Tackling extreme poverty through locally led development at BRAC. Asif Saleh interviewed.

In this week’s episode, Asif Saleh speaks about BRAC as an INGO based in Bangladesh, which delves into understanding the underlying structural causes of poverty. Their work has focused on addressing the most pressing issues in a way that generates long-term stability.Asif talks about circular learning and flows of knowledge which disrupt Global South/Global North dynamics. BRAC emphasises the scalability of models so that they can be applied to a variety of contexts focused on keeping costs low and engaging the community. We discuss the need to build capacity of Southern-based organisations, especially for climate change adaptation. Asif Saleh is the Executive Director of BRAC. He brings a multi-sectoral experience in senior leadership roles in private, public, and non-government arenas, with a proven track record of effectively managing development programming, operational and financial sustainability, and building effective partnerships. Prior to joining BRAC, he was a policy specialist for the Prime Minister’s Office’s Access to Information (A2i) programme. He spent 12 years in Goldman Sachs in different fin-tech roles and institutional client sales in New York and London, ending his term there as an Executive Director. He has also worked in Glaxo Wellcome, IBM and Nortel. He is a non-resident fellow at the Center for Global Development in Washington, D.C. Mr Saleh chairs BRAC IT Services Limited, co-chairs BRAC Net, and is on the Board of BRAC Bank, bKash and edotco Bangladesh Ltd. He was recognised for his work by Asia Society’s Asia 21 programme in 2008, the Bangladeshi American Foundation in 2007, and was selected as an Asia 21 Fellow in 2012. He was selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2013. Mr Saleh holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science and an MBA from the Stern School of Business, New York University.If you’re interested to find out more about Asif’s work, take a look here:BRAC: FacebookXYoutubeInstagramLinkedInAsif Saleh: FacebookLinkedInXRelevant work:BRAC Ultra Poor Graduation InitiativeHow are people adapting to survive at the climate frontlines? | On the ground with Asif Saleh | BRACRecommended resources:Development needs to change. Bangladesh can show us how | World Economic Forum“There was always that hunger and craving that I wanted to do something that was good for the soul.” | Common Purpose“We are not just dreaming of a better world – we are building it” Asif Saleh on BRAC’s 50th | The Good FeedWe Need to Think Differently About Responding to Displacement | Centre for Global DevelopmentShifting the power: why development dynamics need to change | Philanthropy Age/The Impact Room