Nextrade CEO speaks at BASIS in Bangladesh

Nextrade CEO Kati Suominen presented today Nextrade's new ecommerce survey and index in Bangladesh to the IT sector's head organization BASIS. Her PPT is here.

Over 20 IT, ecommerce, and financial services leaders were present. The discussions, much like the survey, highlighted challenges in ecommerce logistics, online payments and microcredit, and the still incipient state of cross-border ecommerce. However, payment and logistics challenges are being bridged by new startups entering these sectors.

The event inspired especially many bankers to consider new working capital products for microentrepreneurs to secure the working capital needed to fulfill ecommerce orders. She subsequently presented to leading government officials, to discuss Bangladesh's ecommerce strategy. BASIS als took Suominen for a tour of local ecommerce companies Bagdoom and Chaldal.