Foodpanda co-founder wins ict woman of the year award

Ambareen Reza, Managing Director and Co-founder of foodpanda Bangladesh, has been awarded the ICT Woman of the Year honour at the 10th BRAC Bank–The Daily Star ICT Awards, in recognition of her significant contribution to the country's digital transformation.

Planning Adviser to the Interim Government, Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud, attended the ceremony as chief guest. Praising foodpanda's nationwide impact, he stated that the platform 'has deeply intertwined with our daily lives', adding that he personally uses the service at least once a week.

Co-founding foodpanda in 2013 with Zubair B A Siddiky, Reza has helped build Bangladesh's largest online food and grocery delivery platform. Operating across all 64 districts, foodpanda has enabled thousands of restaurants, shops, and SMEs to adopt digital operations, while creating more than one million direct and indirect earning opportunities. The platform also contributes substantially to government revenue through taxes and VAT.

Foodpanda's flexible earning model has supported freelance riders across the country, offering them income opportunities on their own terms.

Upon receiving the award, Reza stated: 'I am deeply honoured by this recognition. Building and scaling foodpanda is not a single-person effort; it is a dedicated team effort, and I dedicate this award to our team, customers, restaurant partners, and riders. As a working mother, I am also thankful to my children for allowing me the space to follow this passion, and to my mother, husband, and siblings, who enable me most.'

Now in its 10th year, the BRAC Bank–The Daily Star ICT Awards celebrate excellence and innovation in Bangladesh's ICT sector, recognising initiatives that deliver social impact and promote sustainable digital entrepreneurship. The award ceremony was held at the Dhaka Sheraton Hotel on 30 November and was attended by ICT entrepreneurs, journalists, and corporate leaders.