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On the morning of March 12, Bangladesh lost one of the most outstanding and visionary corporate leader, Syed Manzur Elahi who died at the age of 83 at Gleneagles Hospital in Singapore. Elahi, who was the chairman of Apex Group and Mutual Trust Bank (MTB) was a pioneer of the country’s leather, footwear and financial sectors.
Elahi was born in 1942 in Kolkata and is remembered for his entrepreneurial success. It was started when he bought Orient Tannery in 1975. It was the start of his profitable venture into the leather business, which led to the eventual establishment of Apex Footwear, one of Bangladesh’s largest footwear firms today. His business has spread globally and sells products to major international retailers such as Timberland, Marks & Spencer and Aldo. Apex Tannery and Apex Footwear is known for high quality leather products.
Apart from his entrepreneurial success Elahi contributed significantly to the country’s financial sector. He was the founder of MTB and Pioneer Insurance and contributed significantly to the development of private sector banking in Bangladesh. His business spirit also gave birth to different companies operating in different sectors including Apex Pharma and Quantum Consumer Solutions.
Elahi’s efforts were rewarded with many honors, such as the ‘Business Executive of the Year 2000’ by the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) and The Daily Star and DHL’s ‘Business Person of the Year 2002’ award.
A man of vision and a survivor, Syed Manzur Elahi’s death is a big loss to the business community as well as the country. His legacy will continue to inspire future generations of entrepreneurs and industrialists in Bangladesh.
