With over 15 years in financial services, Arsalaan (Oz) Ahmed is a professional with extensive experience in wholesale and retail banking, as well as a recognized leader in Islamic finance. He has held a number of senior management roles with international exposure in the UK, the Middle East and Asia. In his early career, he distinguished himself in innovating Islamic finance solutions across various jurisdictions and has advised governments on Islamic finance regulation.

Oz is credited with material contributions to the development of the global Sukuk market. In recent years, Oz has established himself as a thought leader in the social and environmental impact sectors within the banking and value-based intermediation (VBI) community. Oz is considered an expert in sustainability within banking.

Oz has a Bachelor’s degree from University College London, a Master’s degree from the University of Bristol and received an MBA with distinction from London Business School’s Executive MBA program.

Prior to becoming CEO of Al Rajhi Bank Malaysia, Oz was CEO of HSBC Amanah. He is also a founder and board member of a UK fintech company, mmob, specializing in open banking and open finance technology infrastructure.

Asaad Al Kharusi is a seasoned banker with over 14 years of experience in Islamic banking. Prior to his current role as acting COO and head of strategy and transformation at Alizz Islamic Bank, he held the position of associate vice-president and head of Islamic products at Sohar Islamic Bank following several senior level roles at Meethaq Islamic Banking and Bank Muscat across multiple divisions such as product development, management and operations. Asaad is renowned for his ability to master product development, process design and reengineering while his expertise also extends to marketing and enhancing customer experience and engagement. He has played key roles in all the organizations that he has worked for.

Asaad holds a Bachelor of Science degree in finance from Sultan Qaboos University, and a Master of Science degree in Islamic banking and finance from Bangor University, UK. He is also the winner of the NTI BizPro Award for Oman’s ‘Young Business Leaders and Super Achievers’ for 2018.

Asad Qayyum is a highly skilled dual-qualified corporate and commercial lawyer with extensive multi-jurisdiction experience in a number of sectors of the law, including in relation to capital markets, funds, conventional and Islamic finance, mergers and acquisitions, natural resources (oil, gas and mining) and project finance transactions.

Asad is qualified as a solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales, a barrister of England and Wales and an advocate of the High Courts of Pakistan and has over 22 years of experience advising on a broad range of transactions during his time in the UK, Sultanate of Oman and Pakistan. Asad has particular expertise in advising sovereigns and sovereign-owned companies and listed and private companies with respect to their debt and equity capital market financings (conventional and Islamic), registration of funds (including real estate investment funds, acquisitions and disposals of hydrocarbon assets (onshore and offshore) and negotiating clients’ commercial (oil and gas) contracts across the globe (including in the UK, Oman, Canada, the Middle East, Pakistan, Cameroon, Tanzania, Namibia, Burundi, Benin, Cameroon, Nigeria and Kazakhstan).

Kemal Rizadi Arbi has more than 25 years of global professional experience in the banking and financial industry, both government and private sectors, particularly in investment banking, Islamic finance, corporate finance and as a regulator, policymaker, and strategic developer of capital markets, including Islamic capital markets, in the GCC and Asian region. Kemal is currently involved in driving developmental efforts for the Oman capital market as an advisor at the Capital Market Authority, Sultanate of Oman (Oman CMA) and has been leading the development of the Islamic capital market in Oman since the introduction of Islamic banking and finance in 2013. After leading the issuance of the new Sukuk Regulation, Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) Funds Regulation (including Islamic REITs) and the Takeover and Acquisition Regulation in Oman, he is currently leading the establishment of the new SME Exchange and the issuance of new regulatory frameworks for crowdfunding platforms, fintech sandbox, sustainable and responsible investment bonds and Sukuk, exchange traded funds and venture capital, for both conventional and Islamic. He was also involved in preparing the proposed GCC Capital Market Integration Plan. Kemal was appointed by the Oman Ministry of Finance to be on the Oman Government Sukuk Committee which was responsible for the issuance of the first sovereign Sukuk of OMR250 million (US$647.36 million) which won the 2015 IFN Sovereign Deal of The Year Award in Dubai, the UAE. Kemal was also on the Oman Government Tanfeedh (National Program for Enhancing Economic Diversification) Committee on REIT Funds under the Creative Financing Sector of the program, as part of the Oman government’s strategy in diversifying the economy, looking at alternative financing for economic development and attracting foreign investments into Oman. He was also appointed as a committee member at Oman’s Education Council to look at the development of Waqf/endowment funds for schools and universities. Prior to joining the Oman CMA, Kemal had led and established strategic initiatives for the development of the Malaysian and ASEAN+3 capital markets, including the Islamic capital market, through senior positions heading various departments at the Securities Commission Malaysia. In addition, Kemal had previously been involved in investment banking and corporate advisory as a director and team head in a few leading investment banks including Maybank Investment Bank and another investment bank previously owned by the Minister of Finance (Incorporated) Malaysia. Kemal was awarded a Malaysian government JPA scholarship for top scholars for studies at the University of Iowa in the US where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in actuarial science. He also holds an MBA in finance from International Islamic University Malaysia and the Chartered Islamic Finance Professional Master’s degree from the International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance or INCEIF in Malaysia.

Khalid Al Kayed is responsible for spearheading Bank Nizwa’s overall business growth and 2020 strategies. He is responsible for driving the execution of the bank’s business targets to meet the bank’s aspirations and vision for leading the Islamic banking industry in the country.

Aside from establishing strategic policies and providing the overall direction for the banking operations and financial performance, his core responsibilities include strengthening Bank Nizwa’s distribution footprint, growing its profitability via organic growth and domestic expansion, strengthening its leadership position in Islamic finance and making Bank Nizwa a preferred banking partner in the marketplace.

A financial industry veteran with over 25 years under his belt, Khalid served as acting CEO and CFO in Bank Nizwa and has been associated with the bank since inception. His expertise ranges from general banking management and financial control to accounting, global markets and credit, among other fields.

Khalid holds a Master’s degree in international accounting and finance from Liverpool University. He is also a certified management accountant and certified financial manager from the Institute of Management Accountants.

Khalid Howladar is the chairman of MRHB DeFi, the world’s first ethical and faith-based decentralized finance platform. In addition, Khalid is an active innovation angel, advisor and board member for a diverse mix of fintech, crypto, edtech and Islamic economy start-ups through his firm Acreditus Partners. Lastly, he is the senior managing director and head of credit and Sukuk for RJ Fleming & Co, the boutique merchant banking advisory of the Fleming family.

With a rare confluence of financial, tech, social and faith-driven perspectives, Khalid is a recognized authority in his fields and has addressed investors worldwide and audiences at the World Bank, IMF, European Central Bank and Institute of International Finance.

Khalid gained industry prominence from his 15 years at Moody’s Investors Service in London and Dubai culminating as both the global head of Islamic finance and the head of the GCC banking team.

Khalid’s most prominent start-up role was as angel and later chairman of Small Pharma, a pioneering psychedelic UK biotech that successfully made the transition from start-up to a public 2021 listing on the TSXV Canada during his board leadership.

Mayan Al Asfoor is the Oman country manager for Beehive Oman, where she is responsible for overseeing overall strategic direction and managing day-to-day operations. Prior to working at Beehive, Mayan had 17 years of corporate banking experience within local banks such as National Bank of Oman and HSBC. Mayan is also an entrepreneur and owner of an SME.

Mohsin Shaik Sehu Mohamed is the senior executive manager and head of investment banking and capital markets in Maisarah Islamic Banking, the Islamic window of Bank Dhofar in Oman. He is responsible for the overall business of investment banking and also investments in the firm. This covers advisory business, Sukuk structuring, private equity and propriety investments for the bank locally and internationally.

Prior to joining Maisarah, Mohsin was the director and head of Islamic finance in Al Madina Investment in Oman. Throughout his journey in Al Madina Investment, he has successfully engineered deals in the real estate, financial, education and healthcare sectors.

Previously, Mohsin was a member of the Group Asset Management Team in CIMB Islamic Bank in Malaysia. He was responsible for the development of alternative investments focusing on the structuring of private equity, infrastructure and real estate funds.

Prior to joining CIMB Islamic Bank, Mohsin was in the Structured Finance Department of a local Islamic bank in Malaysia. Mohsin is a Chartered Islamic Finance Professional holder. He graduated with a Master of Business (Applied Finance) degree from Queensland University of Technology in Australia and he also holds a Bachelor of Accounting (Hons) degree from University Tenaga Nasional in Malaysia.

Mujahid Said Al Zadjaly is the general manager of information technology and operation at Bank Nizwa and is also the deputy chairman of the Information Technology Steering Committee. He heads the digital transformation and innovation projects in the bank which complement the bank’s long-term strategic initiative and Bank Nizwa’s vision to become the ‘Digital Bank of Choice’ for the people of Oman.

Mujahid is a strategic, decisive and result-oriented leader, having 20 years of professional expertise with an in-depth knowledge in digital transformation and innovation. He possesses the skill of managing a large team and has a strong belief in human capital and staff engagement.

Mujahid graduated from the National CEO Program Cohort-2 2016 developed under the patronage of the Diwan of the Royal Court, delivered by the International Institute of Management Development. He holds an MBA from Luton University, UK and the Diploma in Leadership & Management from the Institute of Leadership and Management, UK and has been a part of the General Management Program from Harvard Business School in the US. He has completed his certification in the Islamic Finance Leadership Program from Clare College Cambridge.

Nitish Bhojnagarwala is a vice-president–senior credit officer with Moody’s Financial Institutions Group. Based in Dubai, Nitish covers a portfolio of large conventional as well as Islamic financial institutions in the Middle East, Africa and Turkey.

Nitish joined Moody’s in 2011, and has led Sukuk roundtables and conducted workshops on banking and Islamic finance at various conferences in the Middle East, Europe and Asia. Nitish has also authored several research pieces, with a focus on regional banking, credit issues and issuer-in-depths for conventional as well as Islamic banks.

Prior to joining Moody’s, Nitish spent five years at Tamweel in the Treasury. He has also worked for KPMG in the UAE, where he covered financial institutions. Nitish holds an MBA from S P Jain Institute of Management & Research, with a major in finance (investment banking).

Sadaf Buchanan heads up the Tier 1-ranked Banking and Finance Team in Muscat and has more than 15 years of experience in restructuring and finance work. She previously spent some time in-house on secondment to a leading international bank in Edinburgh.

Sadaf works alongside both lenders and borrowers in advising on security issues and options, enforcement (both solvent and insolvent routes) and commercial lending and borrowing and has also advised on a number of the landmark debt capital market transactions from the Sultanate.
She has broad experience in acting on both local and international deals and advising banks, businesses, shareholders and other stakeholders in relation to business restructurings and financing issues involving a variety of sectors from hotel and leisure to oil and gas as well as many international companies and financial institutions considering doing business in Oman.

Sadaf also heads up the Islamic finance initiative for the Omani office and has been awarded ‘leading individual’ status by The Legal 500 directory for her work in Oman.

Saif Shawqi works as an Associate Director in the Islamic Finance Group at Fitch Ratings. Based in Dubai, his role focuses mainly on rating new as well as existing Islamic finance entities and transactions. He also monitors the credit developments affecting the Islamic finance industry and supports the team on research pieces across a range of industry-relevant topics.

Prior to joining Fitch, Saif worked at Al Baraka Banking Group as the Head of Section- Credit & Risk Management, where he was responsible for the credit analysis of financial institutions & sovereigns in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region. Saif is a CFA charter holder and holds a bachelor’s degree in banking & finance from the University of Bahrain.

Salima Obaid Al-Marzoqi is an experienced leader who has played a crucial role in Oman’s emerging Islamic banking landscape, with an impeccable track record.

Salima entered the banking industry as a management trainee at the National Bank of Oman and has earned several accolades over the last 24 years. She was the first female Omani regional manager at a local bank and first woman to head an Islamic banking institution in the GCC.

Salima led the growth of Muzn Islamic Banking initially as the first female head of retail banking before being elevated as chief Islamic banking officer. She has been instrumental in moving the bank from the bricks-and-mortar model to digital banking leadership in the Omani Islamic banking industry. Muzn has recorded consistent growth in business and profitability over the last three years in spite of many challenges. Under her leadership, Muzn has won several awards from reputed global organizations.

Salima holds an MBA from Strathclyde University in the UK as well as a CISI Level 3 Certificate in Islamic Finance from the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment.

Shahariah Shaharudin is the president of Saturna, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Saturna
Capital Corporation. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in business studies from Knox College, Illinois and a Master of Arts degree in economics from University of Illinois, Springfield.

Shahariah has more than 30 years of experience in the areas of fund management, stockbroking and commercial banking. She started her career in a commercial bank with extensive experience in retail banking, trade finance and corporate banking and later joined a stockbroking company, overseeing both the stockbroking and futures broking business. She also worked for a fund management house under the Strategic Business and Market Development Division where her core responsibility was sourcing business and servicing both retail and wholesale clients. She was CEO and an executive director of Kenanga Islamic Investors until joining Saturna in October 2018.

Shahariah speaks at Islamic finance and ESG conferences. She is passionate about Islamic investment and has participated in the Brunei Roundtable; presented in events in Shenzen, China; and was nominated in the ‘Top 10 List for Women in Malaysian Financial Institutions’ by a local magazine.

Shahariah is currently a holder of the Capital Market Services Representatives License for fund management.

Suad Al Balushi has over 16 years of experience in the banking sector, including in strategic and operations leadership. She is a dynamic and result-oriented leader with a strong track record in performance. Suad utilizes keen analysis, insights and a team approach to derive organizational improvements and implementation of best practices. She has superior interpersonal skills and is capable of resolving multiple and complex (sales, human resources, investment, financial and operational) issues, and mentoring and coaching staff to optimize performance. She was the first Omani to achieve the ACI Diploma Certificate, which is the top certificate for treasury professionals and the first Omani female treasurer in the banking sector.

Suad is currently the head of global markets and financial institutions at Bank Nizwa where she is, among others, responsible for managing and implementing the divisions’ operational excellence by developing effective roadmaps, business goals and project plans to ensure the business meets the optimal operations level to achieve both short- and long-term business goals.
Prior to joining Bank Nizwa, Suad was the global head of corporate and institutional sales at Bank Muscat.

Suad holds an MBA and a Bachelor of Science degree in finance, both from Sultan Qaboos University in Muscat.

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.