Abdulkhaliq Elshayyal is a banking and finance lawyer. He regularly advises leading Saudi Arabian, regional and international banks and financial institutions on high-profile and complex Shariah compliant and conventional banking and financing transactions. He also has significant experience advising on Saudi Arabian financial regulatory matters including advising the Saudi Central Bank and Saudi Arabian ministries and government-related entities on developments to legislation.

Abdulkhaliq qualified and worked in London before being based in Riyadh since 2014 with two market leading law firms. He has also spent nine months on secondment to the Public Investment Fund.

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.

David Johnston is a partner in Norton Rose Fulbright’s Riyadh office, The Company of Mohammed A. Altammami for Legal Services in association with Norton Rose Fulbright. David’s practice focuses on the commercial, construction, and operations and maintenance aspects of major project finance transactions.

David focuses on the construction, engineering, operation, maintenance and commercial aspects of project finance transactions in the energy, accommodation, infrastructure, petrochemicals and water sectors. He has extensive experience advising regional and international clients on a full range of project documents, including project agreements; power and water purchase agreements; concession agreements; interconnection agreements; engineering, procurement and construction EPC contracts; supply and offtake contracts; and operating and maintenance/facilities management agreements.

David has developed a particular focus on advising in relation to public–private partnership projects.

David is an experienced commercial lawyer who has spent nine years advising in the GCC, and has practiced in Saudi Arabia since 2018. Previously, David spent two and half years as the divisional general counsel for the aluminium business of Ma’aden, the national mining and metals company of Saudi Arabia.

Dyota Mahottama Marsudi is the president director of Bank Aladin Syariah (Aladin Bank), the first Shariah digital bank in Indonesia. Under his leadership, Aladin Bank is moving toward reaching the vision of making digital-based financial solutions more accessible to all levels of societies in the country. Dyota started his career as a management consultant with the Boston Consulting Group. During his tenure at BCG, he had the opportunity to serve the region’s largest banks and technology, media and telecommunications and private equity firms, crafting their strategy and executing organizational restructuring and their merger and acquisition initiatives.

Dyota’s entrepreneurial drive was subsequently manifested through Happy5, a software-as-a-service company focused on performance management which he built together with his co-founders to profitability. Prior to Aladin Bank, Dyota was the senior executive director for Vertex Ventures, a global venture capital firm with US$5 billion assets under management with offices in six countries. At Vertex, Dyota was responsible for investments in Southeast Asia with an Indonesian focus. During his time at Vertex, Dyota supported and led investments in Sunday Insurance, Binance Singapore, Tanihub, RateS, RPG Ventures and Daily Co. Dyota has a Bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Indonesia and an MBA from INSEAD.

Fabrice Susini has been CEO of the Saudi Real Estate Refinance Company since 2017. Prior to this, he has also held significant positions in various prominent financial institutions. From November 2016 to November 2017, he served as the head of the SMEs Advanced Solutions team at BNP Paribas Investment Partners in London.

Before this, at BNP Paribas Investment Banking in London, Fabrice had an extensive tenure from August 1997 to November 2016. During this time, he held various leadership roles, including global head of securitization from 2008 to 2016, head of European securitization from 2000 to 2008 and head of French securitization in Paris from 1997 to 2000.

Before joining BNP Paribas, Fabrice worked at Bayerische Landesbank in Paris from October 1993 to August 1997, where he served as a large account manager in structured finance, specializing in real estate, aircraft, receivables and fixed-income products.

Prior to that, Fabrice was associated with Societe Generale in Paris from December 1989 to October 1993, working in its Inspection Generale Division, which focused on internal audit and consultancy. Fabrice holds an MBA from the London Business School.

Faisal Alosaimi, a seasoned professional in portfolio and wealth management, brings over 22 years of diverse experience to his role as a trader, dealer and senior executive manager. His extensive career includes valuable contributions at esteemed institutions such as Gulf Investment Corporation, KFIC Asset Management and KMEFIC.

Throughout his career, Faisal has consistently emphasized the importance of diversity and portfolio efficiency in successful asset management. He adopts an assertive, educated and evidence-based approach, steering away from passivity. Faisal places a strong emphasis on achieving robust results for his clients through this strategic mindset.

Faisal holds a Bachelor of Business and Administration degree from Kuwait University, complemented by several international diplomas in financial analysis and services, showcasing his commitment to continuous learning and professional development.

Hakan Ozyon is a seasoned business expert known for leading innovative strategies and nurturing talent. His dedication to excellence has enabled him to optimize all aspects of business management. He is adept at unlocking potential, promoting growth and increasing revenue. Hakan has deep ties in both the Islamic and broader Australian communities, enhancing business operations and setting corporate goals. With over 30 years of experience in business, he is a strategic visionary with a knack for building relationships, particularly in competitive areas. His role as CEO involves setting strategic paths and forming financial alliances. Notably, he has spent a decade transforming visions into pioneering Islamic financial services. Respected globally for his business acumen, Hakan is also a director at Islamic Bank Australia.

Husain is a vastly experienced banker who has been working within the Islamic financial marketplace for the past 30 years for various highly regarded regional and international financial institutions. Most recently, he held senior executive positions within MFAI (Jersey), a wholly-owned subsidiary of DMI Group. This followed his tenure as COO in the CMA-licensed Gulf Investors Asset Management Company.

Having started his career in banking in Bahrain, Husain was appointed the Regional Director and Head of GCC and Islamic banking at Societe Generale where he was based in Dubai. Prior to returning to Bahrain as CEO of Investment Dar Bank, Husain was the General Manager of ADNIF, the Islamic subsidiary of National Bank of Abu Dhabi.

Dr John A. Sandwick is a recognized pioneer in Islamic finance. He created the first application of the Modern Portfolio Theory in the context of global portfolio allocations with Shariah certification. He is also noted for organizing innovative domestic and international Sukuk (Islamic bonds), the world’s first global Sukuk fund, a Sukuk participation certificate and the first-ever mid-market Sukuk facility in Saudi Arabia. Dr John served as a visiting professor of finance at Al Yamamah University in Riyadh, and a former instructor in the Graduate School of Finance at University Paris-Dauphine. He frequently taught Master Classes on Islamic finance for groups including central banks, pension funds, family offices and treasuries.

Dr John’s most recent publications on Islamic finance include a popular article in the Journal of Asset Management. He has a Master’s degree in development banking from American University in Washington DC, and a doctorate in business administration from Grenoble Ecole de Management in France. He previously worked at the private banking units of Deutsche Bank (Suisse), Credit Suisse and Encore Management (in association with UBS). He is currently a corporate finance and asset management consultant for Saudi families and businesses.

Line Bitar has over six years of extensive experience in the financial services industry, including in project finance structuring, execution and divestiture in the infrastructure sector, gained across the Middle East, Africa and Asia. She has raised over US$2.5 billion from a diverse set of commercial and development financial institutions for both renewable and desalination projects including:

• FEWA IWP 150MIGD (UAE)
• Tashkent and Samarkand 1400 MW PV + 1500MWh BESS (Uzbekistan)
• DAO 150MW PV + BESS + ICE (South Africa), and
• Khalladi 120 MW Wind refinancing (Morocco).

Line was also involved in the divestment of a 49% stake in a portfolio of PV and wind assets with a combined capacity of 1,668 MW with assets located in the UAE, South Africa, Jordan, Egypt and Morocco to China state-owned Silk Road Fund. Prior to joining ACWA Power, she worked with BNP Paribas Investment Bank, Dubai where she focused on merger and acquisition opportunities in the Middle East and Africa. She holds a Master’s degree in management and a Master of Science degree in corporate finance from EDHEC Business School as well as a Master’s degree in business law from Université Pantheon La Sorbonne (Paris, France).

Dr Mohammed Ishaq Ali has assumed the role of acting CEO at Bait Al Mal Al Khaleeji, a reputed investment bank licensed by the Capital Market Authority of Saudi Arabia. With a career spread over more than two decades in capital markets, Dr Ishaq is a distinguished investment management professional. His core expertise spans across managing public and private funds, as well as discretionary mandates, encompassing a wide spectrum of asset classes and global markets, besides successfully playing an active role in advisory and arranging functions. Throughout his illustrious career, he has held pivotal leadership positions, notably serving as the head of asset management at Yaqeen Capital, the head of equity at ANB Capital and the head of equity funds at Al Rajhi Capital. He is an author, writer and speaker in capital market-related seminars and conferences. Dr Ishaq holds a doctorate in business management, an MBA in finance and international business, and a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Osmania University, India.

Mohammed Srhiri is a seasoned infrastructure investment professional with over 10 years of green and conventional project financing and investing experience. Throughout his career, Mohammed has been involved in several infrastructure transactions (extending across the capital structure) in the Middle East, Africa and Asia in sectors ranging from oil and gas, power and water, and mobility/transportation.

Based in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Mohammed is a vice-president at BlackRock, specializing in infrastructure investments and advisory. Prior to joining BlackRock, Mohammed served as an executive manager at ACWA Power, leading the financial closing of water desalination and renewable energy assets in the KSA.

Mohammed has a Master’s degree in management and corporate finance from ESCP, Paris as well as a Master’s degree in Islamic finance from IE Business School, Madrid.

Morrad Irsane, a dynamic and ambitious entrepreneur of French–Algerian descent, now based in Riyadh, boasts a proven track record of transforming start-ups into successes. In 2022, he secured an acquisition by IKEA for his award-winning e-commerce platform, Melltoo, which earned accolades like ‘Mobile App of the Year’ in 2016 and a place among the top 100 Arab start-ups in 2019. Currently serving as CEO of Takadao, a blockchain-native Shariah compliant life insurance start-up with backing from prominent investors, including Tim Draper, Morrad is a recognized pioneer in the Web3 space. He is a sought-after speaker at global conferences such as GITEX, Leap and EthRiyad, and as a Techstars All-Star Mentor, he is actively shaping the future of tech leadership.

Naquib Mohammed is an engineering technologist who founded MRHB in mid-2020, which eventually became a pioneer and leader in the domain of Islamic decentralized fintech. Naquib was recognized as a ‘Distinguished Fintech Talent’ by the Australian government and was invited to migrate to Australia in late 2021, where he has been actively contributing to the blockchain ecosystem and was listed as a ‘Notable Figure’ by Cointelegraph magazine. In late 2022, he established research and development-focused Analog Mutations, along with a team of researchers and scientists to work solely on the innovation of the future of blockchain-based fintech.

Omar’s background is in commercial finance where he spent over 15 years notably in a variety of FTSE 100, FTSE 5 and multinational blue-chip companies across UK, UAE, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Hong Kong and China.

Omar recently set up the Riba Free Foundation where he plans to use his experience and knowledge to help the masses become financially literate. Omar is a leadership development coach and is enthusiastic about developing the next generation of well-rounded, financially literate, ethical and responsible future leaders. He is also CEO of Digital Easily, an impact-led and ethically conscious digital marketing agency.

Sharjil Ahmed is a tech entrepreneur and spent the early part of his career as a seasoned investment banker. He is the co-founder of Cykube, a UK-headquartered blockchain and fintech advisory and solutions provider. He is working on promoting fintech and blockchain solutions in the areas of Shariah compliant finance and investments, Halal economy, SDGs and digital transformation and financial inclusion. Sharjil has gained training and certification from the Said Business School, Oxford University in fintech and blockchain post completing his MBA degree in international business from Anglia Ruskin University, UK.

Sharjil is also an industry associate at University College London, Centre for Blockchain Technologies. He is a visiting lecturer on fintech and emerging technologies at Coventry University and an advisory board member at the Centre of Fintech at University of East London. He is also an advisory board member at Usmani & Co.

Sharjil has more than 15 years of experience in Islamic Investment banking. He is one of the early starters in the UK Islamic finance scene and worked with the UK government to make London the leading western hub for Islamic finance. For this, he has worked closely with UK government bodies like UKTI and HM Treasury.

Bilal Kahlon is a partner in Trowers & Hamlins’s Bahrain office.

Bilal has over 10 years of experience in banking and finance matters in the Gulf region with a particular expertise in project finance, Islamic finance and debt capital markets.

Bilal leads Trowers & Hamlins’s Saudi finance practice and has consistently been recognized as a leading lawyer in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain by international legal directories including Chambers and Partners, Legal 500 and IFLR. Having grown up in Bahrain, Bilal has strong ties with Bahrain and the Gulf region as a whole. Bilal is admitted to practice in England.

Bilal Kahlon is a partner in Trowers & Hamlins’s Bahrain office.

Bilal has over 10 years of experience in banking and finance matters in the Gulf region with a particular expertise in project finance, Islamic finance and debt capital markets.

Bilal leads Trowers & Hamlins’s Saudi finance practice and has consistently been recognized as a leading lawyer in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain by international legal directories including Chambers and Partners, Legal 500 and IFLR. Having grown up in Bahrain, Bilal has strong ties with Bahrain and the Gulf region as a whole. Bilal is admitted to practice in England.

Maya Marissa Malek is the managing director/CEO of Amanie Advisors’s global office, based in Dubai. Maya is a multiple award-winning Islamic finance expert and executive leader (also recognized as one of the ‘Top 50 Most Influential Women in Middle East Finance’ by Financial News UK of Dow Jones Group) with extensive experience driving strategic planning and collaboration with key industry players — including regulators, corporates, banks and standard-setting bodies.

Maya skillfully bridges efforts of diverse regulatory and structural groups — identifying and targeting performance/operations gaps — and is equipped with a history of success working closely with globally-renowned Shariah scholars while creating awareness of Islamic finance worldwide. Her profession in and passion for Islamic finance has taken her around the globe creating awareness on Islamic finance, and innovating and creating demand for Islamic finance to take root. She is an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Islamic Finance Professionals, a member of the Green Sukuk Working Group in the UAE and a Shariah consultant for the International Finance Corporation, World Bank Group and a frequent Islamic finance speaker at Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs in the UK, the world’s most influential think tank.

Mike Tirman is a partner in Ice Miller’s Real Estate Group and advises and represents clients in all areas of real estate law, including acquisitions and dispositions, financing (including various forms of Shariah compliant financing), ground leasing, development, land use and zoning, entity structuring and joint ventures.

Some of Mike’s representative transactions include, among others, r
epresenting a buyer in a US$195 million Shariah compliant acquisition and CMBS financing of a portfolio of 30 industrial properties, representing a landlord in a US$104 million refinance of a portfolio of four industrial properties in New Jersey encumbered by ground leases and representing a REIT in a US$30 million acquisition of a parking garage and execution of a reverse 1031 exchange.

Mike is licensed to practice law in Illinois and Indiana.

Dr Mohammed Ishaq Ali has assumed the role of acting CEO at Bait Al Mal Al Khaleeji, a reputed investment bank licensed by the Capital Market Authority of Saudi Arabia. With a career spread over more than two decades in capital markets, Dr Ishaq is a distinguished investment management professional. His core expertise spans across managing public and private funds, as well as discretionary mandates, encompassing a wide spectrum of asset classes and global markets, besides successfully playing an active role in advisory and arranging functions. Throughout his illustrious career, he has held pivotal leadership positions, notably serving as the head of asset management at Yaqeen Capital, the head of equity at ANB Capital and the head of equity funds at Al Rajhi Capital. He is an author, writer and speaker in capital market-related seminars and conferences. Dr Ishaq holds a doctorate in business management, an MBA in finance and international business, and a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Osmania University, India.