Ehsan Bayat
An accomplished entrepreneur and telecommunications professional in his home country of Afghanistan, Ehsan Bayat currently serves as a Senator in the Meshrano Jirga, the Upper House of Parliament in Afghanistan. In this capacity, Ehsan Bayat plays an integral role in the formulation of Afghan public policy and serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Aside from his work in politics, Ehsan Bayat stands as the largest private U.S. investor in the history of Afghanistan. A native of Kabul, Bayat spent many years in the United States, where he learned about the fundamentals of business and entrepreneurship. In 1998, he founded Telephone Systems International, the parent company of Afghan Wireless Communication Company, the first mobile phone communications company in Afghanistan. Citing a desire to connect Afghanistan residents to one another with a reasonably priced GSM (Global System for Mobile) communications system, Bayat and his company transformed the telecommunications landscape in Afghanistan. In 2005, Ehsan Bayat built upon his involvement in the telecommunications sector and founded the Ariana Radio and Television Network, currently the largest television and radio station in the country. To reach all members of a diverse Afghan population, Ariana broadcasts important programs in three languages: English, Pashtu, and Dari. Furthermore, the network devotes a significant portion of its air time to educational programming, focusing on topics such as basic business skills, language training, women’s issues, health tips, computer training, and various children’s shows. A longtime philanthropist and proponent of community service, Ehsan Bayat supports a wide range of projects through his own charitable foundation, which he runs with his wife Fatema. Recent efforts include distribution of food during Ramadan and the construction of clean water wells located in and around Kabul.
