Rupali Chowdhury, managing director of Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited, has been elected president of the Foreign Investors' Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) for the fourth time.

At the same time, Deepal Abeywickrema, chairman and managing director of Nestlé Bangladesh PLC, was elected senior vice president, and Mohammad Iqbal Chowdhury, CEO of LafargeHolcim Bangladesh PLC, vice president.

FICCI made the announcements for the 2026-2027 term at its 62nd annual general meeting at Le Méridien Dhaka today.

The newly elected 15-member board of directors will assume office on January 1, 2026, following the end of the current board's tenure on December 31, 2025, led by Zaved Akhtar, chairman of Unilever Bangladesh Ltd, who took charge as FICCI president for the 2024-2025 term.

In her remarks, Rupali said, "I am honoured to be elected president of FICCI and sincerely grateful for the trust placed in me by our member companies. FICCI has long been a cornerstone of Bangladesh's investment landscape, and I am committed to advancing its mission to support economic transformation."

She also expressed her gratitude to the outgoing president, Zaved Akhtar, saying, "I extend my sincere thanks to Zaved Akhtar for his steadfast leadership over the past two years. I look forward to working closely with the board and stakeholders to drive meaningful reforms and strengthen the investment climate."

Outgoing president Akhtar thanked FICCI members and the board for their support, saying, "It has been a privilege to serve as FICCI president. Together, we crossed a period of economic and political transition while advancing initiatives to boost investor confidence."

He congratulated the new leadership, expressing confidence in their ability to take FICCI forward.