Iftekhar wins first Kotler CEO of the Year Award

Ali Reza Iftekhar, Managing Director and CEO of Eastern Bank Limited (EBL) has received the prestigious Kotler CEO of the Year 2023 at a gala ceremony held in Dhaka, today.  The award was given in honour of the iconic marketing luminary, Dr Philip Kotler to recognize exceptional marketing campaigns, initiatives, and professionals who have made remarkable strides in advancing the marketing and business landscape of Bangladesh.

The prestigious Kotler Awards in Bangladesh was formally introduced today at a gala night held at Sheraton Dhaka during the Modern Marketing Summit 2023. The event was organized by Northern Education Group and powered by Kotler Impact Inc., a leading marketing consultancy firm and in association with The Daily Star.

While accepting the award Ali Reza Iftekhar said, "I am deeply honored to accept the prestigious CEO of the Year award and humbled by this recognition. Sincere thanks to the judging panel for considering me eligible for this Award. This achievement is the result of teamwork and living the passion for excellence culture that we have established at Eastern Bank. I consider this award as recognition to Team EBL and I am a part of that winning team. I am grateful to our customers, partners, and stakeholders for their trust and collaboration, which have been vital in driving innovation and growth."

Ali Reza Iftekhar has been in the banking sector for the past 37 years. Since 2007 he has been serving as the Managing Director and the CEO of EBL. He served as the President of the Association of Bankers Bangladesh (ABB) for two terms 2014-15 and 2020-21.