Ananta Group
Apparel Manufacturer in Bangladesh.
globally employ 26,000
annual turnover exceeds $300 Million
investments in technology & material innovation
Design Innovation
Catering to customers’ needs by practicing innovative ideas across design & manufacturing.
Exceeding Expectation
Enabling clients to achieve their goals to become leaders in their markets & industries.
Safe & Healthy Workspaces
Protecting employees globally by providing safe & healthy work environments.
Continuous CSER Growth
Taking corporate social & environmental responsibilities seriously for continued growth.
Mrs. Qamrun Nahar Zahir Chairman
Mrs. Qamrun Nahar is the chairman of Ananta Apparels Limited and is responsible for vetting all of the company’s strategic decisions and investment opportunities. She brings more than 25 years of strong leadership to Ananta with experience spanning several sectors including commercial banking, insurance, real estate, and education. Mrs. Zahir is the ex-chairman of United Commercial Bank and Janata Insurance Limited. She is also the founder of Dhaka Women's College. Mrs. Zahir holds a bachelor’s degree from Dhaka University and a master’s degree from Karachi University.
Sharif Zahir Managing Director
Mr. Sharif Zahir is a young, successful entrepreneur. He is the managing director of Ananta Group, one of the largest and fastest growing companies in the apparel and textile sector. Mr. Zahir has been recognized as one of the youngest Commercially Important Persons (CIP) by the government of Bangladesh for the last five consecutive years. Under his dynamic leadership, Ananta Group has also engaged in other sectors including real estate, banking, and e-commerce. He is the chairman of Zero Gravity Ltd. (sindabad.com). He was the vice chairman of United Commercial Bank Ltd. and National Finance Ltd. and the past chairman of Vanguard Asset Management Ltd. Mr. Zahir graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in economics and finance. He has travelled widely and is actively involved with various social organizations.
Asif Zahir Deputy Managing Director
Asif Zahir joined Ananta Group as a director in August 2008. He has been responsible for leading his family business in becoming one of the largest and fastest growing apparel manufacturing companies in Bangladesh – a turnover of $160 million+ USD and more than 18,000 employees. Asif also serves as the managing director of Zero Gravity Ventures Ltd. as well as Sindabad.com Ltd., a business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce one stop purchasing solution, and the director of National Finance Limited, a non-banking financial institution. Prior to returning to Bangladesh, Asif Zahir spent several years in the USA working as a product manager at Google, Inc. where he focused on developing applications for the Android mobile operating platform. Asif graduated from Stanford University, USA, with a degree in computer science, where he was recognized as a President’s Scholar and a Mayfield Fellow. He then went on to complete his MBA at Harvard University, USA.Asif graduated from Stanford University, USA with a degree in Computer Science, where he was recognized as a President’s Scholar and a Mayfield Fellow. Asif has also completed his Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from Harvard University, USA.
Sayed Ishtiaq Alam Director
Mr. Syed Ishtiaq Alam is the director of Ananta Group Limited. Mr. Alam has more than 10 years of management consulting experience in the financial services, insurance, apparel, and retail sectors to his credit. Prior to joining Ananta Group Limited, Mr. Alam was a manager based at the New York headquarters of Deloitte Consulting. There he was responsible for assisting leading insurance companies, Wall Street investment banks, and apparel/retail clients in implementing multi-year projects including strategy/planning, program/project management, business processes development, project implementation, and rollout. Mr. Alam also sits on the board of directors of Eastern Insurance Co. Limited. His career includes leadership roles including partnerships to handle capital expenditures and systems upgrades. He holds both a bachelor of science with distinction in mathematics and physics and a master’s degree in computer and information science from the University of Pennsylvania.
Khalid Quadir Nominee Director
Mr. Khalid Shahidul Quadir, CEO Brummer & Partners Asset Management (Bangladesh) Ltd, has over 20 year experience of private equity, entrepreneurship and banking. He co-founded Gonofone, a New York based company, which was the founding partner of GrameenPhone, the largest mobile phone operator in Bangladesh and founded and managed a Bangladesh wireless broadband operator. Prior to that, Mr. Quadir spent 12 years working in private equity and banking in the United States. Mr. Quadir is a graduate of Middlebury College, Vermont and was awarded a fellowship at Stanford University, California in 2003Fund in 2008 as well as being an original member of the investment team and one of three members of the investment committee of Frontier PE, which is dedicated to private equity investments in Bangladesh. In 2007, He joined Brummer & Partners as CEO of Brummer & Partners Asset Management (Bangladesh) Ltd. Since then he has overseen Brummer & Partners investments in Bangladesh. Responsibilities have included managing investments since inception of the Frontier.
Anders Stendebakken Nominee Director
Mr. Anders Stendebakken is CEO of Brummer & Partners Asset Management (Asia) Pte Ltd. After graduating from the Stockholm School of Economics in 1996 Mr. Stendebakken joined Brummer & Partners as an analyst. From 1998 to 2005, he worked for the international investment bank Lazard focusing on mergers and acquisitions, most recently as vice president within corporate finance. In 2005, he moved to Asia where he worked for Vickers Financial Group, a private equity firm that invests in China and Southeast Asia, where he also formed a part of the investment committee. In August 2007, Mr. Stendebakken once again joined Brummer & Partners as CEO of B&P Asset Management (Asia) Pte Ltd. Since then, he has overseen the Brummer & Partners business in Asia, including the launch of two funds – the Frontier Fund (Bermuda) Ltd. (the “Frontier Fund”) and Frontier PE (Cayman) LP (“Frontier PE”) that invest in Bangladesh. Responsibilities have included managing investments in the capital market in Bangladesh since the Frontier Fund’s inception in 2008 as well as being an original member of the investment team and one of three members of the investment committee of Frontier Fund and Frontier PE, which is dedicated to private equity investments in Bangladesh.
Entrepreneurial and innovative DNA drives Ananta to seek and create valuable and mutually beneficial partnerships that forge new discoveries for us and our partners. Our relentless pursuit of operational excellence and proven track record in the global apparel arena gives us opportunities to build strong relationships with other industry leaders based on a firm foundation of mutual understanding, trust, and steadfast business ethics.
Brandot International Limited is an investment company specializing in joint venture partnerships in the apparel and textile industry. They invest in private companies that show outstanding potential and sustainable long-term competitive advantage. With its extensive apparel and textile industry experience, Brandot’s competitive advantage rests in its ability to offer unique perspectives that add value to joint venture companies. Brandot was founded in 2001 by Martin Trust, an entrepreneur with over 50 years of apparel and textile industry experience.
Time International Trading S.R.L has been operating in the Romanian market for over 15 years. A family-owned business, it is an established, well-reputed formal suits manufacturer primarily catering to the EU market. With a 1,000+ workforce across three factories in Alexandria and Bucharest, Romania, it has a vast international market penetration.
Founded in 1991 by Ms. Pinghua Mao, Shanghai Huaxiang Group, a well-respected sweater manufacturer in China, produces more than 6 million units and sales totaling more than $60 million annually. Its customers consist of leading brands and retailers such as Ann Taylor Loft, Victoria’s Secret, H&M, Escada, Burberry, and Chloe. It has earned several awards and recognition including “one of the best suppliers” from Mast Industries Inc. in 2009 and “one of the best women leaders of enterprises in Shanghai” in 2011.
The Frontier Fund is a registered investment fund focusing on investing in listed securities as well as the securities of privately held companies in Bangladesh. The Fund’s target sectors include pharmaceuticals, auto and ancillaries, healthcare, education, financial services, retail and distribution, telecommunications, and consumer goods.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) invested in equity financing at Ananta Group’s parent holding company in 2015. The IFC has continued to support Ananta Group in its developmental and long-term capital growth through its private equity investment.
Investment support from leading development focused investors (DFI) includes equity financing from IFC (2015) and Brummer and Partners (2010) and debt financing from IFC, FMO, DEG, and other international banks. Well-established business relationships also exist with leading local and international banks such as Standard Charter Bank Plc., Prime Bank Ltd., Eastern Bank Ltd., and BRAC Bank Ltd.