Bilal Kahlon is a partner in Trowers & Hamlins’s Bahrain office.

Bilal has over 10 years of experience in banking and finance matters in the Gulf region with a particular expertise in project finance, Islamic finance and debt capital markets.

Bilal leads Trowers & Hamlins’s Saudi finance practice and has consistently been recognized as a leading lawyer in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain by international legal directories including Chambers and Partners, Legal 500 and IFLR. Having grown up in Bahrain, Bilal has strong ties with Bahrain and the Gulf region as a whole. Bilal is admitted to practice in England.

With over 25 years of experience as an international corporate and energy lawyer, Elina Mohamed has worked across various fields, including corporate and project financing as well as corporate governance, energy and infrastructure projects.

Elina is currently the group general counsel at Bapco Energies, where she is responsible for the oversight and management of Bapco Energies’s legal functions.

Prior to joining the company, Elina held the position of general counsel at Oman Oil Refineries and Petroleum Industries Company during which she oversaw the legal and compliance function as well as led the legal workstream under the Nakhla Integration Program which launched in December 2018. The program explored value generation across Oman’s oil and gas sectors.

Elina’s expertise extends back to her early career at Shearn Delamore & Co, where she later joined MMC, a listed Malaysian utility and infrastructure conglomerate, in which she became the group legal advisor. At MMC, Elina was also the board’s secretary and special assistant to the group chairman.

Elina graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Leeds and was called to the English Bar and Malaysian Bar. She also holds the Diploma in Shariah Law and Practice from International Islamic University Malaysia.

Fawaz Ghazal is a seasoned financial services professional with over 22 years of experience in the industry. He is currently CEO of Flooss Bahrain, the first digital lending company in the Kingdom of Bahrain, which aims to democratize financial services.

Prior to this role, Fawaz served as CEO of Payment International Enterprise, where he led the company to obtain a license from the central bank and launched as a payment service provider in the Kingdom, and also secured the first MasterCard issuer license for an independent issuer.

Fawaz holds a Bachelor’s degree in communications and electronic engineering, as well as an MBA from New York Institute of Technology.

Fawaz’s expertise in the fields of financial services, payments, digital lending, mobile-first banking services, business development and alliance/partnership management has made him a recognized leader in the fintech industry in the Kingdom and the region.

Overall, Fawaz is a progressive-minded entrepreneur who has played a pivotal role in the growth and development of the fintech industry in Bahrain. His experience, knowledge and skills have made him a valuable asset to the organizations he has served, and his commitment to democratizing financial services has made him a respected figure in the industry.

Dr Gulnar Mulla is one of the most distinguished academicians with vast experience in academia, the private sector and the banking industry. She is the head of the Finance Department and also a specialist in Islamic banking at the University of Technology, Bahrain. She has almost more than 10 years of extensive experience at the university disseminating the knowledge of Shariah and Islamic finance at the graduate and postgraduate levels through teaching, publishing innovative research, examining doctoral dissertations, editing refereed journals, participating in fixing standards on Shariah issues for Islamic financial institutions and counseling Muslim communities.

Dr Gulnar is a dynamic and motivated professional with a proven record of generating and building relationships, managing projects she was assigned from concept to completion, designing educational strategies and coaching individuals to success. She possesses the required expertise in building cross-functional teams, demonstrating exceptional communication skills and making critical decisions during challenges. Dr Gulnar is an adaptable and transformational leader with an ability to work independently. She is a highly passionate, competitive and creative individual and her goal is to add value to the spaces where she thrives in.

Hakan Ozyon is a seasoned business expert known for leading innovative strategies and nurturing talent. His dedication to excellence has enabled him to optimize all aspects of business management. 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. With over 30 years of experience in business, he is a strategic visionary with a knack for building relationships, particularly in competitive areas. His role as CEO involves setting strategic paths and forming financial alliances. Notably, he has spent a decade transforming visions into pioneering Islamic financial services. Respected globally for his business acumen, Hakan is also a director at Islamic Bank Australia.

Husain Ali Sayed has more than 20 years of experience in leading digital transformation projects and has contributed remarkably to fintech and innovations across the region. He has worked in leading financial institutions and he is passionate about enhancing customers’ digital experience. He worked in well-established corporates and founded/co-founded start-ups as well, so he is well poised to serve investors and merchants in the most rewarding ways. Husain holds an MBA degree from the University of Strathclyde and a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science from the University of Bahrain. Additionally, he has some executive, professional and technical qualifications in marketing, project management and digital growth.

Ijlal Ahmed Alvi has wide-ranging experience in the financial services industry with regional and international financial institutions spanning over three decades.

As CEO of the International Islamic Financial Market (IIFM) for the last 18 years, Ijlal has been devoted to the goal of facilitating unification and harmonization in the Islamic finance industry globally and has overseen the development of universally standardized Shariah compliant financial documentation and product templates in the areas of liquidity management, hedging, trade finance and Sukuk.

In addition to his responsibilities as CEO, secretary to the board and spokesperson of IIFM, Ijlal also manages IIFM’s comprehensive standards development process and leads the project specific market consultation exercise, global working groups and legal documentation drafting process and is actively involved in the IIFM Shariah board’s guidance and approval process.

Ijlal also supervises IIFM’s industry awareness seminars, training workshops as well as publication of white papers on specific industry topics and the IIFM’s flagship annual Sukuk Report.

Ijlal is a regular speaker at international conferences and also contributes articles in various international and Islamic finance publications.

Luma Saqqaf is a recognized sustainable finance consultant in the MENA region and is called upon by corporates, financial institutions, funds and asset managers to advise on aspects of sustainable value creation, sustainable and ESG strategy and its integration into their business. She also counsels regulators and financial markets in the MENA region on sustainable finance regulations and the development of the capital markets in the MENA region.

Luma has been at the forefront of finance, Islamic finance, sustainability and entrepreneurship in the MENA region and Europe for three decades. A former partner and global head of Islamic finance at Magic Circle law firm Linklaters, she has more than 20 years of experience in legal practice, including practicing at the two Magic Circle law firms, Allen & Overy and Linklaters, where she was a finance partner and global head of the Islamic Finance Group. She led teams across Europe, the Middle East and Asia on groundbreaking transactions covering finance and capital markets including Shariah compliant Sukuk (bonds), loans, securitization and structured finance, derivatives and fund transactions.

Luma is now CEO of Ajyal Sustainability Consulting and is also a regular speaker at conferences and contributor to articles on the topics of sustainable finance in the MENA region.

Luma is also the founder of investment group Ajyal Group and ethical luxury womenswear brand BYLUMA and has advised and mentored several social enterprises in the MENA region. She holds a Master of Law degree from the University of Bristol in the UK, and a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Jordan, and has attended the Harvard executive business education program (YPO Harvard Business Leadership Program 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019).

Mughees Shaukat is a global Islamic financial strategist; policy advisor, senior manager at AAOIFI, Bahrain; a fintech specialist at MIT, US; an Islamic banking advisor in Oman; a strategic partner at ESGQ for Green Finance in Almaty, Kazakhstan; the pioneer head of Islamic finance at the College of Banking and Financial Studies (CBFS); and also worked in the Central Bank of Oman.

Mughees is a thought leader, prolific author, renowned public speaker and prominent contributor in local and global policy and strategic affairs. Under his leadership and global contributions, Mughees made CBFS into a global entity, winning the GIFA award from the president of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. He was also awarded as the ‘Fintech Leader of the Year 2020’ by Turkiye and has featured on the front cover of a top international financial magazine as a global personality, strategist and thought leader.

Mughees is a PhD scholar in (Islamic) economics and finance, specializing in entrepreneurship and policies for entrepreneurial ecosystems in the GCC, while holding multiple strategic and advisory positions. He is also the ex-vice-chairman of the AAOIFI’s Education Board, Bahrain; a member of the Blockchain Society, Oman; and an AAOIFI-certified Shariah advisor and auditor, among others.

Rachid Ettaai is a multi-skilled professional with a set of competencies from different disciplines. He is currently The Business Development Manager at the General Council for Islamic Banks and Financial Institutions an international organization headquartered in Bahrain. He is responsible of developing partnerships and collaborations with international organisations to support CIBAFI’s mission. He worked on successful projects and initiatives with organizations such as IsDB, UN, UNEP FI, the World Bank and other stakeholders. He also contributed to the management of a portfolio of research projects related to Islamic Finance with a budget around 500k USD.

Rachid’s areas of interest and expertise cover Business strategy, digital transformation, Islamic finance and sustainability. He is also the head of Strategic Planning at Turritopsis, Strategic Institute of Sustainable Development, headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.

Rachid is a multi-lingual finance professional who holds a Master’s degree in Financial Engineering and Risk Management from the National School of IT (ENSIAS), Rabat, Morocco; and a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Computer Sciences from University Cadi Ayyad, Marrakesh, Morocco.

Dr Rizwan Malik is a passionate advocate of Islamic finance with 12-plus years of diverse experience in investments, advisory, research, strategy and business development. Since June 2023, he has been the head of the Islamic Finance Centre at the Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance.

Prior to his current role, Dr Rizwan was an executive director of standards implementation and strategic developments at AAOIFI, the oldest standard-setting organization within the global Islamic finance industry.

Prior to AAOIFI, Dr Rizwan headed the strategic planning and development team at Muscat National Development and Investment Company based in Muscat, Oman — a semi-government institution set up by the sovereign wealth fund of Oman and a number of government pension funds.

Dr Rizwan holds a Bachelor’s degree from Heriot Watt University, a Master of Science degree in banking and finance and a PhD from Kingston University London. His post-doctoral research focused on Islamic capital markets with an exclusive focus on equity investments.

Dr Rizwan has contributed to various conferences and events around the world and has written book chapters and articles in award-winning publications.

Sabir Ahmed is responsible for the structuring and execution of Shariah compliant capital markets, syndications, corporate finance and financial markets transactions in the GCC, the Southeast Asian region (Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Singapore), the UK and Turkey. Sabir has arranged 100-plus sovereign, quasi-sovereign, corporate and financial institution Islamic syndications and debt capital market transactions across multiple geographies, including a number of debut and award-winning deals. Sabir joined Standard Chartered in 2005 and has over 23 years of experience in the financial services industry of which 19 years were in Islamic banking. Sabir holds an MBA degree from the Institute of Business Administration, Karachi.

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.

Tamer Al Mauge is the Managing Director for the MENA region at Codebase Technologies and has enjoyed a dynamic career spanning 20 years in the fintech industry. His journey in the world of financial technology is marked by significant achievements and pioneering contributions. Before his current role, Tamer honed his expertise in sales and technology at NCR Corporation, a global leader in financial and retail technology solutions. Over 12 years, he spearheaded sales initiatives across the Middle East and Africa, working closely with tier one brands. Today, as the head of Codebase Technologies’ operations in the MENA region, Tamer leverages his extensive experience guiding clients through the rapidly evolving fintech world. His approach is not just about adapting to changes but also about being a step ahead in a digital-first financial landscape. A notable highlight of Tamer’s career is his role as a founding team member of Eazy Financial Services B.S.C. Here, he was instrumental in launching a groundbreaking payment network. His expertise is not limited to technological innovation. Tamer is also a Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) approved individual. This underscores his deep understanding of regulatory frameworks and compliance, further enhancing his capability to navigate the complex financial sector. Tamer’s influence extends through strong relationships in the government and private sectors, notably in Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, and beyond. His strategic networking and collaboration skills have been pivotal in establishing and nurturing these key connections. With an impressive track record in financial technology, Tamer Al Mauge continues to be a visionary leader. His contributions are not just shaping Codebase Technologies’ success in the MENA region but also significantly impacting the fintech industry at large.

Sayed Jaffer Mohamed holds the position of partner and CEO at Hassan Radhi and Associates since joining the firm in 2011, where he spearheads the development and execution of the firm’s long-term strategy. He is accountable for making all day-to-day management decisions and implementing the firm’s long- and short-term plans.

Sayed possesses vast experience in handling various transactions pertaining to corporate matters. With his extensive financing background, Sayed is well-equipped to offer advice on conventional and Islamic financing, restructuring finance facilities and collateralization of finance.

Sayed has an impressive background in accounting and auditing from 1991 to 2006, during which he held various positions in different organizations, including Cooper & Lybrand, among others.

From 2006 to 2009, Sayed worked as a consultant at the Ministry of Health and he then served as the assistant undersecretary for financial and technical Affairs at the Ministry of Health from 2009 to 2011.

Sayed’s educational background includes a Bachelor in Law degree from Bahrain University in 2006, a Certified Public Accountant qualification from the American Institute of CPAs in the US in 2000 and a Bachelor in Accounting degree from Bahrain University in 1990.

Dr Gulnar Mulla is one of the most distinguished academicians with vast experience in academia, the private sector and the banking industry. She is the head of the Finance Department and also a specialist in Islamic banking at the University of Technology, Bahrain. She has almost more than 10 years of extensive experience at the university disseminating the knowledge of Shariah and Islamic finance at the graduate and postgraduate levels through teaching, publishing innovative research, examining doctoral dissertations, editing refereed journals, participating in fixing standards on Shariah issues for Islamic financial institutions and counseling Muslim communities.

Dr Gulnar is a dynamic and motivated professional with a proven record of generating and building relationships, managing projects she was assigned from concept to completion, designing educational strategies and coaching individuals to success. She possesses the required expertise in building cross-functional teams, demonstrating exceptional communication skills and making critical decisions during challenges. Dr Gulnar is an adaptable and transformational leader with an ability to work independently. She is a highly passionate, competitive and creative individual and her goal is to add value to the spaces where she thrives in.

Ijlal Ahmed Alvi has wide-ranging experience in the financial services industry with regional and international financial institutions spanning over three decades.

As CEO of the International Islamic Financial Market (IIFM) for the last 18 years, Ijlal has been devoted to the goal of facilitating unification and harmonization in the Islamic finance industry globally and has overseen the development of universally standardized Shariah compliant financial documentation and product templates in the areas of liquidity management, hedging, trade finance and Sukuk.

In addition to his responsibilities as CEO, secretary to the board and spokesperson of IIFM, Ijlal also manages IIFM’s comprehensive standards development process and leads the project specific market consultation exercise, global working groups and legal documentation drafting process and is actively involved in the IIFM Shariah board’s guidance and approval process.

Ijlal also supervises IIFM’s industry awareness seminars, training workshops as well as publication of white papers on specific industry topics and the IIFM’s flagship annual Sukuk Report.

Ijlal is a regular speaker at international conferences and also contributes articles in various international and Islamic finance publications.

Lilian Le Falher has 26 years of experience in investment banking. He is an executive manager of Kuwait Finance House, Bahrain, heading treasury, financial institutions and capital markets. As a representative of KFH, he is a board member of the International Islamic Financial Market and the chairman of its executive committee. He has contributed to the development of various Shariah compliant structured products and investment schemes.

Prior to joining KFH in 2005, Lilian spent eight years with BNP Paribas in Europe and the Middle East. He ended his duty at BNP Paribas as the head of investment products for the Middle East region, dealing extensively in equity, bonds and structured products.

Lilian Le Falher holds a Master’s degree in banking and finance from Toulouse Business School (France) and he is a CFA charterholder.

Magdy Eissa took on the role of global business development when he joined IdealRatings in 2010 and he has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, working closely with global investment firms, research houses and financial institutions. Prior to IdealRatings, Magdy’s latest role was as the regional manager for a group of Euromoney institutional investor companies, responsible for the Middle East and Africa where he spent several years growing the business in the region and enhancing the products offered to include macroeconomic indicators, company information and Islamic finance data. Magdy holds a Bachelor’s degree in business administration from Egypt along with postgraduate qualifications in information technology from the UK.

Sabeen Saleem, CFA is the Chief Executive Officer of Islamic International Rating Agency. Ms. Sabeen has 25 years of multifaceted experience in financial risk assessments spanning banks and non-financial entities, fund managers and insurance companies, with specialized focus on Islamic finance in all of these areas. She has been associated with the credit ratings industry for over two decades and has pioneered ratings in the social sector of Pakistan, while also being actively involved in research endeavours of significance in Islamic finance. She is a Chartered Financial Analyst and has a master’s degree in business administration.