Ahsan Mahmud
Dhaka
Summary
Business development professional with 10+ years of experience in media and education, including B2B partnerships and corporate deal development. Drove multimillion BDT revenue growth through strategic partnership building and execution of flagship events. Consistently exceeded sales targets and maintained long-term client relationships, earning Employee of the Year and Sales Champion awards.
Overview
2
2
Languages
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Manager, Business Development
MH Global Group (6 Sister Concerns)
Dhaka, Bangladesh
11.2025 - Current
- Develop and manage strategic, cross-industry partnerships, negotiating high-value agreements with major national and global brands to optimise lead generation for MH Global Group's portfolio of businesses.
- Drove lead generation and qualification strategies, optimising resource allocation and focusing team efforts on high-potential clients.
- Oversaw business development team, tracking performance against KPIs to foster growth and maintain high operational standards for market expansion.
- Led MH Global Group's Business Development operations, acting as the primary representative for the organisation across diverse sectors, including Education, Telecommunications, Banking, Real Estate, and Technology.
- Formulate and deliver compelling business proposals, sales strategies, and executive presentations to C-suite stakeholders and prospective partners.
- Cultivate robust, long-term relationships with existing clients, alumni associations, elite coaching centres, and educator networks to establish sustainable, high-quality referral pipelines.
- Establish, scale, and manage a widespread grassroots marketing network to automate regional lead acquisition and drive sustained brand visibility.
- Conceptualised and directed offline events, seminars, and awareness campaigns at corporates, universities, and schools with brand sponsors to promote higher education products.
- Collaborated with product development teams to align offerings with market needs and opportunities.
Manager, Business Development
The Daily Star
Dhaka, Bangladesh
01.2024 - 10.2025
- Spearheaded business development in Healthcare, FMCG, Education, and Telecommunications sectors, driving 20% revenue growth in 2025 (till my last date).
- Managed 40% of Daily Star's Digital Business and 40% of Print Business, achieving monthly sales targets of 60 lakhs to 1 Cr.
- Managed international collaborations with advertisers including Adelaide University (Australia), Qatar Airways, Emirates (UAE), Royal Enfield, and Ethiopian Airlines, contributing to overall revenue growth.
- Developed client acquisition strategies prioritising 30% agency and 70% brand contributions to enhance market reach.
- Secured BDT 40 lacs (6-month deal) with Meghna Group of Industries (MGI).
- Closed BDT 50 lacs (1-year partnership) with United Hospital.
- Closed BDT 18 lacs (6-month GP Lumière campaign) with Grameenphone.
- Noted for exemplary performance in achieving key business objectives.
- Managed award programmes such as Bangladesh Business Awards, ICT Awards, Sustainability Excellence Awards, and Stellar Women Awards, ensuring seamless execution and recognition for the company.
- Key brand partners: MGI, City Group, Pran, Walton, Polar, Ispahani, Nestlé.
Deputy Manager, Business Development
The Daily Star
Dhaka, Bangladesh
01.2023 - 12.2023
- Drove business development across 8 sectors, targeting 150 new clients and contributing 40% to overall revenue through strategic initiatives in print and digital media.
- Led business development in Education, Airlines, and Consumer Electronics, driving 20% revenue growth (2023); additionally contributed 2% growth in Automobiles through strategic partnerships.
- Consistently exceeded monthly sales target of BDT 80 lacs, achieving this 6 times through innovative campaigns and tailored client solutions that enhanced client satisfaction.
- Executed flagship events including Bangladesh Business Awards, ICT Awards, and O & A Level Awards, successfully elevating brand presence and stakeholder engagement.
- Drove Italian Design Day campaign with the Italian Embassy Dhaka, boosting brand visibility and diplomatic ties.
- Published 4 FMCG supplements, contributing BDT 50 Lacs.
- Published 22 one-page editions, generating BDT 22 Lacs in revenue.
- Delivered special editions with Turkish Airlines, Pinoy Travels & Argentine Embassy, generating BDT 10 Lacs.
- Managed daily operations, delegating tasks to team members to optimise productivity and efficiency.
- Led weekly team meetings to discuss targets, performance, and address any issues promptly.
- Skills:
- International Partnership Management
- Event & Campaign Leadership
- Event & Campaign Leadership
Assistant Manager, Business Development
The Daily Star
01.2022 - 12.2022
- Led sales across 5 sectors, onboarding 80 new clients and driving 30% overall revenue growth.
- Consistently met/exceeded BDT 80 Lacs monthly sales target, achieving success 5 times.
- Secured BDT 1.5 Cr flagship deal with Ispahani Blender's Choice for OTT Digital Content Awards.
- Secured 10% additional sales through OTT Awards sponsorships
- Recognised for outstanding performance in securing significant business deals.
- Produced tailored quotes and proposals that highlighted value and benefits for prospective clients.
- Delivered impactful presentations and pitches to investors and stakeholders, clearly communicating business value and securing interest.
- Delivered Startup Investment Book (Shark Tank-inspired), earning BDT 20 Lacs.
- Executed health campaigns for World Heart Day and World Kidney Day, generating BDT 20 lakhs in revenue.
- Delivered 2 AC product jacket editions, generating BDT 30 Lacs.
- Skills:
- Sector-Specific Marketing
- Client Relationship Management
- Sales Target Achievement
Senior Executive, Business Development
The Daily Star
Dhaka, Bangladesh
07.2018 - 12.2021
- Spearheaded sales in education and airlines sectors, onboarded 85+ clients, contributing to 5% revenue growth.
- Consistently exceeded monthly targets of BDT 30–40 lakhs, surpassing goals 22 times in 3 years.
- Managed high-value accounts and special publications; key clients included North South University, BRAC University, Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Turkish Airlines, generating 50% of total revenue.
- Recognised for outstanding contributions to industry growth and client engagement.
- Published first-ever aircraft review for Kuwait Airways (First-Class), generating BDT 10 Lacs in revenue.
- Secured a one-year advertising deal with Bangladesh University of Business & Agriculture for The Daily Star's SHOUT, worth BDT 25 Lacs across 52 insertions.
- Produced five high-impact Education publications, generating BDT 50 Lacs in total revenue.
- Achieved record revenue of BDT 15 lakhs for the O & A Level Magazine, surpassing previous benchmark of BDT 8–9 Lacs.
- Demonstrated expertise in relevant skills.
- Client Acquisition & Relationship Management
- Revenue Generation & Sales Strategy
- Negotiation & Deal Closure, Content Strategy
Executive, Business Development & B2B Partnership
Repto Education Center
Dhaka, Bangladesh
04.2017 - 06.2018
- Directed sales team to exceed quarterly targets, delivering mentorship and performance strategies.
- Managed client portfolio, achieving 25% sales growth through strategic acquisition and tailored training programmes.
- Promoted Pathao New App Manual Course, Grameenphone Academy, and A2I LICT courses; established partnerships with Grameenphone, Shohoz, Sheba, New Asia Group, and Microsoft.
- B2B Sales
- Client Acquisition
- Strategic Partnerships
- Online Course Promotion
- Skills:
Fundraising Officer
The Alliances Foundation Bangladesh
Dhaka, Bangladesh
07.2016 - 12.2017
- Managed key donor accounts including Huawei, Coca-Cola, Pran RFL, Hemas Corporation, and eVision, ensuring consistent contributions and long-term engagement.
- Secured donations from individual and corporate sponsors, enabling continued support for Virtual School Project.
- Organised 2 fundraising concerts, directing ticket revenue to enhance educational opportunities for children in slum areas.
- Website: The Alliances Foundation Bangladesh
- Skills: Strategic Planning
- Client Acquisition
- Negotiation & Deal Closure
- Cross-sector Communication
Education
Masters of Development Studies (MDS) - Development & Project
Southeast University Bangladesh (SEU)
Dhaka01-2019
Bachelor of Laws (LLB) -
Southeast university Bangladesh
Dhala01-2014
HSC - Humanities
Feni Government College
Feni01-2010
SSC - Humanities
Feni Government Pilot High School
Dhaka01-2008
Skills
- Business Development & Sales
- Client acquisition
- Lead generation
- Strategic Partnership
- Market Expansion
- Revenue growth
- KPI tracking
- Negotiation
- Negotiation strategies
- Account management
- Stakeholder Management
- Stakeholder communication
- Team Leadership
- CRM software
- International Education Sector
Awards:
Employee of the Year 2019 by The Daily Star
Best in Marketing & Innovation 2021 by The Daily Star
Employee of the Year 2023 by The Daily Star
Employee of the Year 2024 by The Daily Star
Quarterly Sales Champion Q1 2023 by The Daily Star
Quarterly Sales Champion Q2 2024 by The Daily Star
Sales Person of the Year 2017 by Repto Education Center
Workshop/Training:
- Workshop on "Phoenix Leadership", organized by Quazi M. Ahmed (Quazi Consultants)
- Workshop on "Professional AI Tools", conducted by Sohan Haider (Smartify)
- 3 Day Training on "South Asia News Media Revenue Festival", held in Delhi, India (July 2024)
- AI in Marketing by Philip Kotler Organized by IDEAN Consultancy
Language Skills
English
Upper Intermediate
B2
Bengali
Proficient
C2
Membership:
- General Member, International News Media Association (INMA) Engaged with a global network of 20,000+ media professionals across 80+ countries.
- Member, GI Committee (Media Cell), Bangladesh Institute of Management (BIM) Contributes to media strategy and institutional communication within BIM's governance framework.
Certificate:
- Certificate on "completion on Excel Essential Training (Office 365/Microsoft 365")
- Certification on "Microsoft Excel" an online course offered by Keeron.
- Certification on "Project Management" an online course offered by Keeron.
References
- Tajdin Hassan, Chief Business Officer, The Daily Star. Cell: 01713246674, Email: tajdin@thedailystar.net
- Sadman Muntasir, Key Account Manager, Australian Insurance Service Alliance (AISA), Cell: 01987846756, Email: sadman@aisalliance.com.au
Timeline
Manager, Business Development
MH Global Group (6 Sister Concerns)
11.2025 - Current
Manager, Business Development
The Daily Star
01.2024 - 10.2025
Deputy Manager, Business Development
The Daily Star
01.2023 - 12.2023
Assistant Manager, Business Development
The Daily Star
01.2022 - 12.2022
Senior Executive, Business Development
The Daily Star
07.2018 - 12.2021
Executive, Business Development & B2B Partnership
Repto Education Center
04.2017 - 06.2018
Fundraising Officer
The Alliances Foundation Bangladesh
07.2016 - 12.2017
Masters of Development Studies (MDS) - Development & Project
Southeast University Bangladesh (SEU)
Bachelor of Laws (LLB) -
Southeast university Bangladesh
HSC - Humanities
Feni Government College
SSC - Humanities
Feni Government Pilot High School