Board of Directors
Vivek Sood
Chairman
In addition to serving Robi Axiata PLC as its Chairman, Vivek is currently serving as Axiata Group Berhad’s Group CEO and Managing Director. Vivek was appointed as Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) and Managing Director of Axiata Group Berhad (Axiata) in March 2023 after serving as Joint Acting GCEO since June 2022. He was appointed as Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Axiata in 2017. Before joining Axiata, he was the Executive Vice President and Group Chief Marketing Officer of Telenor Group. He also held positions as CFO and CEO of Telenor India, CEO of Grameenphone (Bangladesh) and Chief Operating Officer and CFO of Tata AIA Life Insurance (India).
Nasir Uddin Ahmed
Independent Director
Nasir Uddin Ahmed has over 35 years of professional experience as Chartered Accountant. He served multiple industries including leading tobacco, chemical, textile and FMCG companies. His area of expertise includes Corporate Governance, Financial Reporting, Statutory Audit and Forensic Audit. He started his professional career in 1987 with Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation. He then joined British American Tobacco in 1988 and served the company for more than nine years. Nasir later served Coats Bangladesh Ltd as the Finance Director and Company Secretary for 13 years till 2010. Since 2011, he has been working with MABS & J Partners, Chartered Accountants, as Deputy Managing Partner. Nasir served as the Director of Dhaka Stock Exchange Ltd. (2009-10). He was a member of Consultative Committee of Securities Exchange Commission in 2009. In the same year, he was the Director of Bangladesh Telecommunication Co. Ltd. (BTCL) and the Director of Bangladesh Institute of Capital Market. He was also an Independent Director of Bangladesh Submarine Cable Co. Ltd. Currently he is an Independent Director of Shahjalal Islami Bank Ltd. and a board member of Institute of Informatics and Developments (IID) – a policy advocacy Institute Nasir completed his under graduation from University of Dhaka in Accounting with first class and Master’s in the same subject. Nasir is a Chartered Accountant from Bangladesh (ICAB), as well as from the Institute in England and Wales (ICAEW). He is a Chartered Secretary from Institute of Chartered Secretaries of Bangladesh (ICSB). Furthermore, he is also a Chartered Management Accountant from CIMA, UK Currently he is a board member of the Confederation of Asian and Pacific Accountants (CAPA– an apex organisation of Accounting bodies in Asia and Pacific countries including USA & Canada). He was also a board member of South Asian Federation of Accountants (SAFA– an apex body of Accounting Institutions in SAARC Countries). Nasir was the President of ICAB and has been serving as the Council Member for consecutive eight tenures covering 24 years, since 2001.
Dr M Sadiqul Islam
Independent Director
Dr M Sadiqul Islam is an eminent academician and a respected professional. He is a Qualified Cost and Management Accountant and Fellow Member (FCMA) of The Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Bangladesh. He has been associated with the University of Dhaka as an academician for 35 years. Dr. Sadiqul completed his master’s in Finance from the University of Dhaka in 1983. Following that he pursued MBA from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada in 1991. He then completed PhD in Finance from the Athens University of Economics and Business, Greece in 2000. He has also received international awards for his academic excellence. He received the prestigious Commonwealth Scholarship in 1989 to pursue MBA program in Canada. Later, he also received scholarship from the Government of Greece in 1996 to pursue PhD program. Dr. Sadiqul has been involved in multiple committees and organizations. Notable ones include being the Independent Director of Walton Hitech Industries Limited and United Airways Bangladesh Limited.
Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya
Director
Dr Hans Wijayasuriya is the Axiata Group Executive Director and CEO – Telecommunications Business. He was appointed CEO of Telecommunications Business & Group Executive Vice President of the Axiata Group in January 2020. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing all six telecommunications Operating Companies across Axiata’s markets in ASEAN and South Asia. Prior to this, he served as Corporate EVP and Regional CEO, South Asia, since 2016. In 2016, Dr Hans was honoured by the GSM Association as the first recipient of the “Outstanding Contribution to the Asian Mobile Industry” Award. He is a past Chairman of GSM Asia Pacific. He joined Dialog’s founding management team in 1994 and was appointed CEO in 1997, where he served until the end of 2016. Dr Hans was also the Founding CEO of Axiata Digital Services, where he served from 2012 to 2014. Dr Hans graduated from the University of Cambridge UK in 1989 and subsequently obtained his PhD in Digital Mobile Communications from the University of Bristol, UK in 1994. A Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institute of Engineering Technology UK, he also holds an MBA from the University of Warwick, UK.
Nik Rizal
Director
Nik Rizal brings with him a wealth of experience and knowledge in accounting, finance and investments. He is currently serving as Axiata Group Berhad’s Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Before joining Axiata, he served as the Group CFO at RHB Bank. Prior to that, he was with Khazanah Nasional, where Nik Rizal held the position of Executive Director, Investments leading investment and divestments projects, value creation activities and overall asset class strategy execution both domestically and internationally in the areas of Telecommunications, Media and Technology. Nik Rizal was also on the Boards of Telekom Malaysia and Astro Malaysia Holdings Berhad. His other work experience includes Royal Dutch Shell PLC, Arthur Andersen & Co (now known as Ernst & Young PLT) and Coopers & Lybrand (now known as PricewaterhouseCoopers) in London.
Randeep Singh Sekhon
Director
Randeep Singh Sekhon was appointed to the Board of Robi Axiata PLC on 21st October, 2019. He is currently serving as the Chief Technology Officer for Airtel India and South Asia. Randeep is responsible for driving technology strategy and innovation, digitization, network operations, rollout, planning and quality assurance. Prior to this, Randeep was the CEO of Hutchison Tri Indonesia based out of Jakarta. He successfully drove customer centricity and digitization led efficiency and business transformation for three companies in Indonesia. Mr. Randeep has over 28 years of experience.
Soumen Ray
Director
Mr. Soumen Ray is an accomplished and seasoned leader with more than two decades of experience in Financial Planning, Managerial Accounting, Factory Commercial, and varying corporate sectors. He has experience of devising medium and long-term strategic plans along with key drivers of growth and expansion. Soumen Ray is serving serve as a Member of Robi’s Board Risk and Compliance Committee. Prior to joining Bharti group, he was associated with Bajaj Auto Limited where he led finance, treasury and taxation. He also played a key role in development of roadmap of electric vehicle. He has held senior leadership positions in finance, strategy, analytics, M&A and data science in several large companies like Viacom18, Hindustan Unilever, ITC, and Eveready Industries India.
Rajeev Sethi
Managing Director and CEO
Rajeev joins Robi following notable success in turning around Myanmar’s leading mobile operator, Ooredoo as its CEO. Prior to that he has successfully served as the Chief Commercial Officer of Airtel for Africa. He has replaced M. Riyaaz Rasheed who has been serving as Robi’s Acting Chief Executive Officer since August, 2021. Rajeev is an accomplished executive possessing a wealth of domestic and international experience of leading organizations in both startup and established stage with a strong track record of excelling in dynamic and demanding environment. Rajeev has significant ICT industry experience, including executive engagements in companies such as Vodafone, HP, Hutchison Telecom and Asian Paints. Sethi received an MBA in Marketing, Finance and Operations from the Indian Institute of Management in Lucknow. Rajeev is no stranger to Bangladesh, as he had earlier served as the Chief Executive Officer of Telenor’s subsidiary, Grameenphone Limited.
Mohammed Shahedul Alam
Company Secretary
Mohammed Shahedul Alam became Robi’s Chief Corporate and Regulatory Officer in June, 2019. He also serves as Robi’s Company Secretary. Shahed joined Robi in July, 2010 and brings 20 years of rich experience in corporate, regulatory, legal, compliance, media and communications functions. Shahed joined Robi as the Head of Legal in July, 2010, and was later promoted to Executive Vice President, Legal and Regulatory Affairs in 2013. Having played a key role in Robi’s transformation, Shahed assumed additional responsibilities as the Ethics Officer of the Company and served till 2015. Prior to joining Robi, Shahed was practicing law in the UK for more than eight years. Earlier in his career, Shahed used to work with a media house in the UK. Shahed holds a degree in law from the University of London, Post Graduate Diploma in Law from Northumbria University and Master of Laws (LLM) in International Law from the University of East London. He was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2001 and a member of the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn. Shahed is a Chartered Arbitrator and has completed Advanced Management Programme from INSEAD.