The board of directors of Beximco Pharmaceuticals PLC, one of Bangladesh’s leading pharmaceutical companies, has appointed Rabbur Reza, chief operating officer, as managing director of the company for a period of five years with immediate effect.
The decision was taken at a board meeting held on Thursday, 12 November 2026. He replaces Iqbal Ahmed, who stepped down from his position as managing director but will continue to serve on the board of directors of the company. The appointment will be subject to the approval of the shareholders at the next annual general meeting of the company.
As managing director, Rabbur Reza will lead the company’s overall operations and strategic priorities, with particular emphasis on enhancing organisational efficiency, strengthening stakeholder confidence, accelerating innovation, and expanding opportunities in domestic and international pharmaceutical markets.
Commenting on the appointment, ASF Rahman, chairman of the board said, “We are delighted to announce Rabbur Reza’s appointment as Managing Director. Throughout his time at the Company, he has demonstrated his exceptional leadership skills and industry expertise which have been central to the Company’s continued growth and success as a globally recognised pharmaceutical business. Rabbur’s efforts have consistently delivered for both patients and shareholders, and we look forward to seeing continued progress of Beximco Pharma under his leadership.”
Rabbur Reza, managing director of Beximco Pharma, added, “I am honoured to be appointed Managing Director and want to thank the Board for trusting me with this opportunity. I have spent more than 25 years at Beximco Pharma and I am incredibly excited to step into this new role as we continue to expand our work to deliver high quality, affordable medicines to more people around the world.”
Rabbur Reza has been chief operating officer at Beximco Pharmaceuticals PLC since 2009, with over 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, spanning international business development, operations, strategy, and leadership.
During his tenure at the company, he played a key role in expanding the company’s exports to over 60 countries, including USA, Australia, and markets across Europe, and in driving the strategic acquisitions of Nuvista Pharma and Sanofi Bangladesh (now Synovia Pharma).
He also pioneered the introduction of first to market generic medicines, including breakthrough treatments for hepatitis C and COVID-19, and led the introduction of specialty generics and innovative therapies, including the 2026 launch of Triko, the first generic version of Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ breakthrough cystic fibrosis therapy Trikafta.
He holds a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from Panjab University, India, and an MBA from Queensland University of Technology, Australia. He has also completed executive education programmes at Harvard Business School, London Business School, and MIT Sloan School of Management.
Rabbur Reza is an executive committee member of the Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (BAPI) and a member of the Medical Technical Options Committee under the Montreal Protocol.
