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Sheikh Shabab Ahmed

Group Head of Corporate Affairs & Legal at Abul Khair Group, and an independent consultant.

From frontline trade marketing to global regulatory work and executive leadership, my work connects commercial realities with public institutions.

Sheikh Shabab Ahmed, featured in The Business Standard

Career history

From frontline trade marketing in Khulna to corporate affairs and legal governance at Abul Khair Group.

Jul 2024 — Present

Dhaka, Bangladesh

Group Head of Corporate Affairs & Legal

Abul Khair Group logo

Abul Khair Group (AKG)

Directs total corporate affairs, regulatory strategy, legal governance, and public-private dialogue for Abul Khair Group—one of Bangladesh's largest industrial conglomerates spanning steel, cement, consumer goods, and heavy manufacturing.

  • Leads sovereign regulatory consultations on industrial policy, standards modernization, and tax frameworks.
  • Spearheaded national building code modernizations for high-strength steel with authorities and TBS.
  • Champions port city decentralized governance dialogues with apex policymakers (Prothom Alo AKG Supplement).
  • Manages high-stakes corporate legal affairs, compliance protocols, and statutory stakeholder mapping.

Apr 2023 — Present

Dhaka, Bangladesh · Remote / Hybrid

Independent Consultant

sheikhshababahmed.com

Provides strategic advisory on corporate affairs, regulatory risk mitigation, fiscal policy modeling, anti-illicit trade frameworks, and ESG systems for multinational corporations and growth ventures.

  • Advises corporate boards on pre-legislative stakeholder coalition building.
  • Designs evidence-based economic advocacy toolkits linking tax policy to market stability.
  • Keynote speaker and moderator at apex industry summits and university leadership forums.

May 2023 — Jun 2024

Dhaka, Bangladesh

Chief External Affairs Officer

Nagad logo

Nagad

Spearheaded external affairs, financial inclusion advocacy, regulatory engagement, and institutional relationships for Nagad—one of Bangladesh's fastest-growing digital financial service unicorn ecosystems.

  • Directed sovereign policy dialogues with financial regulators, telecommunication bodies, and ministries.
  • Strengthened public-private partnerships supporting digital citizen services and cashless economy goals.
  • Positioned the fintech's compliance and societal impact before international development partners.

17-year tenure

Bangladesh · London

British American Tobacco Bangladesh logo

British American Tobacco

A progression from trade marketing and distribution to global regulatory engagement in London and executive leadership in Bangladesh.

Head of External Affairs (C-Level)Oct 2021 — Mar 2023

British American Tobacco (BAT) · Dhaka, Bangladesh

Core Executive Leadership Team member. Commanded sovereign regulatory engagement, corporate communications, reputation management, and multi-decade sustainability governance for the multinational.

  • One of the youngest executives inducted into the BAT Bangladesh Core Leadership Team.
  • Steered landmark sustainability initiatives including Bonayan (125M+ saplings) and Probaho (300K+ daily clean water).
  • Represented the company across apex chambers (FICCI, AmCham, MCCI) and parliamentary committee hearings.
Head of External AffairsOct 2018 — Sep 2021

British American Tobacco (BAT) · Dhaka, Bangladesh

Led the government relations, policy advocacy, and external affairs agenda, safeguarding business continuity through data-driven excise modeling and regulatory predictability.

  • Constructed multi-tiered fiscal tax proposals presented directly to the National Board of Revenue (NBR).
  • Coordinated cross-functional task forces countering counterfeit and smuggled goods.
Global Regulatory Engagement ManagerSep 2017 — Feb 2018

British American Tobacco (Global HQ) · London Area, United Kingdom

International assignment at BAT's global headquarters in London. Managed cross-market regulatory engagement frameworks, global policy benchmarking, and alignment across European and Asian operating units.

  • Synthesized international regulatory precedents for global executive deployment.
  • Interfaced with global scientific affairs, legal counsel, and sovereign engagement teams.
Commercial Affairs ManagerJun 2016 — Sep 2018

British American Tobacco (BAT) · Dhaka, Bangladesh

Bridged commercial operations with fiscal policy, examining market elasticity, tariff structures, and distribution channel economics.

  • Developed commercial models assessing impact of excise tax shifts on formal industry volumes.
  • Aligned sales and distribution networks with emerging regulatory mandates.
Regulatory Affairs ManagerSep 2015 — May 2016

British American Tobacco (BAT) · Dhaka, Bangladesh

Supervised statutory compliance, packaging regulations, and direct engagements with health and commerce regulatory authorities.

  • Led seamless implementation of statutory graphic health warnings and labeling compliance.
Industry Regulation ManagerJul 2012 — Aug 2015

British American Tobacco (BAT) · Dhaka, Bangladesh

Monitored legislative developments, drafted formal policy representations, and managed industry-wide regulatory research.

  • Formulated comprehensive economic impact assessments of proposed statutory amendments.
Brand Executive — Premium Brands (B&H)Jul 2011 — Jun 2012

British American Tobacco (BAT) · Dhaka, Bangladesh

Brand stewardship, consumer segmentation, and premium portfolio campaign management for Benson & Hedges.

  • Delivered market share growth in key urban retail clusters.
Channel Executive — Premium HoReCaJul 2010 — Jun 2011

British American Tobacco (BAT) · Dhaka, Bangladesh

Directed strategic partnerships and channel activation across Hotels, Restaurants, and Catering accounts.

  • Expanded distribution footprint in high-end hospitality venues nationwide.
Area Manager (Trade Marketing & Distribution)Dec 2009 — Jun 2010

British American Tobacco (BAT) · Rajshahi, Bangladesh

Complete commercial P&L and distribution management across Northern Bangladesh territory.

  • Led a frontline team of distribution officers, field representatives, and wholesale channels.
Territory Officer (Trade Marketing & Distribution)Feb 2008 — Nov 2009

British American Tobacco (BAT) · Dhaka, Bangladesh

Field trade marketing execution, retail census governance, and route-to-market optimization in metropolitan Dhaka.

  • Ranked among top territory performers for distribution coverage and volume growth.
Territory Officer (Trade Marketing & Distribution)Feb 2006 — Jan 2008

British American Tobacco (BAT) · Khulna, Bangladesh

Began 17-year BAT career on the frontlines of trade marketing and distribution in South-Western Bangladesh.

  • Developed foundational understanding of supply chain logistics, trade relationships, and local markets.

Education

Studies at IBA, Notre Dame College and St. Joseph, alongside debate and sport, shaped an enduring interest in leadership and institutions.

2002 — 2005

Institute of Business Administration (IBA), University of Dhaka

Bachelor’s Degree, Marketing & Human Resource Management

IBA Cricket Team, IBA Debate Club

2000 — 2001

Notre Dame College, Dhaka

Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC), Science

Notre Dame Debating Club (NDDC)

1991 — 1999

St. Joseph High School, Dhaka

Secondary School Certificate (SSC)

Josephite Debating Club, Scintilla Science Club, Josephite Cricket Team

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