Ahmed Karim El Kenzi, a chartered accountant from Ordre des Experts Comptables based in France, serves as the director of BTD Luxembourg overseeing operations. He holds a certificate in hedge funds and alternative investment funds from Institut de Formation Bancaire Luxembourg, along with a Diploma in Accounts and Management and a Master’s degree in accounting, control and audit.

With 14 years of experience, Ahmed has made significant contributions to the audit, private equity and alternative investment fund sectors. His career includes roles such as audit senior manager at EY Luxembourg, director of client services at Vistar Luxembourg, and country manager/board member at Ebury Partners Luxembourg.

Throughout his career, Ahmed has demonstrated expertise in financial management and regulatory compliance. He possesses a keen understanding of international finance and has successfully navigated complex financial landscapes. His leadership roles have allowed him to develop strong client relationships and drive business growth.

Ahmed’s commitment to excellence and continuous learning has positioned him as a respected figure in the financial industry.

Mohammad Ali Allawala Head of Islamic Banking UAE, & Head Wealth and Retail Banking – Group Islamic Banking

Mohammad Ali Allawala has 25-plus years of global experience, having worked in the UAE, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Pakistan. Mohammad Ali is currently working as the head of Islamic banking in the UAE as well as managing Standard Chartered’s global Islamic wealth and retail banking business covering the UAE, Pakistan, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Indonesia and Brunei.

Previously, Mohammad Ali has performed senior management roles including CEO at Standard Chartered Saadiq in Malaysia; head of retail banking at Samba Pakistan; and cards business/portfolio manager at Samba Saudi Arabia and Citibank Egypt. He has extensive experience in launching new markets, business transformation, product management, distribution, digital banking, wealth management and marketing. As an advocate of fintech, sustainable finance and financial inclusion, Mohammad Ali has launched programs across geographies to create value in the Islamic finance ecosystem. His team has been recognized with multiple global and country awards such as ‘Best Islamic Retail Banking Group’, ‘Best Digital Islamic Bank’ and ‘Best Islamic Consumer Banker in Pakistan’. He is passionate about people development and is a certified master life coach of neuro linguistic programming. Ali has an MBA from the Institute of Business Administration, Karachi, Pakistan.

Anita Wieja-Caruba is an associate director at the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) and has been with the company for close to eight years. During this time, as part of its Strategy, Policy and Risk Division, she has been instrumental in implementing various international standards in the Dubai International Financial Centre, including the Financial Stability Board (FSB) Recovery and Resolution Framework and the Basel III reforms. She also works on subjects such as benchmark reforms, client assets protection, equivalence with EU rules, sustainable finance, insolvency law, derivatives and netting and compliance framework.

Prior to joining the DFSA, Anita worked at the European Commission as an advisor to Commissioner Michel Barnier on a package of financial reforms following the global financial crisis.

Anita qualified as a finance lawyer in the City of London (King & Wood Mallesons, ex SJ Berwin), following which she worked at BNP Paribas CIB advising on various aspects of the bank’s structured finance transactions. She holds degrees from BPP Law School (UK), University of Cambridge (UK), College of Europe (Belgium) and University of Silesia (Poland).

Arsalan Tariq is a Partner and Head of Banking, based between the Dubai and Muscat offices. Practicing since 2009, Arsalan specializes in Islamic and conventional finance, bilateral and syndicated project finance, acquisition finance, Islamic product development, cross-border financing and financial restructuring. His main focus is acting for financial institutions, banks, investment companies, other finance companies and borrowers on banking and finance matters.

Arsalan also advises various industry sectors on private equity investments, power projects, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, real estate and hospitality matters. He often represents blue-chip clients, who need advice on commercial agency law, company law and competition law. Arsalan regularly issues legal advice and opinions on free zone rules, employment laws, securities law, insurance law and foreign investment law.
Arsalan regularly advises clients in Oman. He is a barrister-at-law and has been called to the Bar of England and Wales at Lincoln’s Inn, UK. He also holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of London, UK and has completed his Bar Vocation Training Course from City University in London.

Aruna Narayanan is a seasoned sustainability advocate and strategic thinker, dedicated to fostering prosperity through environmental stewardship and human empowerment. With over two decades of diverse experience spanning sustainability, ESG, circular economy and corporate social responsibility, she has consistently delivered impactful results. Aruna’s leadership roles in renowned organizations such as Dulsco, Accenture and PureCircle Holdings have honed her ability to guide companies and clients on transformative sustainability journeys, benefiting multiple stakeholders.

Fahd Chaudhry is Director of Client Coverage for the Middle East and North Africa, the Commonwealth of Independent States and Turkey at S&P Dow Jones Indices (S&P DJI). He joined S&P DJI in 2010 and is based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. In his role, he works to develop the passive market in his regions and works closely with clients to innovate, strategize and design products that serve the local markets across asset classes.​

Fahd has extensive experience in capital markets, as well as commodity and fixed income markets, strategy, product development, marketing and selling passive solutions. Prior to joining S&P DJI, Fahd held multiple roles in the financial sector in various countries, which included trading and business development in Dubai, London, the U.S. and Iran. ​

Fahd holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts in Boston and is fluent in English and Urdu.

Frederik Wijsenbeek is a Partner and Chief Investment Officer of Ethos Invest. He joined Ethos in 2023 with 25 years of experience in private equity, private credit, real estate and special situations investing across North America and Europe. Frederik’s expertise lies in sourcing, structuring and executing complex transactions as well as building and leading teams of investment professionals. He has a successful track record of developing and expanding alternative asset management platforms. Frederik was a senior investment team member with more than US$5 billion invested in blue-chip institutional and ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) investors across multiple geographies and sectors. Before joining Ethos, Frederik worked at Morgan Stanley Investment Management for a decade. Prior to Morgan Stanley, Frederik was Director and Head of European Direct Private Equity for the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, a leading global pension fund with US$250 billion of assets under management. He was also a Partner at Bregal Investments, a EUR2 billion (US$2.13 billion) private equity fund backed by the UHNW Brenninkmeijer family. Frederik earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with distinction from Stanford University and is an alumnus of Harvard Business School.

Hakan Ozyon’s role as CEO at Hejaz Financial Services involves setting strategic paths and forming financial alliances. With over 30 years of experience in business, he is known for leading innovative strategies and nurturing talent. 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. Notably, he has spent a decade transforming visions into pioneering Islamic financial services. He is respected globally for his business acumen.

Husam Abdel Al heads Mashreq’s Sustainable Finance team. Husam works with Mashreq’s clients to provide structuring and advisory services for sustainable finance solutions to support them in accelerating their sustainability transition.

Husam has over 15 years of experience in loan origination, structuring, underwriting and distribution across the MENA region. He has closed numerous transactions for clients in multiple sectors, including sovereigns, energy, industrials, real estate and financials.

Husam holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, completed the Leading Sustainable Corporation Programme certificate from the University of Oxford Said Business School and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Florida State University. He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst charterholder.

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.

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.

Luma Saqqaf is the director of Middle East, Africa and India for the UNPRI Principles of Responsible Investment (UNPRI) and is a recognized sustainability and sustainable finance thought leader. Prior to joining UNPRI, Luma drew on three decades at the forefront of finance, Islamic finance, sustainability, entrepreneurship and investment in MENA and Europe to advise corporates, financial institutions, funds and asset managers on sustainable finance and transition strategies. Luma’s work also focused on the creation of a sustainable finance ecosystem in the MENA region through close collaboration with regulators, financial markets and other market stakeholders in the MENA refion on sustainable finance initiatives and regulations, including the recent UAE Green and Sustainability-linked Bonds and Sukuk Regulations of 2023.

A former finance partner and global head of the Islamic Finance Group at Linklaters, Luma is a pioneer in the development of the capital markets and ground-breaking capital and financial market transactions across the MENA region and globally, in particular in Islamic finance.

Luma is a regular speaker on sustainability and Islamic sustainable finance topics and is a regular contributor to finance and sustainability sector publications.

Mariam Veronica is the Director, Group Head for Institutional and Islamic Asset Management of Kenanga Investors Berhad (“KIB”). She is responsible for driving the business of both the Institutional and Islamic Asset Management Business of Kenanga Investors Group. Since 2014, her main role is to develop both the conventional and Islamic business by acquiring, retaining and servicing the company’s clients ranging from the government link companies, government agencies, multi-national corporations, corporate clients and HNW individuals, among others. She is also a key advocate for financial Waqf initiatives in Malaysia, promoting the use of Waqf as a sustainable financial tool for social and economic development. Mariam brings with her over two decades of extensive experience in the areas of asset management, unit trust and audit. Her work experience includes the Securities Commission Malaysia, her experiences in the United Kingdom as well as in one of the top asset management companies in Malaysia. Mariam holds a BSc in Accounting and is a Licensed Fund Manager. She is also an alumna of the Judge Business School, University of Cambridge.

Oliver Agha is a lawyer admitted to the New York Bar who trained at Fulbright & Jaworski (now Norton Rose Fulbright) in the US and has experience of working in Asia (including in Hong Kong, Tokyo, Seoul and Beijing) and over 20 years in the MENAT region (UAE, Saudi Arabia and Oman) including in complex cross-border transactions in excess of US$50 billion. He has been a senior partner/lawyer with top US and English firms and is the managing (and founding) partner of Agha & Co (an award-winning law firm with a speciality in Islamic law) and whose practice focuses on the interplay of Islamic law (Saudi Arabia, UAE) and common law.

Oliver is also a professional associate at the Outer Temple Chamber of Barristers. He was the first western-trained large law firm lawyer to serve on the board of AAOIFI.

Oliver has served as an expert witness on nuanced Islamic law disputes and is a monthly columnist at Islamic Finance news (one of the leading Islamic laws/news publication platforms) with a column titled ‘The Islamic Legal Opinion.’

Paula Tavangar, the chief investment officer at Injaz Capital, is a seasoned entrepreneur with a strong background in venture capital and quantitative strategies. She co-founded Genesis Capital LATAM and Wethaq, an Islamic fintech start-up. Paula’s diverse expertise led her to serve on the World Business Angels Forum Global Startup Committee. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in international finance and a Master of Science degree in financial engineering.

Prasad Dhake is an integral member of the Markets, Strategy and Risk (MSR) team at the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), where he spearheads the review and listing applications of securities within the Dubai International Financial Centre. Since joining the leading regulator in 2022, Prasad has been responsible for managing and optimizing the various functions of the Listing Authority within MSR, a task which aims to drive efficiency, while maintaining robust regulations in alignment with global standards. Prior to joining the DFSA, Prasad worked at the Securities and Exchange Board of India as part of the Corporate Finance Department. Managing various IPOs worth an approximate US$20 billion, he also oversaw corporate actions including mergers/demergers. Prasad holds a postgraduate degree in management from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad as well as a Bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from Mumbai University.

Razvan Dumitrescu is the head of sustainable finance at Emirates NBD Capital and facilitates labeled transactions while benefiting from a global remit. Previously, he was a principal with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and was involved in various milestone transactions in emerging Europe, Greece and Turkiye. On the advisory side, Razvan contributed to a pan-Baltic capital market via a commercial paper, SME IPO Fund (CMDAF), sustainable finance strategy, MSCI single regional index classification, as well as supporting capital market access for state-owned enterprises. He also represented the EBRD at the European Commission led Technical Expert Stakeholder Group. Prior to that, Razvan worked for Erste Group and Deutsche Bank (Amsterdam).

Razvan holds a Master of Science degree from RSM and is an alumnus of the Aspen Programme and University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.

Saleh Al Tamami is a seasoned entrepreneur with a remarkable track record of success in various industries. As a co-founder of Mamun, he brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his role as CEO.

Saleh’s entrepreneurial journey began with the establishment of TAMNET, an information technology and business consulting firm, where he demonstrated his visionary leadership by effectively managing operations and driving growth. Recognizing opportunities beyond the realm of technology, Saleh ventured into the car detailing industry with the launch of KOST, successfully positioning the brand as a prominent player in the market.

Prior to embarking on his entrepreneurial endeavors, Saleh honed his legal acumen as a senior commercial and litigation paralegal at SALegal, a prestigious law firm in Oman. This experience equipped him with a deep understanding of legal intricacies, providing invaluable insights into business operations and strategic decision-making.

At Mamun, Saleh’s role as co-founder and CEO allows him to pursue his passion at the convergence of finance, people and technology. He is a visionary leader committed to developing multi-stakeholder products that foster win-win-win outcomes for all parties involved. With an unwavering dedication to excellence, Saleh is instrumental in driving Mamun’s growth, innovation and success in the finance industry.

Dr Scott Levy is the managing director of Al Waseelah, a Shariah compliant Sukuk issuance platform whose functions include structuring, arranging, originating and listing Sukuk. Al Waseelah was established in 2017 as a tech-savvy and cost-effective way to create Shariah compliant financial instruments, democratizing the process for issuers and investors.

Dr Scott is also the founder of Shariah compliant carbon credits exchange XTCC, the managing director of investment firm BlueMount Capital, and CEO of structured securities solutions provider Bedford Row Capital.

Dr Scott is a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of International Bankers and the Worshipful Company of Musicians, a member of Lincoln’s Inn and a senior member of Wolfson College Cambridge. He is a Visiting Lecturer at Estonian Business School and is part of its thesis review committee for both undergraduate and graduate students.

Shah Fahad earned a Bachelor of Science degree (Honors) in Islamic economics from the International Islamic University, Islamabad. He received his Master of Science/Master of Philosophy degrees in Islamic banking and finance from the University of Management and Technology, Lahore, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Islamic economics and finance at Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University, Turkiye (thesis final stage).

Shah Fahad has substantially contributed to the Islamic banking industry over the past 18 years. He has worked as a Shariah compliance officer (Askari Islamic Bank-Pakistan), head of Islamic banking window (Ghazanfar Bank-Afghanistan), vice-president-head of Islamic product development (Islamic Bank of Thailand) and chief of Islamic banking (formerly Bakhtar Bank and now Islamic Bank of Afghanistan), with the additional responsibility of project manager for the conversion of a conventional bank into a fully-fledged (existing Islamic Bank of Afghanistan) Islamic bank. He also worked as the department head of product management and Shariah structuring in MCB Islamic Bank.

Shah Fahad has served the Islamic banking industry in different countries, starting from native country Pakistan, then Afghanistan and Thailand and is now currently working as the deputy director-general of Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA region) at Bait al Tamweel al Dawli – International Fund House at the head office in Istanbul, Turkiye.

Sharifatul Hanizah is the Executive Director of Islamic Capital Market Development of the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC). She leads a team that facilitates the developmental and operational initiatives for Malaysia’s Islamic capital market (ICM). This encompasses initiatives through the deepening and broadening of ICM products and services to further strengthen Malaysia’s position as a global hub for ICM as well reviews of industry proposals and Shariah status for listed/pre-IPO securities.

Sharifatul has extensive and diverse experience of over 30 years in the fields of investment analysis, portfolio management, equity trading and unit trust while serving in various organizations such as Permodalan Nasional (PNB), RHB Investment Management and Muamalat Invest. During her tenure in PNB and RHB, Sharifatul’s board experience was vast, spanning consumer goods, technology and manufacturing companies. She served on the boards of exchange-listed and private companies as a Nominee Director for PNB and RHB.

Prior to joining the SC in August 2019, Sharifatul was CEO of SIDC, the learning and development arm of the SC. She is a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia, a Certified Financial Planner, an Islamic Financial Planner and a Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Directors Malaysia.

Umair is the Chief Business Officer of a regulated, U.A.E. headquartered digital and real world assets (RWA) exchange called Fasset. He oversees product and commercial aspects of the business. Having studied in the UK (LSE, Oxford) and the US (Grinnell), Umair has close to 20 years of experience in technology, fixed income and venture capital investing. He has worked at financial institutions such as Goldman Sachs, CPP Investment Board, Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Citi in New York and London before moving to Singapore to set up his own innovation focussed investment vehicle.

Zakaria Karkouri is currently the executive director of structuring and product development at First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) in Dubai. Previously, he held the position of executive director of structured solutions sales at FAB. Prior to this, Zakaria spent 12 years as the head of structured products and derivatives at Noor Bank in Dubai. Before that, he was the director of structuring, rates and foreign exchange derivatives sales at Standard Chartered Bank, where he was responsible for the Middle East and North Africa structured business for financial institutions, providing customized solutions for clients’ asset and liability requirements across G7 and emerging market currencies.

Zohaib Patel is the managing partner of Tenami Capital — a Dubai-based venture capital investment manager pioneering non-dilutive growth equity investing. He started his career with HSBC Amanah in London and was a founding member of Dubai-based Fajr Capital, a leading regional private equity investment firm, covering principal investments and portfolio management for over a decade. Since leaving private equity in 2017, he co-founded Falcon Network, a MEASA-focused angel investor syndicate which invested across seven markets, prior to co-founding Tenami Capital in 2021. Zohaib graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Trinity College, Cambridge.

Anita Wieja-Caruba is an associate director at the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) and has been with the company for close to eight years. During this time, as part of its Strategy, Policy and Risk Division, she has been instrumental in implementing various international standards in the Dubai International Financial Centre, including the Financial Stability Board (FSB) Recovery and Resolution Framework and the Basel III reforms. She also works on subjects such as benchmark reforms, client assets protection, equivalence with EU rules, sustainable finance, insolvency law, derivatives and netting and compliance framework.

Prior to joining the DFSA, Anita worked at the European Commission as an advisor to Commissioner Michel Barnier on a package of financial reforms following the global financial crisis.

Anita qualified as a finance lawyer in the City of London (King & Wood Mallesons, ex SJ Berwin), following which she worked at BNP Paribas CIB advising on various aspects of the bank’s structured finance transactions. She holds degrees from BPP Law School (UK), University of Cambridge (UK), College of Europe (Belgium) and University of Silesia (Poland).

Asal Saghari is the counsel of the corporate, finance and investments practice. Asal has extensive experience in banking and finance. Her areas of practice include finance, Islamic finance and secured and unsecured lending, with a particular focus on advising sponsors, lenders and borrowers in connection with their lending and investment activities in Europe and the Middle East structured on both a conventional and Shariah compliant basis. Asal joined King & Spalding’s London office in 2008 from one of London’s leading international law firms.

Dr Dalal Aassouli is an Assistant Professor of Islamic and Sustainable Finance at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar.

Dr Dalal was previously a visiting academic at the Durham Centre for Islamic Economics and Finance, Durham University Business School. Prior to that, she worked at the International Islamic Liquidity Management Corporation (IILM) in Malaysia where she assisted with the establishment of the IILM’s Sukuk program. Before that, she held several corporate finance positions in Europe where she had exposure to the African, European and Latin American markets.

Dr Dalal serves on several industry working groups and non-profit global forums such as the CIBAFI Sustainability Working Group, Qatar Financial Center Islamic Finance Taskforce and the Global Impact Fintech Forum. She is also an invited speaker in international conferences and events and provides her consultancy expertise to various organizations on issues related to sustainable and Islamic finance.

Dr Dalal holds a Master’s degree from NEOMA Business School and Paris Dauphine University and a PhD from ENS de Lyon in France.

Dr Dalal’s areas of research interest include Islamic finance in general and its implications for liquidity management, corporate finance, ethical finance, development finance, green finance, food security, sustainable development and SRI.

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.

Ijlal Ahmed Alvi has wide-ranging experience in the financial services industry with regional and international financial institutions spanning over three decades.

As CEO of the International Islamic Financial Market (IIFM) for the last 18 years, Ijlal has been devoted to the goal of facilitating unification and harmonization in the Islamic finance industry globally and has overseen the development of universally standardized Shariah compliant financial documentation and product templates in the areas of liquidity management, hedging, trade finance and Sukuk.

In addition to his responsibilities as CEO, secretary to the board and spokesperson of IIFM, Ijlal also manages IIFM’s comprehensive standards development process and leads the project specific market consultation exercise, global working groups and legal documentation drafting process and is actively involved in the IIFM Shariah board’s guidance and approval process.

Ijlal also supervises IIFM’s industry awareness seminars, training workshops as well as publication of white papers on specific industry topics and the IIFM’s flagship annual Sukuk Report.

Ijlal is a regular speaker at international conferences and also contributes articles in various international and Islamic finance publications.

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.

Khurram Wahed is a seasoned advisor, investment banker and corporate financer with over 22 years of green and conventional energy, healthcare, infrastructure and sustainability experience. Throughout his career, Khurram has been involved in or led advisory and financing in several transactions in the Middle East, Africa, Turkiye, Europe and Asia in sectors ranging from oil and gas, power and water, healthcare and life science, infrastructure, real estate and mobility/transportation.

Currently, Khurram is a partner and chief portfolio officer of Safe Harbour Capital Ventures, an opportunistic growth fund focused on real estate and the green business, based out of Canada, and he is also a partner at Alpha Cruz Advisory in the UAE.

Khurram is a keen propagator of responsible investment, a regular contributor as a speaker at various events and a writer for various websites on responsible investment, economic warfare/geopolitical strategies.

Khurram has an executive Master in Finance with Distinction (Top 10%) degree from HEC, Paris and also has an MBA with a specialization in finance and marketing from ICFAI Business School, India. He is also a Master of Philosophy candidate, and his research topic is titled ‘From Shareholders’ Capitalism to Stakeholders’ Capitalism, transition of Private Capital into ESG-based Investments/Responsible Investments’.

Kumail Ali Moosa has over nine years of experience in investment banking, marketing and valuing global investment products including mutual funds, bonds, life insurance products, REITS and local and GCC equities. Prior to Sohar International, Kumail worked at Ubhar Capital as a fund manager, in Standard Chartered Bank’s wealth management division and the US equity market division of Vision Investment Services. He is currently working as a real estate investment manager and assisted in the launch of one of Oman’s first Shariah compliant real estate funds. Kumail has a Bachelor’s degree from Anglia Ruskin University in business administration, specializing in marketing. In addition, Kumail has held the CFA charter since 2019.

Lo’ai Bataineh is a seasoned and successful investment banker with over three decades of experience in commercial banking, investment banking, asset management and wealth management. He has experience in establishing, implementing and successfully managing full-service investment banking and asset management businesses. Lo’ai is dynamic and innovative with an ability to capture new market opportunities across multiple sectors and asset classes. Driven to exceed the expectations of all stakeholders, he has extensive experience in matters relating to mergers and acquisitions, restructuring and divestment, among others.

Lo’ai has served as an advisor to several regulatory and government committees in Oman. He is an active presenter in business forums, conferences and panel discussions and he contributes regular articles to business magazines and newspapers in both Arabic and English. He holds Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in money and banking.

Luma Saqqaf is the director of Middle East, Africa and India for the UNPRI Principles of Responsible Investment (UNPRI) and is a recognized sustainability and sustainable finance thought leader. Prior to joining UNPRI, Luma drew on three decades at the forefront of finance, Islamic finance, sustainability, entrepreneurship and investment in MENA and Europe to advise corporates, financial institutions, funds and asset managers on sustainable finance and transition strategies. Luma’s work also focused on the creation of a sustainable finance ecosystem in the MENA region through close collaboration with regulators, financial markets and other market stakeholders in the MENA refion on sustainable finance initiatives and regulations, including the recent UAE Green and Sustainability-linked Bonds and Sukuk Regulations of 2023.

A former finance partner and global head of the Islamic Finance Group at Linklaters, Luma is a pioneer in the development of the capital markets and ground-breaking capital and financial market transactions across the MENA region and globally, in particular in Islamic finance.

Luma is a regular speaker on sustainability and Islamic sustainable finance topics and is a regular contributor to finance and sustainability sector publications.

Maali Q Khader is a highly experienced, effective and trusted lawyer. Today, she is a luminary in the corporate governance, sustainability, legal training and advice sectors.

Maali holds a number of concurrent roles, chief of which is CEO of the influential Middle East Institute of Directors, delivering advanced corporate governance advisory and training to a number of prestigious organizations.

Since 2012, as a founder and board member of the Jordan Institute of Directors, Maali has driven excellence across a number of leading organizations, including Arab Bank, Siniora Food, Kasih, PADICO Group and Medgulf.

Maali is a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitration, an accredited mediator from RICS, a member of the CIPE MENA Advisory Council and a member of the Responsible Business Roundtable established by the OECD. Her natural leadership qualities, entrepreneurship and legal expertise have driven a stellar career, encompassing corporate governance and training and acting as founder and CEO to a number of influential, successful ventures.

Magdy Eissa took on the role of global business development when he joined IdealRatings in 2010 and he has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, working closely with global investment firms, research houses and financial institutions. Prior to IdealRatings, Magdy’s latest role was as the regional manager for a group of Euromoney institutional investor companies, responsible for the Middle East and Africa where he spent several years growing the business in the region and enhancing the products offered to include macroeconomic indicators, company information and Islamic finance data. Magdy holds a Bachelor’s degree in business administration from Egypt along with postgraduate qualifications in information technology from the UK.

Mahmoud Sataleh, an information technology (IT) expert with a focus on financial technology programming, holds a Master’s degree in IT from the University of Prishtina, Kosovo. Currently serving as the general manager at BTD, his innovative contributions have led to numerous successful projects. Notably, he was the first to translate the Windows operating system into Albanian.

Throughout his career, Mahmoud has programmed operational systems for various industries including hospitals, petroleum companies, hotels, restaurants and charities. His expertise ranges from office administration to inventory and financial automation. Holding diverse roles such as IT supervisor, CEO, CTO, networking administrator, and founder across different organizations, he has consistently demonstrated proficiency in financial management programming and innovative solutions.

Mahmoud’s leadership has enabled him to develop robust technology-based financing models, driving business growth and establishing him as a respected figure in the financial industry. His commitment to excellence and ongoing learning underscores his reputation as a forward-thinking professional.

Martina has almost 25 years of experience in financial markets and ESG, at strategy, products, research, operations, and at board level. She is an award-winning finance, regulatory and sustainability expert, innovator, and entrepreneur.

Martina is currently Head of Product Strategy and Management, ESG, at SIX, the Swiss and Spanish Stock Exchanges Group, oversees SIX’ key ESG products and services council which constitutes of leading internal and external ESG and regualatory experts.

In September 2024, she was appointed to ESMA’s Consultative Working Group of the Sustainability Standing Committee. In addition, she is a founding member of the board at FoSDA, the leading voice of the ESG data, ratings and product industry. She has been part of leading industry associations and initiatives in the field, and nowadays sits on the Advisory Board of FinTech firm SG Analytics, is a member of the All-Parties-Parliamentary-Group (APPG) on ESG at Houses of Parliament UK and of the Sustainability Regulations Working Group at TISA UK. She is also a founding member of the European Law Institute’s Sustainability/Regulations Advisory Group.

Prior to her role at SIX, she was Head of ESG Strategy at ODDO BHF Asset Management, Senior Vice President, ESG and Engagement Strategy at Moody’s, Global Head of ESG Index Products and Research at S&P DJI, Managing Director of Sustainable Investments Partners Ltd. and Vice President of ESG Solutions at MSCI. Earlier in her career, she worked in product, research and commercial roles at Insight Investment, F&C AM and at Deutsche Bank AG.

Martina has an NED Board Governance Certificate from ICSA, and an MBA Certificate in Finance and Business from London School of Business and Finance in the UK, and a M.A. in Law and Human Sciences from University of Frankfurt in Germany. She is a fellow member of the Institute for Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (ICRS) UK, a honorary doctoral fellow of the Institute for Certified Risk Management Professionals (ICRMP) UK, and an alumnus of the German National Academic Foundation (“Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes”). She is currently undertaking a part-time PhD at University of Cardiff, UK, in business, finance and accounting.

Martina is an academic lecturer, writer and public speaker in sustainable investing and has co-authored a range of ESG, regulatory and Fintech (hand)books, including “The AI Book” (Wiley, 2020), the “Handbook on Biodiversity – Species Extinction Accounting and Biodiversity” (Routledge, 2022), the text book on “ESG in Portfolio Analysis” (RiskBooks, 2022) and the first “Handbook on Corporate Sustainability Reporting and Accounting” (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2024). She is currently working on a “Handbook on Climate Finance and Transition Management” (Routledge, 2025 ff.).

For her work in sustainable finance and global ESG leadership, she received a nomination as a “Global Sustainability Ambassador” by the Global Thinkers Forum (Athena 40 Awards) in 2024, and was awarded the title “Top 50 Woman in Finance” by the World Finance Forum (WFF) in 2022. For SIX, she has won finance- and sustainability-related awards in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

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.

Oliver von Wolff is a venture capitalist and venture builder with experience in architecture and establishing regulated and unregulated investment products. He is the co-founder and CEO of Helion Ventures, a Dubai International Financial Centre-licensed investment company for early-stage tokens and fintech-blockchain companies.

Previously, Olive was the co-founder and managing director of Crypto Oasis and the managing director of the MENA region for CV Labs and CVVC Switzerland, an early-stage venture capital investor and blockchain ecosystem builder, headquartered in Dubai. He was also group CFO and an equity partner of a global crypto asset management and blockchain-focused venture capital group and managing director of a joint venture with a stock listed equity company on the Xetra Frankfurt exchange.

Oliver has over 15 years in management experience, as CFO and co-founder responsible for different start-ups and management buyouts. He has a proven track record in company transformations in different industries and is well connected in Dubai and the GCC region.

Oliver holds an MBA in international management, degrees in economics and business and attended New York University to study international corporate finance.

Omar Shaikh is the founder and CEO of COCOA, a global Islamic compliant digital wealth manager building the future of ethical and Shariah digital financial services. The company is the first to fully incorporate institutional-quality asset management with a focus on delivering affordable, accessible and high-quality products for investors. He previously was part of the investment team at Schroders NewFinance, a multibillion dollar alternative asset manager covering a range of strategies. Omar has also lived and worked in the Middle East, with COCOA’s head office located in the City of London with supporting operations in the Nordics.

Talha Ahmed Khan is a profound investment banker and trainer with more than 12 years of experience in various regions. Currently, he is the head of the Global Investment Unit and the country manager of Oman of Pak Oman Investment Company, an investment banking/development finance institution joint venture between the Sultanate of Oman and the government of Pakistan. He has in-depth knowledge and experience of project finance, syndications, debt capital markets, merger and acquisition structures and transactions revolving around various sectors including renewable energy, technology, telcos, pharmaceuticals, etc, in Islamic and conventional modes. Academically, he has a Master of Science degree from UCL with a distinction in investment management, and certifications such as ACA (ICAEW), FCCA and the CFAESG Investment Certificate, as well as an MBA from IBA. He is an associate chartered banker from the Chartered Institute of Bankers Scotland.