Desk Report:
Imran Khan, a Bangladeshi-born American investor and former Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) of instant messaging app Snapchat, met with Bangladeshi-born American investor and former Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) of Snapchat. During this, Imran Khan expressed his interest in investing in Bangladesh.
He met the chief advisor on Saturday, New York local time.
Imran Khan, 48, is currently the board chairman of Aleph Holding. He moved to the United States at the age of 18 for higher education. There, he gained fame as an investment banker in technology companies.
The chief advisor urged Imran Khan to invest in the fast-growing fintech, healthcare and social business sectors in Bangladesh. Imran Khan said that Yunus’ lifelong mission to eradicate poverty has deeply inspired him and now is the right time to invest in the motherland.
Addressing Professor Yunus, he said, “I am a big fan of your work. You are our national pride.’
Imran, who started his career as an investment banker at JP Morgan and Credit Suisse, gained global recognition through his key role in Alibaba’s record-breaking IPO. Later, as the CSO of Snapchat, he increased the company’s value from zero to 728 million US dollars in a few months.
In the discussion, Imran Khan said that since the interim government took office, he has been closely monitoring the investment environment in Bangladesh. In his words, ‘The time is favorable. The regulatory environment has now become more supportive.’
Imran Khan expressed hope for the rapid development of the fintech sector in particular and assured investment if the right opportunity arises. He said, ‘Bangladesh is a frontier market. The growth potential in the fintech sector here is huge. The young population is huge and the opportunities are limitless.’
Imran Khan founded an investment firm called Prime Asset in 2018, which mainly invests in sectors undergoing technology-driven transformation, especially in the fintech sector. His portfolio includes multiple sectors including payments, digital infrastructure.
Professor Yunus invited Imran Khan to visit Bangladesh soon to take a closer look at investment opportunities. In response, Imran Khan informed about his plans to visit Bangladesh in the coming months.
Professor Yunus said, “The youth of Bangladesh need role models like you. The country is going through an exciting time now. You can inspire the new generation.”
During the meeting, the Chief Advisor proposed to the top investors in the US to spend one percent of their total investment in social businesses or to form a social business fund with the participation of like-minded people. Imran Khan welcomed the proposal and expressed his interest in being involved in it in the future.
Lamia Morshed, Principal Coordinator for SDGs in the Office of the Chief Advisor, was present during the meeting.
