Bilal Kahlon is a partner in the firm’s Bahrain office. Bilal has over 10 years of experience in banking and finance matters in the Gulf region with a particular expertise in project finance, Islamic finance and debt capital markets. Bilal leads our Saudi finance practice and has consistently been recognised as a leading lawyer in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain by international legal directories including Chambers and Partners, Legal 500 and IFLR. Having grown up in Bahrain, Bilal has strong ties with Bahrain and the Gulf region as a whole. Bilal is admitted to practice in England.

Ibrahim is a published author and Islamic finance and investment specialist. He is currently the CEO of IslamicFinanceGuru and its sister investment company Cur8 Capital. He holds a BA in philosophy, politics and economics from the University of Oxford; an Alimiyyah degree from the Al Salam Institute; and an MA in Islamic finance. Prior to setting up Islamic FinanceGuru, Ibrahim was a corporate lawyer. He trained at Ashurst LLP and then specialised in private equity and venture capital funds at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP. He holds a Diploma in investment advice and financial planning as well as a Certificate in investment management. He is the co-author of the book titled ‘Halal Investing for Beginners: How to Start, Grow and Scale Your Halal Investment Portfolio’ by Wiley.

Mohamed Afzal is a seasoned risk management expert with 15 years of progressive experience in banking and finance. He had held multiple engagements with various financial institutions in Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka and has transformed the risk management landscape by improving the risk maturity framework with his expertise. Since 2020, as an active correspondent for IFN, he has contributed over 50 articles in risk management covering the global Islamic finance industry. He was commended as the Enterprise Risk Leader of the Year 2024 for his immense contribution in enterprise risk management. He is also the founder of a tech start-up named ‘mymech’ based in Sri Lanka which is digitally shaping the auto care industry, driving his passion towards digital transformation and entrepreneurship.

He holds an MBA from the University of West London. He is a Certified Member of the Institute of Risk Management UK, a Chartered Management Accountant (ACMA-UK), Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA – AICPA), Certified Practising Accountant (CPA-Australia) and a Certified Islamic Finance Expert (CIFE). During 2009-2014 as an active lecturer, he taught many students pursuing their studies in CIMA, ACCA, CA and AAT.

Dr Ishaq’s career journey which spans over 25 years, stands as a testament to his dedication and continuously evolving expertise in the field of capital markets. His proficiency lies in managing asset management business, advisory services and arranging functions. He specializes in research-driven investment management of funds and discretionary mandates across diverse asset classes and regions for institutional, governmental and high net worth clients. His career is characterized by the development and nurturing of robust relationships with clients, regulators, financial institutions and other stakeholders. Dr Ishaq is currently working as Head of Asset Management & Advisory Services at WinVeston Capital, Saudi Arabia. Prior to this role, he held pivotal leadership roles at prominent institutions such as Al Rajhi Capital, ANB Capital and Yaqeen Capital, among others showcasing his extensive expertise and capabilities. Furthermore, he is an accomplished author and speaker, sharing insights on topics related to the capital markets. He also serves as an Advisory Committee Member at the University of Business & Technology in Saudi Arabia. He holds a PhD in Business Management, an MBA in Finance & International Business and a B Com from Osmania University, India. He also possesses several global investment management certifications.

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.

Mahmoud Mohamed Zoair is an Islamic Finance Phd researcher, holding an MBA in Islamic Finance Products. He is also a Certified Shariah Adviser and Auditor (CSAA), Islamic Professional Accountant (CIPA) as recognized by AAOIFI and holds a higher Diploma in Islamic Studies and Executive Leadership Certification from Harvard University. Mahmoud brings more than 20 years of experience in the Islamic finance industry in many globally recognized Institutions, and possesses strong knowledge of financial analysis, credit, risk and jurisprudence of financial transactions, blockchain technology and Shariah rulings in general. Mahmoud was instrumental in developing a wide range of products including asset management, investment, corporate, retail, treasury, SME, Takaful as well as trade products, and has delivered specialized training courses in addition to being a Shariah committee member of a number of fintech firms. Mahmoud currently serves as Shariah Board Secretary and Head of Shariah Research at Jadwa Investment, Shariah Board member of Haqq Network, 21Shares and many other VCs. Previously, he was Senior Review and Control Manager at SAB, Senior Adviser in Shariah Compliant Product Development at Alinma Bank, KSA, Relationship Manager at Dar Al Shariah Legal and Financial (DIB subsidiary), providing Shariah services including structuring, coordination, Shariah supervisory and audit at many domestic and international financial institutions. He also served as Shariah Structuring Coordinator and Shariah Auditor and Adviser at Emirates Islamic and Emirates NBD Asset Management (ENBD Subsidiaries).

Dr. Marjan Muhammad is the Deputy President Research at ISRA Institute, INCEIF University. In her current capacity, she oversees different portfolios including research and innovation, research management, assessment and publication, research commercialization, and Islamic finance online database (I-FIKR) developed by ISRA. She was previously the Director of Research Affairs Department at ISRA from 2013-2017. She is currently a member of the Shariah Advisory Council of Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) effective from 1 November 2019 and a member of the Shariah Advisory Council of Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) effective from 1 July 2023. Prior to that, she was a member of Shariah Committee at a few local Islamic banks. At the international level, she sits on the Advisory Committee of Experts of Lotus Bank Limited and Shariah Supervisory Board of Lotus Capital Limited, both are based in Nigeria. Marjan obtained her bachelor’s degree in Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Heritage (Fiqh and Usul al-Fiqh) from the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and graduated from her master’s and PhD degrees at the same university.

Mohamed Afzal is a seasoned risk management expert with 15 years of progressive experience in banking and finance. He had held multiple engagements with various financial institutions in Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka and has transformed the risk management landscape by improving the risk maturity framework with his expertise. Since 2020, as an active correspondent for IFN, he has contributed over 50 articles in risk management covering the global Islamic finance industry. He was commended as the Enterprise Risk Leader of the Year 2024 for his immense contribution in enterprise risk management. He is also the founder of a tech start-up named ‘mymech’ based in Sri Lanka which is digitally shaping the auto care industry, driving his passion towards digital transformation and entrepreneurship.

He holds an MBA from the University of West London. He is a Certified Member of the Institute of Risk Management UK, a Chartered Management Accountant (ACMA-UK), Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA – AICPA), Certified Practising Accountant (CPA-Australia) and a Certified Islamic Finance Expert (CIFE). During 2009-2014 as an active lecturer, he taught many students pursuing their studies in CIMA, ACCA, CA and AAT.

Dr Ishaq’s career journey which spans over 25 years, stands as a testament to his dedication and continuously evolving expertise in the field of capital markets. His proficiency lies in managing asset management business, advisory services and arranging functions. He specializes in research-driven investment management of funds and discretionary mandates across diverse asset classes and regions for institutional, governmental and high net worth clients. His career is characterized by the development and nurturing of robust relationships with clients, regulators, financial institutions and other stakeholders. Dr Ishaq is currently working as Head of Asset Management & Advisory Services at WinVeston Capital, Saudi Arabia. Prior to this role, he held pivotal leadership roles at prominent institutions such as Al Rajhi Capital, ANB Capital and Yaqeen Capital, among others showcasing his extensive expertise and capabilities. Furthermore, he is an accomplished author and speaker, sharing insights on topics related to the capital markets. He also serves as an Advisory Committee Member at the University of Business & Technology in Saudi Arabia. He holds a PhD in Business Management, an MBA in Finance & International Business and a B Com from Osmania University, India. He also possesses several global investment management certifications.