Farzanah Chowdhury

She is the MD & CEO of Green Delta Insurance Company Ltd, the largest non-life insurance company in Bangladesh. She has led their pioneering initiatives, notably in microhealth insurance. She is recognized by the UN Global Compact as a Local SDG Pioneer for Women’s Economic Security for her initiatives committed to the financial and health inclusion of women, especially through Nibedita, a comprehensive insurance scheme for women. She is Co-Chairman of the FBCCI Standing Committee on Capital Market and Bond for the term 2021-2023 and is a board member of the Bangladesh German Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

Earlier, during her work with the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC), Farzanah was exposed to the opportunity of closely analyzing the microfinance sector, and as a result, was successful in establishing a link between microfinance and insurance. As she directly worked with the field-level operations of microfinance and insurance simultaneously, the experience and know-how helped her to develop a model for microinsurance recently. After acquiring professional experience, she pursued her MBA under the AusAid scholarship and joined the SME banking division of BRAC Bank, continuing her association with Green Delta Insurance.

Her utmost sincerity, backed by her profound knowledge and experience, enabled her to play the pioneering driving force behind the structuring and development of the SME banking division of BRAC Bank. Since she had already worked with microfinance and insurance, she was also presented with the extraordinary opportunity to design, develop, and implement a successful business model for SME insurance. To this day, the path-breaking Green Delta Insurance–BRAC Bank model of SME insurance is being followed by other commercial banks in the country.

She is now one of the most prominent personalities in the Bangladesh insurance sector for her pioneering contributions in retail and SME insurance, microinsurance, weather index-based agricultural insurance, and materializing the concept of insurance for everyone. Under her charismatic leadership, Green Delta Insurance has launched a digital insurance ecosystem for the first time in Bangladesh and is working relentlessly to bring insurance to everyone’s doorstep. She has been the driving force behind launching many insurance products in the market, greatly contributing to the development of the overall sector.

It was under her stewardship that Green Delta joined hands with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Bangladesh, in the Shastho Shuroksha Karmasuchi (SSK) project, awarded in 2020 for “Excellence in Sustainability” by the World Economic Forum. She has received many awards, including Best Women CEO from Asia Insurance Review in 2019, as well as from EO Global, Women Economic Forum, Anannya, Bangladesh Brand Forum, and SAARC Women Association for her progressive work in this arena.

She is also an Executive Committee Member of the Bangladesh Insurance Association, Vice President of the Bangladesh Insurance Forum, EO Bangladesh President 2018-19, Women Ambassador of EO, WEDO Entrepreneurs’ Organization, Member of the Advisory Board in AIESEC, Board of Trustees in the Global Youth Fund, JCI, Member of the Advisory Board in the CSR Centre, Advisory Board Member of the New Champions Community, World Economic Forum, and Advisory Board Member of Valor of Bangladesh to promote ESG (Environment, Social & Governance).

Her guiding philosophy has always been driven by the intent of adding value not just in business but in every sphere that touches her life.