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IFN UK Forum 2024

2nd September 2024
Mansion House, London

Supported by

Watch Now

  • Welcome Address
  • Keynote Address
  • Session 1
  • Keynote Address
  • Session 2
  • Session 3
  • Session 4
  • Presentation
  • Session 5
  • Session 6

Welcome Address

Welcome Address

Alderman Kawsar Zaman, Representative of the Lord Mayor of the City of London

Keynote Address

Keynote Address

Nicola Watkinson, Managing Director, International, TheCityUK

Session 1

Dare to Dream: What Could the UK Islamic Financial Services Sector Achieve?

With possible impending tax changes and a new government, the prospect for overcoming obstacles in UK Islamic finance has rarely looked better. What future events could be heralded as wins for the UK Islamic financial services sector? How has the alternative liquidity facility been utilized and what benefit has accrued to financial institutions? Can we further build bilateral relations with GCC Islamic finance centres and continue to improve the UK’s appeal as an Islamic finance destination? How does the UK leverage on its enviable position as a centre for Islamic investment management? We ask an expert panel.

Moderator:

Richard Thomas, Managing Director, Sustainable Economy

Panelists:

Bashar Al Natoor, Managing Director, Global Head of Islamic Finance, Fitch Ratings
Sefian Kasem, Global Head of ETF and Indexing Investment Specialist, HSBC Asset Management
Dr Scott Levy, CEO, Yasaar Capital
Dr Usman Chaudry, Chief Risk Officer and Executive Director, Gatehouse Bank

Keynote Address

Keynote Address

Mohammad Faiz Azmi, Executive Chairman, Securities Commission Malaysia

Session 2

Opportunity Knocks: the UK as an International Centre for Islamic Capital Markets & Sukuk

What does a vibrant, liquid market for Islamic capital raising and issuances in a major Western capital look like, and what more should London do? How should regulatory frameworks evolve to meet market requirements and how can the performance and impact of UK Islamic capital markets be enhanced? Has the UK capitalized on the 70+ Sukuk and three Islamic ETFs listed on LSE, as well as unparalleled expertise in areas such as export credit? Can more be done to supply the market with high-quality liquid assets, and to what extent would this contribute to building a yield curve unique to Islamic financial institutions? How can green and sustainability linked Sukuk and other innovations flourish in the UK?

Moderator:

Nitish Bhojnagarwala, Senior Vice-President, Financial Institutions Group, Moody’s Ratings

Panelists:

Ahsan Ali, Managing Director and Head, Islamic Corporate and Investment Banking, Standard Chartered Saadiq
Jonathan Grosvenor, Senior Associate, Trowers & Hamlins
Dr Mohamed Damak, Managing Director and Global Head of Islamic Finance, S&P Global Ratings
Shrey Kohli, Head of Debt Capital Markets, London Stock Exchange

Session 3

Defining Islamic Investment and Asset Management in a Dynamic Market

What are notable recent developments in global Islamic investment management, including those influencing investment patterns, asset allocation and product innovation? What role is AI and machine learning playing in the evolution of Islamic asset management, and what are key challenges and opportunities? How is climate risk being measured and mitigated by asset owners and managers? How are savings and investment rates being stimulated in the UK, and are suitable Shariah compliant products being developed to meet market needs?

Moderator:

Olga De Tapia, Global Head of ETFs and Indexing Sales and Global Head of Portfolio Advisory Solutions and OCIO Sales, HSBC Asset Management

Panelists:

Hakan Ozyon, CEO, Hejaz Financial Services
Jesal Mistry, Head of DC Investments, Legal & General Investment Management
Ibrahim Khan, Co-founder, Islamicfinanceguru
Michael Whealon, Partner, Ethos Invest
Robert Dickson, UK Head of ETF Sales and Distribution, HANetf

Session 4

Fit for Purpose: Islamic Financial Services - Technology, Products, Risk Management, and Innovation

How is Islamic banking delivering tangible benefit to British consumers? What mass market Islamic finance products exist today, what structures are in use, and why? How can the growth of Islamic fintechs and the increasing influence of AI and machine learning benefit the UK Islamic banking market? What more can UK Islamic banks and financial institutions do to facilitate trade? How is climate risk being measured in the banking books of UK financial institutions? Finally, what are the current issues facing UK Islamic banks in terms of liquidity creation and liquidity risk management?

Moderator:

Vineeta Tan, Managing Editor and Director, Islamic Finance news

Panelists:

Arshadur Rahman, Senior Manager, Bank of England
Basel Al-Hussien, Senior Manager of Advisory, International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation
Lawrence Oliver, Executive Director, Deputy CEO, DDCAP Group™
Dr Samir Alamad, Chief Adviser Islamic Banking and Finance, Ihsan Islamic Finance Solutions
Sultan Choudhury, Advisory Board Member, Islamic Finance Council UK
Wasim Miah, Co-Founder and CEO, Spark

Presentation

Presentation

Mohd Radzuan Mohamed, CEO, Malaysian Takaful Association

Session 5

Private Markets and its Potential in Islamic Financial Markets

What are current market trends in global private capital and what are the underlying factors driving this growth? What opportunities are on offer for Shariah compliant private capital investments in the GCC, Southeast Asia and the UK, and which other geographic markets are ripe for growth?  Which private capital market products are well positioned for growth if we examine asset-backed credit, venture funds, private equity, real assets, and real estate sectors?

Moderator:

Walter Gontarek, CEO and Chairman, Channel Capital Advisors

Panelists:

Ahmad Shahizam Mohd Shariff, General Partner, Mekar Capital
Michael Rainey, Partner, King & Spalding
Mohammed Saifullah Khan, CEO, Ebdaa Islamic Finance Consultancy
Saad Adada, Founder and Managing Director, Mnaara Limited

Session 6

The Strategic Development of Islamic Social Finance in the United Kingdom

How do we enhance the role of Islamic finance in driving philanthropic initiatives in the UK? How can minorities be empowered through the application of Islamic finance and Islamic social welfare mechanisms such as Waqf, Zakat and Sadaqah? Can we better utilize Islamic financial professional services in managing social finance funds, and what do tech-enabled Islamic finance solutions offer? What is the role of regulators and industry standard setters in guiding Islamic finance towards socioeconomic development? We ask an expert panel.

Moderator:

Omar Khaliel, CEO, Riba Free Foundation

Panelists:

Dr Hurriyah El Islamy, CEO and Founder, HGC Firm
Dr Mohammed Kroessin, Head of Global Islamic Microfinance Unit, Islamic Relief Worldwide
Dr Sohail Hanif, CEO, National Zakat Foundation

IFN UK Forum Review

IFN UK Forum 2024 Review

The UK: Changing for the better?
Market dynamics in the UK are shifting and it could potentially reshape its Shariah finance industry. Experts at the seminal IFN UK Forum 2024 weighed in on how the sector is changing and should change...Read More

About The IFN UK Forum

Europe’s longest-running Islamic finance conference will once again take place in London in the majestic Mansion House under the patronage of the Lord Mayor of London.

Supported by His Majesty’s Government, TheCityUK and The City of London, IFN UK Forum is a fixture in the calendars of Islamic finance professionals in the region, attracting an international profile of bankers, investors, intermediaries and service providers.

Differentiated by its quality on-stage discussions and unparalleled networking opportunities, the IFN UK Forum continues to uphold itself as a pillar for productive Islamic finance engagement, capacity building and driver for further growth in Europe.

Download Post Event Report

Forum Keynotes

Alderman Kawsar Zaman

Alderman Kawsar Zaman

Representative of the Lord Mayor of the City of London
Alderman Kawsar Zaman
Alderman Kawsar Zaman
Representative of the Lord Mayor of the City of London

Alderman Kawsar Zaman was elected as the Alderman for Bishopsgate in the City of London in September 2022, succeeding The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, the 6th secretary-general of the Commonwealth. He is the city’s first Alderman from a British Bangladeshi background.

As well as representing businesses in Bishopsgate, Alderman Kawsar supports the Lord Mayor in promoting the professional and financial services sector in the UK and globally. By profession, he is a practicing barrister at No5 Barristers’ Chambers in London, specializing in public, regulatory and employment law. He is also a former solicitor at ‘Magic Circle’ law firms Clifford Chance and Allen & Overy, where he specialized in financial services regulatory law.

Alderman Kawsar graduated with a First in Law from the London School of Economics, before completing the Bachelor of Civil Law at Oxford University (as an Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Scholar), and then the Master of Laws at Harvard Law School (as a Fulbright Scholar). He holds board positions as an honorary member of the Honourable Artillery Company; a trustee of the Wembley National Stadium Trust; a trustee of the UK’s National Muslim War Memorial Trust; and as a governor at Morpeth Secondary School.

Alderman Kawsar is currently a Visiting Lecturer in Law at the University of Law, and a Guest Teacher in Law at the London School of Economics. He is also a signatory to the City of London Corporation Members’ Diversity Charter: Corporate governance – City of London.

Mohammad Faiz Azmi

Mohammad Faiz Azmi

Executive Chairman, Securities Commission Malaysia
Mohammad Faiz Azmi
Mohammad Faiz Azmi
Executive Chairman, Securities Commission Malaysia

Appointed by the Malaysian Minister of Finance as the executive chairman of the Securities Commission of Malaysia (SC) in June 2024, Mohammad Faiz Azmi had been an SC board member since August 2023. He was the Chairman of PwC Malaysia for 11 out of his 30 years with the firm, and has over 38 years of experience in the audit and business advisory services sectors in Malaysia and the UK. He was the leader of PwC’s Global Islamic Finance Team practice from 2007 to 2012, and was also PwC Malaysia’s Financial Services Leader and joint Head of Audit, leading the ESG and Shariah Investing part of PwC’s Sustainability and Climate Change practice. He retired as a partner and executive chairman of PwC Malaysia in June 2023.

Much of Mohammad Faiz’s recent work has been with the Federal and State Governments, involving work related to accrual accounting. He has also been involved in the financial restructuring of government agencies as well as investigations. He is a member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants, where he was a former president, and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). He has held the post of chairman of the Malaysia Accounting Standards Board, president of the Kuala Lumpur Business Club and ICAEW city group chairman.

Mohammad Faiz was educated in Malaysia and the UK, and read law at the University of Durham before being called to the English Bar. He is a member of the Worshipful Company of Chartered Accountants England and Wales, and was conferred an Honorary Degree of Doctorate of Laws by the University of Nottingham in 2016.

Nicola Watkinson

Nicola Watkinson

Managing Director, International, TheCityUK
Nicola Watkinson
Nicola Watkinson
Managing Director, International, TheCityUK

Prior to joining TheCityUK, Nicola was general manager leading a team across the Americas as well as Deputy Consul General and Global Diversity Champion for the Australian Trade and Investment Commission. She has led a 90-strong team based across North and South America and managed five consulates.

She has held senior positions across Asia, Europe and Australia leading international business development for the Australian Government. These include her roles as Minister Commercial as well as Senior Trade & Investment Commissioner in New Delhi; Consul General and Senior Trade & Investment Commissioner in Frankfurt; and global manager of Investment in Melbourne. She is a regular speaker on trade and investment policies at academic institutions.

Forum Speakers

Ahmad Shahizam Mohd Shariff

Ahmad Shahizam Mohd Shariff

General Partner, Mekar Capital
Ahmad Shahizam Mohd Shariff
Ahmad Shahizam Mohd Shariff
General Partner, Mekar Capital

Ahmad Shahizam Mohd Shariff is a senior investment and management professional with over 29 years of experience in investment management, Islamic banking and healthcare. As a general partner of Mekar Capital, he focuses on investing in growth-stage companies in the healthcare, education, technology and Shariah fintech sectors. He is also the chairman of the investment panel of Dana Penjana, an investment fund by the Malaysian government, and an independent board member of the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council, a wholly-owned entity of the Malaysian Ministry of Health.

Ahmad began his career in banking with HSBC Malaysia as a resident manager, and later moved to investment management, taking on the role of equity research analyst at ING Barings covering Malaysian listed companies, and the same at Solomon Smith Barney afterward.

As the director and head of Islamic capital markets for HSBC Amanah in Southeast Asia, Ahmad led Sukuk and equity capital market origination activities, including the first issuance of Malaysian ringgit-denominated corporate Sukuk Ijarah.

Ahmad has a Master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University’s Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and a Bachelor of Laws degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Ahsan Ali

Ahsan Ali

Managing Director and Head, Islamic Corporate and Investment Banking, Standard Chartered Saadiq
Ahsan Ali
Ahsan Ali
Managing Director and Head, Islamic Corporate and Investment Banking, Standard Chartered Saadiq

Ahsan is responsible for Islamic Corporate & Investment Banking globally at Standard Chartered Saadiq, the Bank’s Islamic banking arm. In this role, he oversees the delivery of Islamic banking services to the bank’s clients across multiple geographies and products including financial markets, global credit markets and transaction banking.

Since joining Standard Chartered Bank in March 2004, Ahsan has played a key role in building the bank’s Islamic business from inception and has led several award-winning and industry-defining deals.

Ahsan has 31 years of experience in the financial services industry of which the last 20 years have been in Islamic banking. Prior to joining Standard Chartered, he worked at Citi.

Ahsan holds an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta and a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.

Arshadur Rahman

Arshadur Rahman

Senior Manager, Bank of England
Arshadur Rahman
Arshadur Rahman
Senior Manager, Bank of England

Arshadur Rahman is a senior manager in the Bank of England’s Data and Statistics Division, and is the bank’s specialist in Islamic finance. He was a co-author of the Financial Services Authority of the UK’s 2007 regulatory paper on Islamic finance and has previously supervised Islamic banks in the UK.

Arshadur also led the design and implementation of the Bank of England’s Alternative Liquidity Facility, the first non-interest-based central bank deposit facility established by a Western central bank which launched in 2021. He is a visiting research fellow in Islamic finance at King’s Business School in London.

Basel Al-Hussien

Basel Al-Hussien

Senior Manager of Advisory, International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation
Basel Al-Hussien
Basel Al-Hussien
Senior Manager of Advisory, International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation

Basel Al-Hussien brings over 23 years of experience in corporate finance, 16 of which have been dedicated to Islamic trade finance. He holds an Executive Master in Internationalization and Trade from the IE School of Politics, Economics & Global Affairs. He has managed the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC)’s trade finance portfolio in the Middle East, with total accumulated approval volumes exceeding US$1 billion.

Basel is notably involved in developing a Shariah compliant supplier’s finance scheme as an alternative to conventional receivables financing. He is an active member of a task force formed by Factors Chain International (FCI) that contributes to the development of the General Rules for International Factoring Supplementary Agreement, which regulates international Islamic factoring transactions conducted by FCI network members.

Additionally, Basel serves on the Products Quality Assurance Committee of the Saudi Export Development Authority, where he reviews and assesses the financing products of the Saudi EXIM Bank. He holds multiple certifications, including the Certified Shariah Advisor & Auditor certification from AAOIFI and the Certified Islamic Banker certificate from the General Council for Islamic Banks and Financial Institutions.

Bashar Al-Natoor

Bashar Al-Natoor

Managing Director, Global Head of Islamic Finance, Fitch Ratings
Bashar Al-Natoor
Bashar Al-Natoor
Managing Director, Global Head of Islamic Finance, Fitch Ratings

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 accounting firm Arthur Andersen.

Bashar graduated with a Master of Science degree in banking and financial studies from the Arab Academy for Banking and Financial Sciences, and a Bachelor of Science degree 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.

Hakan Ozyon

Hakan Ozyon

CEO, Hejaz Financial Services
Hakan Ozyon
Hakan Ozyon
CEO, Hejaz Financial Services

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 Hurriyah El Islamy

Dr Hurriyah El Islamy

CEO and Founder, HGC Firm
Dr Hurriyah El Islamy
Dr Hurriyah El Islamy
CEO and Founder, HGC Firm

Dr Hurriyah El Islamy is the CEO and founder of the company HGC Firm. She previously served as an Executive Board Member of Badan Pengelola Keuangan Haji, an independent sovereign agency empowered by law to manage the Indonesian Hajj pilgrim funds. She was named as one of the most active Islamic finance activists by Bank Indonesia and has global experience in Islamic finance, having served as the director for CIMB Group, responsible for all its Islamic businesses.

After serving Kuwait Finance House Bahrain as the Head of its Compliance and Anti-Money Laundering Department and as its legal counsel, Dr Hurriyah assumed the role as the Director of Capinnova Investment Bank, an Islamic investment arm of the Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait.

Dr Hurriyah remains active in the Islamic finance industry; she is the Islamic finance adviser to the Astana International Finance Centre, a board member and strategic adviser to Islamic Fintech Alliance and is also listed as an International Monetary Fund expert in Islamic finance and capital markets. She has a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) degree, a Master’s degree in Corporate Law and a PhD.

Ibrahim Khan

Ibrahim Khan

Co-founder, Islamicfinanceguru
Ibrahim Khan
Ibrahim Khan
Co-founder, Islamicfinanceguru

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.

Jesal Mistry

Jesal Mistry

Head of DC Investments, Legal & General Investment Management
Jesal Mistry
Jesal Mistry
Head of DC Investments, Legal & General Investment Management

Jesal leads Legal & General’s DC investments team. The team provides DC investment expertise to clients and their advisers, supporting their investment strategies and ensuring that they are aware of the latest developments within the company. Jesal joined Legal & General in June 2019 having previously worked for Hymans Robertson where he was the senior DC Investment consultant, responsible for managing key DC investment relationships and supporting clients with strategies designed for their members. Jesal was also responsible for managing strategic relationships with all major DC providers in the UK. Prior to that, Jesal was head of DC Investment Consulting at Capita Employee Benefits where he was responsible for developing Capita’s DC investment proposition and advising clients. Jesal has over 17 years of DC pensions and investment experience.

Jonathan Grosvenor

Jonathan Grosvenor

Senior Associate, Trowers & Hamlins
Jonathan Grosvenor
Jonathan Grosvenor
Senior Associate, Trowers & Hamlins

Jon is a senior associate in the banking and finance team of Trowers & Hamlins’ London office. Jon’s practises all aspects of debt finance. He works on a broad range of domestic and cross-border transactions, including senior and mezzanine lending, syndicated structures, real estate investment and development, Islamic finance, general corporate lending and hedging arrangements. His expertise lies in real estate finance and debt capital markets transactions. Jon regularly acts for market participants at all levels of the capital structure including arrangers, lenders, borrowers, sponsors, funds and issuers, particularly in the real estate sector.

Lawrence Oliver

Lawrence Oliver

Executive Director, Deputy CEO, DDCAP Group™
Lawrence Oliver
Lawrence Oliver
Executive Director, Deputy CEO, DDCAP Group™

Apart from being a director of DDCAP and its subsidiaries, DD&Co and DDGI, Laurence is also a director of DDCAP (DIFC).

Lawrence has more than 25 years of experience working in the Islamic finance market. He joined DDCAP in April 1998. Previously, he was an assistant manager at Kleinwort Benson responsible for Islamic finance and investment activity. Lawrence manages the company’s business development and trading desks and has extensive experience in arranging asset-based transactions which conform to Shariah stipulation.

Lawrence specializes in Shariah compliant structured finance and asset origination. His broad knowledge in the physical commodity sector has enabled him to advance the traditional merchant trading capabilities of DD&Co for the benefit of institutional clients operating within the Islamic financial sector. Lawrence is a regular speaker at many annual Islamic conferences held in the GCC, Southeast Asia and Europe.

Michael Rainey

Michael Rainey

Partner, King & Spalding
Michael Rainey
Michael Rainey
Partner, King & Spalding

Michael Rainey advises lenders and borrowers with regards to their financing needs, focusing on project finance in the GCC, financing and restructuring in Saudi Arabia and the UAE as well as real estate finance and investment in the GCC and Europe. Michael advises on transactions using both conventional and Shariah compliant financing. He is ranked as a ‘leading individual’ for his Islamic finance expertise by both The Legal 500 UK and The Legal 500 EMEA.

Michael Whealon

Michael Whealon

Partner, Ethos Invest
Michael Whealon
Michael Whealon
Partner, Ethos Invest

Michael Whealon brings over 25 years of senior level investment banking and private equity experience to Ethos. Prior to joining us, Michael was founder and managing partner of Fox Point Partners LLP, a merchant bank focused primarily on private capital markets. He has also held senior managing director positions at major financial institutions, including Marsh & McClennan and ING Barings, focusing on TMT investment banking. Michael also held senior roles at Bear Stearns in both New York and London, including Head of Canadian Investment Banking and Head of European Telecoms, Technology and Media.

Dr Mohamed Damak

Dr Mohamed Damak

Managing Director and Global Head of Islamic Finance, S&P Global Ratings
Dr Mohamed Damak
Dr Mohamed Damak
Managing Director and Global Head of Islamic Finance, S&P Global Ratings

Dr Mohamed Damak is a Senior Director of Financial Services at S&P Global Ratings, covering financial institutions in the Middle East and Africa. He is also the Global Head of Islamic finance at the rating agency, leading a global team of Islamic finance analysts.

Dr Mohamed had worked for S&P Global Ratings from 2006 to 2010, covering conventional and Islamic financial institutions in MENA. He then worked as a Principal Credit Risk Officer for the African Development Bank in Tunis before rejoining S&P Global Ratings.

Holding a PhD in Finance and a Master’s degree in Money, Banking and Finance from Universite Paris-Pantheon-Assas, Dr Mohamed also has a Master’s degree in Financial Institutions Management from Ecole Superieure de Commerce de Tunis.

Dr Mohammed Kroessin

Dr Mohammed Kroessin

Head of Global Islamic Microfinance Unit, Islamic Relief Worldwide
Dr Mohammed Kroessin
Dr Mohammed Kroessin
Head of Global Islamic Microfinance Unit, Islamic Relief Worldwide

Dr Mohammed R Kroessin is a development economist with 20 years of experience of working with Islamic development and financial institutions on strategies for sustainable development and social impact. He has worked for the Chamber of Commerce and the Centre for Enterprise in the UK, was assistant CEO of Muslim Aid and is now the founder of GEMicro, an Islamic social finance advisory firm. He also heads the Islamic Relief Worldwide Global Islamic Microfinance Unit where he leads a portfolio of 10 country financial inclusion programs.

Dr Mohammed holds a Master’s degree in international political economy from the University of Kent, UK and a Master’s degree in development management from Westminster Business School, UK. He completed his PhD at the University of Birmingham, UK in Islamic development finance. He is currently a lecturer in Islamic microfinance at the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, Germany. Dr Mohammed has worked with Islamic development finance institutions in Africa, Asia and the Middle East and sits on the board of two microfinance institutions in the Balkans. His is also presently director of the UK Financial Inclusion Forum.

Mohammed Saifullah Khan

Mohammed Saifullah Khan

CEO, Ebdaa Islamic Finance Consultancy
Mohammed Saifullah Khan
Mohammed Saifullah Khan
CEO, Ebdaa Islamic Finance Consultancy

Mohammed Saifullah has over two decades of multidisciplinary experience in Islamic banking and the legal industry. As the founding CEO of Ebdaa Islamic Finance Consultancy, he continues to drive innovation and excellence in Shariah compliant financial services.

He has served as the CEO of Dar Al Sharia, a subsidiary of Dubai Islamic Bank. His expertise encompasses structuring and documenting landmark Islamic finance products including Sukuk, Islamic funds, Islamic syndications (project finance), Islamic swaps, Islamic trusts, corporate and retail Islamic products as well in Shariah compliance and governance.

He holds a Master’s degree in Law and is a Certified Shariah Advisor and Auditor (AAOIFI). He has an advanced certification in digital transformation from MIT, a diploma in IT Law and Islamic finance. He is also an arbitrator at the International Islamic Centre for Reconciliation and Arbitration (IICRA).

Mohd Radzuan Mohamed

Mohd Radzuan Mohamed

CEO, Malaysian Takaful Association
Mohd Radzuan Mohamed
Mohd Radzuan Mohamed
CEO, Malaysian Takaful Association

Mohd Radzuan Mohamed has more than 20 years of experience in the industry with expertise in Takaful and re-Takaful, insurance and re-insurance, broking, consulting and adjusting. Prior to joining MTA, he was a Senior Manager in various insurance and Takaful companies.

He is currently the Grand Councilor of The Chartered Institute of Islamic Finance Professionals (CIIF). Radzuan is also an Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Business and Administration of Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM).

Radzuan is a Member of the Lembaga Zakat Selangor (MAIS) Board in the Risk, Integrity and Compliance Committee. He received the Risk Icon Award for his outstanding contribution in the field of Enterprise Risk Management.

He is a Fellow Member of The Malaysian Insurance Institute (FMII), a Certified Professional in Islamic Finance (CPIF), an Associate of the Institute Risk Management (AIRM, UK) with an Enterprise Risk Professional Certification (IERP) as well as an alumnus of the Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) in Scotland.

Nitish Bhojnagarwala

Nitish Bhojnagarwala

Senior Vice-President, Financial Institutions Group, Moody’s Ratings
Nitish Bhojnagarwala
Nitish Bhojnagarwala
Senior Vice-President, Financial Institutions Group, Moody’s Ratings

As Vice-President of Moody’s Investors Service based in Dubai, Nitish Bhojnagarwala covers a portfolio of large conventional as well as Islamic financial institutions in the Middle East, Africa and Turkey.

Nitish joined Moody’s in 2011 and has led Sukuk roundtables and conducted workshops on banking and Islamic finance at various conferences in the Middle East, Europe and Asia. Nitish has also authored several research articles with a focus on regional banking, credit issues and issuer-in-depths.

Prior to joining Moody’s, Nitish served five years at Tamweel in the Treasury. He has also worked for KPMG in the UAE. Nitish holds an MBA from S P Jain Institute of Management & Research with a major in Finance (Investment Banking).

Olga De Tapia

Olga De Tapia

Global Head of ETFs and Indexing Sales and Global Head of Portfolio Advisory Solutions and OCIO Sales, HSBC Asset Management
Olga De Tapia
Olga De Tapia
Global Head of ETFs and Indexing Sales and Global Head of Portfolio Advisory Solutions and OCIO Sales, HSBC Asset Management

Olga has worked in the asset management industry since 2001. She is based in London and joined HSBC in November 2018 as Head of EMEA ETFs Sales, expanding her role to global coverage at the end of 2019 and further to index investment in 2020.

Prior to joining HSBC, Olga worked for BlackRock for 12 years – 9 years in Passive Sales where she held responsibility for client coverage across Southern Europe and 3 years as an EMD senior product strategist. Before this, Olga worked as a sales and product manager for BNP Paribas Asset Management in Paris for 6 years. She has also worked as financial controller in Spain outside the asset management industry.

Olga received an MBA from the IE Business School in Madrid and holds a degree in business administration from the University Complutense in Madrid and Montpellier. She holds the Imperial Sustainability Leadership certificate from the Imperial College Business school.

Omar Khaliel

Omar Khaliel

CEO, Riba Free Foundation
Omar Khaliel
Omar Khaliel
CEO, Riba Free Foundation

Omar’s background is in commercial finance where he spent over 15 years notably in a variety of FTSE 100, FTSE 5 and multinational blue-chip companies across UK, UAE, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Hong Kong and China.

Omar recently set up the Riba Free Foundation where he plans to use his experience and knowledge to help the masses become financially literate. Omar is a leadership development coach and is enthusiastic about developing the next generation of well-rounded, financially literate, ethical and responsible future leaders. He is also CEO of Digital Easily, an impact-led and ethically conscious digital marketing agency.

Richard Thomas

Richard Thomas

Managing Director, Sustainable Economy
Richard Thomas
Richard Thomas
Managing Director, Sustainable Economy

Richard Thomas (OBE, FCSI) is the managing director of Sustainable Economy Limited (SEL), his own think tank and consultancy based on his experiences in Islamic finance and economics. His most recent research was on the impact Gharar and Jehala on sustainable business planning, risk management and the role of artificial intelligence and big data. Richard has over 40 years of experience working in direct Shariah compliant banking and investment management and his current work is related to Shariah compliant infrastructure investment.

Prior to SEL, Richard was the chairman and CEO of Gatehouse Bank. In 2010, Richard received his Order of the British Empire (OBE) in recognition of his contributions to the UK Islamic financial services industry. Richard’s principal employers prior to Gatehouse Bank were Saudi International Bank, United Bank of Kuwait, Arab Banking Corporation and Brown Shipley Merchant Bank.

Richard is a fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI) and he has been an INCIEF governing council member and a board member of the Financial Services Professional Board (Malaysia).

Robert Dickson

Robert Dickson

UK Head of ETF Sales and Distribution, HANetf
Robert Dickson
Robert Dickson
UK Head of ETF Sales and Distribution, HANetf

Robert Dickson brings over 38 years of extensive experience in financial markets. In addition to HANetf, he has held directorships at notable firms including Boost ETP and WisdomTree Europe. Prior to this, Robert spent 22 years directing institutional equities stockbroking at leading firms such as Charterhouse, Cheuvreux and Canaccord. A graduate in chemistry from King’s College London, Robert began his investment management career at Sheppards and Chase in 1986.

Saad Adada

Saad Adada

Founder and Managing Director, Mnaara Limited
Saad Adada
Saad Adada
Founder and Managing Director, Mnaara Limited

Saad is the founder and managing director of Mnaara Limited, a UK-based investment platform providing Shariah-compliant investors and financial institutions access to top-tier global private market funds.

He has over two decades of experience in investment management and financial advisory. Previously, Saad co-founded Nitaq Capital, a family office advisory firm based in Saudi Arabia. He also served as Chief Investment Officer at MASIC Investment Company, a multi-billion-dollar Shariah-compliant family office and as head of Investment Banking at Alinma Bank in Saudi Arabia. Saad holds an MBA from INSEAD and is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).

Dr Samir Alamad

Dr Samir Alamad

Chief Adviser Islamic Banking and Finance, Ihsan Islamic Finance Solutions
Dr Samir Alamad
Dr Samir Alamad
Chief Adviser Islamic Banking and Finance, Ihsan Islamic Finance Solutions

Dr Samir Alamad is a practitioner and expert in the Islamic banking and finance industry and a well-established published author. He works in both industry and academia, as the Chief Advisor of Islamic Finance and Banking at Ihsan Islamic Finance Solutions (IIFS) and a Senior Lecturer and Director of International Finance and Banking at the School of Economics, Finance and Accounting at Coventry University in the UK.

Throughout his professional career spanning over 20 years, Dr Samir has held senior positions and been recognized as an advisor to various government departments, both in the UK and internationally, on matters related to Islamic finance, social and financial inclusion. He holds a PhD from Aston Business School in Financial Innovation and Engineering.

Since 2012, Dr Samir has been a trusted advisor to various UK government departments, including HM Treasury, the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills, the Department for Education, the Foreign Office, and the Bank of England. He has played an instrumental role in structuring alternative finance schemes aimed at enhancing financial inclusion and advancing the infrastructure of alternative and Islamic finance within the UK.

Dr Alamad is an AAOIFI Certified Shariah Advisor and Auditor, and serves as a board member on the AAOIFI curriculum review committee. He has a significant publication portfolio, including papers in three-star academic journals, and is a regular speaker at national and international conferences. He has delivered numerous lectures, and been featured in many TV and radio shows.

Dr Scott Levy

Dr Scott Levy

CEO, Yasaar Capital
Dr Scott Levy
Dr Scott Levy
CEO, Yasaar Capital

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.

Sefian Kasem

Sefian Kasem

Global Head of ETF and Indexing Investment Specialist, HSBC Asset Management
Sefian Kasem
Sefian Kasem
Global Head of ETF and Indexing Investment Specialist, HSBC Asset Management

Sefian Kasem is the global head of ETF and Indexing Investment specialist at HSBC Asset Management. He is based in London and has been in the industry since 2006. Prior to joining HSBC Asset Management, Sefian worked for HSBC Global Banking and Markets for over 13 years, where he held positions within Cross-Asset Trading and Global Credit Trading divisions. He holds a degree in economics and finance from the London School of Economics and a PhD in mathematical finance from Imperial College in London.

Shrey Kohli

Shrey Kohli

Head of Debt Capital Markets, London Stock Exchange
Shrey Kohli
Shrey Kohli
Head of Debt Capital Markets, London Stock Exchange

Shrey is head of the London Stock Exchange’s debt, structured finance and sustainable bond markets. He is part of the Primary Markets Senior Leadership Team and LSEG’s Group Sustainability and Fixed Income Management Committee. He was previously head of strategic development for the London Stock Exchange.

Shrey is the co-chair of the City of London’s India-UK Capital Markets Working Group; chair of the High-Level Working Group on Green Sukuk established at COP-26; and was a member of the Advisory Council to the ICMA Green & Social Bond Principles. He worked as a financial officer in Treasury & Syndications at the International Finance Corporation which is part of the World Bank Group as well as in McKinsey and Company.

He holds an MSc in finance and economics from the London School of Economics and a BSc (Hons) in physics from St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi.

Dr Sohail Hanif

Dr Sohail Hanif

CEO, National Zakat Foundation
Dr Sohail Hanif
Dr Sohail Hanif
CEO, National Zakat Foundation

Dr Sohail became the chief executive officer of the National Zakat Foundation (NZF) in November 2021. Prior to this, he served as BA manager and lecturer at Cambridge Muslim College. From 2015-17, he was NZF’s head of research and development also holding the position of head of sciences at Qasid Arabic Institute in Amman.

His expertise is in Islamic law, having studied extensively with traditional scholars. He has a PhD from the University of Oxford and his thesis which explored Islamic legal epistemology won the prize for the best thesis issued by the British Association for Islamic Studies (BRAIS) in 2019. He has lectured widely on Islamic law and Qur’anic studies in academic, public and traditional settings.

In his new role, Dr Sohail succeeds Iqbal Nasim MBE, who led NZF from 2011-2021.

Sultan Choudhury

Sultan Choudhury

Advisory Board Member, Islamic Finance Council UK
Sultan Choudhury
Sultan Choudhury
Advisory Board Member, Islamic Finance Council UK

Sultan Choudhury has over 30 years of experience in professional and financial services. He is executive chairman of OFFA, UK’s first Shariah compliant bridging finance provider and chairman of the National Zakat Foundation. He was CEO of Al Rayan Bank for eight years driving profitability and scaling up operations to achieve exponential growth through a real estate financing strategy.
Sultan is a chartered accountant with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree in economics and econometrics from the University of Nottingham, an MBA with distinction from Aston University as well as two honorary Doctorates. Sultan was awarded OBE for his work in Islamic Finance. He is also a chartered member of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment.

Dr Usman Chaudry

Dr Usman Chaudry

Chief Risk Officer and Executive Director, Gatehouse Bank
Dr Usman Chaudry
Dr Usman Chaudry
Chief Risk Officer and Executive Director, Gatehouse Bank

Dr Usman Chaudry joined Gatehouse Bank as the chief risk officer in January 2018. Prior to this, he was the risk director at Tandem, a fintech bank, responsible for risk management and compliance; and part of the management team that completed the acquisition of Harrods Bank. Prior to Tandem, Dr Usman held the role of global head of risk governance and policy at Standard Chartered, responsible for risk oversight across some 80 countries. Prior to this, he was at KPMG advising UK banks on financial services risk and regulatory matters, including financial services corporate transactions; and at Barclays and GE Capital helping to set up greenfield operations and risk management in retail and commercial businesses across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. He started his career at FICO, where he used advanced analytics and artificial intelligence to help banks drive better decisions. Usman holds a PhD in computational chemistry from the University of Manchester.

Vineeta Tan

Vineeta Tan

Managing Editor and Director, Islamic Finance news
Vineeta Tan
Vineeta Tan
Managing Editor and Director, Islamic Finance news

Vineeta Tan is Managing Editor and Director of REDmoney Group, one of the world’s longest-running Islamic finance media houses. Vineeta oversees REDmoney Group’s stable of products including Islamic Finance news, IFN Fintech and Islamic Sustainable Finance & Investment. With over a decade 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.

Walter Gontarek

Walter Gontarek

CEO and Chairman, Channel Capital Advisors
Walter Gontarek
Walter Gontarek
CEO and Chairman, Channel Capital Advisors

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.

Wasim Miah

Wasim Miah

Co-Founder and CEO, Spark
Wasim Miah
Wasim Miah
Co-Founder and CEO, Spark

Wasim is the co-founder and CEO of Spark, a fintech startup platform exclusively for Shariah compliant products and services. With over eight years of experience in consulting projects at Big 4 organizations, Wasim specialises in transformative strategies, converging data insights to drive organisational growth and operational excellence for public and private sector organisations. Some of Wasim’s recognitions include being former UK Young Engineer of the Year, Welsh Young Engineer of the Year and recipient of the Young Engineer for Britain Duke of York’s Award for Most Creative Use of Technology.

Confirmed Delegates for 2024

• 50 International • 90 North • Aalem Group of Companies • AAOIFI • ABN AMRO Clearing Bank • ACCA • Accuracy UK • Addleshaw Goddard • Aetos Holdings (Family Office) • Afkar Consulting • AHAM Capital • Ajman Bank • Al Mostkbal Al Ektsadi News • Al Rayan Bank • Al Shamekh Company • Al Sukoon Asset Management • Al Waseelah • Alawael Captive Insurance • Albaraka Türk Katılım Bankası A.Ş. • Alexander Solutions • AlHuda Centre of Islamic Banking and Economics Ghana representative • AMS Group • Apex Group • API Compliance • Apollo • Arab National Bank • Arabian investment & Development • ARAMAIC Links & Consulting (Sweden) • Arbuthnot Latham • Arcapita • Association of Certified Commercial Diplomats • Aviation Investment Management • Bahar Energy • Baker & McKenzie • Bank ABC• Bank of England • Bank of London • Bank of London and Middle East • Bank of Middle East • Bank Simpanan Nasional • BartonMarks • Bedford Pay • BIP Group • Bitsmedia – MuslimPro App • Blackstone Wealth • Bluefin Strategy • BOK International Abu Dhabi • BPKH Indonesia • Brecher • BTD International Fund House • Buna International Bank • Casiana Dusa • CEO Clubs Network • Chartered Institute of Islamic Finance Professionals • Citi Partners • Citizens Rural Bank • City of London Corporation • CityGate Housing • Clifford Chance • Climate Change Ventures • CMS UK | Kestrl • Collas Crill • Commsure • ComplyAdvantage • Conch And Ventures Innovations • Confirmo • Construction Technologists • Corporate Business Services • Cur8 Capital • DanuVG • DDCAP Group • Deeplight Ventures • Deltroit Asset Management • Dentons UK and Middle East • Department for Business and Trad • Devine Group • Dominion • Dutescu & Partners • Ebdaa Islamic Financial Consultancy • Ebdaa Islamic Financial Services UK • ECO Capacity Exchange • Elipses • Elysian Impact Investing • Engie • Ethos Invest
• Euro Quality Lambs • Euroyen Group • EY• Fais Architects • Falcon Commodity Services • Federal Capital Development Authority • FHI 360 • Fidelity International • Fiduchi Group • Fiduciary Services • Financeislamique.shop • Financial LFS • Finepolis • Finmaal • First Equity Modaraba • Fitch Ratings • Fitch Solutions • Fraser Coutts & Partners • Freeths • FTI Consulting • FTSE Russell • Fuel Venture Capital • Fund for Development of Youth Projects • Gatehouse Bank • Ghana International Bank • Global Institute of Islamic Banking, Insurance and Consultancy (GIIBIC) • GLPG • GMX Capital Group • GoInvestment.com • Golden Global Investment Bank • Goldman Sachs • Gomoa Community Bank • Great Eastern • Greenberg Traurig • Guidance Investments • Gulf Bridge Capital • Gulf Islamic Investments • Guy Butler • Habib Bank AG Zurich • Habib Metropolitan Bank • Halocline Private Holdings • HANetf • Hectocorn • Hejaz Financial Services• HGC Firm • Hong Leong Islamic Bank • HSBC Asset Management • HSBC Bank Middle East • Huriya Gold • ICIEC • ICLA Legal & Corporate Services • IdealRatings • IFAAS UK • Ihsan Islamic Finance Solutions • Institutional Money Market Funds Association (IMMFA) • Inland Revenue Board Malaysia • International Accounting Standards Board • International Underwriting Association • International Finance Solution Associates • Invesense Asset Management • ISFIN • Islamic Home Finance • Islamic Relief Worldwide • Istanbul Financial Center • ITFC • Itkan law firm • Jazra Investments • Jenoa • JPC Law • JSC Capital Partners • K B Ung Services • K&L Gates • Kalima Communications • King & Spalding • Kirkland & Ellis International • Lane Clark and Peacock • Langham Hall UK Services • Leadership Solutions • Lease advisory group • Legal & General Investment Management • Limak International • LIS Consulting • Lloyds Corporation • Lloyds of London • LOUKIL Group • London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) • Magellan Capital • Majlis and Markets • Malaysian Takaful Association • Mangis Bay • Maples & Calder • Maybank • Maybank London • McKinsey & Co • Mekar Capital • MF Solicitors • Milbank • Mnaara • Moaden Accounting • Moody’s Ratings • Mourant Ozannes • MRP Premier Group • Mud Orange • MUFG • Muslim Charities Forum • N26 GmbH • Nataim UK • National Bank of Pakistan • National Zakat Foundation • Nester • NHS Trust • Nisba – Islamic Personal Finance • Noor Takaful Insurance • Northern Trust • Nyala Insurance • Octopus Investments • OFFA • Office of the National Chief Imam (Ghana) • Office of the Prime Minister of Somalia • Pairstech / Aleph Finance • PBEC Institute • Philip Lee Solicitors • PIA Financial Group (East London) • Primecase • Principal Asset Management • Principal Islamic Asset Management • Private Investor • Prokhas • Properteers Group • Rainmaker Partners • RASS General Trading • Raya holding for Financial Investments • RBC Wealth Management • Realia Family Office • Renewalink • Republic • Riba Free Foundation • RiskSave Technologies • Rolls-Royce • RZQ Finance • S&P Global Ratings • Saffery • Saleh Kamel Foundation • Salim Megatama • Sama Investment Group • Samak Ethical Finance • Samsara • Santander • Sarasin & Partners • Sarf • Saturna • Saudi Venture Capital Investment Company • Senegal UK Chamber of Commerce • Seyad Group of Companies • Shakespeare Martineau • Shanghai Pudong Development Bank • Sheerleap • SME Development Bank Malaysia • Societe Generale • Somer Industrial Projects • South Street Asset Management • Standard Chartered • Standard Chartered Saadiq • Stride Up • Suntera Global • Sustainable Economy • Sustensis • Syntegral Legal Practice • Technical Methods • Tejara Capital • The Halal Money Forum • The Islamic Finance Council UK • TheCityUK • TP ICAP • Trowers & Hamlins • TrustArthur • TVF İFM Real Etate Construction & Management • UK Parliament • UK/Gulf Polo & Real Estate Banking • UNDP • VG Group • VIKTRS • Vinson & Elkins • Vrijednosnice Osijek Holding • Waafi Bank • Wardour Global • Watson Farley & Williams • WIPPD • WK (Private Office • WL (Private Office) • XTCC Investments • Yasaar Capital • Yasaar Research • Zunikh

Advisory Board

Bashar Al-Natoor

Bashar Al-Natoor

Managing Director, Global Head of Islamic Finance, Fitch Ratings
Bashar Al-Natoor
Bashar Al-Natoor
Managing Director, Global Head of Islamic Finance, Fitch Ratings

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 accounting firm Arthur Andersen.

Bashar graduated with a Master of Science degree in banking and financial studies from the Arab Academy for Banking and Financial Sciences, and a Bachelor of Science degree 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.

Khaled Khalifa

Khaled Khalifa

Senior Advisor and Representative to the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Khaled Khalifa
Khaled Khalifa
Senior Advisor and Representative to the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Khaled Khalifa is a professional humanitarian worker with more than 25 years of experience in relief and development. He has led humanitarian operations in various settings of natural disasters and complex emergencies.

Khaled is currently pursuing a PhD in management leadership and organizational strategy. He holds an MA degree in English Literature & Humanities, an MSc in sustainable development and a Diploma in project management. He is a renowned international trainer in disaster management and an expert speaker on humanitarian and Middle Eastern affairs. Khaled leads UNHCR’s Islamic philanthropy activities globally and has been instrumental in the success of the Refugee Zakat Fund.

Lawrence Oliver

Lawrence Oliver

Executive Director, Deputy CEO, DDCAP Group™
Lawrence Oliver
Lawrence Oliver
Executive Director, Deputy CEO, DDCAP Group™

Apart from being a director of DDCAP and its subsidiaries, DD&Co and DDGI, Laurence is also a director of DDCAP (DIFC).

Lawrence has more than 25 years of experience working in the Islamic finance market. He joined DDCAP in April 1998. Previously, he was an assistant manager at Kleinwort Benson responsible for Islamic finance and investment activity. Lawrence manages the company’s business development and trading desks and has extensive experience in arranging asset-based transactions which conform to Shariah stipulation.

Lawrence specializes in Shariah compliant structured finance and asset origination. His broad knowledge in the physical commodity sector has enabled him to advance the traditional merchant trading capabilities of DD&Co for the benefit of institutional clients operating within the Islamic financial sector. Lawrence is a regular speaker at many annual Islamic conferences held in the GCC, Southeast Asia and Europe.

Lim Say Cheong

Lim Say Cheong

CEO, Saudi Venture Capital Investment Company
Lim Say Cheong
Lim Say Cheong
CEO, Saudi Venture Capital Investment Company

Lim Say Cheong is CEO of Saudi Venture Capital Investment Company, a fully-fledged Shariah compliant investment company, licensed by the Capital Market Authority (CMA) of Saudi Arabia. Lim brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience of more than 25 years from the financial services and capital market industry.

Lim was formerly CEO of Lootah Global Capital, a financial services company owned by Lootah Holding and licensed by the Dubai International Financial Centre. Lim previously worked for more than a decade as an Islamic banker in the UAE, first with Noor Islamic Bank as the executive director for global markets and then he served as the executive vice-president and head of investment banking with Al Hilal Bank.

Lim graduated from the prestigious INSEAD Business School (France) with an Executive MBA. He also holds the Diploma in Islamic Finance from CIMA UK and a Bachelor of Science degree with double majors in mathematics and quantitative economics from the University of Sydney, Australia.

A renowned Islamic finance practitioner and industry thought leader, Lim contributes articles on Islamic finance regularly and has been invited to speak in conferences around the world.

Dr Mohammed Kroessin

Dr Mohammed Kroessin

Head of Global Islamic Microfinance Unit, Islamic Relief Worldwide
Dr Mohammed Kroessin
Dr Mohammed Kroessin
Head of Global Islamic Microfinance Unit, Islamic Relief Worldwide

Dr Mohammed R Kroessin is a development economist with 20 years of experience of working with Islamic development and financial institutions on strategies for sustainable development and social impact. He has worked for the Chamber of Commerce and the Centre for Enterprise in the UK, was assistant CEO of Muslim Aid and is now the founder of GEMicro, an Islamic social finance advisory firm. He also heads the Islamic Relief Worldwide Global Islamic Microfinance Unit where he leads a portfolio of 10 country financial inclusion programs.

Dr Mohammed holds a Master’s degree in international political economy from the University of Kent, UK and a Master’s degree in development management from Westminster Business School, UK. He completed his PhD at the University of Birmingham, UK in Islamic development finance. He is currently a lecturer in Islamic microfinance at the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, Germany. Dr Mohammed has worked with Islamic development finance institutions in Africa, Asia and the Middle East and sits on the board of two microfinance institutions in the Balkans. His is also presently director of the UK Financial Inclusion Forum.

Nasser Al-Thekair

Nasser Al-Thekair

General Manager, Trade & Business Development, International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation
Nasser Al-Thekair
Nasser Al-Thekair
General Manager, Trade & Business Development, International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation

Nasser Al Thekair is the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC)’s general manager of trade and business development. He is responsible for leading the trade promotion and facilitation arm of the ITFC, growing intra-trade among member countries and enhancing the development impact. Additionally, He leads the ITFC’s efforts to develop new business lines and products, foster innovation and build strategic relationships with key development partners to create new markets and mobilize resources for the ITFC’s trade development initiatives.

Nasser’s main achievement in Islamic finance in his previous roles relates to supervising the structuring of several transactions that won international recognition from Islamic Finance news, Euromoney and Global Trade Review.

Nasser is a member of the executive committees of the Arab Africa Trade Bridges Program and Trade Development Fund; in addition he represents the ITFC in the board of Aid for Trade Initiative for Arab States.

Nasser holds a Bachelor’s degree in engineering from King AbdulAziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and an MBA from the University of Leicester School of Management in the UK. He also has executive education credentials from IMD, Lausanne, Switzerland as well as the corporate director certification from Harvard Business School, Boston, in the US.

Omar Khaliel

Omar Khaliel

CEO, Riba Free Foundation
Omar Khaliel
Omar Khaliel
CEO, Riba Free Foundation

Omar’s background is in commercial finance where he spent over 15 years notably in a variety of FTSE 100, FTSE 5 and multinational blue-chip companies across UK, UAE, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Hong Kong and China.

Omar recently set up the Riba Free Foundation where he plans to use his experience and knowledge to help the masses become financially literate. Omar is a leadership development coach and is enthusiastic about developing the next generation of well-rounded, financially literate, ethical and responsible future leaders. He is also CEO of Digital Easily, an impact-led and ethically conscious digital marketing agency.

Dr Samir Alamad

Dr Samir Alamad

Chief Adviser Islamic Banking and Finance, Ihsan Islamic Finance Solutions
Dr Samir Alamad
Dr Samir Alamad
Chief Adviser Islamic Banking and Finance, Ihsan Islamic Finance Solutions

Dr Samir Alamad is a practitioner and expert in the Islamic banking and finance industry and a well-established published author. He works in both industry and academia, as the Chief Advisor of Islamic Finance and Banking at Ihsan Islamic Finance Solutions (IIFS) and a Senior Lecturer and Director of International Finance and Banking at the School of Economics, Finance and Accounting at Coventry University in the UK.

Throughout his professional career spanning over 20 years, Dr Samir has held senior positions and been recognized as an advisor to various government departments, both in the UK and internationally, on matters related to Islamic finance, social and financial inclusion. He holds a PhD from Aston Business School in Financial Innovation and Engineering.

Since 2012, Dr Samir has been a trusted advisor to various UK government departments, including HM Treasury, the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills, the Department for Education, the Foreign Office, and the Bank of England. He has played an instrumental role in structuring alternative finance schemes aimed at enhancing financial inclusion and advancing the infrastructure of alternative and Islamic finance within the UK.

Dr Alamad is an AAOIFI Certified Shariah Advisor and Auditor, and serves as a board member on the AAOIFI curriculum review committee. He has a significant publication portfolio, including papers in three-star academic journals, and is a regular speaker at national and international conferences. He has delivered numerous lectures, and been featured in many TV and radio shows.

Dr Scott Levy

Dr Scott Levy

CEO, Yasaar Capital
Dr Scott Levy
Dr Scott Levy
CEO, Yasaar Capital

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.

Shakeel Adli

Shakeel Adli

Founder and CEO, Zunikh
Shakeel Adli
Shakeel Adli
Founder and CEO, Zunikh

Shakeel Adli is the founder and CEO of Zunikh. He is a qualified solicitor and spent over 18 years working at various international law firms in London and Dubai. He was most recently a partner and global head of Islamic finance at CMS.

Having been involved in real estate both personally and professionally for more than two decades, Shakeel has experience with all real estate asset classes. He is a firm believer in the power of real estate to change people’s lives and founded Zunikh in 2019 with the intention of creating a truly unique property development and investment offering.

Shakeel personifies Zunikh’s passion for real estate and doing things differently. He conducts business in a fair, honest and approachable way and seeks to develop long-term mutually beneficial relationships with everyone that he works with.
As CEO, Shakeel has the overall responsibility for the strategy and direction of Zunikh.

Forum Partners

LEAD PARTNERS

BTD-International Fund House

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BTD-International Fund House, headquartered in Turkiye, operates as a financial holding company with subsidiaries spanning Europe, the Middle East and Asia. It specializes in providing tailored financing solutions for projects ranging from small-scale to large-scale worldwide. Additionally, BTD offers investment and business capital through managed funds and Sukuk issuance. With a diverse investment portfolio encompassing sectors like education, manufacturing, commodity trading, infrastructure, agriculture, tourism and hospitality, BTD maintains a global presence. As a testament to its industry involvement, BTD is affiliated with organizations like the International Securities Lending Association, Luxembourg Private Equity & Venture Capital Association and Association of The Luxembourg Fund Industry. With 25 years of experience, BTD has established robust investment processes and rigorous risk management practices, solidifying its position as a well-established entity in the financial landscape.

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MULTILATERAL STRATEGIC PARTNERS

The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD)

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The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) is a multilateral development financial institution and is part of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Group.

The ICD was established in November 1999 to support the economic development of its member countries through the provision of finance for private sector projects, promoting competition and entrepreneurship, providing advisory services to governments and private companies and encouraging cross-border investments.

The ICD has an authorized capital of US$4 billion. Currently, the shareholders of the ICD are the IDB (50%), 53 Islamic countries (30%) and five public financial institutions (20%).

ICD mandate and objectives

The ICD fosters sustainable economic growth in its 53 member countries by:

  • Financing private sector investment
  • Mobilizing capital in the international financial markets, and
  • Providing advisory services to business and governments.

The ICD selects the financing projects based on their contribution to economic development considering factors such as job creation, Islamic finance development, contribution to exports, etc. The ICD also provides advisory services to governments and private sector groups on policies designed to encourage the establishment, expansion and modernization of private enterprises, the development of capital markets, best management practices and to enhance the role of the market economy. The ICD operates to complement the activities of the IDB in member countries.

The ICD is rated ‘AA/FQ’ by Fitch Ratings, ‘Aa3/P-1’ by Moody’s Investors Service and ‘A+’ by Standard & Poor’s.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Tel: (966-12) 6361400; (966-12) 6441644

Fax: (966-12) 644 4427

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.icd-ps.org

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The Islamic Corporation for The Insurance Of Investment And Export Credit (ICIEC)

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Established 26 years ago in 1994 as a multilateral institution and a member of the Islamic Development Bank Group, the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC) was tasked to promote cross-border trade and foreign direct investments in its member countries.

The ICIEC’s mission is to make trade and investment between member countries and the world more secure through the Shariah compliant risk mitigation tool. Its vision is to be recognized as the preferred enabler of trade and investment for sustainable economic development in member countries.

The ICIEC is the only multilateral export credit and investment insurance corporation in the world that provides Shariah-compliant insurance and reinsurance solutions.

Today, the ICIEC supports trade and investment flows in 47 member countries spanning across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Its target clients are corporates (both exporters and investors), banks and financial institutions as well as export credit agencies and insurers.

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International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation

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The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) is a member of the IDB Group. It was established with the purpose of advancing trade among OIC member countries, which would ultimately contribute to the overarching goal of improving the socioeconomic conditions of the people across the world. The ITFC commenced operations in January 2008 and has since consolidated all trade finance businesses that used to be handled by various windows within the IDB Group. Earning an ‘A1’ rating from Moody’s Investors Service reflects the ITFC’s efficiency in service delivery by responding swiftly to customer needs in a market-driven business environment.

Since 2008, the ITFC has provided more than US$40.2 billion of trade financing to OIC member countries, making it the leading provider of trade solutions for the needs of OIC member countries. With a mission of being a catalyst for trade development among OIC member countries and beyond, the ITFC helps entities in member countries gain better access to trade finance and provides them with the necessary trade-related capacity-building tools, which would enable them to successfully compete in the global market.

 

Contact us at:

Twitter: @ITFCCORP
Facebook: @ITFCCORP
Linkedin: International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC)

Tel: +966 12 646 8337
Fax: +966 12 637 1064
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.itfc-idb.org/en

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IsDB Group Business Forum (THIQAH)

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The Islamic Development Bank Group Business Forum (THIQAH) is the window of the IsDB Group that facilitates contact and coordination between entities concerned of the IsDB Group and private sector firms and related institutions in IsDB Group member countries. The main objective of THIQAH is to establish a unique platform for effective dialogue, cooperation and inclusive partnership for business leaders committed to partnering in promising investment opportunities. Through facilitation and catalyst roles, THIQAH will be leveraging the IsDB Group’s resources to offer necessary services and confidence to investors and to establish strategic partnerships with the leaders of the private sector. The primary focus will be on maximizing cross-border investment among member countries to be supported by IsDB Group’s financial products and services. (www.idbgbf.org)

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PARTNERS

Channel Capital Advisors

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Channel Capital Advisors is a Financial Conduct Authority-authorized and regulated full-scope UK alternative investment fund manager, headquartered in London. Channel has originated, structured, and managed US$24 billion financing in corporate credit and private debt investments.

Channel specializes in income-generating strategies, emphasizing asset-based financing for short-duration assets, and offers it across commingled funds, separately managed accounts, and co-investment vehicles to investors globally, having a track record of US$12 billion of funding since 2015.

Channel is a premier funding partner in the alternative finance sector, helping both innovation economy firms and SME-focused alternative lenders grow their B2B lending portfolios with financing from US$5 million to US$150 million across the US, Canada, the EU, and the UK.

Channel has garnered numerous awards for its excellence in trade receivables financing, ESG transformation, and impact investments. In 2023, Channel earned three impact investment awards, notably being recognized as ‘Private Debt Provider of the Year’.

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Eiger

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Eiger Trading Advisors (Eiger) is a UK-based asset-trading and technology company founded in 2008, which specializes as an intermediary in Islamic financial products.

As a leading intermediary and technology provider within the commodity Murabahah space, Eiger has the unique capabilities to deliver Shariah compliant commodity trading solutions through the Eiger Trading Platform (ETP), a web-based trading system, that we tailor to our bank clients’ exact operational requirements.

The ETP automates the structuring and execution of Islamic banking products for wholesale and retail commodity-backed transactions, including two new enhanced modules:

  • ETP Retail – A 24/7 STP platform designed to automate the end-to-end commodity Murabahah transactions underpinning retail banking products such as deposits, loans, CASA, credit cards
  • ETP Client Reach – A bespoke middle and back office module designed to streamline Islamic treasury and derivative transactions, including execution and documentation with our clients’ clients.

Eiger is authorized and regulated by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority, and is both a member of the London Metal Exchange and an associate of the London Platinum and Palladium Market.

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Hejaz

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Hejaz is a leading financial institution that delivers a broad range of Islamic financial services across investment management, superannuation services, financial advice and lending to a large and diversified client base that includes corporations, financial institutions and individuals.

Founded in 2014, the firm is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and maintains a presence all around the world.

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IdealRatings

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IdealRatings was incorporated in 2006 in San Francisco with a corporate objective to provide SRI/ESG and Shariah compliant solutions to ethical investors and enable them to identify such instruments across different asset classes in the global market. IdealRatings serves clients in over 30 countries with a range of capital market solutions including:

  • Equities – A web-based platform covering over 40,000 stocks, where fund managers can screen equities using different, custom-built ESG/SRI/Responsible Investments and Shariah rulebooks or guidelines. This solution caters to different purification calculation methodologies with a comprehensive set of reports for fund managers to manage their portfolio.
  • REITs – Global coverage of all listed REITs that could be screened in accordance with different standard Shariah rulebooks or guidelines.
  • Indexes – Co-branded and jointly marketed by FTSE-Russell Indexes and a separate series with Thomson Reuters for the global markets, designed for fund management and investment benchmarking. In addition, IdealRatings is able to provide custom-built indexes for the fund management industry.
  • Sukuk – A unique solution which includes the global Sukuk and a pioneering Sukuk-screening solution that enables fund managers to customize their Sukuk selection in accordance to their Shariah rulebook, guidelines or investment preference, and
  • Brokerage – The solution provides broking houses the ability to screen global equity markets, a technical analysis of the markets and equities, buy/sell/hold recommendations and purification amounts.
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Gatehouse Bank

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Gatehouse Bank is a Shariah compliant bank headquartered in London and a subsidiary of Gatehouse Financial Group. It is authorized by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and regulated by the PRA and the Financial Conduct Authority. Founded in 2007, the bank offers award-winning savings products and finance for UK commercial and residential real estate, in addition to sourcing and advising on UK real estate investments with a focus on the build-to-rent sector.

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Malaysian Takaful Association

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The Malaysian Takaful Association (MTA), a trade association representing Malaysia’s 18 licensed Takaful and re-Takaful operators, is a key driver in spearheading the transformations and strategies identified by the industry to achieve the desired future Takaful landscape and create value for the industry, society and country. Operating in line with the principles of Maqasid Shariah in every aspect of its conduct, the strategic objectives of MTA’s Reform Plan 2022–2023 (Islah23) focus on the areas of visibility, good governance, operational efficiency and organizational sustainability. Being the voice of the industry in forwarding the country’s Takaful agenda in the local, regional and international arenas, MTA works closely with Bank Negara Malaysia and the Ministry of Finance, and interacts with government agencies, local authorities, general public and the media. MTA was established under the Societies Act 1966 in November 2002.

For more information, please visit www.takaful4all.org or follow us @MalaysianTakafulAssociation on Facebook and Instagram.

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S&P Global Ratings

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S&P Global Ratings is the world’s leading provider of independent credit ratings. Our ratings are essential to driving growth, providing transparency and helping educate market participants so they can make decisions with confidence. We have more than one million credit ratings outstanding on government, corporate, financial sector and structured finance entities and securities. We offer an independent view of the market built on a unique combination of broad perspective and local insight. We provide our opinions and research about relative credit risk; market participants gain independent information to help support the growth of transparent, liquid debt markets worldwide.

S&P Global Ratings is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI), which provides essential intelligence for individuals, companies and governments to make decisions with confidence. For more information, visit www.spglobal.com/ratings.

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Saturna

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Saturna is the wholly-owned Malaysian subsidiary of Saturna Capital Corporation, a values-based global asset manager which is Shariah compliant with an ESG focus. Saturna’s deep-rooted belief in value investing shines through in the quality of our investments. We do not follow trends, we analyze opportunities focusing on capital preservation and sustainable investment. Our broad experience distinguishes us in the investment business. We help individuals and institutions build wealth and preserve capital.

Our parent company, Saturna Capital Corporation, is a US-based fund manager specializing in Shariah equities and is internationally recognized as an investment advisor to the Amana Mutual Funds Trust. It has the two largest Islamic equity mutual funds in the world, ie Amana Income Fund and Amana Growth Fund with assets under management of both funds circa US$5 billion.

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Trowers & Hamlins

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Trowers & Hamlins is an international law firm with over 150 partners and more than 900 people located across the UK, the Middle East and the Far East providing a full-service integrated offering to clients with local knowledge and expertise at its core.

Our distinguishing feature is that with 25 years of experience in the UK and the Middle East, we have a depth of knowledge of the Islamic finance industry that covers the entire spectrum from regulatory and corporate governance to capital market issuances and real estate investment. Our international team of multidisciplinary specialists will guide you on structuring your Shariah compliant activities to help you achieve a successful outcome.

With our growing office in Kuala Lumpur, our team now advises on Islamic investments, financings and products across the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

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STANDARDS AND KNOWLEDGE PARTNER

LEAD MEDIA PARTNERS

Islamic Finance news

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Islamic Finance news (IFN) is the company’s principal publication. IFN is a digital, subscription-based publication available online and through smartphone and tablet applications. Published weekly, the journal provides exclusive and comprehensive coverage of the global Islamic financial markets through in-house analysis and expert external contributions; in addition to a daily news service, additional quarterly supplements and a variety of special annual issues.

Differentiated by trusted relationships across the industry since 2004, IFN is able to leverage an unrivalled network of contacts and connections to provide unparalleled insight into the issues affecting global Shariah compliant markets: along with in-house analysis, news, interviews, reports, industry and sector data, and much more.

With an archived website containing over 80,000 exclusive reports, the IFN portfolio also hosts a suite of proprietary tools including the industry’s largest interactive terminology glossary, a directory of over 9,000 global Islamic financial institutions and a portal to Islamic Banking Intelligence, the most comprehensive source of segmented Islamic banking financial data.

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IFN Fintech

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Fintech is one of the most exciting sectors of the global financial industry, breaking boundaries and challenging preconceptions in one of the shake-ups of the century. A new class of financial players is disrupting the status quo – and financial institutions must embrace this change or face being left behind as the financial landscape transforms beyond recognition.

But although fintech as a whole has been well-served by the media, the Islamic segment has so far made limited penetration on public consciousness – despite the enormous potential it represents for the industry. There is a clear chasm between the multitude of pioneering entrepreneurs, start-ups and fintech firms making waves in the Islamic space; and the interested investors, institutions and stakeholders keen to explore these opportunities.

Recognizing this information gap, IFN is delighted to introduce to you a bespoke multi-channel platform – IFN FinTech.

Comprised of four tranches, IFN FinTech is a one-stop-shop for industry knowledge, networking and communication – supported by our unrivaled global network, our strong social media platform and our trusted multimedia Islamic finance offering.

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IFN Sustainable

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IFN Sustainable, comprises a dedicated portal, weekly news alert, audio and video podcasts, interviews, data, exclusive reports, case studies, research, virtual roundtables, and hybrid forums. With a focus on the latest news and developments, IFN Sustainable is also be a pivotal platform for thought leadership and the launch of new products and services within the industry. IFN Sustainable also partners with some of the leading organizations associated with the Islamic and sustainable finance industry, providing holistic coverage.

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IFN Investor

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The Islamic investment industry is a fastgrowing and dynamic sector within the Islamic finance space, with a ballooning pool of assets under management, reflecting a rapidly increasing demand for Islamic investment products.

Yet this increased demand has not been matched by increased activity in the media space.

And, although IFN has been reporting on the Islamic investment market for almost 20-years, we noticed we could do more and decided to rectify this imbalance.

After extensive research and surveying of the global Islamic investor industry on what they would like to see, we have designed and built a one stop portal for all those involved or interested in the local, regional, and global Shariah compliant investment market.

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MEDIA PARTNERS

In The News

IFN Monthly Review: April – Regulatory updates support Islamic finance

India introduced an amendment to its Waqf bill to modernize property management in the sector. Kazakhstan began the process of...

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The UK and Ireland: Maintaining the lead despite a slowdown

The UK has been the Islamic finance hub of the west for the last 10 years, given the industry’s rapid development…

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PODCAST: UK property finance company plans to bring more Islamic finance products to market

Autarky Capital, whose SPV, Autarky Sukuk, recently launched its inaugural Sukuk program, is looking to introduce…

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UK bridging financier debuts Islamic financing facility

UK-based bridging and development financier Whitehall Capital has unveiled its inaugural venture into Islamic finance, completing…

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The Previous IFN UK Forum

IFN UK Forum 2023

Growing from strength to strength, Europe’s longest-running Islamic finance conference will once again take place in London in the majestic Mansion House under the patronage of the Lord Mayor of London.

Supported by His Majesty’s Government, TheCityUK and The City of London, IFN UK Forum is a fixture in the calendars of Islamic finance professionals in the region, attracting an international profile of bankers, investors, intermediaries and service providers.

Differentiated by its quality on-stage discussions and unparalleled networking opportunities, the IFN UK Forum continue to uphold itself as a pillar for productive Islamic finance engagement, capacity building and driver for further growth in Europe.

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About REDmoney Events

REDmoney events designs, organizes and hosts industry-leading conferences, forums, roadshows, seminars and dialogues focusing on the Islamic financial markets across a global, regional and national level. Leveraging an exceptional network of the industry’s elite and supported by the expertise of the REDmoney publishing and seminars divisions, REDmoney Events are able to provide access to a unique array of influential speakers, panelists and participants from a cross-section of the global industry to debate the most significant issues affecting the Shariah compliant financial markets.

REDmoney events are differentiated by their complimentary yet qualified attendance structure, ensuring the highest quality of both delegates and contributors. Comprehensive and cuttingedge, attendance ensures exclusive access to the leaders in their field across all sectors and markets.

The annual IFN Asia and IFN UK Forums are categorically recognized as their continent’s leading industry events since their inception in 2006 and 2007, respectively. The Dialogues series have also become an integral element of the REDmoney events series and have cemented their position as leading, must-attend, events.

In 2024, we welcome the IFN Investor Forums, which coincide with the new IFN Investor portal.

For any inquiries contact us

Our team will be glad to answer any questions you may have about this event.

Contact Us

About Us

REDmoney Events designs, organizes and hosts industry-leading conferences, forums, roadshows and seminars focusing on the Islamic financial markets across a global, regional and national level.

+603 2162 7800
[email protected]

Our Publications

  • Islamic Finance news
  • IFN Investor
  • IFN Sustainable
  • IFN Fintech

Recent Tweets

Islamic Finance News @ifn_news ·
17 Feb

We are pleased to welcome Mehdi Popotte, Portfolio Manager, Arqaam Capital, to the speaker line-up for the IFN Investor Middle East Forum 2025, taking place in Address Sky View, Dubai on 17th February 2025.

FREE registrations now open:
https://redmoneyevents.com/event/ifninvestorme2025/

Islamic Finance News @ifn_news ·
17 Feb

We are pleased to welcome Dr Imran Lum, Head of Islamic Finance, Business & Private Bank, NAB, to the speaker line-up for the IFN Investor Middle East Forum 2025, taking place in Address Sky View, Dubai on 17th February 2025.

FREE registrations now open:
https://redmoneyevents.com/event/ifninvestorme2025/

Islamic Finance News @ifn_news ·
17 Feb

We are pleased to welcome Gareth Lewis, Vice President, Partnerships and Enterprise, Fasset, to the speaker line-up for the IFN Investor Middle East Forum 2025, taking place in Address Sky View, Dubai on 17th February 2025.

FREE registrations now open:
https://redmoneyevents.com/event/ifninvestorme2025/

Islamic Finance News @ifn_news ·
14 Feb

We are pleased to welcome Ruslan Akhmedzyanov, Head of Transaction Advisory, Ypsilon Capital DIFC, to the speaker line-up for the IFN Investor Middle East Forum 2025, taking place in Address Sky View, Dubai on 17th February 2025.

FREE registrations:
https://redmoneyevents.com/event/ifninvestorme2025/

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Join Baker McKenzie and the largest names in the i Join Baker McKenzie and the largest names in the industry and receive daily news and updates on the global Islamic finance industry.

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Join ATEL Capital Group and the largest names in t Join ATEL Capital Group and the largest names in the industry and receive daily news and updates on the global Islamic finance industry.

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Join Asia Alliance Bank and the largest names in t Join Asia Alliance Bank and the largest names in the industry and receive daily news and updates on the global Islamic finance industry.

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Presenting the 3rd Annual Global Shari'ah Majlis: Presenting the 3rd Annual Global Shari'ah Majlis: Transforming for a Better Tomorrow.

Explore pivotal topics with our esteemed speakers on 23rd October 2024, at Movenpick Hotel, Karachi - Pakistan.

Get ready for enlightening discussions at the intersection of faith and progress.

Register now to attend physically or to watch virtually at: https://redmoneyevents.com/event/global-shariah-majlis-2024/

Let's make a difference together. Don't miss out!

#StanChart #SaadiqIslamic #SCGlobalShariahMajlis2024
Tamweel Aloula, a digital financing company in Sau Tamweel Aloula, a digital financing company in Saudi Arabia, has completed its issuance of an Additional Tier 1 Capital Sukuk under its inaugural Sukuk program worth SAR500 million (US$133.05 million).

The issuance marks the first time such a program has been implemented by a non-banking financial institution in the Kingdom. Facilitating the transaction was Impact46, a Saudi investment and advisory firm which acted as the financial adviser and arranger, while legal counsel was provided by Norton Rose Fulbright.

https://www.islamicfinancenews.com/daily-cover-story-financing-company-issues-landmark-sukuk-for-non-banking-finance-sector-in-saudi-arabia.html

#REDmoney #IFN #IslamicFinance #Finance #SukukIssuance #ShariahCompliant #DigitalFinance #DebtCapitalMarkets #SMEFinancing #Tier1Capital #SaudiEconomy #HalalFinance #TamweelAloula #Impact46 #NortonRoseFulbright #SaudiExchange #SaudiCentralBank #SaudiArabia
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