State Senator Kevin Parker has lived a storied life on his journey to his current position on the leadership team of the New York State Senate Democratic Majority. When he was first elected State Senator, he had the distinction of being the youngest serving member of the body at age thirty-five. Now among his leadership accolades is being the most senior African American Senator in the Senate. As the first and only State Representative of the 21st Senate District in Brooklyn, he is intimately familiar with the needs of his constituents in the diverse neighborhoods of Flatbush, East Flatbush, Kensington, Ditmas Park, Midwood, Flatlands, Canarsie, Georgetown, Old Mill Basin, Mill Basin, Marine Park and Bergen Beach. Engendering the trust and respect of his colleagues, Senator Parker was recently appointed Senior Assistant Majority Leader and serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy & Telecommunications – with the added distinction of being its longest serving member. He is a leading voice nationwide on energy matters and the creator and primary sponsor of Intersolar Summit Northeast, the largest solar energy conference on the East Coast which gathers experts in the field to discuss real solutions to bringing about a solar energy future. Additionally, Senator Parker is a member of the following Senate Committees: finance; rules; judiciary; select majority task force on diversity in the judiciary; banks; health; civil service and pensions; internet and technology; select majority task force on minority and women-owned business enterprises. Before the emergence of his political career, Senator Parker amassed knowledge in finance in both the public and private sectors with his work as Special Assistant to former New York State Comptroller H. Carl McCall, Project Manager with the New York State Urban Development Corporation and Director of Government Affairs at UBS PaineWebber. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Service at Penn State and holds a Master of Science Degree in Urban Policy and Management from the New School for Social Research. His commitment to education has taken him into the classroom as an African American Studies and Political Science Professor at several colleges. Well-known for his ardent dedication to his constituency and legislative initiatives surrounding issues of education, energy, quality health services delivery, economic development and domestic violence, Senator Parker approaches his job with a sense of purpose and dedication to duty and is well-respected for his political prowess. This status is supported by a prolific legislative profile which include legislation such as: mandatory jail time for repeat violators of orders of protection; unlisted or anonymous telephone numbers within 15 days for victims of domestic violence; increased safety for community treatment center residents against eviction; enhancing the ability of cemeteries to treat the remains of deceased veterans with respect; and protecting seniors from disasters by including the Office for the Aging in the Governor’s Disaster Preparedness Commission. As a representative of the people, Senator Parker is committed to working with all communities to realize his ultimate aim of ensuring adequate representation for all New Yorkers. He is a proud member of the Alpha Chapter of the Pi Eta Honor Society.

Aamir A Rehman has been engaged in values-aligned investment for over two decades. He has served the finance community as an investor, adviser, author and educator. Dr Aamir’s portfolio includes Limited Partner investments in private capital funds across a range of asset classes and stages. His investments include positions in buyout, secondaries, growth, venture capital and public markets funds. Dr Aamir is also a direct investor in over 10 companies, largely in financial services ventures. He seeks to invest in and support enterprises that help people align their finances with their values. Dr Aamir’s board affiliations include Stearns Salaam Banking and Fajr Capital Advisors. He is a board member of PwrQ and a board observer of Nuvem Health, both of which are private equity-backed companies. He is Chair of the Limited Partners Advisory Committee of Mindshift Capital and a Board Member of Shukr Investments. Dr Aamir was Co-Founder and Managing Director at Fajr Capital, a private equity group that has over $700 million in investments. He earlier served as Head of Strategy for HSBC Amanah, the global Islamic finance business of the HSBC Group, and as a consultant with the Boston Consulting Group. Dr Aamir is a trustee of Mercer County Community College (New Jersey) and a trustee of Rutgers Preparatory School. In addition to his work in investments, Dr Aamir has served as a Senior Adviser in Islamic finance to the United Nations Development Programme. He has also consulted the World Bank on the impact of Islamic finance on development and financial inclusion. An adjunct faculty member at Columbia Business School, Dr Aamor has taught private equity to over 500 MBA and executive MBA students. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Richman Center for Business, Law and Public Policy at Columbia University. Dr Aamir holds a Bachelor’s degree from Harvard College, a Master’s degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and an MBA from the Harvard Business School. He also holds a Doctoral degree in Education (Ed.D.) from Columbia University.

Amir Memon joined Princo in September 2023 and focuses primarily on Princo’s private equity portfolio. Prior to Princo, Amir worked in Boston and New York at Advent International, a global private equity firm. While at Advent International he led, participated and served on the Board of Directors of investments across business, financial and industrial end-markets. Amir began his career as a consultant with McKinsey & Company. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania with a BS in Economics and a BA in International Relations. He also received an MBA with distinction from The Wharton School and a Master’s in International Affairs from The Lauder Institute. Amir serves on the boards of several non-profit endowment committees in the greater Princeton area. He is originally from Latrobe, Pennsylvania (Steeler Nation!), but also lived in South Asia and the Middle East while growing up. When Amir is not exhausted from chasing after his four kids, he enjoys playing tennis and drawing inspiration from Ben Alldis on Peloton.

Dr Ehab’s practice focuses on sovereign wealth funds, government advice as well as projects and affairs, corporate matters, corporate governance, sustainability, ESG and Shariah compliant legal services. He advises Middle Eastern entities seeking to do business in America and American clients seeking to do business in the Middle East. Dr Ehab’s extensive transactional and regulatory experience enables him to provide efficient and effective strategic legal support in a wide variety of business matters. He is a strategic adviser to many boards of directors and advisory boards. He helps firms deliver seamless cross-border solutions for Middle East entities, among them corporate enterprises, private equity investors, family offices, government entities and sovereign wealth funds. He helps clients maximize inbound and outbound opportunities arising from this dynamic region, providing comprehensive bilingual legal services and sensitive on-the-ground awareness of each geography in this diverse region. Before joining DLA Piper, Dr Ehab served as Senior Legal Counsel and Head of Corporate Governance and Government Affairs as well as Senior Adviser to the General Counsel on Special Projects at the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund and one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world. There, he was responsible for strategic, corporate, sustainability, ESG as well as special projects and transactions valued at billions of dollars as well as was a member of several management committees including the Management Investment Committee and the Crisis Management Committee. Earlier in his career, he served for six years as Senior Legal Adviser to the Amiri Diwan, the office of the Amir of Qatar at the Royal Court. During this time, Dr Ehab was also a member of many policy and legal committees, among them the Permanent Legislative Committee of the Council of Ministers and the Committee for Review of Legislation as well as a member of the National Committee to Review Commercial Laws of the Ministry of Economy and Trade. He drafted and contributed to several laws and regulations of Qatar, GCC and Middle East. In addition, he served as a Public Prosecutor in the Egyptian Public Prosecution, as a Judge in the Commercial Courts and with the Assistant Minister of Justice for more than 15 years, most recently as a Judge in Cairo’s Court of Appeal. He is currently admitted to the Bar in Egypt and is a certified and practicing arbitrator and mediator, and a member of the Egyptian Judges Club. During his service in Egypt, Dr Ehab was seconded to the Ministry of Justice’s Office for International Cooperation and Human Rights, was an adviser to the Minister of Telecommunication and Information Technology, a member of the National Committee for Humanitarian Law, a member of the National Committee for Counter-Terrorism and the National Committee to Control the Public Elections. He has provided consultancy support to several regional and international organizations such as the UN, UN Office on Drugs and Crime, International Telecommunication Union, UN Conference on Trade and Development, the Council of Europe and the Arab League.

Elias Scheker Da Silva is a Director and Portfolio Manager at Wafra, responsible for global fixed income. In this capacity, he has been the recipient of numerous industry performance awards including being named Best Islamic Fund Manager by Euromoney Magazine and Best Global Strategy by Global Banking & Markets. He has also been a featured panelist at various international conferences. Prior to joining Wafra, Elias was a portfolio manager at Vanderbilt Avenue Asset Management, where he managed fixed income portfolios for high-net worth individuals and institutional clients. Elias earned a BA in Economics from Michigan State University with high honors and is currently an MBA candidate at NYU’s Stern School of Business. He is a member of the National Association for Business Economics.

Fahad is a pioneering force in Islamic banking and fintech, with over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. He’s a visionary architect of Shariah compliant solutions, seamlessly integrating ethical finance with cutting-edge technology. This unique expertise has been instrumental in shaping Mabrook Canada’s groundbreaking framework, which blends traditional Islamic principles with next-generation digital assets infrastructure. Fahad is a globally recognized leader whose influence spans strategic brand positioning, international market expansion and fintech education. He has worked in leadership roles with major financial institutions and tech companies like Dubai Islamic Bank, Scotiabank and IBM in the US and co-founded TAIF, an award-winning Islamic finance education platform. He is leading Mabrook Canada’s launch of the world’s first AAOIFI compliant blockchain-powered Islamic tokenization platform, pushing the boundaries of ethical finance and Web3 innovation.

Irshad Rasheed is the President of Stearns Salaam Banking, which he founded in 2013 as a division of Stearns Bank. Stearns Bank is a 100-year-old well-capitalized USD 2.4 billion national bank with operations across all 50 states. Its focus is to banking services and products to underserved and unbanked communities. Stearns Salaam Banking Division provides full suite of Shariah compliant lending and depository products. He is passionate about developing Islamic Finance industry in US and nurturing ethical economic empowerment of underserved communities. Irshad holds master’s degree in computer engineering and has track record of developing new markets, solutions, and products across multiple industries – semiconductors, software, construction & finance. He has three sons, all of whom have left home to pursue their dreams. He is an active hiker, diver, and occasionally does some climbing. He is an avid gardener and a backyard apiarist.

Ishmam Ahmed is the Managing Director of Hoya Advisory, a boutique advisory firm specializing in Islamic capital placement, real estate advisory and education consulting. He also serves as an Adjunct Faculty Member at Georgetown University, where he teaches the Masters of Real Estate program, and as Director of Sanctuary AP3, a Virginia-based nonprofit dedicated to developing affordable housing across the US. He is passionate about leveraging ethical finance and strategic partnerships to create sustainable, community-driven development. Ishmam holds a Master’s in Real Estate from Georgetown University, with a focus on global real estate development and affordable housing.

Justin Alexander helps investors and governments understand the GCC including the differentiating features of each state and the roles they play in the global economy. He has been involved with the Middle East as an Economist and Political Analyst for a quarter of a century including a decade living in the region. He was an Economic Adviser at Qatar’s Ministry of Finance and a Senior Economist at Qatar National Bank. His previous roles also include being a Middle East Economist at the EIU, a Constitutional Affairs Officer at the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq and an Equity Analyst at Schroders in London. He holds degrees from Oxford and London.

Kavi serves as the Chief Growth Officer of PowerPollen, the leader in breakthrough pollination technology for increased agricultural productivity, sustainability and profitability. As part of the senior executive leadership team, he is responsible for leading PowerPollen’s commercial expansion and strengthening its market leadership in sustainable agriculture. He has more than 20 years of global experience in finance and strategy, having driven growth for innovative organizations across the private and public sectors including Principal Financial Group, CIMB, Bank Islam and the governments of Malaysia, Turkiye, UAE and Saudi Arabia. Kavi earned his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, his Master’s in International Affairs from Columbia University in New York, and his BA in Economics, History and Political Science from Drake University.

Max Kaiser is Chief Sales and Marketing Officer at Saturna Capital. Max earned a BA in East Asian Studies from Yale University. Following Yale, Max worked for Saturna for five years as the company’s first Marketing Director before starting his own film production company, producing corporate and commercial videos for Fortune 500 companies. After a nearly 20-year career in film where he received various accolades – including Emmy awards and a CINE Golden Eagle for his PBS documentary produced with Saturna colleague Monem Salam – Max returned to Saturna in 2022 to lead wholesaling operations. In 2024, Max’s role grew to include overseeing the company’s marketing. Max serves on Saturna Capital’s Board of Directors as well as the Saturna Environmental Board. He lives in Bellingham, Washington with his wife, kids and various pets.

Mike Tirman focuses his practice on all areas of real estate law including acquisitions and dispositions, development, financing, joint ventures and related corporate services. He regularly advises real estate investors, developers, REITs and family offices in all real property asset classes. He has represented clients in the acquisition, development and financing of real estate across the country. He has served as a trusted counsel and a tactful negotiator as these clients navigate various loans and purchase agreements, joint venture and fund agreements, development agreements, structuring matters and more. Additionally, Mike’s experience extends to cross border investment. He holds niche knowledge of Shariah compliant investments. Mike has represented foreign family offices and foreign private equity firms in the acquisition and financing of various real estate and corporate interests, favorably drafting and negotiating Ijarah deals and providing counsel on structuring acquisition and financing when funds flow through the MENA region. Mike has previously served as a speaker on leasing issues (CLE Forum for In-House Counsel), Shariah compliant asset management and Islamic capital raising in Saudi Arabia (IFN KSA Dialogues in Saudi Arabia), as well as tax and legal structuring.

Mohamad Nasir serves as Executive Vice-President and General Manager at Guidance Investments. Mohamad brings over three decades of leadership experience in Islamic finance, with a specialization in fund management, compliance and strategic growth. Mohamad plays a pivotal role in driving the firm’s vision and overseeing its operations, investor relations and strategic partnerships. His profound expertise in Shariah compliant investment vehicles, coupled with his extensive experience in financial management and regulatory compliance, provides a solid foundation for the firm’s continued success. Previously, Mohamad led a Halal mutual fund. His appointment by the Governor of Illinois to the Illinois State Employee Pension System Board further solidifies his trust and credibility in managing large-scale financial operations. A trusted leader, Mohamad is dedicated to bridging the gap between Islamic principles and innovative investment solutions. Mohamad serves on several non-profit and community organization boards.

Nasser Albarghash is an investment professional with expertise in private equity, real estate and management consulting. He excels at identifying high-potential opportunities, structuring private market deals and advising on capital deployment, bringing a disciplined, analytical approach to value creation. Based in a boutique family office in Washington, DC, Nasser concentrates on asset management and strategic investments. His consulting work enhances operational efficiency, optimizes financial performance and drives growth-oriented strategies for businesses. He employs data-driven decision-making, risk assessment and long-term planning to navigate complex financial landscapes. With a global perspective and deep knowledge of Shariah compliant finance, Nasser is a trusted adviser in both conventional and Islamic markets. He holds a degree from The George Washington University School of Business and continues to explore opportunities in real estate, venture capital and ethical finance.

Oussama Kaissi is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of leadership experience in Islamic finance, Takaful and risk management in development finance. He currently serves as Chairman of Meridiem Group, a US-based advisory firm specializing in structured finance and risk solutions and as Managing Partner at DEVimpact Consultants in the UAE, focusing on sustainable development initiatives. Previously, Oussama spent 10 years as the CEO of the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit, a member of the IsDB Group. During his tenure, he played a pivotal role in advancing Shariah compliant de-risking instruments – including credit wraps and political risk insurance structures – to support trade, infrastructure and climate resilience projects across member countries. Oussama holds board positions in several financial and insurance institutions and is a respected contributor to industry publications. His insights on risk mitigation, Islamic structured finance and ESG integration have been featured in international platforms. Oussama remains actively engaged in fostering dialogue between the public and private sectors to scale ethical and sustainable finance across the Global South.

Patrick, a Fixed Income Lead and Portfolio Manager, joined Saturna Capital in October 2014. He was a former Adjunct Professor of Finance for the Sustainable MBA Program at the Bainbridge Graduate Institute currently known as Presidio Graduate School. Patrick holds a BA in Economics from Western Washington University and an MBA from Seattle University Albers School of Business. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst and a Certified Financial Planner. Prior to joining Saturna Capital, Patrick led ESG research and was Director of Fixed Income Portfolio Management since 2007 with a private account group at UBS Institutional Consulting Services specializing in investment management for global conservation and national wildlife park endowments as well as sustainable-social screened client portfolios. He is a former Chair of the United Nation’s Principles for Investment Fixed Income Outreach Subcommittee and a current Member of the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment’s Bondholder Engagement Working Group, an advisory committee working to elevate important ESG considerations and best practices among issuers and investors. Patrick’s past experience also includes business valuation at Moss Adams and portfolio management at Washington Mutual Bank. He lives in Bellingham and is a proud father of two. He enjoys sea kayaking, hiking and being part of the Pacific Northwest community. Patrick is a Member of the Board of Trustees to the Museum of Glass in Tacoma and a Rotary Member.

Dr Radwa Elsaman is a Professor of Business Law and an International Legal Expert with two decades of experience in corporate, commercial and regulatory matters. She currently serves as an Adjunct Professor at Cornell Law School, where she teaches business law and sustainable development with a focus on the MENA region. Her legal career includes work with leading international law firms and advising global clients on cross-border transactions, corporate governance and investment frameworks. She has played a strategic role in supporting international organizations and governments on legal reforms related to financial markets, regulatory frameworks and sustainable investment policies. Dr Radwa has consulted for the World Bank, the United States Agency for International Devleopment, the European Investment Bank, International Development Law Organization and the German Agency for International Cooperation, contributing to projects that integrate legal development with global investment strategies. She has served on a selection committee for the American Association of University Women in Washington, DC, is a judge for the LexisNexis Women in Law Awards and serves as a country representative to the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law. Dr Radwa holds an S.J.D. and LL.M. from American University Washington College of Law, an LL.M. from the IMO International Maritime Law Institute and an LL.B. from Cairo University. Her academic career includes teaching at Boston University and Central European University. Her work has been published by leading academic presses including Cambridge University Press, Edward Elgar Publishing and the American Bar Association. Her articles have also appeared in respected journals such as the Cornell International Law Journal and Transnational Dispute Management, among others.

Saad Malik is the CEO and Co-Founder of Zoya, a fintech start-up dedicated to providing Shariah compliant investing tools for Muslims worldwide. Under Saad’s leadership, Zoya has become a trusted platform in Halal investing, enabling users to manage over $500 million in assets as of April 2025. Before founding Zoya, Malik served as a Vice-President at JPMorgan, where he gained extensive experience in finance. Saad is a prominent voice in the Islamic finance and fintech sectors, frequently sharing insights on faith-based investing and entrepreneurship. He has been featured on platforms such as CNN Business Arabic and the Islamic Finance news podcast. Additionally, he has participated in discussions on building Shariah compliant fintech companies. Through Zoya, Malik continues to empower nearly two billion Muslims to take control of their financial futures while adhering to their faith.  

Samim Abedi is the Chief Investment Officer at Wahed. He has 15 years of industry experience across institutional and retail asset management. Prior to Wahed, Samim was at Google where he helped manage the internal investments portfolio. Samim spent six years at JPMorgan in New York across asset management and investment banking businesses. His roles included investment strategy and research, portfolio management for non-profits (endowments and foundations) as well as sales and trading. He has experience in equities, credit, alternative investments, macro strategy and portfolio construction, customizing solutions for both large institutional clients as well as individuals. Samim earned his BA with Honors at Williams College, majoring in Economics and Anthropology.

Zeshan Gondal is Senior Vice-President of the Islamic Banking Division at Stearns Bank, N.A. He was previously a Partner and Head of Investments at Zayn Venture Capital, an early-stage venture capital firm. He has also worked as a David Swensen Fellow at Yale University, where he advised senior university leadership on strategy related to the University’s $5B annual budget and $41B endowment. Zeshan’s background is primarily in finance, investments and strategy. Zeshan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University and an MBA from Harvard Business School, where he served as President of the Harvard Business School Islamic Society.

Abdulkader Thomas is the President and CEO of SHAPE for Economic Consulting operating as SHAPE Knowledge Services, Kuwait. Abdulkader has over 30 years of diversified financial services experience. Abdulkader’s background includes capital markets, real estate finance and trade finance. He has served in various international banks and dealt with regulatory approval for Islamic products in different countries, consulting for and training financial institutions, regulators and businesses about Islamic finance.

Along with his team at SHAPE, Abdulkader works on projects that include launching de novo Islamic banks and Islamic banking windows, funds, Sukuk, regulations, policies and procedures including Shariah policies, Shariah compliance, product development and structuring.

Abdulkader is a Member of the International Advisory Committee for Islamic Capital Markets at the Securities Commission of Malaysia.
A graduate of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in International Trade, Abdulkader earned a Bachelor of Arts degree (Honors) in Arabic and Islamic studies from the University of Chicago.

Abdulkader is a frequent speaker on Islamic financial and banking matters. He has co-authored or edited several works in the field including ‘Structuring Islamic Financial Transactions’ with Stella Cox and Bryan Kraty (London: Euromoney, 2005) among others.

Fahad is a pioneering force in Islamic banking and fintech, with over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. He’s a visionary architect of Shariah compliant solutions, seamlessly integrating ethical finance with cutting-edge technology. This unique expertise has been instrumental in shaping Mabrook Canada’s groundbreaking framework, which blends traditional Islamic principles with next-generation digital assets infrastructure. Fahad is a globally recognized leader whose influence spans strategic brand positioning, international market expansion and fintech education. He has worked in leadership roles with major financial institutions and tech companies like Dubai Islamic Bank, Scotiabank and IBM in the US and co-founded TAIF, an award-winning Islamic finance education platform. He is leading Mabrook Canada’s launch of the world’s first AAOIFI compliant blockchain-powered Islamic tokenization platform, pushing the boundaries of ethical finance and Web3 innovation.

With over 23 years of professional experience, Faisal Islam is a recognized leader in digital finance, product innovation, and financial inclusion. He currently serves as the Head of Islamic Digital Finance at Kifiya Financial Technologies, where he spearheaded the development and launch of HalalGebeya — the world’s first fully digital, Shariah-compliant Murabaha financing and embedded e-commerce ecosystem.

Faisal’s work focuses on closing the financing gap for MSMEs through a range of Shariah-compliant digital products, including Islamic consumer financing, Islamic BNPL, invoice financing, agricultural finance, and Islamic card solutions. He has also pioneered the design of AI-driven, Shariah-compliant alternative credit scoring models, aimed at expanding financial access to underserved segments. In addition, he has successfully established regulatory-aligned Islamic financing operations in emerging markets. His expertise spans the full spectrum of product development — from Shariah structuring and partner bank enablement to building embedded finance ecosystems — always ensuring alignment with Islamic ethical standards. His initiatives have been instrumental in advancing cashless economies and promoting financial inclusion through innovative loyalty programs, digital onboarding solutions, and incentive-based payment ecosystems. Beyond Islamic finance, Faisal brings a strong background in technology leadership, with extensive experience across banking, fintech, retail, and asset management sectors.

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, 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 in 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.

Dr Main Alqudah holds Ph.D.s in Islamic Studies from American Open University and Al-Azhar University, along with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Al-Azhar. An Associate Professor and member of AMJA’s Resident Fatwa Committee, he is an experienced lecturer in Islamic Studies, teaching at both school and college levels. A frequent speaker at regional and national conferences, he has addressed large audiences on topics such as Islamic finance, interest-bearing transactions in the U.S., Zakah rules for American Muslims, the financial crisis, and contemporary Muslim family issues at various Islamic centers and masajid across the country.

Michael McMillen is a veteran finance lawyer, who focuses his practice on Islamic finance, project and infrastructure development and finance, investment funds, and real estate. He has more than 40 years of broad-based finance and corporate experience and is recognized as a global leader in Islamic finance and investment. Michael has vast experience in the development and implementation of innovative Shariah-compliant financial products and structures, many of them the first of their kind. His transactional work in the Middle East, North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia has included extensive investment funds work and transactions involving most major asset classes. Due to his expansive experience, Michael has been recognized in Who’s Who Legal 2024 for Islamic Finance. To further exemplify this commitment to the practice, he is a Lecturer in Law at the Columbia Law School, teaching an Islamic finance course as a part of the adjunct faculty.

Mike Tirman focuses his practice on all areas of real estate law including acquisitions and dispositions, development, financing, joint ventures and related corporate services. He regularly advises real estate investors, developers, REITs and family offices in all real property asset classes. He has represented clients in the acquisition, development and financing of real estate across the country. He has served as a trusted counsel and a tactful negotiator as these clients navigate various loans and purchase agreements, joint venture and fund agreements, development agreements, structuring matters and more. Additionally, Mike’s experience extends to cross border investment. He holds niche knowledge of Shariah compliant investments. Mike has represented foreign family offices and foreign private equity firms in the acquisition and financing of various real estate and corporate interests, favorably drafting and negotiating Ijarah deals and providing counsel on structuring acquisition and financing when funds flow through the MENA region. Mike has previously served as a speaker on leasing issues (CLE Forum for In-House Counsel), Shariah compliant asset management and Islamic capital raising in Saudi Arabia (IFN KSA Dialogues in Saudi Arabia), as well as tax and legal structuring.

Dr Mohamad Sawwaf is the Founder and CEO of Manzil, Canada’s premier Islamic fintech company, which offers Shariah compliant financial solutions such as mortgages and investment funds. He earned a Doctorate in Islamic Finance from Henley Business School in the UK, focusing on the determinants influencing the adoption of Islamic banking and financial services among Canadian Muslim consumers. Additionally, he holds an MBA with a specialization in finance from the Rotman School of Management in Canada and an MSc in Corporate Governance from Henley Business School. Dr Sawwaf regularly advises the UAE government on Islamic finance practices and teaches corporate and Islamic finance as well as entrepreneurship, at business schools in Toronto. He is widely recognized as a leading authority on Islamic finance in Canada. In his role as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Canada Arab Business Council, Dr Sawwaf advises Canadian and Arab governments on policies to enhance and expand economic relations and trade.

Patrick, a Fixed Income Lead and Portfolio Manager, joined Saturna Capital in October 2014. He was a former Adjunct Professor of Finance for the Sustainable MBA Program at the Bainbridge Graduate Institute currently known as Presidio Graduate School. Patrick holds a BA in Economics from Western Washington University and an MBA from Seattle University Albers School of Business. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst and a Certified Financial Planner. Prior to joining Saturna Capital, Patrick led ESG research and was Director of Fixed Income Portfolio Management since 2007 with a private account group at UBS Institutional Consulting Services specializing in investment management for global conservation and national wildlife park endowments as well as sustainable-social screened client portfolios. He is a former Chair of the United Nation’s Principles for Investment Fixed Income Outreach Subcommittee and a current Member of the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment’s Bondholder Engagement Working Group, an advisory committee working to elevate important ESG considerations and best practices among issuers and investors. Patrick’s past experience also includes business valuation at Moss Adams and portfolio management at Washington Mutual Bank. He lives in Bellingham and is a proud father of two. He enjoys sea kayaking, hiking and being part of the Pacific Northwest community. Patrick is a Member of the Board of Trustees to the Museum of Glass in Tacoma and a Rotary Member.

Tariq Al Rifai has been involved in the Islamic banking and finance sector for over 20 years and is viewed as a leading authority on Islamic investments, private equity and Sukuk. He has written for prestigious publications and is the author of ‘Islamic Finance and the New Financial System: An Ethical Approach to Preventing Future Financial Crises’, published by Wiley in April 2015.

Tariq is often quoted in print and electronic media, including The Financial Times, Bloomberg and Reuters. He has also appeared as a guest on Bloomberg Television, CNBC Arabia, Sky News Arabia and is a regular guest on Al-Arabiya Business Channel.

Since 2018, Tariq has been an advisor to the United Nations Development Programme on Kuwait economic policy. More recently, he served as the head of research and investor relations at Kuwait Finance House in Kuwait, one of the largest Islamic financial institutions in the world. He also served as the global director of Islamic indices at S&P Dow Jones Indices (Dubai) and as the vice-president of UIB Capital, a Chicago-based private equity firm, which managed a US$300 million Shariah compliant investment portfolio.

Previously, Tariq was a partner in the London office of The International Investor, a Kuwait-based investment bank, where he was responsible for building distribution relationships with financial institutions in Europe and the Middle East. He also was the vice-president and manager of HSBC Bank’s Islamic Finance Program in New York. In 1996, Tariq founded Failaka Advisors, which was the first-ever organization to monitor and publish research on Islamic funds.

Tariq holds an MBA from DePaul University in Chicago and a Bachelor’s degree in international finance from St Cloud State University in Minnesota.