Muhammad Yunus
Founder at Grameen Telecom Corp.
Profile
Mohammad Yunus is a Bangladeshi economist and entrepreneur. Nicknamed the “banker of poor”, he founded the first microcredit institution, the Grameen Bank. Thanks to this concept he won the Nobel Prize for peace in 2006.
He is the third of fourteen children; he spent the early years in his native village and then his family move to Chittagong, the second city of Bangladesh, where his father opened a jewellery store.
Attended a primary school Lamabazar and Chittagong collegiate school, Yunus was also a boy scout. Thanks to an international boy scouts exchange, he travelled in Europe, Japan, Philippines, Middle East and North America.
In 1957, he obtained a bachelor in economics at Dhaka University, and one year later he got a master in arts. Then he became teacher in economics at Chittagong College.
At 21 years old, he became entrepreneur, establishing the first high-tech factory for packaging and printing of all East Pakistan. The concept was an amazing success but he decided to give the management part to his two brothers in order to move to United States to get a PhD.
After a master at university of Colorado, Yunus started a PhD at Vanderbilt private University in Tennessee. He met his first wife, a young American with Russian origin, Vera Forestenko. They married in 1970, and seven years later they had a daughter called Monica.
In 1980, Yunus divorce and remarried Afrozi Yunus, a professor of physics at Jahangirnagar University, with whom he had a second daughter, Dina Yunus.
After a PhD in economics, he got a job at Middle Tennessee State University. During a liberation war in Bangladesh, Yunus decided to support the separatists.
In 1971, Bangladesh’s independence is proclaimed, and Yunus decided to come back to his Country, leaving his job as university professor. He became head of the economics department of Chittagong University. Against famine, which destroys his country, he decided to focus on the poor life style of villages near to University.
With many students, he created a group of “research and action”, which its first work focused on agricultural issues. The young professor understood that much problems faced by poor farmers are linked to difficulties of access to capital. For this reason Yunus proposed a “micro-loan” (between 30 and 50 dollars) to a few dozen of villages, using his own money.
The effect of these loans is very soon positive on the material situation of the beneficiaries, and without difficulties of reimburse. In 1977 Yunus decided to create his own program, called “Grameen” (means village).
This is an instant success, at first in Bangladesh, where Grammen took bank status in 1983, and in other many countries where the model was exported since 1989.
Latest news about Muhammad Yunus
Muhammad Yunus active positions
| Companies | Position | Start |
|---|---|---|
Grameen Telecom Corp.
 Grameen Telecom Corp. Wireless TelecommunicationsCommunications Grameen Telecom Corp. provides cellular mobile phones to the villagers. Its product Village Phone, offers telecommunication services to the rural people in Bangladesh. The company was founded by Muhammad Yunus in 1995 and is headquartered in Dhaka, Bangladesh. | Founder | 2004-12-31 |
Grameen Intel Social Business Ltd.
 Grameen Intel Social Business Ltd. Packaged SoftwareTechnology Services Grameen Intel Social Business Ltd. develops and provides software applications that address specific social problems such as low agriculture output or lack of pre-natal care. It provides IT solutions for rural entrepreneurs who provide a service using computing technology in their local communities. The company was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in Dhaka, Bangladesh. | Director/Board Member | 2011-09-05 |
Grameen America, Inc.
 Grameen America, Inc. Finance/Rental/LeasingFinance Grameen America, Inc. is a nonprofit microfinance organization that aims to help women living in poverty by assisting them in building small businesses to improve their lives and support their families. Since its establishment in January 2008, Grameen America has invested over $1.5 billion in more than 132,000 low-income women entrepreneurs. The organization provides access to affordable loan capital, financial education, asset- and credit-building, and peer support to empower communities and promote financial mobility. Grameen America operates in 27 cities across the United States, including New York, NY. The non-profit company was founded by Muhammad Yunus and Thomas Andrew Hiatt, and Andrea Jung has been the CEO since 2014. | Founder | - |
Grameen Trust
 Grameen Trust Investment Trusts/Mutual FundsMiscellaneous Grameen Trust operates as a trust. It is a non-profit and non-government organization committed to the cause of poverty alleviation. The firm supports, promotes and implements poverty focused microfinance, social business and other programs around the world. The company also provides training and technical assistance to microfinance organizations and social business initiatives. Grameen Trust was founded by Muhammad Yunus in 1989 and is headquartered in Dhaka, Bangladesh. | Founder | 1988-12-31 |
Grameen Knitwear Ltd.
 Grameen Knitwear Ltd. TextilesProcess Industries Grameen Knitwear Ltd. exports knitting and other textile products. It offers ladies T-shirts, fitness shirt, children sports set, noble polo shirt, Ladies tan top, biker under set, sports shirt and elegant t-shirts. The company was founded on November 5, 1997 and is headquartered in Dhaka, Bangladesh. | Chairman | - |
Grameen Solutions Ltd.
 Grameen Solutions Ltd. Packaged SoftwareTechnology Services Grameen Solutions Ltd. provides software, application development, and outsourcing services. Its products include hospital management software, education management system, garments solutions, task management and transport management system, and information technology auditing. The company was founded by Muhammad Yunus in 1999 and is headquartered in Dhaka, Bangladesh. | Founder | 1998-12-31 |
Grameen Crédit Agricole Microfinance Foundation SA
 Grameen Crédit Agricole Microfinance Foundation SA Miscellaneous Commercial ServicesCommercial Services Grameen Crédit Agricole Microfinance Foundation SA operates as an organization which provides financial support to microfinance institutions. The company was founded in September 2008 and is headquartered in Luxembourg. | Director/Board Member | - |
Grameen Foundation (Australia) Ltd.
 Grameen Foundation (Australia) Ltd. Miscellaneous Commercial ServicesCommercial Services Grameen Foundation (Australia) Ltd. provides social services. It offers social business programs, developing and operating microfinance programs. The company was founded by Muhammad Yunus in 1998 and is headquartered in Rozelle, Australia. | Founder | 1987-12-31 |
| Sing For Hope, Inc. | Director/Board Member | - |
Former positions of Muhammad Yunus
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Training of Muhammad Yunus
| Vanderbilt University | Doctorate Degree |
| University of Dhaka | Graduate Degree |
Experiences
Positions held
Connections
1st degree connections
1st degree companies
Male
Female
Members of the board
Executives
Linked companies
| Private companies | 14 |
|---|---|
Grameen Telecom Corp.
Grameen Telecom Corp. Wireless TelecommunicationsCommunications Grameen Telecom Corp. provides cellular mobile phones to the villagers. Its product Village Phone, offers telecommunication services to the rural people in Bangladesh. The company was founded by Muhammad Yunus in 1995 and is headquartered in Dhaka, Bangladesh. | Communications |
Grameen Foundation USA
 Grameen Foundation USA Services to the Health IndustryHealth Services Grameen Foundation USA provides microfinance to aid underprivileged communities. It offers access to essential financial services and information on agriculture, health, and assistance. The company was founded by Alex Counts in 1997 and is headquartered in Washington, DC. | Health Services |
Grameen Capital Management Ltd.
 Grameen Capital Management Ltd. Investment Banks/BrokersFinance Part of Grameen Bank, Grameen Capital Management Ltd. is a brokerage services provider. The company is based in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The Bangladeshi company was founded in 1998 by Muhammad Yunus. | Finance |
Better World Fund, Inc.
 Better World Fund, Inc. Miscellaneous Commercial ServicesCommercial Services Better World Fund, Inc. supports charitable causes. It builds and implements public-private partnerships to address problems and works to support for the UN through advocacy and public outreach. The company was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Washington, DC. | Commercial Services |
Grameen Bank
 Grameen Bank Major BanksFinance Grameen Bank provides banking services. The company was founded by Muhammad Yunus in 1983 and is headquartered in Dhaka, Bangladesh. | Finance |
Grameen Intel Social Business Ltd.
Grameen Intel Social Business Ltd. Packaged SoftwareTechnology Services Grameen Intel Social Business Ltd. develops and provides software applications that address specific social problems such as low agriculture output or lack of pre-natal care. It provides IT solutions for rural entrepreneurs who provide a service using computing technology in their local communities. The company was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in Dhaka, Bangladesh. | Technology Services |
United Nations Foundation
 United Nations Foundation Investment Trusts/Mutual FundsMiscellaneous United Nations Foundation provides advocacy, grant making and partnership services to the United Nations. It builds and implements public-private partnerships to address problems and provide support to the United Nations. The company was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Washington, DC. | Miscellaneous |
Grameen America, Inc.
Grameen America, Inc. Finance/Rental/LeasingFinance Grameen America, Inc. is a nonprofit microfinance organization that aims to help women living in poverty by assisting them in building small businesses to improve their lives and support their families. Since its establishment in January 2008, Grameen America has invested over $1.5 billion in more than 132,000 low-income women entrepreneurs. The organization provides access to affordable loan capital, financial education, asset- and credit-building, and peer support to empower communities and promote financial mobility. Grameen America operates in 27 cities across the United States, including New York, NY. The non-profit company was founded by Muhammad Yunus and Thomas Andrew Hiatt, and Andrea Jung has been the CEO since 2014. | Finance |
Grameen Trust
Grameen Trust Investment Trusts/Mutual FundsMiscellaneous Grameen Trust operates as a trust. It is a non-profit and non-government organization committed to the cause of poverty alleviation. The firm supports, promotes and implements poverty focused microfinance, social business and other programs around the world. The company also provides training and technical assistance to microfinance organizations and social business initiatives. Grameen Trust was founded by Muhammad Yunus in 1989 and is headquartered in Dhaka, Bangladesh. | Miscellaneous |
Grameen Knitwear Ltd.
Grameen Knitwear Ltd. TextilesProcess Industries Grameen Knitwear Ltd. exports knitting and other textile products. It offers ladies T-shirts, fitness shirt, children sports set, noble polo shirt, Ladies tan top, biker under set, sports shirt and elegant t-shirts. The company was founded on November 5, 1997 and is headquartered in Dhaka, Bangladesh. | Process Industries |
Grameen Solutions Ltd.
Grameen Solutions Ltd. Packaged SoftwareTechnology Services Grameen Solutions Ltd. provides software, application development, and outsourcing services. Its products include hospital management software, education management system, garments solutions, task management and transport management system, and information technology auditing. The company was founded by Muhammad Yunus in 1999 and is headquartered in Dhaka, Bangladesh. | Technology Services |
Grameen Crédit Agricole Microfinance Foundation SA
Grameen Crédit Agricole Microfinance Foundation SA Miscellaneous Commercial ServicesCommercial Services Grameen Crédit Agricole Microfinance Foundation SA operates as an organization which provides financial support to microfinance institutions. The company was founded in September 2008 and is headquartered in Luxembourg. | Commercial Services |
Grameen Foundation (Australia) Ltd.
Grameen Foundation (Australia) Ltd. Miscellaneous Commercial ServicesCommercial Services Grameen Foundation (Australia) Ltd. provides social services. It offers social business programs, developing and operating microfinance programs. The company was founded by Muhammad Yunus in 1998 and is headquartered in Rozelle, Australia. | Commercial Services |
| Sing For Hope, Inc. |
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