Rupali Haque Chowdhury and Berger Paints Bangladesh complement each other. When you hear the name Berger Paints, the first person who comes to mind is Rupali Haque Chowdhury, an icon of Bangladesh’s corporate world and a living legend of the paint industry.

Berger Paints was founded in 1760 in the United Kingdom by German citizen Louis Berger. The multinational set up its first manufacturing facility in Bangladesh in 1970 and currently leads the country’s paint industry with an estimated 55 percent market share. At present, the company operates two manufacturing plants in Savar, Dhaka, and the Kalurghat Heavy Industrial Area in Chattogram, while construction of a world‑class automated facility at the Mirsarai Economic Zone is underway, with production expected to begin in 2027. With more than five decades of operations in Bangladesh, Berger Paints maintains a nationwide footprint through 14 sales offices, three painter training institutes, and around 3,000 outlets, serving more than 600,000 customers nationwide.

Rupali Haque Chowdhury was born in Patiya, a small town in Chattogram, the southern part of Bangladesh. From a young age, she carried a profound aspiration: to become a doctor and fulfill her father’s unspoken yet deeply cherished dream. Today, he is a prominent figure in the corporate world and unparalleled in the paint industry, despite having dreamed of becoming a doctor during his early age wish. She completed her undergraduate studies in Chemistry at the University of Chittagong, building a strong academic foundation. At a turning point in her life, a close friend encouraged her to pursue higher studies in business, believing her potential extended far beyond a single discipline.

Taking that advice to heart, Rupali enrolled in the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program at the prestigious Institute of Business Administration (IBA), University of Dhaka. This decision proved to be transformative—not only redefining her academic and professional trajectory, but also deeply influencing her personal life. In time, the friend who inspired her to take this bold step became her life partner.

Bangladesh’s First Female Managing Director of a Multinational Company

Rupali Haque Chowdhury began her professional career with the multinational pharmaceutical and chemical company Ciba‑Geigy (Bangladesh) Limited, where she worked as a Brand Manager until leaving the organization in 1990. In the same year, she joined Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited as Planning Manager. Over the years, she served in a range of departments—including marketing, sales, supply chain, and systems—holding various supervisory and leadership roles. In recognition of her extensive experience and outstanding contributions, she was appointed Managing Director of Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited on 1 January 2008, becoming the first Bangladeshi woman to serve as Managing Director of a multinational company. Under her leadership over the past 36 years, Berger Paints Bangladesh has consistently retained its market‑leading position. When she took charge as Managing Director, the company’s annual turnover stood at Tk 350 crore; it has since grown nearly tenfold to approximately Tk 4,000 crore today, reflecting sustained growth driven by strong, front‑line leadership.

The above‑mentioned graph shows that, under her strong leadership, Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited has achieved sustained and disciplined profit growth over seven consecutive years, with a similar trend consistently observed in the preceding years as well. Reflecting long‑term strategic direction and effective operational execution, the company’s annual profits increased steadily from BDT 196 crore in FY 2018–19 to BDT 327 crore in FY 2024–25. Over the course of her leadership, she has faced many challenges, with the COVID‑19 pandemic emerging as the most difficult period. Despite the unprecedented disruptions during this time, she managed the company with utmost efficiency and ensured the declaration of dividends. Through strategic decision‑making and the introduction of innovative products, she has taken Berger Paints Bangladesh to a new level of growth and excellence.

She also serves as the Chairman and Managing Director of Jenson & Nicholson (Bangladesh) Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited. In addition, she is a Director of Berger Becker Bangladesh Limited, a joint venture between Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited and Becker Industrial Coatings Holding AB, Sweden, as well as Berger Fosroc Limited, a joint venture between Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited and Fosroc International Limited, UK.

Most recently, Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited announced through a press release that Ms. Rupali Haque Chowdhury has been appointed as Executive Director of BPBL Subsidiaries, Coordination Director of the Joint Ventures, and Non‑Executive Director of Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited, effective from 01 August 2026.

President of the Bangladesh Paint Manufacturers Association (BPMA)

Rupali Haque Chowdhury previously served as the President of the Bangladesh Paint Manufacturers’ Association (BPMA) for the 2019–2020 term. BPMA is the representative body of paint producers in Bangladesh, dedicated to addressing challenges faced by its members as well as issues affecting the paint industry as a whole. The association works to promote and recognize the highest standards of paint quality while safeguarding the interests of manufacturers.

During her tenure, Ms. Chowdhury emerged as a capable and compassionate leader. Under her leadership, significant support was extended to the painter community, with over Tk 1.75 crore provided to help painters recover from the adverse impacts of the COVID‑19 pandemic. She has also been a strong advocate for the adoption of lead‑free paints, emphasizing their importance for public health and environmental sustainability.

Featured in TIME Magazine, Among Others

Rupali Haque Chowdhury’s leadership and achievements continue to earn national and global recognition. Her interview was featured in TIME magazine’s January 30–February 6, 2023 issue, where she discussed Berger’s business landscape, Bangladesh’s growth potential, and how the company is aligning innovation and its product pipeline to drive the future of the country’s paint industry.

Recognized among the Top 50 Women Leaders in the World, Ms. Chowdhury has been acknowledged for her outstanding contributions to corporate governance, innovation, education, and women’s empowerment. Most recently, she was selected as the winner of the “Career Woman of the Year – Corporate Leadership & Industry Excellence” at the Top 50 Professional & Career Women Global Awards – Fifteenth Edition, 2025, hosted by Women in Management (WIM).

Earlier, she was featured in The Daily Star after receiving the “Outstanding Woman in Business – 2019” award at the 19th DHL–Daily Star Bangladesh Business Awards. She has also been recognized multiple times as a Commercially Important Person (CIP) in acknowledgment of her significant contributions to the business sector.

Ms. Chowdhury has also recently been elected President of the Bangladesh Association of Publicly Listed Companies (BAPLC) for a two‑year term. She previously served three terms as President of the Foreign Investors’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). In addition, she is a Member of the Advisory Board of UNICEF Bangladesh and Senior Vice President of the Bangladesh Economic Zone Investors Association (BEZIA).

Her corporate governance roles include serving as an Independent Director of BAT Bangladesh, LafargeHolcim Bangladesh PLC, Bata Shoe Company (Bangladesh) Ltd, SMC Enterprise Ltd, and previously as an Independent Director of Linde Bangladesh Limited and Marico Bangladesh Ltd.

Rupali Haque Chowdhury has become more than just a name—she has emerged as an institution in her own right and a powerful source of inspiration for many. Reflecting on the journey behind her success, she humbly notes, “Many people assume that I have reached the top because of merit alone. But talent is only one part of the story. What truly matters are innovation, honesty, integrity, commitment, and hard work.”