Abdul-Haq is an infrastructure and real estate partner at Trowers & Hamlins and specializes in public–private partnership and concession arrangements relating to urban and transport-related development, real estate development and investment and strategic legal advice.

Abdul-Haq has held several senior management positions within the firm, including sitting on the management board for six years from 2015, as well as being the firm’s international managing partner until August 2021. He also sits on the board of governors of St Christopher’s School. He is regularly consulted by clients on matters of strategic importance.

Ahsan Ali is responsible for the global Islamic corporate and institutional banking business at Standard Chartered Bank (SCB). Since joining SCB in March 2004, he has built this business from inception and has led several award-winning and industry-defining transactions. Ahsan has over 24 years of experience in the financial services industry, of which the last 14 have been in Islamic banking.

Ahsan holds an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta and a degree in mechanical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, in addition to a CFA [chartered financial analyst] designation.

Currently, Dr Ali Fallahi is a country economist at the IsDB, based in the regional hub of Jakarta, who helps the bank develop a Country Partnership Strategy (MCPS) and programs in some member countries including MCPS Indonesia (MCPS 2022–25).

With 20 years of experience working with the IsDB in different positions, he joined the IsDB headquarters (Jeddah/Saudi Arabia) in 2015 as a country program manager and contributed to managing and enhancing the country portfolio, identifying areas of investment and recommending financing programs based on the countries’ priorities.

Dr Ali also served as an IsDB field representative in Iran for six years and had a successful stint in facilitating and solving problems of various projects including Waqf projects.

Beginning his career as a researcher in economic integration, Dr Ali was a senior expert at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, and also a lecturer.

Dr Ali contributed to several forums and conferences as a main speaker including the WIEF- SEACO Foundation Roundtable in Dhaka/Bangladesh and the 4th Indonesian Shariah Economic Festival in Surabaya/Indonesia.

Ariff Sultan joined IdealRatings in 2012 and is based in Singapore. He is responsible for Asian sales and operations. Prior to IdealRatings, Ariff was the regional director for Russell Indexes and the business development director for Dow Jones Indices where he developed their conventional and Shariah index businesses in the Asian markets. He has 17 years of sales experience in financial and banking software where he worked with the leading financial software vendors including Callatay & Wouters, Fair Isaac, London Bridge Group and Misys. Prior to his sales career, Ariff was a software developer and project manager for financial software applications with Deloitte and Touché and subsequently with OCBC Bank in Singapore. Ariff has a Master of Business (Information Technology) degree from RMIT University in Melbourne and also attained the Diploma in Islamic Banking and Finance from International Islamic University Malaysia.

Ayaz Ismail is the director of wholesale banking at CIMB Islamic in Malaysia, where he covers Islamic investment banking transactions. He has been involved in various groundbreaking and award-winning ringgit and non-ringgit Sukuk offerings. Prior to joining CIMB Islamic, he was with Malaysian multinational conglomerate Sime Darby, carrying out various roles in the CEO’s Office, including legal, strategy and communications functions of the group.

Ayaz graduated with an MBA in financial studies from the University of Nottingham in the UK as a Chevening Scholar. He also holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) degree from the same university, a diploma in Shariah law and practice from the International Islamic University Malaysia and a Chartered Professional in Islamic Finance charter. Recently, he completed his PhD in Islamic finance at the International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance or INCEIF in Malaysia and was appointed as a Grand Councillor of the Chartered Institute of Islamic Finance Professionals.

Bazari Azhar Azizi is currently working as the principal analyst of the Islamic capital market at the National Committee for Islamic Economy and Finance. He previously worked in Shariah business development at MNC Sekuritas Indonesia, was a Shariah executive at Zicolaw Indonesia and a research fellow at the Central Bank of Indonesia. In the meantime, he also acts as a Shariah financial specialist at Bagus Enrico and Partners.

Bazari is actively engaged with the development of the Islamic capital market program in Indonesia and has attended several international conferences related to the Islamic finance industry, such as the 5th Mediterranean Islamic Finance Forum, in Barcelona, Spain; and the 4th International Islamic Economics and Finance Congress, in Istanbul, Turkey; among others. He also published some articles related to Islamic finance and the capital market in IFN, the Jakarta Post and Republika.

Bazari obtained his Master’s degree in Islamic finance from the University of Durham in the UK, where he won the Best Academic Performance award. He was also recognized as the best graduate at Tazkia Institute, Indonesia, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Islamic economics.

Analytical thinking, focus and high determination are the three main ingredients of success for Bung Aldilla who has more than 25 years of experience in the banking industry until finally focusing on Shariah banking. After a successful journey at the senior management level in several banks and working in several markets globally, he is now holding the position of senior executive vice-president of Shariah consumer banking at Bank CIMB Niaga. His journey has been filled with prestigious awards such as the Asia Banker Award and the Global Great Manager Award.

Dien Sukmarini is a division head of Islamic capital market (ICM) policy development at the Indonesia Financial Services Authority. Dien has been involved in ICM development for more than a decade. Dealing with ICM development from regulator side has led her to have experience in conducting research, establishing roadmaps, drafting regulations, building institutional relations and delivering seminars and workshops.

Dien led the establishment of the Islamic Capital Market Roadmap 2015–2019 and Islamic Finance Development Roadmap 2017–2019. Additionally, Dien was the lead author of some publications related to ICM such as ‘Sukuk Handbook’ and ‘Directory of Indonesia Islamic Finance’. Dien is enthusiastic about new issues in ICM development. Last year, Dien led research on an Islamic–ESG index and corporate green Sukuk. Currently, Dien is responsible for a project on social ICM product development and the establishment of guidance for SMEs to get funding in the ICM.

Enda Ginting is the Indonesia country manager for Fortescue Future Industries. Fortescue aims to deliver green hydrogen at scale globally. Prior to this, he had worked for the Executive Office of the President of Indonesia on priority program management. Before joining the President’s Office, Enda worked for the World Bank as a public financial management resident advisor for the government of Indonesia.

Enda has also worked for the Ministry of Finance, Office of the Treasury and also the Budget Office during the ministry’s early reform stages. Enda holds a Master’s degree in economics, finance and management from the University of Bristol in the UK.

Farouk Abdullah Alwyni is both an Islamic finance practitioner and a lecturer. He spent most of his Islamic finance career in the Jeddah-based IsDB headquarters handling IsDB trade finance operations in many Asian and CIS countries (1998–2007). Prior to running Alwyni International Consulting in 2012, Farouk was a member of the executive management of Al-Ijarah Indonesia Finance (a multi-finance company owned jointly by Bank Muamalat Indonesia (BMI) and Gulf-based Islamic financial institutions) and BMI. He was also one of the country correspondents for Kuala Lumpur based-Islamic Finance news (2012–17), and continue to contribute articles to IFN until now.

Farouk has been on London-based Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment’s Authorized Training Partner list since 2012 and Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (also London-based)’s Islamic Finance Associate list since 2018. He has also been on the 2016, 2017 and 2018 lists of ISLAMICA 500 — a collection of individuals considered influential in the development of the Islamic economy. Farouk speaks and writes about finance, economics and development in a variety of events and publications. He also now serves in the advisory board of the Central Board of Indonesian Association of Islamic Economists. Farouk was an MP candidate in 2019 Indonesia’s legislative election for the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia. Starting in June 2022, he has been assigned as the vice-rector of Jakarta-based, health-focused Binawan University.

Fauziah Rizki Yuniarti is the head of the Islamic Finance Programme at INDEF. The program serves as a think tank aiming to provide an evidence-based policy for stakeholders to strengthen the Islamic economics and finance ecosystem.

Fauziah is an active speaker and writer about Indonesian Islamic economics and finance, and has provided commentaries on 200-plus credible news articles. These include CNN, CNBC, Kompas, Republika, The Jakarta Post, etc. Fauziah has presented her research papers in prestigious international conferences held in UC Berkeley (US), UC Bernard Lyon (France), Durham University (UK) and Bank Negara Malaysia (Malaysia).

Fauziah has been involved in various research projects with topics related to the nexus between Islamic finance and sustainable finance, among others, with the central bank of Indonesia, the Ministry of National Development Planning, the Financial Services Authority, the National Islamic Economics and Finance Committee and the Nature Conservancy.

Fauziah is an upcoming PhD student in sustainable finance at Durham University (UK), holds a Master’s degree in Islamic finance from Durham University (UK) and a Bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Indonesia (Indonesia).

Irwan Abdalloh has been working at the Indonesia Stock Exchange since 2000 and began to focus on developing the Islamic capital market since 2010. Currently, he is the head of Islamic capital market at the Indonesia Stock Exchange and also a member of the Islamic capital market committee at the National Shariah Board of Indonesia.

Irwan is an originator of the Shariah Capital Market School, an integrated training school on stock investment in the Islamic capital market; and the Indonesia Shariah Stocks Index, an Islamic stock composite index, among others.

Irwan was the first Indonesian to receive the Cambridge Islamic Finance Leadership Award 2017 from Cambridge IFLP headquartered in London in the UK and the Upcoming Personality in Global Islamic Finance (Islamic Capital Market) 2020 award from Global Islamic Finance Awards.

Irwan is active as a speaker about the Indonesian Islamic capital market and is also a postgraduate lecturer in Islamic capital market courses at several universities in Indonesia. He is also actively writing articles about the Islamic capital market and a regular contributor in Islamic Finance news as a country correspondent since 2018.

Lawrence Oliver is a director of DDCAP and its subsidiaries, DD&Co and DDGI. He is also a director of DDCAP (DIFC).

Lawrence has worked in the Islamic finance market for more than 25 years. He joined DDCAP in April 1998. Previously, he was an assistant manager at Kleinwort Benson and a member of the team responsible for Islamic finance and investment activity.

Lawrence is responsible for the company’s business development and trading desks and has extensive experience in arranging asset-based transactions which conform to Shariah stipulation.

Lawrence specializes in Shariah compliant structured finance and asset origination. His broad knowledge of the physical commodity sector has enabled him to evolve the traditional merchant trading capabilities of DD&Co for the benefit of institutional clients operating within the Islamic financial sector.

Lawrence is a regular speaker at many annual Islamic conferences held in the GCC, Southeast Asia and Europe.

Murniati Mukhlisin earned her degrees in Islamic accounting from International Islamic University of Malaysia (undergraduate), University of Indonesia (postgraduate) and University of Glasgow in the UK (doctoral). She was awarded with distinguished scholarships to support her studies.

Murniati has working experience in banking, financial and information technology services. Murniati then started her career as a lecturer in Islamic accounting and finance in 2002 and she is currently Islamic accounting-certified. She sits on the editorial advisory board for the Emerald Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research – UK, Journal of Muamalat and Islamic Finance Research – Malaysia and Turkish Journal of Islamic Economics.

For research, Murniati works on critical perspectives of research in the areas of financial reporting, Islamic accounting, Islamic banking and finance and Islamic financial literacy. Murniati is currently a rector at Tazkia Islamic University College, Bogor, Indonesia.

Murniati is also a public speaker and motivator. Together with her husband, Dr Luqyan Tamanni, M.Ec, CFP, Murniati authored an inspirational book called ‘Sakinah Finance’ that concerns Islamic family finance. She is also an active columnist in national and international media such as Republika, Majalah MySharing, Islampos, Suara Islam, Hidayatullah, Majalah Gontor, detik.com, Kompas, IFN news and ISFIRE-UK. Her research papers and activities are available at https://tazkia.ac.id/dosen/assoc-prof-dr-murniati-mukhlisin-m-acc/ and https://www.sakinahfinance.com/.

Prashant Gokarn is the co-founder and CEO of DigiAsia Bios — whose mission is to bring the entire gamut of financial services, payments, remittance, lending and investments to the masses in Southeast Asia, irrespective of their socioeconomic status. DigiAsia’s strategy
is to acquire and operationally and financially consolidate digital, traditional distribution and logistics assets, with the aim to redefine the ecosystem even in the smallest towns in Indonesia. Prashant is an active investor — with investments in core tech, trading and consumer sectors.

Prior to venturing into entrepreneurship, Prashant was the chief digital and strategy officer for five years at Indosat, one of the leading telecom operators in Indonesia. Prashant has an MBA from the India Institute Management and a Bachelor of Technology degree from Indian Institute of Technology.

Prashant has extensive operations, business strategy and start up experience across Asia, Europe and Latin America. He has run mobile, fixed line and pay TV operations, has set up and run new fiber broadband and mobile 3G businesses as well as set up a number of digital operations. He set up and ran Indosat’s venturing initiatives — including the accelerator IdeaBox and the Softbank–Alibaba–Indosat Venture Capital Fund.

Shaiful Kamarul is currently the senior country manager, Indonesia, for the Islamic Corporation of Investment Insurance and Export Credit (ICIEC), a member entity under the IsDB Group. He received his MBA from International Islamic University Malaysia and a Bachelor in Accountancy (Hons) degree from University Putra Malaysia. He is a professional member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants and CPA Australia.

Shaiful is the focal point for ICIEC business activities in the Southeast Asia region, focusing on member countries — Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia, and to a certain extent Singapore where Lloyd’s market is located. He manages the business relationship with national export credit agencies, insurance and reinsurance companies, Takaful and re-Takaful companies, financial institutions and Lloyd’s Singapore brokers and insurers.

The primary focus for the ICIEC role in Indonesia is to support Indonesia Export Credit Agency – Indonesia Eximbank and Asuransi ASEI and to drive exports from the country via export credit insurance.

Shaiful represents the organization at official functions and any organization meetings as required. He has more than 20 years of experience in the insurance industry and has worked with leading insurance companies and insurance broking firms in Malaysia.

Dr Sutan Emir Hidayat is currently the director of Islamic financial education and research at the Indonesian National Islamic Finance Committee (KNKS). He was an associate professor and the head of the Business Administration Department at the University College of Bahrain.

Dr Sutan is actively engaged with academic research in his field and has presented several research papers at reputable international conferences such as the 11th Harvard University Forum on Islamic Finance at Harvard Law School, Massachusetts, in the US; and the Gulf Research Meeting at the University of Cambridge in the UK, among others. He was listed in leading advisory firm for Islamic markets ISFIN’s directory named Islamica 500 as one of the top 500 influential personalities on a global scale in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.

Dr Sutan obtained both his MBA and PhD in Islamic banking and finance from the International Islamic University Malaysia.

Tatang Nurhidayat graduated from Diponegoro University with a Bachelor’s degree in marine science in 2008 and a Master’s degree in Islamic economics from Sekolah Tinggi Ekonomi Islam Tazkia in 2018.

Starting a career in insurance as a management trainee of Asuransi Adira Dinamika, Tatang has extensive experience and an excellent career in insurance, as evidenced by having served as marketing director at Asuransi Takaful Umum from 2019 to 2021, president commissioner at LSP Perasuransian Syariah (2020–22), Shariah group head of Asuransi Bintang (2012–18), vice-chairman of the Indonesian Sharia Insurance Association (2017–20), general chairman of the Indonesian Sharia Insurance Association (2020–present) and currently actively serving as the general chairman of the Indonesian Insurance Council since 2021.

With great experience and supported by other achievements, including obtaining a certificate from AIIS – Associate of Islamic Insurance Society and QRGP, and becoming a member of several organizations, including member of the IKNB Committee of the Sharia Economic Community and member of the supervisory board of Lembaga Arbitrase Penyelesaian Sengketa Sektor Jasa Keuangan, among others, Tatang has been trusted to serve as the president director of Asuransi Tugu Pratama Indonesia (Tugu Insurance) since May 2022.

With an array of experience in consumer, commercial and transaction banking across both international and regional intuitions, Usman has been in the forefront of strategic growth in the Malaysian banking sector. Right to win sequels ranges from product development, proposition solutions and digital channels in both the local and regional market space. Usman has embarked on growth journeys targeting innovative solutions in areas on ESG and other need based finance solutions across multi business clientele. Usman is currently the regional head of Transaction Banking for CIMB Islamic, overseeing Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.

Vineeta Tan is a global Islamic finance journalist with over five years of experience in the journalism and publishing industry working independently and leading a team. She joined REDmoney in 2013 and is responsible for the editorial direction and content of Islamic Finance news (IFN). Vineeta authors the IFN daily cover stories, produces reports, research and analytical pieces as well as interviews senior industry players and regulators. In addition to her role as the editor of IFN, Vineeta also manages, produces and oversees all editorial content of REDmoney’s sister publications: IFN Education and MY Islamic Finance.

Trained in journalism and sociology, Vineeta holds an Islamic Finance Qualification awarded by the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investments in the UK. Prior to joining REDmoney, Vineeta was attached to a research company in the US and was a freelance journalist.