Ex-Snapchat CSO Imran meets Yunus, expresses interest in investing in Bangladesh

Imran Khan, a prominent American investor of Bangladeshi origin, met Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Saturday and expressed interest in investing in Bangladesh.

Imran, 48, who moved to the US at 18 and rose to prominence as an investment banker with JP Morgan and Credit Suisse, played a key role in Alibaba's record-breaking IPO and helped Snapchat grow to a valuation of US$728 million in months. He is now chairman of Aleph Holding and founder-CEO of Proem Asset, an investment firm specialising in tech-driven sectors, particularly fintech.

Professor Yunus invited Imran to explore opportunities in Bangladesh's fintech, healthcare, and social business sectors. He said he has been closely following the country's investment climate since the interim government took office in August last year and praised the enabling regulatory environment.

"Bangladesh is a frontier market with an underpenetrated fintech opportunity. It has a large young population and enormous growth potential," Imran said, adding that he plans to visit the country in the coming months.

Professor Yunus encouraged top US investors to allocate a portion of their funds to social business initiatives, a proposal Khan welcomed. SDG Coordinator and Senior Secretary Lamiya Morshed was also present at the meeting.