Dr Rusni Hassan is an associate professor and the deputy dean at the IIUM Institute of Islamic Banking and Finance, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). She graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree (Honors), a Bachelor of Laws degree (Shariah) (First Class), a Master of Comparative Laws degree and a PhD in law. She is a member of the following: Shariah Advisory Council for Bank Negara Malaysia, Association of Islamic Banking Institutions Malaysia, Shariah Committee for HDFC and HDC Maldives. She is a registered Shariah advisor with the Securities Commission Malaysia and is the secretary for the Association of Shariah Advisors in Islamic Finance Malaysia and the International Council of Islamic Finance Educators.

Dr Rusni has spoken extensively in seminars, workshops, conferences and trainings on various Islamic finance issues. Her publications include books on Islamic banking and Takaful, Islamic banking under Malaysian law, corporate governance of Islamic financial institutions and many articles in local and international journals. She has received awards such as ‘Promising Researcher’ at IIUM in 2012. Her works and contribution to Islamic finance have also been recognized internationally when she was listed among the ‘Top 10 Women in Islamic Finance’ by CPI Financial in 2013. She also received the award of ‘Most Talented Women Professional in Islamic Banking’ at the Asia Islamic Banking Excellence Awards, CMO Asia in 2014.

Ahmad ‘Arif bin Mohd Arshad has been Head of Shariah Compliance of RHB Bank Berhad (RHBB) in Kuala Lumpur since 2014, prior to assuming his new role as Head of Group Shariah Business Compliance of RHBB in Jan 2016. He is a Shariah expert practitioner with more than ten years of experience in Islamic banking and finance. Formerly, he served the industry as the Head of Shariah Supervision at Al-Rajhi Bank (Malaysia), Acting Head of Shariah at HSBC Amanah (Malaysia) and Head of Syariah Advisory at Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad. As an expert in his field, Ahmad ‘Arif had involved in multiple roles of Shariah functions and obtained numbers of achievements. This included his critical role in the development of innovative Shariah solutions for RHB Islamic Bank, Al Rajhi Bank (Malaysia), HSBC Amanah (Malaysia) and Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad. He is also experienced in conducting Shariah compliance review and Shariah risk assessments; experienced in Shariah businesses product developments, operations and other support divisions including the enhancement and assessment of operating manuals; he assisted various business units with risk mitigation strategies and practical solutions especially in rectifying Shariah audit findings involving financial impacts arising from Shariah non-compliance incidences; apart from various other involvements and achievements. Ahmad ‘Arif pursued his studies in Islamic Law and Jurisprudence at Al- Azhar University, before pursuing his master’s coursework in Fiqh and Usul Fiqh at the International Islamic University of Malaysia.

Prof. Dr. Mohamad Akram is currently the Executive Director of International Shari’ah Research Academy for Islamic Finance (ISRA) and Professor at International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance (INCEIF). Prior to joining ISRA he was an Assistant Professor at the Kulliyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences, International Islamic University, Malaysia (IIUM). In the period 2002-2004, he was a Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. At present, he is the Deputy Chairman of Bank Negara Malaysia Shari’ah Advisory Council, Member of Law Harmonisation Committee Bank Negara Malaysia, Member of Shari’ah Board of Employees Provident Fund Malaysia (EPF), Member of Shariah Supervisory Council of Labuan Financial Services Authority (FSA), Member of Shariah Advisory Board ZI Shariah Advisory, Member of Thomson Reuters Islamic Benchmark (IIBR), Member of Shariah Advisor of Dar Al Takaful, Dubai, Member of Shariah Advisory Board, Eco Islamic Bank, Republic of Kyrgstan, Member of Shariah Advisory Council International Islamic Financial Market (IIFM),Bahrain, Member of Shariah Advisor of National Takaful Company PSC, Watania, Abu Dhabi, Member Financial Regulation Advisory Council of Experts (FRACE), Central Bank of Nigeria, and other Boards locally and internationally.

Muhd Ramadhan is currently the executive vice-president and the head of product management at Maybank Islamic. Prior to his appointment as the head of product management, he was the head of Shariah management overseeing all Shariah-related matters pertaining to the retail and global banking business within the Maybank Group. He is instrumental in developing Shariah compliance control frameworks and policies for the Islamic banking business of group. He also oversees Maybank Islamic’s Zakat and Waqfbased programs. Prior to Maybank Islamic, Muhd Ramadhan served as a senior manager at the Islamic Markets department of Maybank Investment Bank. He also formerly served as a manager in Shariah advisory at RHB Islamic. Muhd Ramadhan started his career as an assistant lecturer of Islamic economy at Universiti Malaya. Muhd Ramadhan has presented several papers at local and international conferences and contributes regularly to Islamic banking columns in a few local newspapers. He also appears on several television programs to talk about various topics related to Islamic finance. Muhd Ramadhan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Shariah (Fiqh and Usul) (1st class honors) from the Universiti Malaya and a Master’s degree in Fiqh and Usul Fiqh from the International Islamic University Malaysia.