Prof. Dr. Aznan Hasan is highly active in the advisory and structuring of various Islamic financial products, including banking, capital market, and Takaful products. Additionally, he offers advisory services in Islamic wealth management, Waqf, and Zakat. He received his first degree in Shariah from the University of al-Azhar and went on to complete his master’s degree in Shariah with distinction from Cairo University. He then obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Wales, Lampeter, United Kingdom. Prof. Dr. Aznan Hasan is also an Eminent Scholar at the IIUM Institute of Islamic Banking and Finance. Currently, Prof. Dr. Aznan serves as the Chairman of the Shariah Advisory Council at the Securities Commission, Chairman of the Shariah Advisory Board of PHB Asset Management Berhad, and Chairman of the Shariah Committee at Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Berhad. He is a Shariah Board Member for the Islamic Development Bank and a Member of the Shariah Council for the AAOIFI in Bahrain. Prof. Dr. Aznan is also a member of the Higher Shariah Authority at the Central Bank of the UAE, as well as a Member of the Global Shariah Advisory Board at Standard Chartered Bank in Dubai. Additionally, he serves as Chairman of the Shariah Advisory Board at Barclays Capital (DIFC) and holds positions on the Shariah Advisory Boards of ABSA Islamic Bank (South Africa), FNB Bank (South Africa), European International Islamic Bank in London, Yasaar Limited (London), Khalij Islamic (London), Cordoba Capital (Dubai), Amanah Raya Berhad, Amanah Raya Investment Bank Labuan, and the Employee Provident Fund. Furthermore, Prof. Dr. Aznan serves as a Shariah consultant for Maybank Investment Bank. He is a registered Shariah Advisor for the Islamic Unit Trust Scheme and Islamic Securities (Sukuk) with the Securities Commission of Malaysia. He is also a member of the Shariah Supervisory Board and Investment Committee at the Waqf Foundation, a corporate entity established by the government to oversee the application of Waqf in Malaysia, along with other financial institutions and corporate bodies both locally and internationally.

Khai Yi’s passion for technology has helped him built an expertise in the dynamic and complex fields of intellectual property, technology, media and telecommunications. In the current landscape where digitisation and digitalisation are the trend, Khai Yi has placed himself strategically in a position where his skillsets and understanding of the evolving industries are able to be put to good use to benefit his clienteles. Having dedicated himself in the fields of IP and TMT, Khai Yi’s comprehensive knowledge and experience encompass a wide spectrum of issues, including data privacy, data centre development, telecommunications and digital infrastructure, blockchain and digital assets, software commercialisation and acquisition, digital media, licensing, technology centric mergers and acquisitions, regulatory and compliance, IP prosecution and enforcement, e-money, electronic transaction, payment tokenisation, electronic vehicles, franchising and technology outsourcing. Khai Yi serves a wide range of clientele. Owing to his legal acumen, effective communication skills and dedication to building strong client relationships, Khai Yi is trusted by not only unicorn-to-be startups, but also financial institutions, public listed corporations, multi-national technology companies, mobile network operators, as well as GLCs. Clients benefit from Khai Yi’s strategic approach to legal challenges, combining a deep understanding of the law with a keen awareness of the rapidly changing technology landscape. Due to his outspoken nature and vast experience in the technology industry, Khai Yi is no stranger to speaking engagements and providing external legal trainings. Most prominently, Khai Yi was invited to give a keynote speech during the 2023 Asia Legal Tech Leaders’ Summit and to be a speaker for a fireside chat concerning impact of artificial intelligence to the legal industry. Khai Yi was also invited several times to address the startups that are part of the National Technology and Innovation Sandbox ecosystem.

Ong Johnson is the Head of the Technology Practice Group, focusing on TMT (Technology, Media, and Telecommunications) law, with a strong specialization in FinTech and Personal Data Protection. His practice is dedicated to helping boards, founders, and executive teams navigate the complex convergence of finance, personal data, and technology, providing clients with the confidence to innovate while remaining aligned with regulatory expectations. In FinTech, Ong Johnson is regarded as one of the market’s leading practitioners, particularly in the field of digital assets and tokenisation. He has advised and assisted clients in engagements with regulators such as Bank Negara Malaysia, the Securities Commission Malaysia, and the Labuan Financial Services Authority, drawing on his extensive understanding of licensing and regulatory frameworks. His work has included advising on initiatives relating to Malaysia’s first stablecoin, supporting clients in applying for both SC and BNM Regulatory Sandboxes, engaging with BNM’s Digital Asset Innovation Hub, and advising on matters involving digital asset custodianship and SC-recognised market operators. He has also been involved in mandates concerning blockchain-based smart applications, DeFi platforms, P2P, Labuan money broking and managed trust licences, and consumer credit fintech models such as buy-now-pay-later and invoice factoring businesses. His experience further extends to advising on e-money, payment systems, and remittance licensing, as well as crypto tracing, recovery strategies, tokenisation of deposit funds, digital trust, and the first global real-world asset tokenisation of electric vehicle loyalty points in Malaysia. Collectively, these mandates highlight his ability to bridge financial regulation, technology infrastructure, and emerging payment mechanisms, positioning him as a trusted advisor in the rapidly evolving fintech space. For personal data protection, Ong Johnson is widely regarded as one of Malaysia’s leading practitioners in this field. His practice reflects both depth and breadth, having advised and even served as Data Protection Officer for multinational corporations across a wide spectrum of industries, including banking, healthcare, e-commerce, hospitality, F&B, telecommunications, education, direct selling, and real estate. He is regularly engaged to conduct compliance training and personal data breach simulations for corporations and is frequently called upon to advise and assist companies in the management of data breach notifications and responses. Ong Johnson’s standing in this field is further underscored by his direct involvement with the Personal Data Protection Commissioner, where he has been appointed to serve on drafting committees responsible for key national policy instruments. His contributions include the drafting of the Data Protection Officer Competency Guideline, the Management of Data Protection Officer Training Service Providers Guideline, and the Data Protection Officer Professional Development Pathway & Training Roadmap. He has also been appointed and consulted on the review, refinement, and development of the proposed forthcoming AI Guideline on Personal Data Protection as well as the establishment of the Data Commission. In recognition of these contributions, he was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation by the Commissioner for his role in laying the foundation of Malaysia’s DPO ecosystem and advancing the national data protection landscape. Ong Johnson is also an experienced litigator, with extensive experience conducting trials and hearings at all levels of the Malaysian judiciary. Given his deep understanding and familiarity with technology law, coupled with his strength in commercial and strategic thinking, he is frequently sought after as a litigator within the technology industry to advise on disputes involving intellectual property, technology, TMT, and fintech matters. What distinguishes his litigation practice is not only his understanding of the law, but also his ability to grasp the underlying technology and the commercial realities driving the dispute, which enables him to craft litigation strategies that are both legally sound and commercially pragmatic. His dedication to the legal profession has also garnered significant recognition, both within Malaysia and across the wider region. He is frequently invited to share his insights as a speaker at major legal conferences, industry roundtables, and professional forums, and has contributed to the development of thought leadership through radio interviews and authorship of legal writings. His work and leadership are exemplified by a number of prestigious accolades. These include being a Band 1 ranked lawyer in Chambers Fintech Guide 2025 and being featured in the GC Powerlist Malaysia and GC Powerlist Southeast Asia. Noteworthy nominations as a finalist were achieved at the ALB Malaysia Law Awards 2019, ALB Malaysia Law Awards 2020, ALB Southeast Asia Law Awards 2020, ALB Malaysia Law Awards 2023, and ALB Southeast Asia Law Awards 2023. Ong Johnson is also one of the youngest lawyers in history to be awarded the ALB Malaysia Law Awards 2021.

Sylvia is the Regional Head of Treasury and Markets Sales at CIMB Group, where she also holds dual responsibility for the Financial Institutions Group. Based in Malaysia, she brings over 25 years of experience across ASEAN financial markets, having worked with international banks across multiple regions, products, and client segments. In her current role, Sylvia leads the strategic development of CIMB’s Financial Markets business across the region, building and guiding a high-performing sales team to strengthen the bank’s ASEAN franchise among corporate and institutional clients both within and beyond the region.

Given her deep expertise in regional markets, cross-border flows, and institutional client engagement. Her perspective will add valuable insights into how financial institutions are navigating evolving market dynamics, managing liquidity, and strengthening regional connectivity, particularly within the ASEAN landscape.

Dato’ Ridza Abdullah is the Managing Partner of Messrs Mohamed Ridza & Co and serves as a Board Member of Sime Darby Property Berhad, OIC Arbitration Center based in Istanbul, The Consumer Credit Commission Malaysia and Perbadanan Majlis Agama Islam Negeri Sembilan. He is also the Chairman of Laworld, an international network of boutique law firms across 100 cities around the world. He graduated with First Class Honours in Law from the International Islamic University Malaysia, is a graduate of ICSA (London), and was called to the Malaysian Bar in 1993. He specialises in corporate, financing and commercial matters, with particular expertise in Islamic finance, mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructuring, capital markets, technology and transactions across regulated sectors, including oil and gas, energy and property development. He regularly advises on large-scale financing, refinancing and restructuring exercises, complex share acquisitions, and board-level corporate strategy in high-risk and time-sensitive environments. Dato’ Ridza has extensive experience leading multi-facility Islamic financing transactions and advising Islamic financial institutions on the structuring, documentation and implementation of Shariah-compliant financing arrangements involving layered security packages, third-party security arrangements and multi-financier refinancing exercises. He also advises corporations and boards on strategic restructuring, separation schemes and governance responses arising from shareholder disputes and winding-up scenarios, with a strong focus on business continuity, risk containment and the careful sequencing of corporate actions. His practice encompasses direct board engagement, transaction planning, due diligence and execution-readiness support. In mergers and acquisitions, he advises on share acquisitions, foreign ownership structures and regulatory approvals, particularly in regulated industries, covering the full M&A lifecycle from legal due diligence and regulatory advice to transaction structuring, negotiation and completion. As an expert in Shariah and common law, Dato’ Ridza leads a prominent Islamic finance practice advising on Shariah-compliant banking, Islamic securities and structured financing globally. He was instrumental in structuring and advising on the first Islamic finance transactions in Brunei, Singapore and Indonesia. He also negotiates complex international contracts in the oil and gas, rail and infrastructure sectors and advises corporations on financial structuring and tax optimisation across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the United States. Throughout his career, he has held senior leadership positions in private practice and the corporate sector, including Partner and Division Head at Zaid Ibrahim & Co., General Legal Counsel of Technip Asia Pacific, and Group Legal Adviser of Arab Malaysian Corporation Berhad, where he established and led the Amcorp Group’s legal department.

Rafiza Ghazali is Chief Financial Officer at Fasset. Previously she held the role of Managing Director of Consumer Banking, where she led the development and growth of consumer-focused digital financial solutions, driving innovation at the intersection of digital banking, fintech, and inclusive financial ecosystems. Prior to joining Fasset, Rafiza served as Chief Executive Officer of KAF Digital Bank, the Islamic digital bank entity of the consortium led by KAF Investment Bank, a role she held until January 2026. During her tenure, she spearheaded the establishment and strategic positioning of the digital bank, advancing its open-banking platform-based ecosystem designed to deliver accessible, technology-driven financial services to customers and partners. Earlier, Rafiza was Group CEO of Cradle Fund, where she worked closely with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation and the Ministry of Finance to support and develop Malaysian start-ups and technology entrepreneurs. Her leadership experience across innovation policy, venture development, and the digital economy has positioned her as a key figure in advancing Malaysia’s fintech and digital finance landscape. Rafiza holds a Bachelor of Science (Economics) in Accounting and Finance from The London School of Economics and Political Science, and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment (Corporate Finance) from the Securities Institute of Australia. She is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand and also completed a postgraduate diploma in Strategy and Innovation at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford.

Associate Professor Dr. Mohamed Eskandar Shah Mohd Rasid has over 23 years of experience in academia, consultancy and senior leadership. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of ISRA Consulting, INCEIF University. He actively leads strategic Islamic finance consultancy projects locally and internationally, delivering impactful and Shariah-compliant solutions to advance the global Islamic finance ecosystem.

He began his academic career at IIUM and later joined INCEIF, where he served as Associate Dean and subsequently Dean of the School of Graduate Studies. Then, he joined Hamad Bin Khalifa University (Qatar Foundation) as Associate Professor and Associate Dean Academic.

Dr. Eskandar has served as a Financial Sector Specialist Consultant for the World Bank, Advisor to the Brunei Institute of Leadership and Islamic Finance (BILIF), and consultant to various government agencies and financial institutions, including local and international government ministries, CIMB Islamic, Responsible Finance Institute (RFI) and ZICO Shariah Advisory. He is currently appointed as a Member of the Commission at the Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC).

He holds a bachelor’s in business administration (Hons) from International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), a master’s in international economics and finance from the University of Queensland, and a PhD in Finance from Nottingham University Business School (UK).