A talk with Mahzabin Ferdous
“A daydreamer and a night thinker, above all a doer, I intend to make the best use of every experience I encounter in life, regardless of the positive or negative connotations of the experience.”
As soon as Mahzabin Ferdous stepped into IPDC Finance Limited, she created history in the private sector of financial institutions of Bangladesh. Today IPDC is a Superbrand, a pioneer in innovative digital solutions, and her ability to take calculated risks has established many fundamentals today. She has successfully elevated a digital platform, molded it into a competitive one and has also won awards for her outstanding performances.
WIL: Share your childhood and educational background.
MF: Being the only daughter, I was pampered all through my life. I recently lost my parents and this question just floods me with emotions. My parents were always protective of my whereabouts and that’s where they helped me grow up as an obedient student. I was the one taking notes in class and that is still reflected in my MANCOM meetings where my fellow members always seek my minutes.
I went to Banani Bidyaniketan School and College, Rajuk Model College and later on to North South University. However, my practical experiences gathered over all these years helped built up my never-ending learning spirit.
WIL: How did you begin your journey into the corporate world? Is this what you always wanted / dreamt of?
MF: I actually wanted to become an engineer but with passing years, juggling numbers and tangled equations seemed tougher than life. When I got myself enrolled at the Economics department in North South University, somehow I was missing the connection between my passion and the subject I was pursuing. I gradually started spending time at an advertising agency with the guidance of an elder brother and that was the time when I developed the desire to enter the world of brands.
I initially taught at an English medium school but my first full-fledged job was when I joined a client service team of a renowned advertising agency. That’s where I finally felt that I was feeding my hunger for innovation. We worked around the clock, all the while brainstorming and reverting and finally bringing something close to our hearts in front of the world. That was very satisfying.
Soon after getting into branding and understanding its different spheres and corners from the agency point of view, I found it imperative to understand the proper blend of creativity and business while designing any campaign. And luckily, my first step into the corporate world happened to be a popular device company. The journey since then has been wonderful and here I am in IPDC today.
WIL: You seem to be always looking for a position that demands you to be on your toes. You are branding for financial products, how is that working out for you?
MF: I feel like marketing has always been my cup of tea. From being curious of the surrounding to spotting trends before others to connecting the dots between different things, everything has been parts of my life from the very beginning.
Here at IPDC Finance, I can feed and calm the impulsive nature of myself and my job simultaneously. I was excited to be a part of the rebranding exercise that IPDC was looking for at that time.
As we are the only financial brand banking on human emotions, we design our offerings and communications around the desires of our customers. Like any other marketer, we do come across the everlasting conflict between the brand and the sales team. But I thoroughly believe that every decision should add value to the brand and each penny spent shall act as a stimulus to grease the wheels of sales.
WIL: Did you ever face any barriers for being a leading lady in the world of finance? Has it always been easy?
MF: I have been blessed with a very amicable environment in all my workplaces so far. On professional terms, I believe that passion and perseverance alone should be able to beat any kind of barriers that come our way. Initially, I was the only female in the management committee of IPDC, but it never occurred to my mind until I am asked about it. So yes, I have always been super confident.
WIL: From Best Newcomer Award to Brand Builder Award, would you like to express gratitude to anyone at this moment?
MF: My late mother used to always say “Irrespective of what field you are in, be it professional or homemaker, you have to add extra values to make yourself shine out.” I believe everyone possesses the potential within the realm of possibility to go beyond their comfort zones and achieve unbound success.
WIL: Would you like to send out a message for all career women out there?
MF: There are 4P’s to 7P’s of marketing, but I would just end with 3P’s of my life – purpose, passion and perseverance. So when you find your purpose, do it with passion or don’t do it at all because perseverance is the secret of all triumphs.
Author
Promila Kanya
Journalist, Bangladesh Post
