Sonia Bashir Kabir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sonia Bashir Kabir
|
|
|---|---|
| সোনিয়া বশির কবির | |
 |
|
| Born |
Dhaka, Bangladesh
|
| Education | Masters in Business Administration |
| Alma mater | California State University, Santa Clara University |
| Occupation | Tech Investor & Tech Entrepreneur |
| Title | Founder:
|
| Awards | Microsoft Founder's (Bill Gates) Award 2016, SDG Pioneer Award, 2017 Anannya Top Ten Awards (2015) |
Sonia Bashir Kabir is a very important person in the world of technology in Bangladesh. She is known as a tech investor, which means she helps new technology companies, called startups, grow and succeed. She is the only woman in Bangladesh who focuses on investing in these tech startups, especially in growing markets in South Asia. Sonia started her career working for big tech companies in Silicon Valley, USA. Later, she became a tech entrepreneur, an angel investor (someone who invests their own money in startups), and now she manages a special fund that invests in new businesses.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Sonia Bashir Kabir grew up in Bangladesh. She finished her Senior Cambridge studies at St Francis Xavier's Green Herald International School. Then, she completed her Higher Secondary Certificate from Viqarunnisa Noon School and College.
She later moved to Silicon Valley in Northern California, USA. This area is famous for its many technology companies. There, she earned a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree from California State University, East Bay. She also completed a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Santa Clara University.
Besides her studies, Sonia was also a talented athlete. She played volleyball and cricket for the Abahani women's teams. She even played for the Bangladesh National Volleyball team.
Career in Technology
Sonia Bashir Kabir has had a very impressive career in the tech world. She started by working for large companies in Silicon Valley, like Sun Microsystems and Oracle. She also worked for smaller startup companies and in the financial sector. Her skills include planning for growth, managing sales, handling money, building strong teams, and helping companies change for the better.
Leadership Roles
Sonia has held many important leadership positions. She was the Managing Director for Microsoft in Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan, and Laos. She also served as the Country Director for Dell in Bangladesh. Before that, she was the Director of Business Development for Microsoft in new markets in Southeast Asia. She also worked as the Chief Operating Officer for Aamra Technologies Ltd.
Supporting New Businesses
Sonia is passionate about helping new businesses and women in technology. She founded the first Women's IT Association in Bangladesh, called Bangladesh Women in IT (BWIT). She also started the first Women Tech Investors Network (WTIN).
She is also the founder of The Angels Network (TAN). This group helps connect investors with new startups. Sonia is also the Founder President and an advisor for the TiE Dhaka Chapter. TiE is a non-profit organization based in Silicon Valley that helps people become entrepreneurs.
Work with the United Nations
Sonia Bashir Kabir has also worked with the United Nations. In 2015, the former UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, appointed her to the Governing Council of the Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries (LDC). This bank helps less developed countries use technology to grow. In 2017, she was elected as the Vice Chairman of the UN Technology Bank.
The current UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, reappointed Sonia to the Governing Council. She was also reappointed as Vice Chair of the UN Tech Bank for the 2019–2022 term. This shows how much the UN values her expertise.
Sonia also served as a board member for UNESCO's Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development. This institute works on education for peace.
Supporting Youth and Women
Sonia actively supports young people in technology. She also works to empower women across Bangladesh. She helps with many initiatives led by young people.
Awards and Recognition
Sonia Bashir Kabir has received many awards for her contributions to technology and business:
- In 2022, she was named on the "Rest of World's" 100 Global Tech's Changemakers’ list. She was the first woman from Bangladesh to receive this honor.
- She was the first woman in Bangladesh to win the ICT Business Person of the Year Award from Daily Star in 2019.
- In 2016, she received the Microsoft Founder's Award from Bill Gates himself. She was one of only five employees out of 100,000 at Microsoft to win this award.
- In 2017, the UN Global Compact recognized her as an SDG Pioneer. Only 10 people worldwide received this recognition. She was honored for including seven Global Goals (like no poverty, quality education, and gender equality) in her business plans.
- She is also a recipient of the Anannya Top Ten Awards in 2016.
