First female chairman for a state bank

FT ONLINE

Luna Shamsuddoha, a prominent ICT entrepreneur, yesterday took over as the chairman of Janata Bank, making her the first woman chairman of any state-owned bank.

Since June 2016 she has been a member of the Janata board. From 2009 to 2012, she served as a board member of Agrani Bank, another state-owned lender.

Shamsuddoha said her major responsibility will be to improve the embattled bank's performance.

“We all know the bank is going through a crisis at the moment and my first task will be to bring the bank out of it,” she told The Daily Star yesterday.

Luna is the chairman of Dohatec New Media and managing director of Global Voice Telecommunications Ltd.

Dohatec was involved in the development of voter enrolment solution in 2007-2008. Her firm developed several e-governance projects as well as the electronic government procurement system, which ensures transparency in public procurement.

Her company also has other big projects at home and abroad.

Luna, who has a masters degree in international relations from Dhaka University, started working as lecturer at the Dhaka University's Institute of Modern Language. Later, she started her own business.

She was bestowed with the 'Outstanding Woman in Business' award at the 2017 Bangladesh Business Awards.