A spin-off from an IT retail firm, ADN evolved into a leading provider of systems integration, connectivity and telecom licensing. Listed since 2019, the group now generates about $25 million across subsidiaries, with a nationwide footprint and strategic global alliances. In this interview, founder Asif Mahmood outlines ADN’s trajectory so far and what comes next for the company.

How did ADN Telecom evolve from an IT business into a telecom player?

ADN Telecom was founded in 2003, but our business started in 1990 when information technology in Bangladesh was in a very nascent state, and we operated essentially as a computer shop.

We became a partner of Wang, a US-based company, around mini-computers and mainframe concepts.…