The Rt Hon Lucy Rigby KC MP was appointed Economic Secretary to the Treasury on 21 July 2026. As City Minister, the Economic Secretary is responsible for financial services policy, reform and regulation, engagement with the financial services sector, personal savings policy, financial sanctions, and countering economic crime. Before her election as the Member of Parliament for Northampton North in 2024, Lucy worked as a solicitor at Hausfeld & Co LLP, where she specialised in competition law.

Alderman and Sheriff Robert Hughes-Penney is an experienced investment professional with over three decades in the financial services industry. After graduating from Manchester Metropolitan University and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, he served in the British Army before transitioning to the City in 1993. He has spent more than 30 years at Rathbones, primarily as an Investment Director, managing risk-adjusted multi-asset portfolios for private clients, trusts, pensions and charities. During this time, Robert also served on the Board, as well as the Executive and Management Committees of the firm’s main operating company. He currently serves as Chair of TheCityUK’s Business Council, Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee at the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment, and is a Board member of the Impact Investing Institute. A former Common Councilman, he has chaired key committees and contributed to the governance of a number of charitable organisations. In addition, he is a member of the Court of the Haberdashers’ Company and a Past Master of the Guild of Investment Managers.

Stella Cox CBE, FCSI (Hon) has worked within the Islamic financial marketplace for more than thirty years.‎ Since 1998, she has been the Managing Director of DDCAP Group, which is a leading provider of capital market intermediary services and related technology solutions to Islamic financial market institutions. Stella has, since 2015, been a member of the Board of Trustees of the RFI Foundation, which acts as a catalyst to link together responsible & Islamic finance, and she represents DDCAP within the Islamic Finance and the UN SDGs taskforce, the inaugural meeting of which took place in July 2020, convened by the Islamic Finance Council UK in partnership with the UK government. Since 2014, Stella has been Chair of the Islamic Finance Market Advisory Group formed by TheCityUK. In June 2016, Stella was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), and was honored for her services to the economy and, specifically, as a champion for the development of Islamic Finance in the UK. ‎In July 2019, Stella became a Freeman of the City of London and, in 2024, she was awarded the Honorary Fellowship of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment by its Board of Trustees.

Dr Abdulkader Thomas is the Sultan Nazrin Shah Fellow for Islamic Capital Markets at the Centre. His interdisciplinary research explores Islamic finance through the lenses of fiqh, law, and public policy. Dr Thomas has led research-driven projects supporting regulatory developments across the US, UK, West Africa, and the Gulf. He has also taught Islamic finance and markets at leading institutions in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. His publications include Interest in Islamic Economics (Routledge, 2006), Sukuk (Sweet & Maxwell, 2009), Managing Funds Flow Risks and Derivatives: Applications in Islamic Institutions (Sweet & Maxwell, 2012), and Islamic Finance & Sustainable Development (Routledge, 2025).

Dr Thomas holds a PhD in Law from SOAS University of London, an MA in Law and Diplomacy from The Fletcher School, and a BA in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures from the University of Chicago.

Abdullo Kurbanov is the Co‑Founder and CEO of Ayan Capital, a London‑based fintech building a global digital Islamic bank. Launched in 2024, Ayan’s first product provides Shariah‑compliant vehicle finance to gig‑economy drivers and SMEs. Ayan has since obtained FCA consumer credit authorisation and expanded to personal car finance. The company has raised over £100 million in Shariah-compliant financing facilities and equity to date, and is in the process of obtaining a UK banking licence. Prior to Ayan, Abdullo co‑founded Alif, a leading fintech super-app in Central Asia that serves 10 million customers. In the last 4 years, Alif has achieved 6x growth in revenues and 30x growth in payment volumes. Abdullo also co-founded somon.tj – the leading online marketplace in Tajikistan with 3 million users, and is the most visited local site in the country. Abdullo began his career at UBS, Oliver Wyman, and Origo Partners and he holds an MSc in Finance with Distinction from the London School of Economics.

Abdulwahhab Abed is SEDCO Capital’s Chief Executive Officer, his latest role in an illustrious 18-year association with the firm. A results-driven leader, he is well regarded in the investment and asset management industry for successfully managing a diverse range of business lines.

Mr Abed brings to the role extensive hands-on experience in charting strategic business plans; negotiating investment opportunities across a range of asset classes and geographies; structuring funding for portfolios; developing optimal exit strategies; and building shareholder and client value. He also has sound legal expertise and proven experience in leading merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions and in negotiating deals and partnerships with a wide array of regional and international corporates.

Before his appointment as CEO, Mr Abed held various roles in the firm, the most recent of which were Chief Business Development Officer, Chief Investment Officer, Head of Corporate Finance, Head of Real Estate and Vice President of Private Equity. He currently chairs the Investment, Management Committees and the Product Development Committee.

Mr Abed has an MBA (Finance major) and a BSc (Finance and Accounting double majors), both from Bentley University’s McCallum School of Business in the USA. Mr Abed is a graduate of Misk 2030 Leaders program.

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.

Andrew Selous is an Executive Director of City and Commercial Insurance Group, where he is leading the development of global ReTakaful capacity from London, reinforcing the city’s role as an international hub for Shariah compliant insurance. Before returning to the insurance sector, Andrew served for 23 years as a Member of Parliament, including as a UK Government Minister and Prime Ministerial Trade Envoy. He has also worked at Lloyd’s of London and as an underwriter with a Munich Re subsidiary, bringing together extensive experience in public policy, international trade and insurance markets. A regular speaker at international insurance conferences, Andrew has addressed audiences across Africa and India on climate change, surety bonds and ESG. He was also one of the organisers of the International Takaful Summit, which brought together Takaful executives from more than 30 countries in the City of London. Andrew is an ACII-qualified Chartered Insurer.

Dr 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.

Asim Khan, a Fellow Chartered Accountant with 30+ years of experience, has led Khalij Group to establish itself as the one of the leading Islamic investment and advisory conglomerates in the world. Recently, Asim has won various accolades including the ‘Avicenna Medal’ in recognition of his services to Islamic Finance. Over the years, under Asim’s leadership, Khalij Group has also won the awards of ‘Outstanding Contribution to Islamic Finance and Fintech Development’ and ‘The Best Shariah Advisory Firm’. Most recently, Asim was included in the “British Pakistanis Power 100”, which recognises the top 100 most influential British Pakistanis in the UK.

Due to his decades of expertise in investment banking and Islamic finance, Asim sits as technical member on various Shariah Boards to discuss, review and approve Shariah compliant structures, products and legal documents. Additionally, Asim also provides strategic advice the board and senior management of his clients on strategy, planning and product development in relation to Islamic Finance. Asim is also retained as a Shariah advisor to various financial institutions, asset managers, wealth managers, Islamic index providers and family offices.

Asim has led his team to successfully execute various type of engagements including banks and product conversions from conventional to Islamic, developing new Shariah compliant products for all suites of banking including retail, wholesale, commercial, investment and private banking. Asim has also advised on and structured various Islamic financial instruments including Sukuk, funds (including equity, real estate and infrastructure), structured notes, credit linked notes and Shariah compliant derivative solutions.

On the fund raising and distribution, over the last couple of years, Asim has led Khalij Group to raise in excess of USD 500 million for its clients and developed assets under advisory which are currently in excess of USD 4.7 billion.

Asim is a speaker on Islamic finance and continues to speak at various events and forums, including Islamic finance conferences, events, and trainings and also appeared on television for various UK, European and Asian TV channels. Asim also holds an honorary doctorate in comparative religion.

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

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

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

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

Dr Ehab Elsonbaty’s practice focuses on sovereign wealth funds, government advice as well as projects and affairs, corporate matters, corporate governance, sustainability, ESG and Shariah compliant legal services. He advises Middle Eastern entities seeking to do business in the Americas and American clients seeking to do business in the Middle East. Ehab’s extensive transactional and regulatory experience enables him to provide efficient and effective strategic legal support in a wide variety of business matters. Ehab is a strategic adviser to many boards or directors and advisory boards. He helps the firm deliver seamless cross-border solutions for Middle East entities. Among them are corporate enterprises, private equity investors, family offices, government entities and sovereign wealth funds. He helps clients maximize inbound and outbound opportunities arising from this dynamic region, providing comprehensive bilingual legal services and sensitive on-the-ground awareness of each geography in this diverse region. Before joining DLA Piper, Ehab served as Senior Legal Counsel and Head of Corporate Governance and Government Affairs and Senior Adviser to the General Counsel on Special Projects at the Qatar Investment Authority, Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund and one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world. There, he was responsible for strategic, corporate, sustainability, ESG and special projects and transactions valued at billions of dollars as well as was a member of several management committees including the Management Investment Committee and the Crisis Management Committee. Earlier in his career, he served for six years as Senior Legal Adviser to the Amiri Diwan, the office of the Amir of Qatar at the Royal Court. During this time, Ehab was also a member of many policy and legal committees, among them the Permanent Legislative Committee of the Council of Ministers and the Committee for Review of Legislation as well as a Member of the National Committee to Review Commercial Laws of the Ministry of Economy and Trade. Ehab drafted and contributed to several laws and regulations of Qatar, GCC and Middle East. In addition, he served as a public prosecutor in the Egyptian public prosecution, and as a Judge in the commercial courts and was Assistant Minister of Justice for more than 15 years, most recently as a Judge in Cairo’s Court of Appeal. He is currently admitted to the Bar in Egypt and is a certified and practicing arbitrator and mediator and a Member of the Egyptian Judges Club. During his service in Egypt, Ehab was seconded to the Ministry of Justice’s Office for International Cooperation and Human Rights, was an Adviser to the Minister of Telecommunication and Information Technology, a Member of the National Committee for Humanitarian Law, a Member of the National Committee for Counter-Terrorism and the national committee to control the public elections. He has provided consultancy support to several regional and international organizations such as the UN, United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime, International Telecommunication Union, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the Council of Europe and the Arab League.

Farmida Bi CBE has been our Europe, Middle East and Asia chair since May 2018. When Norton Rose Fulbright LLP and Norton Rose Fulbright Australia integrated on July 1, 2025, she became EMEAPAC Chair. Her priorities are supporting Norton Rose Fulbright’s vision of providing exceptional client service and fostering a culture of inclusivity and connectivity across the firm’s 50+ offices worldwide. Farmida has continued to work in her own practice of debt capital markets and Islamic finance, and she has a particular interest in the role Islamic finance, as a form of ethical finance, can play in unlocking funding for ESG initiatives designed to promote the UN Social Development Goals. Recognized in the ‘Hall of Fame’ for both debt capital markets and Islamic finance in The Legal 500 UK 2022, Farmida’s leadership and practice have also been acknowledged with awards such as the Financial News ’Fifty Most Influential Lawyers 2022′, ‘Top 20 Most Influential in Legal Services 2021’ and ‘100 Most Influential Women in European Finance’ from 2019-2021; the HERoes Top 100 Role Model List 2022, 2020 and 2019; The Lawyer’s ‘Hot 100 Leaders 2019’; the ‘Outstanding Practitioner Award 2019’ at the Euromoney: Europe Women in Business Law Awards; ‘Finance Team of the Year 2018′ at the Legal Business Awards; and the Financial Times ’100 Innovative Lawyers Europe 2018’. In addition to her work at Norton Rose Fulbright, Farmida is also Chair of Trustees for the Barbican Centre Trust (which raises funding for the Barbican, the largest performing arts center in Europe) and for the Patchwork Foundation (a charity that promotes engagement in politics and civil society for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds). Farmida was recognized for her services to the law and to charity by the UK’s HM The Queen in the 2020 Birthday Honours by being made a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE). She is a graduate of Downing College, Cambridge and qualified as a solicitor in 1992, and as a New York attorney in 1999.

Imam Qazi is a senior partner and board member of Foot Anstey LLP. He is an Islamic finance specialist with considerable experience in dealing with a range of structured investment, finance and development transactions. An active participant in the Islamic Finance market for over 20 years, Imam has developed and leads a broad Islamic Finance practice advising investors and financial institutions on a range of shariah compliant products and structures. Imam is a member of the Advisory Board of the Association of Muslim Lawyers, a founder board member of an Ethnic Solicitors Network and an active member of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Islamic and Ethical Finance. Imam is head of the Legal, Tax and Regulatory working group of the Islamic Finance and Halal Economy Hybrid Group and has been appointed to the steering committee of the Islamic Finance for Growth UK Taskforce. Imam holds various qualifications in Islamic Finance, including the IFQ from the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment, and regularly lectures on, and publishes commentary on, Islamic Finance matters. Imam is now the author of the Islamic Finance Chapter in Sweet & Maxwell’s Practical Lending and Security Precedents as well as LexisNexis practice notes. He also provides training on Islamic Finance for BPP, Central Law Training, MBL, various universities and the Law Society.

Prof. Dr. Imam Uddin is a Pakistani academic, Shariah scholar and Islamic finance practitioner whose career bridges scholarship, banking practice and societal impact. At the Institute of Business Management (IoBM), Karachi, he serves as Associate Dean – Industry Relations, College of Business Management; Founding Director of the Centre for Islamic Business and Finance (CIBF); and Professor of Accounting and Finance. He holds a Post-Doctorate in Islamic Finance from Florida International University, a PhD in Islamic Business and Finance, an LL.B., a Postgraduate Diploma in Islamic Banking and Finance, and a specialization in Islamic jurisprudence. He is an SECP-registered Shariah Advisor, a trainer for NIBAF-State Bank of Pakistan, and a member of FPCCI’s Central Standing Committee on Islamic Economics and Finance. His academic leadership is complemented by 10 years of Islamic banking experience at National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), encompassing Shariah advisory, capacity building and product development. His innovations include a Musawamah-based Halal Purchase Card as a Shariah-compliant alternative to conventional credit cards, and NISA CIRCLE, a Shariah-compliant digital savings-to-business finance platform that transforms informal savings networks into regulated digital accounts and pathways to women-led enterprise finance. He has authored and edited publications on Islamic finance, capital markets, fintech, microfinance, sustainable development and financial transformation, and speaks regularly at international academic and industry forums. As Chief Organizer of IoBM’s flagship International Conference on Islamic Business and Finance, he has helped develop a global platform connecting scholars, regulators, financial institutions and practitioners. Through CIBF, he leads professional education, research and industry engagement, alongside initiatives advancing ethical finance, financial literacy, digital inclusion and community empowerment.

James Lawrence, CFA, is Chief Investment Officer at Smart Pension. With over a decade of experience working in the pensions industry, he is responsible for designing and running the investment strategy of the £2.5 billion Smart Pension Master Trust. Lawrence builds innovative solutions with Smart Pension’s investment manager partners, harnessing Smart’s technology capabilities and transitioning its investments to net zero by 2040. He previously worked at Mercer, where he led the investment strategy for Mercer Workplace Savings, the company’s UK Direct Contribution fiduciary business.

Jonathan Ercanbrack is a Reader in Transnational Financial Law whose research examines how legal authority, institutional structures, and market practices shape the governance of global finance. His work focuses particularly on Islamic legal contexts and cross-border financial regulation, combining comparative law, socio-legal analysis, and financial regulation to explore how legal norms are created, adapted, and contested beyond the nation-state. His academic background is multidisciplinary, spanning language, economics, political economy, and law. He studied German Language and Literature at the University of Utah and at the Universität Heidelberg, before completing an MSc at the London School of Economics and a PhD in Law at SOAS University of London, where he specialised in legal pluralism and transnational financial regulation. His first monograph, The Transformation of Islamic Law in Global Financial Markets (2015), reconceptualises Islamic financial law as a transnational legal order shaped by global institutions and standard-setting bodies. This focus on institutional authority continues in his work on the standardisation of Islamic financial rules. His co-authored book, Islamic Contract Law (2024), further develops this agenda by analysing Islamic contract doctrines through the framework of modern contract law. Jonathan has also conducted influential research on informal value-transfer systems such as hawala, highlighting their interaction with state regulation. This expertise informs his work as an expert witness in international money laundering cases. His recent research explores blockchain and smart contracts, extending his analysis into emerging financial technologies.

Jonathan Grosvenor is a Partner in the Banking and Finance team at Trowers & Hamlins’ London office. His practice covers a broad range of domestic and cross-border debt finance transactions, including senior and mezzanine lending, syndicated financings, real estate investment and development financing, and general corporate lending. Jon advises on all aspects of debt finance and has expertise in real estate finance and debt capital markets transactions. His experience includes syndicated structures, Islamic finance transactions, and hedging arrangements across a variety of complex financing structures.

He regularly acts for market participants across the capital structure, including arrangers, lenders, borrowers, sponsors, funds, and issuers, with a strong focus on transactions in the real estate sector.

Lawrence Oliver is a Director and Deputy CEO of DDCAP and its subsidiaries, DD&Co Limited and DDGI Limited. Lawrence has worked in the Islamic finance market for more than twenty-five years. He joined DDCAP in April 1998. Previously, he was a member of the team responsible for the Islamic Finance and Investment activity at Kleinwort Benson Limited. Lawrence is responsible for the company’s Business Development and Trading Desk including the evolvement and placement of its fintech solutions and has extensive experience of arranging asset-based transactions, which conform to Sharia stipulation. He specialises in Sharia compliant structured finance and asset origination. His broad knowledge of the physical commodity sector has enabled him to evolve the traditional merchant trading capabilities of DD&Co Limited for the benefit of institutional clients operating within the Islamic financial sector.

Lawrence is a member of the advisory board of CDIT, an initiative launched in September 2018 by the Responsible Finance & Investment Foundation (RFI) with the aim of improving transparency and accountability in the responsible finance industry. In 2021, Lawrence was invited by AAOIFI to join the AAOIFI Governance and Ethics committee’s Commodity Murabaha working group.  Lawrence is a regular speaker at many annual Islamic conferences held in the GCC, Southeast Asia and Europe.

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

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

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

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 has 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.

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 in Law and is a Certified Shariah Adviser 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.

Mufti Faraz Adam is a leading Shariah advisor specialising in Islamic finance, fintech, and digital assets, with a particular focus on the application of Shariah principles to emerging financial technologies. He is widely recognised for his ability to bridge classical Islamic jurisprudence with modern financial innovation, supporting institutions, regulators, and market participants in navigating complex Shariah issues. Since 2022, he has served as Shariah Advisor – Digital Assets, Tokenisation & Web3 at Fasset, where he provides strategic guidance on the development and governance of Shariah-compliant digital asset solutions and tokenised financial structures. His work includes advising on product design, regulatory positioning, and the operationalisation of compliant Web3 and stablecoin-related use cases within a rapidly evolving digital asset landscape. Mufti Faraz is the Founder of Amanah Advisors, a specialist Shariah advisory firm, and serves as Shariah adviser to a number of international financial institutions and fintech platforms, particularly in the area of Shariah-compliant digital assets and tokenised structures. He has been closely involved in advising on the permissibility, governance, and implementation of digital asset products, including stablecoin-related applications. Academically trained in both traditional Islamic scholarship and modern finance, Mufti Faraz holds advanced qualifications in Islamic jurisprudence and has completed postgraduate studies in Islamic finance. He is a regular speaker at international conferences and training programmes, engaging with bankers, Shariah committees, regulators, and policymakers across multiple jurisdictions.

Muzzammil Dhedhy is a financial services executive with extensive experience across risk, compliance and corporate governance, supporting the growth of businesses operating within highly regulated environments.

As Executive Director and Chief Risk and Compliance Officer of Hejaz Group, Muzzammil plays a key role in overseeing the Group’s risk and compliance functions while supporting its broader strategic direction. His work spans Hejaz’s financial services and technology businesses, including Halal Money, an investment app designed to provide simpler digital access to Sharia-compliant investment opportunities.

Muzzammil also serves as Executive Director of Wahda, bringing his governance and risk expertise to the development of a global Muslim app designed as a digital home for Muslims.

Across his roles, Muzzammil contributes to strengthening the governance and operational foundations that support Hejaz, Halal Money and Wahda as they continue to grow.

Neil McCarroll is Partner at Mourant Law LP and part of the firm’s finance and corporate practice. During his career, Neil has worked on a broad range of corporate and finance transactions, including private M&A, complex equity and debt restructurings, lender and borrower side financing, and has particular expertise and experience in private equity transactions. Before joining Mourant, Neil was a Senior Associate in London with Taylor Wessing, working in their private equity team.

Nick Edmondes has been the resident managing partner of Trowers’s Kuala Lumpur office since 2015 when the firm became the first foreign law firm to be granted a qualified foreign law firm license in Malaysia. Nick’s 36 years of experience includes major infrastructure project development and finance, privatization, corporate structuring, restructuring and cross-border investment, particularly in real estate.

Nick has worked in London and Trowers’s overseas offices, and in the 1990s, Nick established the firm’s Islamic Finance Group, which has grown to be recognized as a First Tier practice in the Legal 500 directory of law firms. He remains a key client partner for a number of international Islamic financial institutions.

Nick has been recognized as a ‘Notable Practitioner in Islamic Finance’ in the Chambers & Partners Legal Directory 2014, and as a ‘Legal Expert in the field of Project Energy and Natural Resources (including PFI)’ in the Legal Business: Legal Experts directory 2010. Nick has written many articles and has spoken regularly on a variety of topics in the UK, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, among many other countries, on diverse subjects from inward investment to the UK to private sector financing for the public sector and Islamic finance.

Nitish Bhojnagarwala is an Executive Director with Moody’s Financial Institutions Group. Based in Dubai, Nitish covers a portfolio of large conventional as well as Islamic financial institutions in the Middle East, Africa and Turkiye. 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 pieces, with a focus on regional banking, credit issues and issuer-in-depths for conventional as well as Islamic banks. Prior to joining Moody’s, Nitish spent five years at Tamweel in the Treasury function. He has also worked for KPMG in the UAE, where he covered financial institutions. Nitish holds an MBA from S P Jain Institute of Management & Research, with a major in Finance (Investment Banking).

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 – nine years in Passive Sales where she held responsibility for client coverage across Southern Europe and three 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 six 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.

Patrick, a Fixed Income Lead and Portfolio Manager, joined Saturna Capital in October 2014. He was a former Adjunct Professor of Finance for the Sustainable MBA Program at the Bainbridge Graduate Institute currently known as Presidio Graduate School. Patrick holds a BA in Economics from Western Washington University and an MBA from Seattle University Albers School of Business. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst and a Certified Financial Planner. Prior to joining Saturna Capital, Patrick led ESG research and was Director of Fixed Income Portfolio Management since 2007 with a private account group at UBS Institutional Consulting Services specializing in investment management for global conservation and national wildlife park endowments as well as sustainable-social screened client portfolios. He is a former Chair of the United Nation’s Principles for Investment Fixed Income Outreach Subcommittee and a current Member of the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment’s Bondholder Engagement Working Group, an advisory committee working to elevate important ESG considerations and best practices among issuers and investors. Patrick’s past experience also includes business valuation at Moss Adams and portfolio management at Washington Mutual Bank. He lives in Bellingham and is a proud father of two. He enjoys sea kayaking, hiking and being part of the Pacific Northwest community. Patrick is a Member of the Board of Trustees to the Museum of Glass in Tacoma and a Rotary Member.

Safeer Bashir is a UK-based entrepreneur, investor and real estate professional with a particular focus on property investment, family offices and impact-driven investment strategies. A graduate in Information Technology from Kingston University, Safeer has built his career around entrepreneurship and investment, developing an extensive international network spanning investors, family offices, business leaders and entrepreneurs. He has been involved in a range of investment and business ventures and is currently associated with Piccadilly & Co Ltd, with a focus on UK and international real estate opportunities. Safeer is particularly interested in aligning commercial investment with positive social outcomes. This includes his work with the Sadaqah Garden Property Fund, a Shariah-compliant real estate investment initiative designed to combine commercial investment objectives with humanitarian and community impact. He has presented the concept to international family office and investment audiences, including at the Global Family Office Investment Summit. Alongside his commercial activities, Safeer is actively involved in charitable and philanthropic initiatives. He has supported organisations focused on cancer research and care and maintains a strong interest in using investment, entrepreneurship and international networks to support communities and create sustainable social impact.

Sajid Bashir is Founder and CEO of Copperstones International Properties, a London-based boutique real estate firm specialising in luxury residential and commercial property, new developments and international property investment. With more than 25 years of experience in the property industry, Sajid has developed extensive expertise across the UK, UAE and international real estate markets. He has advised investors on high-value residential developments and property investment opportunities, building a substantial network of high and ultra-high-net-worth clients and investors. Under Sajid’s leadership, Copperstones has developed an international presence spanning key property markets including London, Dubai, New York and Miami. The firm specialises in prime and luxury property, off-plan and new-build developments, providing a highly personalised advisory service to private investors and international clients. Sajid combines his experience as a real estate professional with that of an investor, giving him a practical understanding of investment strategy, market dynamics and the requirements of sophisticated property investors. He has particular expertise in the UK and UAE markets and maintains strong relationships with developers, investors and other participants across the international property sector. Sajid studied at the University of Exeter and is based in London.

Satyajeet Roy is a seasoned executive with 30 years of international banking experience across the Middle East, UK, Europe, and India, spanning the commercial, SME, and retail segments. He brings extensive cross-functional expertise in business strategy, risk management, audit, and operations.

Before joining Habib Bank AG Zurich, Satyajeet Roy held several significant roles including Head of Business Banking at Commercial Bank International in the UAE. His tenure at Citigroup saw him in various high-profile positions, including Head of Commercial Banking for UAE and Bahrain in Dubai, EMEA Head of Business Development for Business Banking in London, and Lead Auditor for EMEA Audit and Risk Review in the UK.

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.

Shabnam Mokhtar has over 20 years of experience in the finance space. Currently, she spearheads research and development activities at SHAPE including sustainability analysis. With a global clientele experience, Shabnam brings implementation knowledge, considering the business context, regulation and best practices in different markets. Shabnam was appointed as the Securities Commission – Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, Islamic Finance Visiting Fellow for 2021/2022. She is interested in multi-disciplinary research especially in the areas of impact investing, sustainability, innovation and technology. At Oxford, Shabnam focused on the blue economy, impact investing and lessons for Islamic finance. Formerly, she headed the capital market research for the International Shariah Research Academy. Her focus area was case study-based research projects in the Sukuk market. Her prior positions include Adjunct Professor of Finance at both DePaul University (Chicago) and IE Business School (Madrid) as well as Lecturer in Accounting, Finance and Bank Management at Universiti Putra Malaysia. She is also a member of the AAOIFI Examination Review Committee. Shabnam serves as a Shariah Committee Member for RHB Islamic Bank, AIA Public Takaful and London-based Islamic fintech Algbra.

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.

Stéphane Brown is Chairman and Co-founder of ASAM. He is currently a board member of Malaz Capital, a Shariah Asset Manager. He previously served in roles spanning the GCC, Europe, and North America including Group COO of Arcapita and MENA COO at Morgan Stanley. His career also includes roles at JP Morgan, Lehman Brothers and Booz Allen Hamilton.

Tolibjon is a founding member, and co-manager on the Islamic Equities Strategy. He joined Baillie Gifford in 2011 and has spent time working on regional as well as large and small cap global equities teams. Prior to joining the firm, he worked in the corporate finance department of an FMCG company, before founding a price comparison website in Central Asia covering insurance, banking, and telecom sectors. Tolibjon graduated with an LLB in Law from Queen Mary University of London in 2008 and is a CFA Charterholder.

Abdulwahhab Abed is SEDCO Capital’s Chief Executive Officer, his latest role in an illustrious 18-year association with the firm. A results-driven leader, he is well regarded in the investment and asset management industry for successfully managing a diverse range of business lines.

Mr Abed brings to the role extensive hands-on experience in charting strategic business plans; negotiating investment opportunities across a range of asset classes and geographies; structuring funding for portfolios; developing optimal exit strategies; and building shareholder and client value. He also has sound legal expertise and proven experience in leading merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions and in negotiating deals and partnerships with a wide array of regional and international corporates.

Before his appointment as CEO, Mr Abed held various roles in the firm, the most recent of which were Chief Business Development Officer, Chief Investment Officer, Head of Corporate Finance, Head of Real Estate and Vice President of Private Equity. He currently chairs the Investment, Management Committees and the Product Development Committee.

Mr Abed has an MBA (Finance major) and a BSc (Finance and Accounting double majors), both from Bentley University’s McCallum School of Business in the USA. Mr Abed is a graduate of Misk 2030 Leaders program.

Ali Ozyon is a marketing and technology executive focused on building brands and experiences designed to better serve Muslim communities.

As Chief Marketing Officer of Hejaz Group, Ali plays a key role in shaping the Group’s brand, marketing and global growth strategy across its financial services and technology businesses. His work also extends to Halal Money, Hejaz’s investment app designed to provide simpler access to Sharia-compliant investment opportunities.

Ali is also the Creator of Wahda, a global Muslim app being developed as a digital home for Muslims. He plays a central role in shaping Wahda’s vision, brand and global positioning, with a focus on creating an experience that reflects the needs and values of Muslims today.

Across his work, Ali brings together brand, technology and culture to help shape the next generation of Muslim-focused products and experiences.

Azim is a seasoned C-suite leader with extensive experience in leading and growing takaful businesses. He is currently Non-Executive Director of FWD Takaful, Malaysia. Previously he served as CEO of Prudential BSN Takaful Berhad where he led the business to significant success through a credo of innovation, customer-centricity and adherence to the principles and practical applications of Islamic Finance. His most recent executive role was Group Commercial Officer with FWD Insurance in Hong Kong. Overall, Azim has 35 years of experience in the takaful and insurance industries across Asia and the UK. He is a UK-qualified Chartered Actuary (FIA C.Act), Chartered Islamic Finance Professional (CIFP) and holds a Diploma in Islamic Finance from CIMA. He has also written various articles on takaful and served as Chair of the IFoA Takaful Working Party.

Dr Ehab Elsonbaty’s practice focuses on sovereign wealth funds, government advice as well as projects and affairs, corporate matters, corporate governance, sustainability, ESG and Shariah compliant legal services. He advises Middle Eastern entities seeking to do business in the Americas and American clients seeking to do business in the Middle East. Ehab’s extensive transactional and regulatory experience enables him to provide efficient and effective strategic legal support in a wide variety of business matters. Ehab is a strategic adviser to many boards or directors and advisory boards. He helps the firm deliver seamless cross-border solutions for Middle East entities. Among them are corporate enterprises, private equity investors, family offices, government entities and sovereign wealth funds. He helps clients maximize inbound and outbound opportunities arising from this dynamic region, providing comprehensive bilingual legal services and sensitive on-the-ground awareness of each geography in this diverse region. Before joining DLA Piper, Ehab served as Senior Legal Counsel and Head of Corporate Governance and Government Affairs and Senior Adviser to the General Counsel on Special Projects at the Qatar Investment Authority, Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund and one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world. There, he was responsible for strategic, corporate, sustainability, ESG and special projects and transactions valued at billions of dollars as well as was a member of several management committees including the Management Investment Committee and the Crisis Management Committee. Earlier in his career, he served for six years as Senior Legal Adviser to the Amiri Diwan, the office of the Amir of Qatar at the Royal Court. During this time, Ehab was also a member of many policy and legal committees, among them the Permanent Legislative Committee of the Council of Ministers and the Committee for Review of Legislation as well as a Member of the National Committee to Review Commercial Laws of the Ministry of Economy and Trade. Ehab drafted and contributed to several laws and regulations of Qatar, GCC and Middle East. In addition, he served as a public prosecutor in the Egyptian public prosecution, and as a Judge in the commercial courts and was Assistant Minister of Justice for more than 15 years, most recently as a Judge in Cairo’s Court of Appeal. He is currently admitted to the Bar in Egypt and is a certified and practicing arbitrator and mediator and a Member of the Egyptian Judges Club. During his service in Egypt, Ehab was seconded to the Ministry of Justice’s Office for International Cooperation and Human Rights, was an Adviser to the Minister of Telecommunication and Information Technology, a Member of the National Committee for Humanitarian Law, a Member of the National Committee for Counter-Terrorism and the national committee to control the public elections. He has provided consultancy support to several regional and international organizations such as the UN, United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime, International Telecommunication Union, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the Council of Europe and the Arab League.

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.

Dr Shaher Abbas is the founder and CEO of IFIN, the first-of-its-kind Islamic fintech that is geared to redefine the Islamic finance industry. He is also the co-founder of IFAAS, the leading international consultancy specializing in Islamic finance.

Dr Shaher has over 20 years of experience across the Islamic finance landscape, including banking, Shariah governance, product development, auditing and training with extensive knowledge in the fintech sphere.

Dr Shaher’s technical expertise and ability to innovate have been internationally acclaimed and endorsed as he received the ‘Ethical Finance Innovation Challenge Award’ twice — in 2013 for IFAAS and in 2021 for IFIN — the IsDB Private Sector Forum Competition 2023 award, the MIT Enterprise Forum Arab Startup Competition 2022 award and the Arab Financial Inclusion Innovation Prize 2018.

Dr Shaher holds a PhD in Islamic financial engineering from Durham University, UK and a Master’s degree in Islamic economics, banking and finance from Loughborough University, UK. He is also an AAOIFI-certified Shariah advisor and auditor.