Ali Reza Iftekhar, managing director and CEO of Eastern Bank Limited (EBL), has received the prestigious Kotler CEO of the Year 2023.

The award was given in honour of the iconic marketing luminary, Dr. Philip Kotler to recognise 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 organised by Northern Education Group and powered by Kotler Impact Inc., a leading marketing consultancy firm.

While accepting the award Iftekhar said, "I am deeply honoured 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."

Iftekhar has been in the banking sector for the past 37 years.

Since 2007, he has been serving Eastern Bank as the managing director and the CEO.

He served as the President of the Association of Bankers Bangladesh (ABB) for two terms 2014-15 and 2020-21.