Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has invited Imran Khan, a prominent American investor of Bangladeshi origin, to invest in Bangladesh’s burgeoning fintech, healthcare and social business sectors.
Khan met the Chief Adviser on Saturday (US time).
Prof Yunus invited Khan to visit Bangladesh in the coming months to explore opportunities firsthand.
In response, Khan said he would plan a trip in the coming months.
"Bangladesh’s young people need role models like you. It's an exciting time back home—you can help inspire a new generation," said Prof Yunus.
Khan, 48, came to the US at the age of 18 to study and earned fame as an investment banker focusing on tech companies.
Khan, Chairman of the Board at Aleph Holding, said he was deeply inspired by Prof Yunus’ lifelong mission to eradicate poverty and felt the timing was right to invest in his homeland.
"I am a great admirer of your work. You are a national pride for all of us," Khan told Prof Yunus, crediting his influence as a key reason behind his interest in contributing to Bangladesh’s development.
A former investment banker at JP Morgan and Credit Suisse, Khan rose to prominence for playing a pivotal role in Alibaba’s record-breaking IPO, one of the most successful in stock market history and for his role with Snapchat, a well-known social media platform, responsible for increasing the value of the company from zero to US$ 728 million in just several months.
During the meeting, Khan noted that he has been closely following Bangladesh’s investment climate since the Interim Government assumed office in August last year. "The timing is favorable: the regulatory environment has become more enabling."
He expressed particular enthusiasm about the rapid growth of fintech and indicated that investments would follow as the right opportunities emerge. "Bangladesh is a frontier market with an underpenetrated fintech opportunity. It has a large young population and the growth potential is enormous," he added.
Khan is also the founder and CEO of Proem Asset, an investment firm he launched in 2018.
Proem specialises in making concentrated investments in sectors undergoing technology-driven transformation, particularly fintech.
His broader portfolio includes ventures in payments, digital infrastructure and related industries.
During the meeting, the Chief Adviser also proposed that top US investors allocate one percent of their investments toward social business initiative, or in building a social business fund participated by like-minded companies, a suggestion Khan welcomed wholeheartedly and which he would like to eventually support.
SDG Coordinator and Senior Secretary Lamiya Morshed was also present at the meeting.