership Program (IVLP) alum and an entrepreneurship fellow at State University of New York (SUNY) Korea.

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.

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.