NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Sahed Shams Azad is Chief Operating Officer of the Microfinance Programme at BRAC, one of the largest nongovernmental organizations in the world and the only one based in the Global South. The Microfinance Programme serves more than 6.5 million households. His work focuses on critical strategic agendas like digital transformation, client protection and social performance, and new product development. He is involved in creating client-centric concepts to reshape modern-day microfinance practices to better address underserved or unbanked communities.

He is Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of INAFI Bangladesh (International Network of Alternative Financial Institutions). He is a graduate of the University of Chennai, received a master’s degree in English literature from the University of Dhaka, and an MBA from the Institute of Business Administration at the University of Dhaka.