Banglalink CEO Johan Buse Wins ‘CEO of the Year’ Honor

Banglalink has won two prestigious awards at The Fast Mode Awards 2025. CEO Johan Buse received the Asia Pacific CEO of the Year accolade for his exemplary leadership, while the company earned the Customer Experience (CX) Champion award for continuous advancements in enhancing customer service.

Organized by Malaysia-based telecom media and research platform The Fast Mode, the awards recognize innovation, leadership, and positive impact within the telecommunications industry. This year, over 300 nominations from global companies across three categories—telecom services, provider excellence, and leadership—were evaluated by an independent panel of international research firms, industry experts, and analysts.

Johan Buse’s recognition as CEO of the Year reflects his leadership of Banglalink’s transformative initiative Reset 2.0. Under his guidance, the company has cultivated a strong “customer-first” culture, streamlined decision-making, and empowered frontline leadership teams. Buse played a key role in reversing five consecutive quarters of revenue decline, aligning with parent company VEON’s D1440 objectives, and accelerating Banglalink’s broad digital transformation aimed at simplifying and enhancing the everyday experiences of its customers.

The Customer Experience Champion award highlights Banglalink’s sustained efforts in leveraging technology and innovation to improve service. Initiatives include AI-powered services, enhanced self-service via the MyBL app, and structured processes for gathering and responding to customer feedback. These efforts have resulted in 94% of issues being resolved on first contact, a 35% reduction in call center volume, and the launch of the country’s first AI-based conversational service.

Banglalink’s MyBL app, the nation’s highest-rated telecom app, continues to play a vital role in improving customer experience. It offers over 20 services, smart technology for quick problem detection and complaint registration, and an AI-powered assistant that provides fast and reliable support to millions of customers daily.

Expressing gratitude for the recognition, Johan Buse said, “These awards are the result of the collective efforts of all Banglalink colleagues. From the beginning, we have listened to our customers sincerely, understood their needs, and responded empathetically. Customer satisfaction is consistently rising, reflecting our dedicated work. These awards inspire us to further advance both in technology-driven solutions and service excellence.”

Notably, two other Bangladeshi mobile operators were also recognized: Grameenphone in the Operational Excellence category, and Robi Axiata in the Emerging Telecom Brand category.

DBTech/BCS/EK/OR