Truvalu
Bangladesh
About Truvalu Bangladesh
The Bangladesh team has a strong combination of consulting and investment management. The team of 7 staff runs many donor funded entrepreneurship programs (Covid relief with banks, B-skillful II) both in-country as well as remotely serving other countries and also provides back-office services such as investment analysis for others, such as the crowdfunding platform PlusPlus.
Through a co-entrepreneurship approach, Truvalu develops pre-growth SMEs to business maturity for economic returns and social impact. Truvalu Bangladesh has provided hands-on mentoring and advisory support to hundreds of SMEs under several blended finance programs and has made private equity investments in 17 SMEs in Bangladesh. Truvalu has so far supported these MSMEs with incubation programs, investment readiness support, business development support, impact management training and financial management coaching.
Just as the other teams, this team also manages an existing portfolio for Truvalu with the company Classical Handmade Products as the most successful one and they are building a new pipeline. The team in Bangladesh is very experienced in business analysis and financial modelling.
Their advisory services focus on areas such as financial management, business planning, operational efficiency, corporate governance, marketing and sales, technological advancement and impact management. In addition to these, Truvalu expands the company’s business operations by introducing their products and services to local and international networks of clients, business partners (distributors, retail companies), and export partners.
Truvalu is very committed to creating opportunities for gender lens investing in Bangladesh. In 2023 an informative seminar on “Opportunities and Prospects for Gender Lens Investing in Bangladesh” was organized in collaboration with Biniyog Briddhi and with support from the Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh. Follow-up activities will take place later this year.
Until now Truvalu has been co-enterprising with:
CHP
Classical Handmade Products (CHP) is a handicraft business producing value added goods made from indigenous raw components and leftover fabric. The product portfolio consists of floor covering (rugs), storage (baskets), tableware (mats) and others. The finished products are exported to more than 30 countries. Read the CHP story.
Business Finance for the Poor in Bangladesh
Truvalu Bangladesh (then Agribusiness Booster (AbB) Bangladesh) was supported by DFID’s Business Finance for the Poor – Challenge Fund, aimed to increase financial inclusion of local Micro and Small Enterprises by catalyzing and fostering innovations in lending products and delivery channels, and stimulating effective BDS. See more here.
B-Skillful
Under the B-SkillFUL Program Phase II, Truvalu is extending business development services (access to finance and access to market) to several MSMEs across Dhaka, Savar, Gazipur, Bogura, and Rangpur.
A program, supported by the Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh and implemented by Swisscontact Bangladesh.
Truvalu worked with 56 marginalised MSMEs all across Bangladesh. Read more.
Covid recovery program
A program, supported by the Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh and implemented by Truvalu Bangladesh (in close cooperation with OneToWatch).
Truvalu worked with 33 pandemic affected MSMEs across Bangladesh. Truvalu connects the MSMEs that require financing with partner financial institutions for interest subsidized financing. Read more.
B-Briddhi
B-Briddhi is a multi-year public-private development partnership (PPDP) between the Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh, Roots of Impact, LightCastle Partners and other stakeholders, including investors, private sector organizations, incubators, and support organizations for impact enterprises. Truvalu provided impact management and investment readiness services to the impact enterprises involved. Read more.
Access to green finance for SMEs
"As agriculture is the largest employment sector in Bangladesh, providing employment to 40.15% of the working population, this industry has a significant impact on the macroeconomic goals. Yet, many SMEs lack the necessary capital to remain competitive in the market. In such an environment, Truvalu has created the opportunity to improve the economic condition of many agricultural entrepreneurs. “Sharawwat Islam, managing director Truvalu Bangladesh
Our team
Sharawwat is the Managing Director of Truvalu.enterprises Limited. With more than 15 years of experience in the financial sector of Bangladesh, Sharawwat joined Truvalu in 2018 fout of her passion to work with impact investments. Before joining Truvalu, she worked in several reputable investment banks and commercial banks in Bangladesh. Sharawwat is a CFA charterholder and holds an MBA and a BBA from the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), University of Dhaka.
Md. Golam Shaon is a Senior Business Acceleration Expert at Truvalu and leads the Bangladesh investment team. He is responsible for deal origination, due diligence, investment analysis of prospective SMEs, and investment execution as well as for providing co-entrepreneurship support and business development assistance to entrepreneurs. Before joining Truvalu, he worked for a leading Bangladeshi investment bank and a private equity firm. To date, Shaon has been involved in the financial modeling of more than 20 companies and has provided business and development advice to many more. Shaon holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the Department of Finance, University of Dhaka. Currently, he is pursuing the CFA charter. program and has passed level II of the three-level exam.
Hossain is an investment associate at Truvalu. He has more than 5 years’ experience in the investment industry. As a part of Truvalu’s investment team he is responsible for deal sourcing, due diligence, investment analysis and portfolio management. Before joining Truvalu, he worked for a large asset management company in Bangladesh and managed investments in 3 different sectors. Hossain completed his Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), University of Dhaka with a major in Finance. He is also a CFA Charter holder from CFA institute.
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Md Ifthaker Hosen is a Finance & Administration Analyst at Truvalu Bangladesh, responsible for managing all finance-related functions alongside administrative and HR tasks. Before joining Truvalu, he held a managerial position at an IT company, which provided him with a diverse skill set. He also has extensive experience in auditing, accounting, and advisory sectors, having delivered comprehensive services to over 20 companies. His areas of expertise include financial reporting, internal audit, taxation, and financial due diligence, compliance, and accounting services for provident and gratuity funds. Currently pursuing the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) qualification, He has successfully completed 10 out of 13 papers. With a commitment to excellence and a proactive approach, he plays a vital role in supporting Truvalu’s financial integrity and operational efficiency.
As an accounting professional with more than 9 years’ experience, Anwar has been handling the overall financial, administrative, and HR affairs of Truvalu Bangladesh as well as supporting the global office with financial administration and reporting. Before joining Truvalu, he worked in senior roles at leading apparel manufacturing and IT companies. He also worked for a leading audit and accountancy firm in Bangladesh where he served more than 30 clients. His area of expertise includes financial accounting and reporting, management accounting, auditing, internal control and compliance, taxation, and corporate laws and practices. He has completed Chartered Accountancy Course (CA- CC) from Hussain Farhad & Co., Chartered Accountants under the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB). He has also completed the CA Certificate Level and partially completed the CA Professional Level.
Anuj is a key team member of Truvalu Bangladesh. He is responsible for tracking project progress and results – how the projects are advancing to the set objectives and goals. He also contributes to project data management, capturing learning and imparting insights for better management decisions. For more than 6 years, he has been leading the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning section of different Development organizations. Anuj completed his Masters in Social Science from the University of Rajshahi. He majored in Social Work, combining an excellent academic background with practical working knowledge. He is an emerging MEAL professional in the development sector.
Nuzhat Tabassum Turee is an enthusiastic communications professional currently working with Truvalu Bangladesh as a Communications Officer. Alongside her bachelor’s degree a relevant field, she earned a masters in Communication and Journalism from the University of Chittagong, where she further refined her skills and passion for utilizing communication to effect change.
In her role at Truvalu, Nuzhat is instrumental role in crafting narratives and disseminating information in alignment with its strategic objectives. Prior to this position, she contributed her expertise as a Programme Associate at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), where she gained insights into policy advocacy and development initiatives. Her previous roles as a leadership facilitator and communication intern at the Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center underscore her dedication to nurturing the leadership skills of young individuals.
Throughout her career, Nuzhat has actively engaged in community development initiatives, leveraging her expertise to address challenges faced by underprivileged communities. Notably, she co-founded a digital production agency, showcasing her innovative approach to advocacy through compelling documentaries and creative content highlighting development challenges. Nuzhat looks forward to continuing her career in the development sector, where she can make a significant impact and amplify the voices of those in need, while remaining committed to social change.
Prosonno works as Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at Truvalu Bangladesh. He contributes to tracking the performances and assessing the outcomes of Truvalu’s various projects. He is an experienced M&E professional and has worked in different national and international organizations monitoring and evaluating different development projects. He has obtained his Masters degree in Social Science from the University of Rajshahi. With his knowledge, skills, and practical experience, he is a promising professional in the development sector.
Office location
Truvalu Bangladesh is located at House 16 (1st Floor), Road 30, Gulshan 1, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh.
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