Nahian Rahman Rochi's journey to BIDA

Bangladesh is at a unique juncture of new possibilities. The country is witnessing unconventional strategic moves to stabilise the economic and investment landscape. The recent appointment of private sector experts in the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) is a prime example.

Last week, BIDA appointed Nahian Rahman Rochi as the head of Business Development. With this newly appointed role, Nahian transitions from his decade-long career in the private sector to a role dedicated to contributing to Bangladesh's economy.

Nahian had been working with British American Tobacco since he graduated and garnered diverse experience across national and international markets, including Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore and South Korea. Resigning from his last role as the finance director in South Korea, Nahian is now set to return to his home country with a renewed strategic vision and commitment to try and improve the investment landscape for Bangladesh.

A trailblazing career at BAT: Nahian joined BAT after graduating from IBA, Dhaka University with a major in finance. Through his business acumen and financial skills, he experienced rapid growth within the organisation, serving in different challenging roles over the years. After solidifying his foundation in Bangladesh through multiple finance roles, Nahian transitioned to international positions, embracing new challenges across various markets.

In Indonesia, for example, Nahian set up an entirely new business vertical, managing strategic investments, financial models and revenue growth. In Singapore, in BAT's Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa regional office, he oversaw over 50 markets of the region, managing businesses with unique macroeconomic landscapes and dealing with a wide range of stakeholders. In South Korea, Nahian was a member of the Board of Directors and contributed to the strategic vision of the company.

Through all these experiences in different markets, Nahian not only gained invaluable professional experience but also closely observed the economic growth trajectory of each of the countries.

"I have closely observed how each of these markets used their strengths to their advantage to advance in economic and social parameters. For example, in Indonesia, I saw up close how they are leveraging their strengths on fintech to grow their economic base. A country like Singapore, which was predominantly a manufacturing-based economy in the 1960s, now has completely pivoted into a service-based economy. South Korea, on the other hand, is thriving on a national brand-based growth model, promoting K-pop, K-beauty, and their chaebols. All these have been possible because of a robust strategic vision and a conducive environment for investment and economic growth. I see no reason why Bangladesh cannot also be successful in attracting new investments and facilitating growth for the domestic market with sharpened focus and refined execution," Nahian opines stressing about the prospects of the role and growth potentials for Bangladesh.

The call to serve: Nahian mentions he switched to BIDA because of his passion for contributing to the country. Growing up in a family of doctors, he always felt the importance of having tangible impacts in people's lives. This move thus was not merely about shifting from the private sector to the public sector, rather it is about the job in hand that he felt he could contribute to for the greater good. Speaking of it, he says confidently, "It's about adding value to something bigger." He also mentions he feels there is now an appetite and openness for transformation -- a golden opportunity to drive positive changes.

Heating challenges and basking opportunities: In his new role, Nahian will be spearheading the promotion of existing investment opportunities in addition to enhancing the investment climate. Citing the chairman of BIDA, he mentions the key bottlenecks have already been identified -- which is an essential first step to move the needle in the right direction. He thinks the next crucial steps are to enable structured, short, mid and long-time-bound initiatives in accord with the key stakeholders' interest, and promote Bangladesh's narrative in the global economy. Referring to the 'ambassador model' mentioned by the chairman of BIDA, Nahian also stresses the need to mobilise existing investors to promote Bangladesh and improve the country's B-Ready Index to facilitate the ease of doing business.

Encouraging the youth: Nahian sees a great future ahead for the youth of Bangladesh but emphasises the need for self-development. Be it the public or private sector, Nahian recommends youths to hone their skills in communication, deepen their expertise in their interest areas, cultivate a learning mindset and practise resilience to grind through challenges.

"There will be opportunities," he said, "and it is up to us to prepare ourselves to grab them."

"No matter where you work, you'll be facing challenges. You need to have the resilience to face any challenge that comes your way and find solutions, on contrary to avoiding it," he further adds.

He also appreciates the rising entrepreneurial spirit of the youth and believes by having a solution-driven mindset, youths can positively contribute to the country's development and economy.

A hopeful future: Nahian's drive to serve the country leaving a thriving international career in the private sector is an inspirational tale for many Bangladeshis. His dream is for everyone herein to constructively engage in building a successful nation. He says, "We surely have many obstacles ahead, but if we could jointly leverage our strengths, possibilities for Bangladesh are endless."

With such strong leadership at the helm, the transformation of Bangladesh's economy into a significant force both regionally and globally looks increasingly promising.

Samiha Mamun is an undergraduate student at the Army Institute of Business Administration (Army IBA), affiliated with the Bangladesh University of Professionals at Savar, Dhaka.

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