Ahmet Tacer completed his undergraduate education in Mechanical Engineering at Northeastern University and earned an MBA from the University of Massachusetts. Ahmet Tacer speaks fluent German and English.

From 1999 to 2005, he worked as Director of Structured Finance at ABN AMRO Bank, where he arranged syndicated loans for banks and corporate clients and structured asset-backed securitization transactions.

Between 2005 and 2012, he served as the Director of Global Capital Markets at Deutsche Bank, responsible for Debt and Equity Capital Markets origination for the EEMEA region and participated in numerous significant Eurobond and Global Bond issuances.

From 2013 to 2017, he worked as Director of Investment Banking at Q Invest, acquiring a local asset management company and managing Sukuk issuances.

He worked as a short-term consultant at World Bank, advising Pakistan’s government on its international Eurobond and Sukuk borrowing programs.

Since 2023, Ahmet Tacer has been serving as the Director of Capital Markets and Investment Banking at Golden Global Investment Bank, where he has managed the process of obtaining credit ratings from Fitch and JCR, establishing and arranging issuances for international and private Sukuk programs.

Bashar Al-Natoor, as the Global Head of Fitch Ratings’s Islamic Finance, is responsible for coordinating all Islamic finance activities across the agency’s sovereign, financial institutions, corporate, structured finance, infrastructure and insurance teams, bringing together dedicated analytical and industry expertise into a centralized and focused Islamic finance group.

Bashar has more than 19 years of experience in the Islamic finance market. Since joining Fitch in 2007, he has overseen Fitch’s Sukuk criteria and Islamic finance practices, undertaken research and written numerous published articles on Islamic finance. He joined Fitch as a Director in the EMEA Corporates Group based in Dubai and was responsible for analyzing EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) issuers, with a focus on Middle Eastern and Turkish issuers in the construction, property and telecommunication sectors.

Prior to joining Fitch, Bashar spent seven years at the IsDB in key roles including Investment Officer in the Treasury Department; Senior Credit Analyst in Risk Management; and Senior Technical Assistant to the Vice-President of Finance and Administration. Before working with the IsDB, he was a Senior Auditor for four years in Arthur Andersen.

Bashar graduated with a Master of Science in Banking and Financial Studies from the Arab Academy for Banking and Financial Sciences and a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Banking from Al-Ahliyya Amman University. He is a Certified Bank Auditor, Certified Risk Professional, Chartered Market Analyst and Certified Risk Analyst.

Darius Nass is an Associate Director for Global Equity Indices at S&P Dow Jones Indices (S&P DJI). He is based out of the Singapore office and is responsible for the product management of S&P DJI’s global index suites, including the S&P Global BMI, S&P Global 1200 and S&P Islamic Indices. In his role, Darius leads efforts to develop new benchmarks, promotes existing offerings and regularly publishes market commentary, analytical reports and research.

Prior to joining S&P DJI, Darius was part of the Nasdaq Index R&D team, where he was led product development initiatives for the APAC region.

Darius holds a Master’s degree in Quantitative Finance from Singapore Management University.

Eralp DELİKKAYA is the Financial Institutions Director at Destek Yatırım Bankası A.Ş., with extensive experience in both interest-free and conventional banking. He has built a strong network in correspondent banking, covering bilateral borrowing and lending, trade finance, and relationship management. He began his career at QNB Bank A.Ş.’s İzmit Branch in 2004. His international banking journey started at Kuveyt Türk Katılım Bankası A.Ş., where he worked from 2008 to 2013 in various roles within the Foreign Trade Operations, Financial Institutions, and Investment Banking departments. From 2013 to 2024, he was part of the Financial Institutions Department at Albaraka Türk, covering a wide range of regions and participating in numerous international meetings, workshops, and events related to correspondent banking. Since July 2024, he has been serving as the Financial Institutions Director at Destek Yatırım Bankası A.Ş. In parallel, he contributes as a correspondent for Islamic Finance News (IFN), writing articles on sukuk issuances by financial institutions, corporates, and sovereigns, as well as on Islamic and conventional trade finance and special reports.

Fakhriddin is a Relationship Manager at the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), based in Istanbul, where he focuses on delivering sharia-compliant trade finance solutions for financial institutions (FIs), non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs), and private market participants across Türkiye and the CIS region. He works closely with partners to structure innovative financing that fosters cross-border trade and supports private sector growth. Previously, at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Fakhriddin worked within the Finance and Development Group, promoting financial sector development through the Risk Sharing Facility and driving investments in manufacturing, services, and agrobusiness across Central Asia. A Fellow of the ACCA and CFA Level II candidate, he holds a Master’s in Finance from London Business School.

Fatma Çınar has been working as the Deputy Secretary-General of Participation Banks Association of Türkiye (TKBB) since May 2024. She was a Director at TKBB between November 2022 and May 2024. She worked as an Islamic Finance Portfolio Lead at the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development from February 2022 to September 2023. Prior to joining UNDP, she worked as the Manager of International Relations and Corporate Communications at TKBB between August 2020 and January 2022. Before that, she worked as the Head of International Banking at an Islamic Bank (Kuveyt Turk) in Türkiye for more than 13 years. As an active practitioner, she has deep and wide expertise in Islamic banking, international relations, correspondent banking, foreign trade, sustainability, social finance, impact investing, investment banking, cash management, clearing services, structured finance, trade finance, project management, country and counterparty limit management, business strategy and corporate communication. She is on the Advisory Board of Marmara University Islamic Economics and Finance (MUISEF). She is also a member of the AAOIFI Communication Committee. She writes regularly on Islamic finance as a Türkiye correspondent for IFN and is also an author at Etkiyap which is dedicated to improving impact investing ecosystems. She lectures at universities and has also been a trainer at TKBB in Islamic Finance. Çınar graduated from Istanbul University with a degree in Business Administration and Industrial Engineering in 2005 and 2006.

Işıl Gürbüz graduated from Boğaziçi University with a degree in International Relations and Political Science and completed the Administration and Management Executive Certificate Program at Harvard University. She began her career at Koçbank and later held senior roles at Interbank and Garanti Bank, where she served as Deputy Head of Financial Institutions overseeing correspondent banking and wholesale funding. In 2007, she joined Eurobank Tekfen to establish the Trade Finance and Sales Department, and from 2008 to 2021, she was Division Manager at QNB Finansbank’s International Banking Department, managing relationships with global financial institutions, debt capital markets funding, structured finance, and private wealth management, while also serving on the bank’s Sustainability Committee. Since April 2021, she has been with Doğan Investment Bank.

Dr. Kamola Ergun (Bayram) is an academic in Islamic economics and finance, currently serving as an Associate Professor at KTO Karatay University in Türkiye. With nearly two decades of experience, she has made significant contributions to research, education, and thought leadership in Islamic finance, earning recognition in 2020 as one of the Top 30 Most Influential Women in Islamic Finance by Cambridge IFA. She holds a PhD in Islamic Banking and Finance from the Institute of Islamic Banking and Finance (IIiBF) at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), where she developed a strong foundation in both theoretical and applied aspects of the discipline. Beyond academia, Dr. Kamola has served as a Research Fellow at the Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB), a Project Executive at the International Council of Islamic Finance Educators (ICIFE), and an Education Correspondent for Islamic Finance News, contributing to research, capacity-building, and knowledge dissemination across the sector. She is currently the Editor-in-Chief of the Karatay Journal of Islamic Economics and Finance and sits on the editorial boards of the Turkish Journal of Islamic Economics and the International Journal of Islamic Finance and Sustainable Development, continuing to shape the next generation of Islamic finance professionals.

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.

Max Freeman 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.

Mustafa Dereci has over 30 years of experience in Islamic Finance, Islamic Banking, and Islamic Insurance businesses. He is a graduate in International Relations from Boğaziçi University and holds an MBA degree from Fatih University, obtained in 2011. Besides his professional career, he completed the Faculty of Theology at Istanbul University in 2017. Mr. Dereci received a doctoral degree from Sabahattin Zaim University in the field of Islamic Economy and International Finance. Mustafa Dereci started his career in Kuveyt Turk Participatory Bank in 1993, serving in various departments, projects, and services at managerial levels. Among his proficiencies are International Banking, Banking Operations, Retail and SME Banking, Product Development, Marketing, Payment Systems, Digitization, and Banking Analytics. He was also a founding member of the board of Neova Islamic Insurance Company, where he served for nine years. After his retirement in 2021, Mr. Dereci joined ISFA Islamic Finance Consultancy as a Sharia Advisory Board Member and Islamic Finance consultant. He is also a Sharia Advisory Board member at Hayat Finans Participatory Bank and Katılım Life and Retirement Company, and a lecturer at Istanbul 29 Mayıs University, Department of Economics.

Rafiza Ghazali is the CEO of KAF Digital Bank, the Islamic digital banking entity of the consortium led by KAF Investment Bank. Prior to joining KAF Investment Bank, Rafiza was group CEO of Cradle Fund, where she collaborated closely with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation and the Ministry of Finance, tasked with supporting and developing Malaysian start-ups and tech entrepreneurs. Rafiza’s wealth of experience in innovation and the digital economy makes her uniquely positioned to drive the digital bank’s value proposition of providing a conducive open-banking platform-based ecosystem to customers and partners. Rafiza’s academic career includes a Bachelor of Science Economics in Accounting and Finance degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment, majoring in Corporate Finance, from the Securities Institute of Australia. She is a fellow member of the Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand, and holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Strategy and Innovation from the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford.

Samir is a seasoned finance professional with over 25 years of experience in Islamic finance, investment, and development across Central Asia, Türkiye, and Eastern Europe. He currently serves as an Expert in the Direct Financing Division at the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) – IsDB Group Regional Hub in Istanbul, where he drives strategic initiatives and cross-regional business development. Throughout his career, Samir has played a pivotal role in establishing and converting the first Shariah-compliant financial institutions across Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and the Kyrgyz Republic. He represents ICD on the boards of Taiba Finance (Uzbekistan) and Ijara Company (Kyrgyz Republic), and has previously served as Chairman of Asr Leasing (Tajikistan) and as a Board Member of Kazakhstan Ijara Company. He holds an MBA from Durham Business School in the United Kingdom.

After graduating from Boğaziçi University, Department of Business Administration, Yildiz began her career at the Industrial Development Bank of Türkiye in 1998. She held various managerial positions at Bayerische Hypo-und Vereinsbank AG, UniCredit Investment Securities and ING Bank where she assumed wide variety of investment banking roles. Yildiz joined the Development and Investment Bank of Türkiye in 2019 as Executive Vice-President, responsible from Investment Banking, Financial Analysis and Project Evaluation, Corporate Communications as well as Sustainability and Environmental Social Impact Management Divisions. Yildiz is also Chairperson of the Development Asset Leasing Companies and Board Member of Turkish Investment Initiative Portfolio Management Company. Currently, Yıldız is a Board Member of the Business Council for Sustainable Development (BCSD Türkiye) and Vice-Chairperson of the Impact Investing Advisory Board (EYDK). She is also Member of the Advisory Board of the Operating Principles for Impact Management.

Sherif Elmansy is a dynamic Banking Solutions Products Director with over 21 years of extensive experience in the banking software industry. He has a deep passion for creating and implementing innovative software products that not only optimize operations but also significantly boost organizational sales. Sherif’s expertise spans across digital banking, both front-end and back-end while his strategic leadership has been instrumental in driving the success of core banking products throughout their entire lifecycle.

In his current role since the beginning of 2024, Sherif oversees the entire product line for core banking and digital banking solutions at International Turnkey Systems (ITS). His responsibilities range from strategic planning to managing tactical activities that ensure the products meet market demands and customer needs.

Sherif’s career began in 2001 with a strong foundation in commerce, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Ain Shams University, Egypt. His early roles at the Commercial International Bank of Egypt provided him with valuable insights into customer service and financial operations, which have continued to inform his approach to product management.

Joining ITS in 2004 as a Software Developer, Sherif quickly advanced to roles such as Banking Functional Consultant and Senior Functional Consultant, leading critical projects across the Middle East, Far East and North Africa. As a Senior Product Manager from 2013 to 2023, he led the development of the next-generation ETHIX Core Banking Product, working with cross-functional teams to define product vision, strategy and intellectual property management. Under his leadership, the ETHIX solutions have been successfully installed in over 56 reputable banks across the Middle East, Far East and North Africa.

Committed to continuous professional development, Sherif holds several prestigious certifications, including Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Business Analyst Professional (CBAP), and Certified Islamic Finance Expert (CIFE). His educational background and extensive professional training ensure that he remains at the forefront of industry trends and best practices.

Sherif Elmansy’s career, spanning over two decades, is marked by a relentless pursuit of excellence, innovation and leadership. His contributions have not only advanced the organizations he has served but have also set new benchmarks in the banking software industry.

Tayfun is a seasoned finance executive with over 30 years of international experience across Istanbul, Amsterdam, London, and Luxembourg, with strong professional ties to the Gulf region for the past 15 years. He began his career at Garanti Bank, one of Türkiye’s largest financial institutions, where he advanced from internal auditor to senior management roles, gaining extensive expertise in internal audit, MIS development, and project finance. Tayfun later established Cappadocia Investments in London and a hedge fund in the Cayman Islands for the Dogus Group, before setting up Garanti Bank’s compliance function in Luxembourg and leading the mid-office of its Project and Acquisition Finance Department during Türkiye’s major privatization era. Following 16 successful years with Garanti/Dogus, he joined Yildiz Holding’s private equity arm, Gözde Girişim, where he oversaw acquisitions worth over US$300 million. He went on to become the founding CEO of KT Portföy, Kuveyt Türk Participation Bank’s asset management subsidiary, which quickly became one of Türkiye’s top-performing firms. Tayfun later served as CFO of the Turkish Red Crescent, managing its finance and wealth operations, and as CEO and Vice Chairman of Nurol Asset Management, where he successfully positioned the firm among the country’s leading asset managers. Having founded and led five asset management companies, Tayfun established his own firm, Net Portfolio, in 2024, specializing in alternative investments. Alongside his executive roles, he serves as an independent board member and advisor to several companies and continues to share his expertise as a part-time professor of finance.

Fatma Çınar has been working as the Deputy Secretary-General of Participation Banks Association of Türkiye (TKBB) since May 2024. She was a Director at TKBB between November 2022 and May 2024. She worked as an Islamic Finance Portfolio Lead at the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development from February 2022 to September 2023. Prior to joining UNDP, she worked as the Manager of International Relations and Corporate Communications at TKBB between August 2020 and January 2022. Before that, she worked as the Head of International Banking at an Islamic Bank (Kuveyt Turk) in Türkiye for more than 13 years. As an active practitioner, she has deep and wide expertise in Islamic banking, international relations, correspondent banking, foreign trade, sustainability, social finance, impact investing, investment banking, cash management, clearing services, structured finance, trade finance, project management, country and counterparty limit management, business strategy and corporate communication. She is on the Advisory Board of Marmara University Islamic Economics and Finance (MUISEF). She is also a member of the AAOIFI Communication Committee. She writes regularly on Islamic finance as a Türkiye correspondent for IFN and is also an author at Etkiyap which is dedicated to improving impact investing ecosystems. She lectures at universities and has also been a trainer at TKBB in Islamic Finance. Çınar graduated from Istanbul University with a degree in Business Administration and Industrial Engineering in 2005 and 2006.

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.

Mohamad Handi Khalifah is a finance professional and academic with expertise in Islamic economics, ESG investing, and sustainable finance. His PhD research focuses on Islamic Economics and Finance, notably in ESG Sukuk. He holds a master’s degree in Islamic finance from the University of Indonesia, with a strong background in Islamic banking, corporate finance, cross-border investment, and academic research. With extensive experience in managing investments and businesses across Türkiye and Indonesia, Handi has served as Director in several multinational companies, including Tijari Global Western LTD ŞTİ and Meranti Orman Ürünleri LTD ŞTİ, as well as a Reviewer for Emerald Publishing in the United Kingdom. He has also served as a Research Fellow at Sakarya University, Türkiye, and an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Indonesia, with research interests centred on Islamic finance and sustainability. In addition, Handi actively contributes opinion articles to academic, national, and international platforms on Islamic finance and participates in global forums that promote the development of sustainable financial markets. He continues to play an active role in advancing discourse on ESG Sukuk, other Islamic financial instruments and Renewable Energy.

Sungur was born in Istanbul in 1981. He graduated from Yeditepe University, Department of Business Administration in 2003. After carrying out academic studies on ‘European Union Monetary Policy’ at Leiden University in the Netherlands as a European Union Jean Monnet Scholar, he completed his PhD in Finance at Yeditepe University.

Between 2006 and 2012, he worked in Deposit Analytics, Investment Banking and Capital Markets Product Management in institutions such as Eurobank Tekfen and Akbank. Sungur, who continued his career at Türkiye Finans Katılım Bankası between 2012 and 2021, served as Fund Collection and Investment Products Vice-President between 2018 and 2021. In 2021, he was appointed as Banking Services Coordinator to the Participation Banks Association of Türkiye. Saygın Sungur also continues to lecture on Financial Markets at Marmara University Institute of Islamic Economics.

As of April 2023, he was appointed as the Deputy General Manager responsible for Finance, Administrative Affairs and Human Resources at Katılım Finans Kefalet A.Ş.

Dr Azrak is an experienced and accomplished professional with over 10 years of experience in Islamic Banking and finance. He currently serves as an Assistant Professor at the Social Science University of Ankara, Turkey.

Dr Azrak’s expertise in Islamic finance has enabled him to supervise numerous MSc and PhD students in various universities on topics related to the field.

Dr Azrak’s contributions to Islamic finance and auditing studies have been extensive, with over 50 published research papers in prestigious journals such as SCOPUS and ISI. His work has had a significant impact on the field, addressing a range of issues related to banking, accounting and finance.
Throughout his career, Dr Azrak has held various positions in international institutions and universities in Turkey, Syria, Malaysia, Lebanon and Kuwait.