Find out more about our team members below
Management Team
Anjan Dasgupta
Managing DirectorAnjan Dasgupta
Managing DirectorAnjan Dasgupta is a Finance and Banking expert now heading ASA International India Microfinance Limited as Managing Director. Before joining ASA International, he successfully managed a number of large co-operative banks, As Managing Director of an Urban Cooperative Bank in Sikkim, he innovated banking to include Micro-finance, livelihood development schemes and financial inclusion. The projects were identified as model schemes by the Reserve Bank of India and highlighted in the report of RBI’s committee for financial inclusion in the North East. The schemes were recommended by RBI to other banks for replication. He also has a successful record of transforming a start-up Society in Bihar engaged in Microfinance into a NBFC. During one year he was able to help the start-up scale-up and achieve the status of largest “Bihar State Grown” MFI. In addition, he brought international equity investment to invest in this start-up MFI at a sizable premium.
Shubhashis Paul
General Manager FinanceShubhashis Paul
General Manager FinanceMr. Paul has completed his Bachelor’s in Commerce and also is a qualified Cost & Management Accountant with Associate Membership with the ‘Institute for Cost and Management Accountants of India as well as being a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) certified in the USA. Mr. Paul operates and oversees the banking operations and interactions with lenders and manages procedures for MFI Grading and Credit Rating. He has 11 years of experience in the microfinance sector - out of which 8 at ASA International India, and has also served 11 years in the banking industry.
Maitree Banerjee
Chief Technology OfficerMaitree Banerjee
Chief Technology OfficerMs Maitree Banerjee is by qualification B. Tech with specialization in Applied & Instrumentation Engineering. She went on to complete M. Tech in power Electronics. She has sizable knowledge and software skills, that includes Data structure, DBMS, C, JAVA, SAP. Her field of interest: Power Electronics & Drives, Control system, Modern Power converter. Fuzzy Logic, Modelling & Simulation, Process Control Measurements and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Besides academics she is proficient in classical Music and Ravindra Sangeet with various prizes and recognitions. She has joined ASA India in the year 2019 and has a sizable experience of IT/Operations/Finance. Prior to ASA India, Ms. Maitree Banerjee has served in the teaching profession in various Engineering Colleges.
Suvankar Mondal
Chief Information OfficerSuvankar Mondal
Chief Information OfficerMr. Mondal is responsible for the emerging technologies and digital trends in consonance with the company’s IT vision and roadmap. A graduate of B.Com (Hons.) from Calcutta University, he is a Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist and also has an Intel Certificate of Recognition from Intel Technology India Pvt. Ltd. Previously, Mr. Mondal has served as Senior System Engineer at Cyber Works (HP authorized service provider), as Supervisor of Computer Operations at ABIS Software Pvt. Ltd. as well as an IT expert at the Indian Institute of Hardware Technology, Kolkata.
Nabarun Biswas
Assistant Manager HR & AdminNabarun Biswas
Assistant Manager HR & AdminMr. Nabarun Biswas is a HR specialist with 9 years of experience in the sector. By qualification, he has an MBA in Human Resource Management and having a degree in Law (LLB). He joined ASA India in May 2019 as Assistant Manager – HR & Admin. His specialization is in HR – payroll & operations and Labour Compliances across different sectors like IT, HR Audit & Compliances.
Dipak Kumar Ray
Head Of Institutional RelationshipDipak Kumar Ray
Head Of Institutional RelationshipMr Dipak Kumar Ray joined Asa India on April 1, 2022, as Head of Institutional Relationship. During his 36 year's long banking career he has gained experience in various areas of banking operations such as Project Financing, Resources Mobilization, Agri-Processing including MFI/SME& Micro-Lending, Recovery Resolutions, NPA Management, and more. In addition, he also has exposure in NBFC-MFI for more than 7 years. Besides completing M.COM, LLB and CAIIB, during his long career in banking he has also pursued professional courses at the Indian Institute of Banking and Finance (IIBF) in Wealth Management, Treasury, Investment & Risk Management, International Banking & Finance, Micro Finance, Home Loan Advising, and more.
Board of Directors
Mohammed Azim Hossain
Mohammed Azim Hossain
Azim Hossain assumed the role of Chief of Operations ('CO') of ASA International in July 2023, having served as the Group's Director of Investment, Treasury and Risk Management since 2005. Mr Hossain has over 34 years of experience in the microfinance industry, having worked for 20 years at ASA NGO Bangladesh, where he held various positions including Director of Finance & MIS and Senior Finance Professional. At ASA Bangladesh, Mr Hossain established the finance and MIS systems, was involved in the development and design of the AMMS, assisted in the establishment of risk management frameworks and was in charge of the NGO Partnership Programme, providing technical and financial assistance to microfinance institutions. He has also worked with the UNDP MicroStart programme in the Philippines and Nigeria, where he was responsible for development, products and services, financial management, performance analysis and business planning.
Md. Enamul Haque
Md. Enamul Haque
Md. Enamul Haque joined the Group's Centre of Expertise in July 2023, having served as Chief Operating Officer of ASA International Group plc for 15 years. In addition, he is a board member of three of the Group’s microfinance institutions. Mr Haque has over 38 years of experience in the (international) microfinance industry. He is one of the Founders and former Chairman of Credit and Development Forum in Bangladesh. Between 1987 and 2008 he served in various leadership and management level positions within ASA NGO Bangladesh, where he led the partnership program providing technical and capacity building services and has worked as a consultant for many (international) organizations such as Save the Children (USA)-Jordan, Plan International-Bangladesh and UNDP MicroStart Program-Philippines. Prior to working for ASA NGO Bangladesh, he operated as a Field Coordinator for nine years at Proshika Human Development Center.
Anjan Dasgupta
Anjan Dasgupta
Anjan Dasgupta is an ex-officio member of the Board of ASA India by virtue of his position as Managing Director.
Anuradha Gupta
Anuradha Gupta
Ms. Anuradha Gupta has been appointed as a Non Executive, Independent Director on 23 September 2021. Currently, Ms. Gupta is also employed at the Credit Rating Agency Brickwork Ratings India Pvt. Ltd as Director-Ratings at their Kolkata office. She has over 37 years of experience in the field of banking. She retired as Chief General Manager from State Bank of India, after working in various capacities in the areas of Retail Banking, International Banking, Corporate Banking and Wholesale Banking both in India, and abroad, a.o. New York. She also worked at West Bengal Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation Ltd. Kolkata for 5 years as Head Credit and Investment.
Patric Barla
Patric Barla
Mr Patric Barla, former Chief General Manager / Regional Director of Reserve Bank of India has more than three decades of experience as a Central Banker. In his long career, he was posted as Regional Director, Jharkhand. He also served as Banking Ombudsman for Bihar and Jharkhand. During his tenure in Reserve Bank of India, he served across various departments including Department of Banking Supervision, Issue Department, Banking Department, Department of Non-Banking Regulation, Department of Financial Inclusion and Development and Office of Banking Ombudsman. As deputationist, he served with Central Bureau of Investigation (Bank Securities and Frauds Cell) in Mumbai for 2 years from 1996 to 1998. Prior joining to RBI, he served with Punjab National Bank and NABARD. He graduated from St Xaviers’ College, Ranchi University and acquired his Masters Degree in economics from JNU, New Delhi. Post retirement, Shri Barla was engaged with State Bank of India for three years (July 2018 -July 2021), as a Member of External Screening Committee set up at the bank’s Corporate Office, Mumbai for resolution of large NPA accounts. He was also engaged as Chief Mentor of a Start-Up consultancy firm viz. Second Opinion Services (GAR Consultants Ltd), Kolkata effective from 1 June 2020 for 3 years. At present, he is appointed as an Independent Director (BOD) of NSDL Payments Bank Ltd for 3 years effective from August 2021.
Founders
Md. Shafiqual Haque Choudhury
Co-founder ASA InternationalMd. Shafiqual Haque Choudhury
Co-founder ASA InternationalMd. Shafiqual Haque Choudhury co-founded ASAI International in 2007 and was its Chairman until December 2020. In 1978, he founded ASA NGO Bangladesh and remains President of the organisation. He had over 38 years of experience in the microfinance industry and held numerous senior committee or advisory positions including in the Caretaker Government of Bangladesh in 2007 and at several international microfinance organisations including CGAP-World Bank and UNDP Microstart. He was also a Managing Director of Catalyst Microfinance Investment Company, which he co-founded in 2006.
Dirk Brouwer
Co-founder ASA InternationalDirk Brouwer
Co-founder ASA InternationalDirk Brouwer co-founded ASA International in 2007 and has since served as the company’s Executive Director. He is also the Managing Director of Catalyst Microfinance Investors, which he co-founded in 2006. With over 20 years of experience in investment banking, and 11 in microfinance, he has held several senior and supervisory positions, having acted as a board member of CMI and Founder and Managing Director of Sequoia which he founded in 2002. Prior to this, he spent 14 years working at Merrill Lynch and PaineWebber.