Alexander Armstrong has over 20 years of experience in structured finance, alternatives and financial innovation, formerly working at JPMorganChase where he was responsible for transaction advisory coverage in areas such as global emerging markets DCM, secondary loan trading, leveraged finance and securitised products group. Alexander most recent transaction history includes developing the region’s first European Islamic leveraged finance portfolio focusing mainly on the European mid-market and managing the liquidity program for QInvest LLC where he was formally Managing Director and Head of Financial Institutions and Structured Finance. Alexander also sat on the firm’s management board and investment committee.

Alisher Djumanov has over 30 years of experience in international advisory, investment banking, venture capital, private equity, and investment management. He is the founder of A500, a multi-disciplinary business services platform and AD Wealth, a family office investment firm focused on global emerging and frontier markets. Prior to this, Alisher held senior positions at institutions like Credit Suisse First Boston, Lazard, Renaissance Capital, Strategy& PwC, and EY. His global experience working and studying in over 25 countries spans Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Alisher graduated from Columbia University with Master of International Affairs and obtained his MBA from Oxford University.

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 as well as compliance framework. Prior to joining the DFSA, Anita worked at the European Commission as an Adviser 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).

Ebrahim Moolla has spent more than 18 years in the financial services industry working in multi-national companies including Deloitte and Citibank. After obtaining his postgraduate qualification in Islamic finance, he assisted in the operations of FirstRand Banks Islamic Banking Shariah Treasury department. He later started the RMB Islamic Banking Unit, which culminated in him pioneering Islamic investment banking products including the successful origination, structuring and delivery of the South African National Treasury’s first Rand denominated Sukuk. Ebrahim also gained experience on Islamic Finance in Africa, assisting the Ministry of Finance in Kenya and Tanzania as well as developing RMB Islamic’s first trade finance product for Tanzania. Ebrahim’s knowledge, experience and contribution in the field of Islamic finance was rewarded when he was recognised by Islamica 500 as one of the top 500 people making a positive contribution to Islamic finance globally.

Fahd Chaudhry is Director of Client Coverage for the Middle East and North Africa, the Commonwealth of Independent States and Türkiye at S&P Dow Jones Indices (S&P DJI). He joined S&P DJI in 2010 and is based in Dubai, UAE. 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 US and Iran.  Fahd holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts in Boston and is fluent in English and Urdu.

Faisal was hired in early 2019 as Senior Portfolio Manager for Azimut Global Sukuk Fund which is one of the biggest retail MENA Sukuk funds in the world. He is also a Member of the Azimut Global Fixed Income Committee. Before joining Azimut, Ali ran the fixed income department at Mashreq Capital – the asset management arm of Mashreq Bank. Prior to joining Mashreq Capital in Dubai in September 2016, Ali was based in London where he managed the Emerging Market Corporate Debt Fund at Barings Asset Management. He has extensive buy side as well as sell side experience in the emerging market fixed income segment. He started out as a credit analyst with Credit Suisse in Singapore after which he moved to London where he also worked for a hedge fund. Hence, Ali has a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Texas in Austin and an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is also a qualified CFA.

Gareth is a key leader at Fasset, responsible for driving commercial strategy, business growth, and enterprise partnerships. His role involves spearheading initiatives to expand Fasset’s regulated digital asset solutions and ensuring alignment with the company’s vision of providing secure, scalable, and compliant infrastructure for financial institutions, businesses, and innovators. Gareth is a specialist in fintech within the Islamic finance space, bringing deep expertise in Shariah-compliant financial solutions. He was a founding team member behind Nomo Bank, where he served as a Shariah Architect, helping to shape the bank’s digital-first, Shariah-compliant banking model. Prior to that, he was an Associate Director at Eiger Trading, a leading provider of Islamic liquidity management and commodity Murabaha solutions. His extensive experience in structuring Islamic financial products and digital banking innovation makes him a key figure in the evolution of Islamic fintech and tokenized finance.

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.

Dr Imran Lum is the Head of Islamic Finance at the National Australia Bank. At NAB, he developed the first multi award-winning Islamic business banking offering in Australia. He is the author of ‘A Comparative Study of Islamic Finance in Australia and the UK’ (Routledge, 2022) and is also the host of the podcasts Muslim Money and Arabic with Imran Lum. Previously, Imran was appointed by the Foreign Minister to the Board of the Australia-ASEAN Council, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was an Honorary Research Fellow at the Institute for Religion, Politics and Society at the Australian Catholic University. Imran was ranked in the top 500 who make the Islamic Economy by ISLAMICA 500 (2017-2019) and he was the 2019 Corporate Winner for the 40 Under 40 Most Influential Asian-Australians. Imran has an undergraduate degree from the University of Adelaide, a Masters in Islamic Studies from the University of New England and a PhD in Islamic Studies from the Melbourne Law School and the Asia Institute at the University of Melbourne.

Jaber Al Noumani serves as the CFO of OQ Exploration and Production. He has 21 years of oil and gas industry experience including various management roles across OQ Group and three years of experience in auditing and accounting, while previously working for PricewaterhouseCoopers. Jaber has received several awards in recognition of his performance including the Chairman Excellence Award in 2018 for implementing Robotic Process Automation in OQ and PwC’s Effective Board Member Programme under OIA Award. He was previously a board member of OQ Logistics. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Sultan Qaboos University, College of Commerce and Economics (Oman) and a Diploma in Management and Leadership from the Chartered Management Institute (UK).

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, adviser 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. 

Lo’ai is a seasoned and successful investment banker with over a three decade track record in commercial banking, investment banking, asset and wealth management. Lo’ai works with top-tier GCC and American banks as a client and business partner, as well as in SWF, PE and hedge fund institutions across MENA. Lo’ai established the investment banking business within Oman Arab Bank back in 1998, which became the top-ranked investment banking outfit in Oman and created opportunities, raised funds as well as successfully delivered over 50 corporate finance and advisory transactions, valued at over US$8 billion. He advised debt restructuring on several transactions totalling over US$1 billion and managed more than US$1.3 billion of assets under management and custody. He also worked closely with one of the biggest banks in Oman to spin off the business with a valuation of over US$45 million. Lo’ai was the founding CEO of one of the companies regulated by the Financial Services Authority in Oman, a full-service investment banking firm with assets under management and custody of over US$1.5 billion.

Louis Hems is the Commercial Director of the Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange. previously he undertook the role of Global Head of Sales at DGCX, managing international market makers, liquid providers and relationship management. Louis is from the UK, bringing with him more than 10 years’ experience in commodity and financial market sales, specialised in spot and future markets, technology and regulatory aspects of exchange traded derivatives. Louis formerly held management roles for other exchanges based in London, and an International clearing bank. Louis holds a degree in Engineering and an MBA from Bayes Business School (formerly Cass Business School).

Luma Saqqaf is a recognized sustainable finance leader with more than 30 years of expertise in sustainable finance and investing, Islamic finance and entrepreneurship. With a distinguished career spanning leadership roles at three leading global institutions such as the UN Principles for Responsible Investment, Linklaters and Allen & Overy, Luma continues to play a leading role in the development of the sustainable finance ecosystem in MENA and IMEA regions.

Max Garvey is a seasoned entrepreneur with expertise in Web1 and Web3 technologies. He founded Toner.com Group in 1999, scaling it from a dorm room start-up into a multinational business generating over $100 million in revenue without external funding. 

As the creator of the EPIC Blockchain Protocol (2017-2023), Max developed a pioneering Layer 1 blockchain to drive mass adoption. He later founded Epic Economy Amplifier (2022) and Epicenter Labs (2024) to expand and commercialize the EPIC Blockchain ecosystem. 

A Stanford University alumnus with a background in Computer Science and Business, Max is now based in Dubai, UAE, focused on building transformative, accessible technologies for global impact.

Mehdi Popotte, CFA, is a seasoned finance professional with over 15 years of dedicated experience in the field of Sukuk and Islamic finance. As a Senior Portfolio Manager at Arqaam Capital, based in Dubai, UAE, Mehdi oversees all Islamic strategies, managing assets close to half a billion dollars, including one of the top-performing sukuk funds in the region. Mehdi’s deep involvement in Islamic finance ranges from managing bank’s treasury proprietary books in the region to sukuk financial intermediation at international institutions and managing sukuk funds. He holds an MSc in Finance from Neoma Business School and graduated from the first cohort of the MSc in Islamic Finance at Durham University, a pioneer program in the field. A CFA charterholder since 2012, Mehdi is passionate about contributing to the growth of Islamic finance, particularly through investor education, deal participation, and liaison with notable scholars to ensure authenticity and adherence to Islamic principles. Regularly featured on regional media to discuss economic and financial developments, Mehdi is dedicated to promoting an alternative, ethical approach to delivering superior risk-adjusted returns to investors. His commitment to the sector is geared towards fostering the expansion and depth of sukuk, aligning modern financial practices with traditional Islamic values.

Mohammed Parekh is the Founder and Managing Director of MRP Premier Group, a leading real estate advisory firm based in London. He also serves as the CEO and Founder of Akhlaq Capital, a Shariah compliant real estate fund. Mohammed has over 17 years of experience in the real estate industry, specialising in investment and development acquisition, project management and affordable housing. He holds a BSc in Geography with Business and an MSc in International Real Estate and Planning from University College London. Under Mohammed’s leadership, MRP Premier Group advises a diverse clientele, including private and public sector organizations, on a wide range of real estate projects. The firm has a strong focus on inward investment into the UK and outbound investment for its global network of high-net-worth individuals, primarily from the Middle East and Far East. Mohammed founded Akhlaq Capital to provide ethical and Shariah compliant investment opportunities in the real estate market. Akhlaq Capital focuses on generating income and capital growth through strategic investments in residential properties and select development opportunities in key markets such as London, Jakarta, Abu Dhabi and Kuala Lumpur.

Mona is a seasoned commercial and investment banker with over 20 years’ experience in Structured Finance, M&A, Sustainability & ESG Advisory. She is currently leading the sustainability practice for Emerging Capital Management Partners and is the CEO of ESG Terra where she is helping companies transition towards a sustainable future, building their sustainability strategy, raising sustainable or green funding and obtaining ESG ratings.

Mona has helped several local, regional and international companies raise equity and accelerate their growth through seed, Series A and Series B funding. She has also helped companies raise private debt and sustainability linked notes.

Since 2003 Mona has been a part-time Trainer/Lecturer in Corporate Finance, M&A, Credit Risk Assessment, Syndicated Debt, Restructuring, ESG and Sustainability as well as Sustainable Finance.

Mona has worked with International as well as regional banks such as UNB (now ADCB), Barclays and Citibank in senior management roles covering Corporate Banking, Financial Institutions, DCM and M&A. She played an active role in structuring some complex syndicated loans as well as the debt restructuring of some of the largest corporates in the region.

Mona is an International Sustainable Finance Adviser, having passed the IASE board examination for ISF. She also holds an MSc in Investment and Banking from the University of Reading, an MBA in International Business from Maastricht School of Management and a BA in Economics from the American University in Cairo.

Oliver Agha is a lawyer admitted to the New York Bar who was trained at Fulbright & Jaworski (now Norton Rose Fulbright) in the US and has experience 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), 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 for Islamic Finance news with a column titled ‘The Islamic Legal Opinion.’

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 (BGI) 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 (CFA) 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 UNPRI’s Bondholder Engagement Working Group (BEWG), 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.

Ranvir Singhsachakul is the Director of Marketing and Business Development at MessageSpring, an IT SaaS company headquartered in the US. MessageSpring has offices in Thailand, Hong Kong and Armenia. Ranvir has led MessageSpring’s marketing, business development and branding efforts, ensuring growth of their presence online and at events around the region, attracting new clients and expanding the company’s business lines to new markets and industries. With deep expertise in technology, Ranvir is at the forefront of discussions about the digital transformations revolutionizing the global business landscape. He is passionate about exploring the future of technology and delivering impactful insights on its pivotal role in reshaping major industries such as finance, aviation and healthcare.

Ruslan has an excellent track record in originating, structuring and executing M&A and private equity / debt transactions at Goldman Sachs (Dubai, London and Moscow) where he joined from

He heads our transaction advisory team working with founders, management, existing shareholders and potential investors. The team provides a range of services from strategic and financing advisory for growth- and late-stage companies to IPO readiness as well as post-IPO

Prior 10 years of experience: Executive Director, EMEA Growth Markets M&A Group, Investment Banking Division, Goldman Sachs

MENA experience: supported the leading Saudi-based SWF on M&A opportunities across sectors and regions, incl. media, healthcare distribution, logistics and manufacturing (2022-2023)

M&A experience: $1.45bn sale of LUKOIL’s Grib diamond mine (2017); sale of Cognita Schools by KKR and Bregal Investments (2018); $1.3bn acquisition of ESCO Corp. by The Weir Group (2018); €277m acquisition of Iddink Group by Sanoma (2018); €460m sale of Sanoma Media Netherlands (2019); sale of Russian Towers to Kismet Capital Group (2021)

Financing experience: $500m Eurobond issuance and cash tender offer for SIBUR (2017); €540m financing of Inspired Schools (2018); $468m refinancing of Waterlogic (2018); $250m capital raise for IVI.ru (2021)

Sohail Zubairi is an expert and qualified specialist in Islamic banking and finance, including green Islamic finance. He is an AAOIFI Certified Shariah Adviser and Auditor as well as an IICRA Certified Islamic Arbitrator and Expert.

He served as Senior Adviser in Islamic Finance for the Government of Dubai from 2017 to 2023 where he managed all advisory matters related to Islamic banking, capital market, asset management, Takaful and re-takaful, green Islamic finance and Islamic trusts (Waqfs) based on his strong expertise and considerable contribution to the industry spanning over two decades.

Zubairi is the former Founding CEO of the internationally acclaimed and award-winning Dar Al Sharia Group established by him in 2007 as DIB subsidiaries, which developed a number of groundbreaking products and services for the industry. Under his leadership, Dar Al Sharia won over two dozen international awards for being the best Islamic finance consultancy and advisory firm – notably the Dubai Global Islamic Economy Summit Awards 2016, the 1st Mohammed Bin Rashid Innovation Awards 2016 and numerous IFN Awards.

Zubairi holds over four decades of rare combined conventional and Islamic banking experience at senior executive and CEO positions in UAE. Zubairi has a passion for Islamic finance and currently authors weekly articles for IFN. He also participates in various conferences and conducts training workshops. Zubairi has also developed and delivered the syllabus, course handouts, class presentations, quizzes, mid-terms and final examination papers introducing Islamic Finance at universities in UAE.

Thamer Al Shahry is Partner and Head of the Dispute Resolution Department at SASLO. He is also a leading member of the firm’s corporate practice, where he specialises in capital markets, banking and finance, corporate finance and Islamic finance. He is an Omani qualified lawyer with over 10 years of experience in advising and representing clients in various transactions and disputes in Oman.

Thamer has extensive knowledge and experience in dealing with the regulatory and compliance aspects of capital markets, banking and finance and Islamic finance transactions. He has advised on a range of equity and debt offerings including IPOs, rights issues, private placements, bonds, Sukuk and hybrid instruments involving issuers, arrangers, trustees, investors and regulators. He has also advised on various conventional and Islamic financing structures and products such as Murabahah, Musharakah, Ijarah and Wakalah involving banks, financial institutions, borrowers and sponsors.

Some of Thamer’s notable recent projects include the establishment and IPO of a new Omani Shariah compliant open-ended fund and the establishment of another Shariah compliant fund registered with the CMA.

Thamer holds an LLB from the University of Sharjah, an LLM in International Corporate Finance from the University of Reading and a Legal Project Practitioner certification from the IILPM. He is fluent in Arabic and English.

Vineeta Tan is the Group Managing Editor and Director of REDmoney Group, the world’s longest-running Islamic finance media house. Vineeta oversees REDmoney Group’s stable of products including Islamic Finance news and focuses on developing new business. With over 15 years of experience in the journalism and publishing industry, Vineeta specializes in ethical and Islamic finance as well as fintech reporting and analysis covering regions including the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Europe. As Managing Editor of IFN, Vineeta leads the editorial direction and business development of IFN and its sister publications in addition to authoring reports, producing podcasts and conducting video interviews. She has interviewed senior industry players, key stakeholders and senior dignitaries including the finance/economic ministers of the Ivory Coast, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Vineeta is a regular on the international conference circuit as both a moderator and speaker. She has an MBA and is trained in Journalism and Sociology. Vineeta also holds the Islamic Finance Qualification awarded by the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investments, UK.

Walid Shalan is an accomplished Group Chief Financial Officer. His leadership record has led to improved financial performance, productivity, enhanced internal controls and robust risk management within Estithmar Holding. His experience spans over 15 years in the GCC and the Middle East. He has successfully led IPOs, Sukuk issuances, private placement, M&A, REIT, reversed acquisition, PPP mega projects, turnarounds and debt portfolio restructuring. He possesses solid experience in the following sectors: real estate development, contracting, city operations, facility management, manufacturing, agriculture, hospitality, entertainment and banking.

Walter Gontarek is the CEO and Chairman of Channel Capital Advisors, a private asset-backed manager. Before founding Channel in 2006, Walter served as Managing Director and Global Head of Credit Products at Royal Bank of Canada and held senior executive roles in capital markets and consumer/SME banking in the US, Canada and Europe. Walter holds non-executive board roles at the UK-regulated arms of Catalina Re-insurance and Wiserfunding. He has an MBA from NYU Stren School of Business and a Doctorate from Cranfield University.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Dr John A. Sandwick is a recognized pioneer in Islamic finance. He created the first application of the Modern Portfolio Theory in the context of global portfolio allocations with Shariah certification. He is also noted for organizing innovative domestic and international Sukuk, 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.

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 a recognized sustainable finance leader with more than 30 years of expertise in sustainable finance and investing, Islamic finance and entrepreneurship. With a distinguished career spanning leadership roles at three leading global institutions such as the UN Principles for Responsible Investment, Linklaters and Allen & Overy, Luma continues to play a leading role in the development of the sustainable finance ecosystem in MENA and IMEA regions.

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.

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.

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 Agha is a lawyer admitted to the New York Bar who was trained at Fulbright & Jaworski (now Norton Rose Fulbright) in the US and has experience 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), 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 for Islamic Finance news with a column titled ‘The Islamic Legal Opinion.’

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.

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.