Dr Andrew Dahdal is an associate professor at the College of Law, Qatar University and the chair of commercial law at the International Association of Law Schools. Dr Andrew researches and publishes on a range of financial services topics focused on the Middle East and beyond, particularly relating to technological innovations. His most recent book is ‘Qatari Business Law’ (2003, published by Qatar University Press). He has taught law in Australia, Europe and the Middle East and is currently part of an international project exploring financial inclusion and technology in Qatar. Dr Andrew holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) degree from Macquarie University, and a Bachelor of Commerce degree and PhD from the University of New South Wales.

Asad Qayyum is a highly skilled dual-qualified corporate and commercial lawyer with extensive multi-jurisdiction experience in a number of sectors of the law, including in relation to capital markets, funds, conventional and Islamic finance, mergers and acquisitions, natural resources (oil, gas and mining) and project finance transactions.

Asad is qualified as a solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales, a barrister of England and Wales and an advocate of the High Courts of Pakistan and has over 22 years of experience advising on a broad range of transactions during his time in the UK, Sultanate of Oman and Pakistan. Asad has particular expertise in advising sovereigns and sovereign-owned companies and listed and private companies with respect to their debt and equity capital market financings (conventional and Islamic), registration of funds (including real estate investment funds, acquisitions and disposals of hydrocarbon assets (onshore and offshore) and negotiating clients’ commercial (oil and gas) contracts across the globe (including in the UK, Oman, Canada, the Middle East, Pakistan, Cameroon, Tanzania, Namibia, Burundi, Benin, Cameroon, Nigeria and Kazakhstan).

Debo is a Senior Associate in the International Banking & Finance practice at Trowers & Hamlins based in their Oman office. He has extensive experience in the area of Finance in the international markets, having previously worked in India, Singapore, London and Tokyo. He leads the firm’s India Desk. With in-depth knowledge of the Indian market and regulatory climate, he is able to advise clients on how to successfully implement their India-focussed transactions. Debo advises banks, financial institutions, agents, real estate investment trusts, sponsors, funds and multinational companies across the GCC, South Asia and the ASEAN spanning across a broad range of industries and asset classes on a wide range of domestic and cross-border transactions with particular focus on corporate finance, real estate finance, project & infrastructure finance, acquisition finance, trade finance, Islamic finance, debt capital markets & structured finance, debt restructuring and regulatory issues. In addition, Debo regularly assists clients with credit agreement compliance concerns, amendments, waivers and consents on financing documents, and routine regulatory compliance issues. Besides acting as lenders’ or investors’ counsel, Debo has substantial experience in representing borrowers and issuers. He is being increasingly sought out for his expertise in the space of ESG and green financing in the GCC and is a regular speaker at conferences and events in this area. Debo has been listed in the ALB Super 50 MENA Lawyers 2023 list as one of the most highly recommended private practice lawyers in the region, awarded the Cross Border Lawyer of the Year for Banking & Finance by Legal Era for his multi-jurisdictional banking and capital markets work, recognized as a ‘Rising Star’ for Banking & Finance by IFLR 1000 in Oman in the 2022 and 2023 editions and in India continuously since 2019, and mentioned in the IFN Lawyers Directory as a leading Islamic Finance practitioner in Oman. 

Hassan Ali Ansari is CFO of Takaful Oman. Takaful Oman is one of the two Islamic insurance companies in the Sultanate of Oman. He started his career with PwC in 2001 and later on in 2007 he moved to AIG, where he served until 2019. He held multiple positions in AIG such as CFO of Pakistan, financial controller for MENA, country finance manager for Oman and Qatar, etc. In addition to core finance, in his current role, he oversees Shariah compliance, risk management and the information technology department. Hassan is a fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan.

Kemal Rizadi Arbi has 30 years of global experience in the banking and financial industry (both government and private sectors), being involved in Islamic finance, corporate and investment banking, fund management and ESG sustainable finance, to name a few.

Kemal is currently an expert/advisor with the government of Oman and, for the last 10 years, has been with the Executive President/Vice-President’s Office at the Capital Market Authority (Oman CMA) which regulates and develops the financial industry in Oman relating to the capital market and insurance sectors (both conventional and Islamic).

Prior to joining the Oman CMA, Kemal had established strategic initiatives for the development of the Malaysian and ASEAN+3 (10 ASEAN nations with China, Japan and Korea) capital markets and evaluated corporate finance/Islamic finance transactions as the head of department at the Securities Commission Malaysia.

Kemal was awarded the Malaysian government (JPA) full scholarship for top scholars at the University of Iowa in the US and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in actuarial science. He also holds an MBA (Finance) from the International Islamic University Malaysia and a Chartered Islamic Finance Professional Master’s degree from INCEIF University in Malaysia.

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.

Mohsin Shaik Sehu Mohamed is currently heading the investment banking and capital markets at Maisarah, Bank Dhofar. He is responsible on the overall business of investment banking of Maisarah covering debt capital markets, private equity, asset management, corporate finance, wealth management and direct investments.

Mohsin is a well-known figure in the Islamic finance market in Oman due to his role in the Sukuk space. He has been instrumental in executing the first-ever Sukuk in Oman back in 2013. In 2020, Mohsin advised the government of Oman on issuing the first ever sovereign retail Sukuk.

In 2022, Mohsin was appointed as the ‘Grand Councilor’ for Chartered Institute of Islamic Finance in Malaysia. Mohsin is also a chartered professional in Islamic finance and has been certified by the International Academy of Business and Financial Management as a certified private equity specialist. He is also a chartered Islamic finance professional with INCEIF, Malaysia. He graduated with a Master of Business (Applied Finance) degree from the Queensland University of Technology, Australia and holds a Bachelor of Accounting (Hons) degree from University Tenaga Nasional, Malaysia.

Salman Kabani’s professional Banking career spans over 19 years in the GCC/Middle East and domestic markets, having worked in the entire spectrum of Commercial & Investment Banking; culminating in core competency as Subject-Matter Expert in Enterprise Risk and Portfolio Management; Digital Transformation; setting and devising strategies for all the areas of Islamic banking and finance. He specializes in transforming organizations by identifying the right strategic levers to drive the business while minimizing risk. 

Currently, he is Head of Enterprise Risk and Strategy at Bank Nizwa, Oman. He holds a Masters degree in Economics, an MBA in Finance; and a Certified Sharia Advisor and Auditor from AAOIFI. He is also a postgraduate diploma holder from MIT Sloan, USA; and has taken a certificate course in Fintech from the University of Oxford. 

During his experience, he has established and led the Enterprise Risk Management function in the large public and private sector banks; directed strategic projects for generating economic value, profiling all material risks, developing and maintaining a sound capital adequacy assessment process and setting “in-control” status. He is exceptionally skilled in developing/setting- up enterprise risk functions, managing complex cross-functional teams, driving growth plans, business strategies and delivering results within changing risk and regulatory environments. 

Suad Al Balushi has over 17 years of successful experience in the banking sector, with strategic and operations leadership. Suad is a dynamic, result-oriented leader with a strong track record of performance, utilizing keen analysis, insights and team approach to derive organizational improvements and implementation of best practices. She has superior interpersonal skills, capable of resolving multiple and complex issues (sales, human resources, investment, financial and operational) and mentoring and coaching staff to optimize performance. Suad was the first Omani to achieve the ACI Diploma Certificate, which is the top certificate for treasury professionals and was the first Omani female treasurer in the banking sector. Suad was the winner of the NTI BizPro award 2016 and the winner of the AlMaraa award of Excellence in Corporate Leadership in 2021. She was also the winner of the Cambridge IFA Womani20 award for 2021 and 2022. Suad is a financial risk manager certified by the Global Association of Risk Professionals. She has been featured multiple times in Al Maraa magazine and in ISFIRE (Islamic Finance Review Magazine) in the WOMANI of April 2022 issue.