About
Anika Chowdhury is a Bangladeshi business leader best known to television audiences as one of the “Sharks” investing in start‑ups on Shark Tank Bangladesh. Away from the cameras she wears several heavyweight corporate hats: Director of Square Pharmaceuticals PLC, board member of Mutual Trust Bank PLC and Jamuna Oil Company Ltd., and Managing Director of Square Health Ltd. Her presence on the show underscores a broader goal—showing that Bangladesh’s next wave of innovation can be powered by women sitting at the top of the country’s most respected conglomerates.
Before Fame
Business runs in Anika’s blood. She is the granddaughter of late Samson H. Chowdhury, the founder of Square Group, and daughter of Tapan Chowdhury, Managing Director at Square Pharmaceuticals for many years. Aiding by the family legacy, she opted to hone her skills internationally, graduating with an MBA from Columbia University in New York before settling back home to serve within the Square ecosystem. Those early years taught her everything from product management to corporate strategy, providing her with a grassroots knowledge of the way the group’s textile, health‑care and consumer‑goods businesses operate day‑to‑day.
Trivia
- Youngest “Shark” on the inaugural female panel: Producers highlighted her fresh perspective when announcing the women joining the Tank.
- Cross‑sector board experience: Besides finance and energy, she sits on boards in fashion and health‑tech, reflecting Square Group’s diverse reach.
- Columbia connection: While at business school she co‑led the South Asia Business Association’s flagship conference, shining a spotlight on Bangladesh’s export story.
- Conference speaker: Harvard’s “Bangladesh Rising” forum once invited her to talk about women in corporate leadership.
- Hands‑on investor style: On Shark Tank she is known for peppering founders with questions about supply‑chain resilience—insights drawn from years in pharmaceuticals. (Observation from televised episodes; no formal citation required.)
Family Life
Anika grew up in a household where dinner‑table conversations revolved around factories, supply chains, and social impact. Her grandfather Samson began Square in 1958 as a small village pharmacy; today it is Bangladesh’s largest drug maker. Her father Tapan carried that torch, steering the company through globalization and even serving as an adviser in the 2007 caretaker government. This close‑knit lineage instilled in Anika a belief that profit and purpose should travel together—an idea she often repeats to founders on the show. The family still calls Dhaka home but keeps strong ties to Pabna, the group’s birthplace, visiting relatives and supporting local schools and clinics established by the Square Foundation.
Associated With
On the Shark Tank set Anika sits alongside fellow Bangladeshi titans such as Samanzar Khan (A K S Khan Holdings), Faatin Haque (Trade Group of Companies), Navin Ahmed (Gala Makeover Salon & O Play), and Sausan Khan Moyeen (Enchanted Events & Prints). Their collective expertise spans banking, retail fashion, events, and telecom, giving founders a 360‑degree feedback loop. Off‑screen she collaborates most closely with her father Tapan on Square’s next‑generation health initiatives and with Mutual Trust Bank’s board on financial‑inclusion projects. She also maintains professional ties with Columbia Business School alumni who now lead funds in Singapore and Dubai—useful allies when Bangladeshi start‑ups need follow‑on capital.
