To bring transformational change in the digital space, today, Bangladesh Brand Forum has successfully organized Digital Summit 2019. Meghna Group of Industries presented this year’s summit which was attended by around 500 professionals.
The theme for the summit was ‘Digital Transformation for People’. Organized in association with ada (Analytics. Data. Advertising) and The Daily Star, the daylong summit took place at Le Méridien Dhaka. The summit was followed by Digital Marketing Award 2019 in the evening, where best digital works were awarded in 16 categories. Initiated in 2014 by Bangladesh Brand Forum, the Digital Summit is the apex platform for country’s digital marketers.
Shariful Islam, Founder & MD of Bangladesh Brand Forum inaugurated the summit. He said, ‘Digital is already a way of life for the millennium and digital natives. While marketers are trying to embrace digital in every facet of their brand-building activities, we need to realize that the human connection needs to be at the centre of everything that marketers do to thrive in this new ecosystem.’
This year’s summit had 3 global speakers, who came from different regions of the world and shared knowledge. Alongside, there were notable local experts who discussed on multiple topics. Multiple panel discussions, breakouts, insights and many more engagements gave the summit premises a school-like ambience.
Keynote speakers were Rob Sherlock, Executive Advisor, Global Communications Consultant at ADK; Chief Creative Officer, Executive Search at Cognasia Talent; Vittorio Furlan, Head of Business Insights at ada (Analytics. Data. Advertising), Malaysia; and Protik Basu, Managing Partner at WeAddo.
Some of the eminent panel discussants were Nazim Farhan Choudhury, Managing Director of Adcomm Ltd.; Moutushi Kabir, Director of Communication & Outreach at BRAC & BRAC International; Nusrat Jahan, Marketing Director at Reckitt Benckiser; Ashraf Bin Taj, President of Marketing Society of Bangladesh (MSB); Tajdin Hassan, Head of Marketing at The Daily Star; Zeeshan Rahman, Category Head-Fabric Solutions at Unilever Bangladesh Ltd.; Nazmul Karim Chowdhury, Executive Vice President, Head of Brand & Communications at Prime Bank Limited; Nafees Anwar Chowdhury, Deputy Director of Brand & Digital Marketing at Grameenphone Limited; Moasser Ahmed, Country Marketing Manager at Coca-Cola Bangladesh Limited; Rabeth Khan, Chief Executive Officer at Macomm (Official Affiliate of Dentsu); Tahasina Rafa, General Manager of Brand & Digital at Airtel; Kazi Nowrid Amin, Digital Marketing Manager at IQI Global, Malaysia; Shahriar Amin, Brands & Marketing Professional; Drabir Alam, Chief Operating Officer at X; Salahuddin Shahed, Chief Operating Officer at FCB Bitopi; Neamul Mukit Ahmed, Head of Digital Marketing & Engagement at Banglalink Digital Communications Limited; Sayeda Umme Salma, Media Director at Top of Mind; Munaf Mojib Chowdhury, Director, Client Leadership, Agency at ada (Analytics – Data – Advertising), Bangladesh; Dr. Syed Ferhat Anwar, Director at the Institute of Business Administration, University of Dhaka; Asif Iqbal, Deputy Managing Director at Meghna Group of Industries Ltd.; Yasir Azman, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at Grameenphone Limited;
Mohammad Ashraful Alam, CSCM, Chief Operating Officer at BRAC-Aarong; Urfi Ahmad, Brands & Communications Director at Banglalink; Maliha Quadir, Founder & Managing Director at Shohoz; Protik Basu, Managing Partner at WeAddo.
There were insight sessions covered by Lutfi Chowdhury, Managing Director, South Asia, Eskimi; Shihab Ahmad, Managing Director, ada (Analytics. Data. Advertising), and Shadab Mahbub, CEO of Chatleads & Co-Founder of WebAble Digital. Also, the case studies were presented by Tusnuva Ahmed Tina, Executive Director at Asiatic Mindshare Ltd; Kazi Hassan Ferdous, Assistant Digital Director at Asiatic Mindshare Ltd; Shahariar Md. Shahabuddin, General Manager & Head of Digital Marketing at Grameenphone Ltd.; M Akrum Hossain, Senior Creative Director at Grey Bangladesh; Bitop Das Gupta, AVP & Strategic Planning Lead at Grey Bangladesh; Waiz Rahim, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Deligram; Syed Redwanur Rahman, Marketing Manager, BRAC – Aarong; and Risalat Siddique, Man of Steel, Analyzen.
Furthermore, there was a breakout session that engaged smaller groups of audience. The breakout session was hosted by Tanveer Faruq, Founder & CEO of Applied Business Initiatives.
The daylong summit was followed by Digital Marketing Award 2019 which is the only accolade for digital works in Bangladesh. This year, more than 500 nominations were submitted for the award. The awards were given across 16 categories, in four ranks – Grand Prix, Gold, Silver and Bronze. This year’s Digital Marketing Award had 79 winners. There were 1 Grand Prix award, 12 Gold awards, 16 Silver awards and 50 Bronze awards.
An initiative of Bangladesh Brand Forum, Digital Summit 2019 was presented by Meghna Group of Industries and organized in association with ada (Analytics. Data. Advertising) & The Daily Star; Supported by – Eskimi; Strategic Partner – Bangladesh Creative Forum; Knowledge Partner – MSB; Event Partner – Le Méridien, Dhaka; Lifestyle Partner – Advanced Development Technologies; Technology Partner – Aamra; Digital Partner – Advanced Business Initiatives; Visual Partner – Aatosh; and PR Partner – Backpage PR.