Dr Andrew Dahdal is an associate professor at the College of Law, Qatar University and the chair of commercial law at the International Association of Law Schools. Dr Andrew researches and publishes on a range of financial services topics focused on the Middle East and beyond, particularly relating to technological innovations. His most recent book is ‘Qatari Business Law’ (2003, published by Qatar University Press). He has taught law in Australia, Europe and the Middle East and is currently part of an international project exploring financial inclusion and technology in Qatar. Dr Andrew holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) degree from Macquarie University, and a Bachelor of Commerce degree and PhD from the University of New South Wales.

Dean Gillespie is CEO of Islamic Bank Australia and has extensive banking and start-up experience across both Australia and Asia. He has led the creation of Australia’s first Islamic bank since 2018. He was previously in charge of home loan sales at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia and the head of mortgages at Bankwest where he doubled the business’s size within three years. He also ran the retail bank at Vietnam International Bank in Hanoi across 160 branches nationwide, where he built the bank’s first mobile banking app.

Dean has a history of founding start-ups including SparkleVote, an innovative online election company. Outside of work, Dean is the chair of the UK’s aeroplane ambulance service, flies aircraft and studies astrophysics part-time. He holds a Master of Finance degree and a Bachelor of Economics degree. Dean joined Islamic Bank Australia largely as a volunteer in 2018 before transitioning to full-time CEO in 2020. He is passionate about the need to support Muslim Australians in building the first Islamic bank. His knowledge of Australian retail banking and his commitment to ethical banking are key drivers in delivering the Islamic Bank Australia Vision to reality.

Dr Kerstin Steiner is an associate professor at the Law School of La Trobe University. She is an award-winning researcher specializing in Southeast Asian legal studies researching at the intersection of law, politics, economics and society, especially with regard to Islam.

Dr Kerstin has researched, presented and taught widely on matters of Islamic banking and finance. Her high impact and notable work include the co-authored article on ‘Conceptualizing Dynamic Challenges to Global Financial Diffusion: Islamic Finance and the Grafting of Sukuk’, 24 (6) Review of International Political Economy’; and her work on ‘‘Unpacking’ a Global Norm in a Local Context: A Historical Overview of the Epistemic Communities that are Shaping Zakat Practice in Malaysia’ in Gillespie and Nicholson (eds), Law and Development and the Global Discourses of Legal Transfers, Cambridge University Press which was used as a foundation for the feasibility studies of reforming Zakat in other countries.

Dr Kerstin has been a convenor of events on Islamic banking and finance in Australia and the region bringing together academics, legal practitioners, business representatives, business councils as well as national regulators.

Nashat Qadan is an accomplished and result-oriented manager with a rich mix of product development, relationship building, operational and strategic development. He has over 20 years of experience in financial services having worked in JPMorgan and AMP Financial Services; he is currently at Suncorp Group. He is also the director of Islamic Co-Operative Finance Australia.
Nashat delivers fresh perspectives and clear assessments, with a diverse background in integration management, transformation projects, realignment of organizations through the TOM [target operating model] approach and strategic modeling.

Paul Apolony is Mambu’s general manager of Australia and New Zealand, having joined the business in July 2021 as a senior banking consultant. Prior to joining Mambu, Paul held a senior executive position as the managing director and head of group operations – Oceania for MUFG Bank, part of Japan’s largest financial group, MUFG. Paul has had an extensive career in the banking industry, previously having held senior positions in Macquarie Bank and actively involved in wider industry initiatives.

Dr Scott Levy is the managing director of Al Waseelah, an award-winning Shariah compliant Sukuk issuance platform which includes structuring, arranging, originating and listing Sukuk. Al Waseelah was established in 2017 as a tech-savvy and cost-effective way to create Shariah compliant financial instruments, democratizing the process for issuers and investors.

Al Waseelah provides flexible and quick-to-market solutions for green and sustainable businesses, financial institutions, asset managers, corporations and family offices. The company’s focus is on Islamic liquidity management and offering a diverse range of investment opportunities, and is committed to thought leadership in the sector through IFN and International Islamic Financial Market.

Al Waseelah is leading the way in integrating ESG/SDG principles into Sukuk, and offers Shariah compliant products like XTCC, which is the world’s first exchange-traded high-quality carbon credit investment sourced from verified renewable energy.

Dr Scott is a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of International Bankers and the Worshipful Company of Musicians, a member of Lincoln’s Inn and a senior member of Wolfson College, Cambridge.

Dr Abu Umar Faruq Ahmad is the founding chairman of the Shariah Supervisory Board of Islamic Cooperative Finance Australia. He has a consulting, research and teaching background in Shariah and Fiqh Muamalat, with a special interest in Islamic economics, finance and banking. He has over 100 published research in books, book chapters, refereed conference proceedings and journals to his credit in the multidimensional areas of Islamic economics and finance, which include microfinance, social finance, laws and regulation, Shariah governance, corporate social responsibility, Fatwa shopping, Zakat and Waqf, Sukuk, corporate governance, insurance, reinsurance, dispute resolution, shares and equities, audit, money laundering, stock screening, liquidity management, corporate social responsibility, conscious capitalism and transaction cost. He has interests in researching Islamic business ethics, Islamic jurisprudence, Islamic capital markets, Islamic management, Islamic governance, cross-country analysis of Islamic finance practice, comparative review of Islamic and conventional banking, Shariah compliance analysis of Islamic finance products, fintech, blockchain, smart contracts, derivatives in Islamic finance contracts, women’s economic empowerment in Islam, role of Islamic social finance to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, Fourth Industrial Revolution, and so on. He sits on the editorial boards of a few globally reputed top tier journals.

In addition to presenting research at 80 international conferences and webinars, Dr Abu has published in Thunderbird International Business Review ; International Journal of Emerging Markets; The Singapore Economic Review; International Journal of Islamic and Middle Eastern Finance and Management; International Journal of Law and Management; Arab Law Quarterly; International Journal of Business and Society; Journal of Public Affairs; ISRA International Journal of Islamic Finance; Journal of Legal, Ethical and Regulatory Issues; Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research; Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Islamic Economics; International Journal of Ethics and Systems; International Journal of Islamic Thought; International Finance Review; Journal of Islamic Economics, Banking and Finance; and Review of Islamic Economics, among others.

Dr Abu has also taught in his native Australia and Bangladesh, as well as the US, the UAE, Malaysia, Brunei and Saudi Arabia, at undergraduate and postgraduate levels which include: PGDIB102 Shariah Framework for Islamic Banking; MAEF720 Islamic Financial Transaction II (Guidance College); CG-5102 Islam and Society (UBD); BI-5101 Islamic Jurisprudence (UBD); BA-2301 Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence (UBD); BI-5105 Islamic Transaction (UBD); BA-2204 Introduction to Islamic Banking and Finance (UBD); BB-5110 Business Ethics & Corporate Social Responsibility (UBD); BB-4203 Business Ethics (UBD); SH1002 Shariah Aspects of Business and Finance (INCEIF); DW-3001 Internship (UBD); BI-5303 Practical Training and Reporting (UBD); BUSS490 Internship (HBMSU); ISLM101 Islamic Culture (HBMSU); BUSS210 Business Ethics (HBMSU); BUSS401; and BUSS401 Business and Society (HBMSU).

Webpage: https://expert.ubd.edu.bn/umar.ahmad
Academia: https://kau.academia.edu/DrAbuUmarAhmad
SCOPUS: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=16052160800
ORCID & RESEARCH ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1523-1883
GOOGLE SCHOLAR: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=jj8k64AAAAJ&hl=en
RESEARCH GATE: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Abu_Ahmad

Dr Andrew Dahdal is an associate professor at the College of Law, Qatar University and the chair of commercial law at the International Association of Law Schools. Dr Andrew researches and publishes on a range of financial services topics focused on the Middle East and beyond, particularly relating to technological innovations. His most recent book is ‘Qatari Business Law’ (2003, published by Qatar University Press). He has taught law in Australia, Europe and the Middle East and is currently part of an international project exploring financial inclusion and technology in Qatar. Dr Andrew holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) degree from Macquarie University, and a Bachelor of Commerce degree and PhD from the University of New South Wales.

Hakan Ozyon is the founder and CEO of Hejaz Financial Services. He is a seasoned and successful leader with a track record of producing, presenting and managing the implementation of innovative business solutions. He is experienced in converting every opportunity into success and driving profit and growth. Well-networked within the Islamic community as well as the broader Australian community, Hakan is highly successful in implementing business process improvements; defining company direction; achieving goals and change; and optimizing business procedures.

Hakan’s primary responsibility as CEO includes providing strategic direction and developing synergies within the financial sector, augmenting high-level, executive monetary advice and promulgating fiscal analysis and aligned determinations.

In addition to his role as CEO, Hakan is also the chief investment officer of Hejaz Asset Management and the executive chairman of Eternal Asset Management. This broad portfolio requires him to provide financial advice to high-net-wealth clients, and create, analyze and manage Islamically compliant investment portfolios.

Hakan’s qualifications include a Bachelor of Business degree in economics and finance and a Master of Professional Accounting degree, both from RMIT University, and the Certified Islamic Finance Executive qualification from Ethica Institute of Islamic Finance.

Dr Maria Bhatti is a lecturer with the School of Law in Western Sydney University. She completed her Bachelor of Laws and Master of Laws degrees from the University of Melbourne. Her Master’s thesis focused on the taxation implications of Islamic finance for which she received a prestigious scholarship from the National Australia Bank. She completed her PhD from Monash University, and her thesis examined the intersection of religious and secular law through the lens of international commercial arbitration.

Dr Maria is the author of ‘Islamic Law and International Commercial Arbitration’ published by Routledge in 2019 for which she received the Emeritus Professor H P Lee Student’s Publication Prize (Monash University). Prior to completing her PhD, she worked as a family lawyer in Melbourne. Her research and supervision interests include religion and the law including the relationship between religious and secular law; law and religion in society; and international comparative law perspectives.

Dr Nurhastuty is a distinguished academic and author with a PhD in Finance from the University of Queensland. An alumna of INCEIF, she is recognized for her expertise in strategic management, Islamic finance and accounting. Dr Nurhastuty has published several influential books, including ‘Think Strategy’, ‘The Power of Dreams and Discovering Knowledge”, and ‘Kaya dan Berkah dengan Perencanaan Keuangan Syariah’ or ‘Islamic Financial Planning’, which target businesses of all sizes, from SMEs to large corporations.

Her work often centers around empowering businesses through innovative strategies, focusing on the intersection of finance and sustainability. Recently, she successfully organized an international seminar on ERP and AI, showcasing empirical findings and fostering global collaboration.
Dr Nurhastuty is developing a business plan and strategy for the Institute of Halal Investing, reflecting her commitment to ethical and impactful financial practices. Her diverse roles include moderating international sessions, mentoring master’s students and contributing to the global dialog on business excellence.

Dr Nurhastuty has been a speaker at various international forums held at Seoul National University, University of Sydney, UNSW, Bond University, IFN Australia, IFN Indonesia and Politecnico di Milano. She was also an internal speaker at the Directorate General of State Assets (DJKN) of the Ministry of Finance and KNEKS. She wrote an opinion piece in The Conversation Indonesia, one of the recommendations adopted by the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia regarding the increase in income tax for the rich.

Shaykh Shabir Moosa is a Mufti, lecturer and educator in Islamic law, commerce and trade, legal theory and jurisprudence for over 20 years. He also has experience in advisory, consultancy and training in various areas of ethical financing with a focus on Islamic banking, Islamic economics, Islamic commercial law and Islamic finance consultancy, advisory, research, business and management.