BRAC Bank launches leadership programme for women’s growth

BRAC Bank has launched a new initiative that offers personal and professional growth opportunities to its female co-workers.

BRAC Bank believes in a culture where both men and women thrive together with equal participation, as both genders bring diverse mindsets, skills, and talents to the table. 

In light of this, the bank aims to be a top runner in women's empowerment and female leadership so that women can find the safety and confidence to lead the industry equally. To prepare our female co-workers to take on new challenges and higher responsibilities, a cross-functional project team was formed to develop a comprehensive women's leadership development framework with a detailed curriculum called "ELEA", elaborated as Enlightened Leaders Exemplify Achievement.

This diverse team, led by Farhana Sharmin Sumi, Senior HR Business Partner, brought together experts from various functions, each contributing unique insights and skills. Their collaborative effort has resulted in a comprehensive program designed to empower women co-workers, providing them with the tools and opportunities needed to advance into leadership roles within the bank.

In collaboration with HR, the bank's internal women's forum, 'TARA', has taken this initiative to help them stick to bigger career aspirations against the reality of home and office responsibilities, which create roadblocks to elevating their career paths. 

Twenty-five aspiring females will participate in this ELEA initiative. They will undergo one-year intensive grooming based on a 70:20:10 learning model with cross-functional attachments, project work, the tutelage of coaches and mentors, classroom training sessions, and workshops.

Selim R. F. Hussain, Managing Director and CEO, formally launched the initiative at a ceremony at the bank's head office in Dhaka on October 7, 2024, in the presence of the bank's Senior Management team, participants, their coaches and mentors, and project team members.

Regarding the programme, Hussain commented: "As a people-centric organisation, BRAC Bank always strives to undertake new initiatives to promote women's leadership at the upper ladder of the management team. ELEA will equip our female colleagues with the new skills and acumen necessary for demanding senior management roles. We will continue introducing such capacity-building programmes so that our female co-workers can add value to their personal growth."

Chief Technology Officer and Head of TARA Forum Nurun Nahar Begum said, "This platform will enrich our women colleagues with advanced knowledge and strategic insights, which they can apply in their respective roles. They can use this platform as a springboard to uplift their professional careers." 

BRAC Bank aspires to become the most women-friendly bank in Bangladesh, and the TARA Forum plays a pivotal role in achieving this goal. The forum aims to facilitate career development and professional excellence for women bankers in the organisation. It increases accessibility to information about careers, households, lifestyles, and other realms of women's lives. ELEA is an exemplary example of TARA's continuous pursuit of putting women in the driving seat of their careers.