From Military Command to Megawatts: Summit Group’s Leadership Philosophy Under Monirul Akhand
Major General (retired) Dr. Monirul Akhand’s transition from commanding Bangladesh Army brigades to leading Summit Power Limited reflects an unconventional yet instructive approach to infrastructure management. After over 35 years in military service, including peacekeeping missions in Liberia and Bosnia, Akhand brought a distinct leadership philosophy to Bangladesh’s largest independent power producer.
“Throughout my career in the Army, on countless occasions I was deployed following natural disasters like floods or cyclones, which happen very frequently in Bangladesh,” Akhand explains. “In the Armed Forces, we follow the servant leadership style.”
Five Principles for Infrastructure Excellence
The servant leadership model emphasizes supporting employees’ development rather than commanding from hierarchy. Akhand’s implementation at Summit Power focuses on five core principles he considers essential for any organization: honesty, competence, patriotism, selflessness, and environmental sensitivity.
Honesty extends beyond financial integrity to encompass impartial decision-making and sincere work commitment. Competence means excellence within one’s specific role rather than universal expertise. Patriotism translates to prioritizing national development alongside corporate objectives. Selflessness manifests in placing organizational and societal interests ahead of personal gain. Environmental sensitivity acknowledges that infrastructure development must consider ecological impact.
Connecting Leadership Styles
Akhand’s academic preparation preceded his Summit Power Limited appointment. While serving at U.S. Central Command headquarters in Tampa, Florida, he completed an MBA at the University of South Florida, maintaining a schedule he explains as beginning at 6 a.m. and ending at 2:30 a.m. daily.
“I was working at the U.S. Central Command headquarters in Tampa, Florida, representing Bangladesh. I thought I should make the best of my time there, so I enrolled at the University of South Florida,” he says. “I would wake up at 6:00 in the morning, get to the office by 8:00, and then at 5:00 PM, still in uniform, I’d drive an hour to the university. Classes ran until 10:00 PM, followed by group assignments until midnight. I’d get home, study a bit more, go to bed at 2:30 AM, and wake up at 6:00 to start all over again. The beginning was very challenging, but once I got into the rhythm, I adapted to it. That’s how I completed my MBA.”
He later pursued a PhD in business and currently teaches organizational behavior and leadership at two Bangladeshi universities.
This dual training in military and corporate leadership has informed his appreciation of the connection between the two.
“I used to think the Armed Forces had the best governance in Bangladesh, but after joining Summit, I realized that Summit also has governance that is absolutely of an international standard,” he says.
“You have to be competent in whatever you do. If you’re a cook, you have to be a good cook. If you’re a doctor, a good doctor. If you’re an engineer, a good engineer,” he explains. “You have to be competent. You have to be a patriot—you have to love your nation and its people.”
Operational Excellence Through Military Precision
Summit Power’s operational structure benefits from military-style systematic planning. The company manages 15 power plants with additional facilities under construction, requiring coordination across multiple sites, fuel supply chains, and maintenance schedules. Military logistics training proves directly applicable to managing distributed generation assets.
Meanwhile, the servant leadership ethos influences Summit’s human resource development. Rather than recruiting exclusively from the power sector, the company develops talent from Bangladesh’s maritime industry, leveraging transferable technical skills.
“We have a very good pool of energy experts in Bangladesh right now,” Akhand notes.
International training programs reflect military professional development models. Summit sends operators to facilities in France, Singapore, and Malaysia. The emphasis on continuous learning aligns with Akhand’s personal philosophy: “It’s a sin to go to bed with the same amount of knowledge that you awakened with,” he says.
Crisis management represents another area where military experience proves valuable. Bangladesh’s power sector faces regular challenges from fuel supply disruptions, transmission constraints, and weather-related damage. Military command experience in rapidly changing situations provides frameworks for maintaining operations despite external pressures.
Drawing on International Experience
Akhand’s multicultural exposure—fluency in Turkish from his time in Turkey, extensive travel to 62 countries, and UN peacekeeping experience—shapes his approach to Summit’s international partnerships. Understanding diverse business cultures facilitates relationships with Japanese partners like Mitsubishi and JERA, American technology providers like GE, and regional counterparts across South Asia.
During his deployment in Liberia, Akhand witnessed firsthand how absent electricity systems cripple development.
“Even in the capital where I lived, there was no central electricity system. We all had to operate our own generators for power. Rural people in the rural areas had never seen electricity—they didn’t know what it was,” he says.
The contrast with his Bosnia experience, where power systems continued functioning despite active conflict, reinforced his understanding of electricity infrastructure as fundamental to social stability. These observations inform his current approach to managing power plants that serve millions Bangladeshis.
“I see the interest of my employees and my country as more important than myself,” he says.
