Professor Muhammad Yunus is a Nobel Peace Laureate, esteemed economist, and the pioneering founder of both microcredit and the concept of social business. He established Grameen Bank and over 50 other companies in Bangladesh based on the revolutionary idea that business models should be designed not for profit maximization, but for solving human and social problems.
Professor Yunus's groundbreaking work led to him and Grameen Bank being jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. His status as a globally unique figure is underscored by his distinction as one of only seven individuals to have received the Nobel Peace Prize, the United States Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the United States Congressional Gold Medal. His work has been featured on the covers of Time Magazine, Newsweek, and Forbes Magazine.
A prolific author, Professor Yunus has published three best-selling books. His recent work, A World of Three Zeroes: the New Economics of Zero Poverty, Zero Unemployment, and Zero Carbon Emissions, provides a comprehensive blueprint for reinventing the economic system. These writings and his numerous companies demonstrate his commitment to building a new kind of capitalism that actively serves humanity’s most pressing needs.
Professor Yunus received his education at Dhaka University and earned a Fulbright scholarship to study economics at Vanderbilt University before becoming head of the economics department at Chittagong University in 1972. The ultimate social entrepreneur, his sustained focus on innovation has earned him 136 awards and 61 honorary degrees from universities across 24 countries, cementing his role as an influential global speaker on economic reform, enterprise, and social change.
