IFN OnAir

We explore the evolving landscape of Islamic investment management in Pakistan—from shifting asset allocation trends to the rise of mutual funds, ETFs, and REITs. What progress has been made in product innovation and investor access, and how effectively has Islamic asset management been positioned? Join us as we assess the next steps needed to scale Islamic investment and wealth management solutions across the country.Moderator:Rukhsana Narejo, Chief Treasury and Alternate Investments, Raqami IslamicPanelists:Imtiaz Gadar, Chief Executive, Al Meezan Investment Management LimitedNadir Rahman, CEO, Faysal FundsTariq Naseem, Head of Islamic Finance Department, Securities and Exchange Commission of PakistanTariq Sultan, Chief Business Development Officer and COO, Mahaana Wealth

Adnan Fasih, Group Head, Islamic Banking, Habib Bank AG ZurichZaid Naveed, Head Business Strategy and Market Intelligence, Habib Bank AG Zurich

Zeeshan Rehman Khattak, Commissioner – Specialized Companies Division, Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan

With key reforms underway, can Pakistan emerge as a regional hub for Islamic capital markets? We explore the strategic direction set by the Islamic Capital Market Development Committee and what it means for growth, innovation, and resilience. We ask how non-sovereign Sukuk issuance can be accelerated, and how capital markets will play a pivotal role in supporting the broader financial system conversion—unlocking new opportunities for both banking and non-banking sectors.Moderator:Farmida Bi, Chair, Europe, Middle East and Asia Pacific, Norton Rose FulbrightPanelists:Iffat Zehra Mankani, CEO, JS InvestmentsJawad Hashmi, General Manager, Chief Market Operations Officer, Pakistan Stock Exchange LimitedMuhammad Haris Munawar, Group Head - Wholesale Banking, BankIslami PakistanSyed Umair Alam Zaidi, SVP, Head of Debt Capital Markets and Syndications, Faysal Bank Limited

Moderator:Azhar Aslam, Head Islamic Banking, Pakistan, Standard Chartered SaadiqPanelists:Dr Mufti Irshad Ahmad Aijaz, Member Shariah Board, Standard Chartered Bank PakistanDr Mufti Muhammad Sarfaraz Nihal, Resident Shariah Board Member, Standard Chartered Bank PakistanMufti Muhammad Abdul Mubeen, Group Head Shariah, Standard Chartered Bank, Member Shariah Board, Standard Chartered Bank Pakistan & Shariah Committee, Standard Chartered Saadiq Berhad Malaysia

How are Islamic financial institutions leveraging digital tools and fintech partnerships to transform service delivery, drive innovation, and expand financial inclusion? We explore how AI, mobile apps, and tech-enabled platforms are improving efficiency and customer experience, assess the regulatory and infrastructure challenges ahead, and ask how digital innovation can offer sustainable, scalable solutions for the growth of Islamic finance.Moderator:Syed Faraz Anwer, Partner, A.F. Ferguson & Co. (PwC Pakistan)Panelists:Husain Alkhaja, GCC Regional Director, DDCAPNaureen Hyat, Financial Inclusion SpecialistNoshad Minhas, CEO and Co-Founder, Walee Financial ServicesSaleemullah Shaikh, Head of Islamic Banking, HabibMetro

Yousaf Hussain, President and CEO, Faysal Bank

What does Pakistan's shift to a fully Islamic financial system by 2028 mean for financial institutions? We explore the impact of the FSC's ruling and State Bank reforms, offering strategic insights into regulatory transformation, market leadership, and new opportunities in financial inclusion and the Islamic economy. We hear from industry leaders on how to position for success in a changing landscape.Moderator:Dr Irum Saba, Director of the Centre for Excellence in Islamic Finance, Institute of Business AdministrationPanelists:Azeem Pirani, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director, EFU Life AssuranceMuhammad Faisal Shaikh, Head, Shariah Compliance and Advisory, Faysal BankShauzab Ali, Principal Project Officer, Asian Development BankSyed Tanveer Hussain, Group Executive and SEVP - Corporate, Commercial and Investment Banking, Meezan Bank

In this episode, Ihsan Waqf founder and CEO Aminnurllah Mustapah discusses with IFN's Nessreen Tamano how the foundation is transforming Islamic endowments in to productive assets, starting with unconventional projects.

Listen to IFN's round-up of the top Islamic finance headlines around the world, from the 17th to the 23rd October 2025.

Bilal Parvaiz, CEO, Standard Chartered Saadiq Berhad Malaysia

Moderator:Ahsan Ali, MD & Head, Islamic Corporate & Investment Banking, Standard Chartered BankPanelists:Dr Mohamed Ali Elgari, Global Shariah Supervisory Committee Member, Standard Chartered BankDato' Prof. Dr Aznan, Global Shariah Supervisory Committee Member, Standard Chartered BankMufti Muhammad Abdul Mubeen, Group Head Shariah, Standard Chartered Bank Member Shariah Board, Standard Chartered Bank Pakistan & Shariah Committee, Standard Chartered Saadiq Berhad MalaysiaProf. Dr Zurina Shafii, Shariah Committee Member, Standard Chartered Saadiq Berhad Malaysia

Moderator:Dr Mufti Yousuf Sultan, Shariah Board Member, Standard Chartered Saadiq Berhad MalaysiaPanelists:Dato' Prof. Dr Aznan, Global Shariah Supervisory Committee Member, Standard Chartered BankDr Mohamed Ali Elgari, Global Shariah Supervisory Committee Member, Standard Chartered BankDr Noralizam Aliakbar, Syariah Advisory Body Member of Standard Chartered Securities (B) Sdn Bhd BruneiDr Ahmad Lutfi Abdul Razak, Syariah Advisory Body Member of Standard Chartered Securities (B) Sdn Bhd BruneiDr Mufti Hafiz M. Sarfraz Nihal, Resident Shariah Board Member, Standard Chartered Bank Pakistan

YB Senator Dr Zulkifli Bin Hasan, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs)

Sahibus Samahah Ustaz Haji Ahmad Fauwaz bin Dato' Ustaz Haji Fadzil, Mufti Wilayah Persekutuan (Mufti of the Federal Territories)

Khurram Hilal, CEO Group Islamic Banking, Standard Chartered Bank

Mustafa Adil, Head of Islamic Finance, Data and Analytics, London Stock Exchange Group

In this episode with IFN journalist Radhika Das, Nasser Baker Al Kahtani, the executive director at AGFUND, discusses the fund's mission to lift people out of poverty through inclusive financial systems, Islamic finance solutions and technology-driven tools for small farmers.

In this episode with IFN journalist Radhika Das, Dr Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser, the chairman of the IsDB Group, highlights Sukuk as a financing instrument for development projects, the Sukuk Summit in London this month and the Arab Coordination Group's efforts to maximize impact. 

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Laura Frigenti, CEO, Global Partnership for Education (GPE), on GPE's mandate to tackle the growing learning crisis, finance education initiatives and advance its partnership with the IsDB Group

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Nasser Baker Al Kahtani, Executive Director, Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND), on AGFUND's footprint in inclusive and social development and its use of digital tools to expand access to microfinance initiatives

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Dr Imed Limam, Director, Operations Department, Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, on the Arab Fund's central role in regional infrastructure development and its presence in the digital and green economies

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Dr Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser, Chairman, IsDB Group, on Sukuk-financed projects, the Sukuk Summit in London this month and the Arab Coordination Group's efforts to maximize development and impact

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Ismael Nabe, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Government of Guinea, on Guinea's collaboration with the Arab Coordination Group, its infrastructure goals and the Simandou project

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Fahad Hamad Al-Sulaiti, Director General, Qatar Fund For Development (QFFD), on the role QFFD sees for the private sector in scaling impact through different financing mechanisms and the organization's Islamic finance involvement

Aminah Farid, IFN Journalist, interviews Shahariah Shaharudin, President of Saturna Sdn Bhd, on the efforts that need to be undertaken to place the Islamic finance industry on the same level-playing field as that of the environment, social and governance (ESG) market. 

Francis Nantha, IFN Investor Editor, interviews Rex Fong, Chief Investment Officer, VCorp Capital on the firm's first Shariah compliant fund offering to help SMEs bridge financing gaps

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Jessica Tan, Principal, Fixed Income Indices, S&P Dow Jones Indices, on Sukuk index methodology and screening criteria, and future trends in integrating ESG factors with Shariah compliant fixed income benchmarks

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Irfan Salim, Co-Founder, The Gulf-ASEAN Exchange, on investor appetite for Shariah compliant products in GCC and ASEAN markets and barriers to deeper cross-border collaboration.

Aminah Farid, IFN Journalist, interviews Faris Lodin, Wahed Global Advisory Board and Member of Wahed Ventures Investment Committee on investor trends among Generation Z.

Francis Nantha, IFN Investor Editor, gets an update from Edward Chin, Vice-President, Asia Vision Capital, on developments at the firm's Quayside JBCC project in Malaysia's southern state of Johor and the Shariah funding plans

Francis Nantha, IFN Investor Editor, interviews Arif Izhan Shuhaimi, Private Wealth Manager, Crewstone International on why the firm plans to offer a Shariah compliant version of its existing conventional fund

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Adam Knight and Nancy Chien from Bedell Cristin, on the Jersey jurisdiction's Shariah compliant structuring appeal, its role in Sukuk and SPV innovation and rising demand from Islamic private wealth clients

Aminah Farid, IFN Journalist, interviews Sherif Essam Abdul Rahman, Senior Manager in Product Management at International Turnkey Systems (ITS) on ITS' role in Islamic finance and how ITS platform works to protect investors.

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Salman Ahmed, Partner, Trowers & Hamlins, on the legal structuring of Sukuk, regulatory harmonization and the complexities of full Islamic bank conversions such as Ahli United Bank's (UK).

Francis Nantha, IFN Investor Editor, interviews Richard Khoo, Vice President of Exim Bank Malaysia on the benefits of Islamic finance on Malaysian economic trade and exports.

Aminah Farid, IFN Journalist, interviews Rafiza Ghazali, CEO of KAF Digital Bank on KAF's progress to reach the underbanked market.

Aminah Farid, IFN Journalist, interviews Oliver Agha, founder of Agha & Co law firm and IFN columnist on which Islamic finance markets globally have been making significant progress.

IFN Managing Editor Vineeta Tan speaks to Mohammed Parekh, the founder and CEO of London-based MRP Premier Group, on the opportunities Asia presents to Islamic investors in Europe.

Digital Takaful represents a potential new boost to Malaysia's Islamic insurance sector, although not without its own challenges, Mazrul Shahir, Masryef Advisory's director of Islamic finance, tells IFN Managing Editor Vineeta Tan.

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Max Freeman, Founder and CEO, Epicenter Labs, on frameworks for applying Shariah principles to digital assets and the role of screening in driving adoption

Aminah Farid, IFN Journalist, interviews Dr Wan Asnur, Head of Legal and Corporate Branch at Malaysia's Attorney General Chambers on the state of Islamic finance in Malaysia.

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Dr Mohamed Damak, Managing Director and Global Head of Islamic Finance, S&P Global Ratings, on the market alignment with AAOIFI's Standard 62 and its potential impact on Sukuk structures and investor appetite.

Bilal Ilhan, a country advisor with the Turkish government's Investment Office, explains to IFN Managing Editor Vineta Tan how Turkiye is increasingly capturing international Islamic investment flows.

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Alisher Djumanov, Founder and Managing Partner, AD Wealth Family Office, on asset allocation in Sukuk and Islamic instruments, and the growth of Islamic finance in emerging markets.

What are the latest challenges facing the integration of sustainability into Shariah-compliant investments and projects? What initiatives – regulatory or otherwise – are encouraging the management of long-term climate-related risk and social impact in Shariah-compliant portfolios? How is Islamic sustainable investment leveraging innovative activities such as carbon trading? We ask an expert panel.Moderator:Zainal Izlan Zainal Abidin, Senior Adviser, Sustainable Finance Institute AsiaPanelists:Mohamad Irwan Aman, General Manager, Sustainability, Sarawak EnergyOliver Agha, Managing Partner, Agha & Co and Columnist, IFN (The Islamic Legal Opinion)Ong Soon Chong, Executive Director, Head, ETF and ESG Investment, Eq8 CapitalSedef Gunsur, Senior Investment Officer, Financial Institutions Group, International Finance Corporation

Through a series of short, punchy presentations we examine the merits of various asset classes from an investor's viewpoint. With each asset class presented by a recognized market practitioner, we offer a critical assessment of Islamic investment opportunities, from private capital, to carbon credits, to Sukuk, to equities, to real estate. Which asset class will prevail?Facilitator: Vineeta Tan, Managing Editor and Director, Islamic Finance newsJessica Tan, Principal, Fixed Income Indices, S&P Dow Jones IndicesMax Freeman, Founder and CEO, Epicenter LabsZahid Siddique, Senior Investment Analyst and Portfolio Manager, Saturna Malaysia

What innovation is being seen in Islamic investment and wealth management to develop new products, grow customer bases and build brands, and how is technology being deployed? What new and exciting opportunities, such as access to index investing and thematic investing are on offer through the growth of products such as Shariah complaint ETFs?Moderator:Elias Moubarak, Partner, Trowers & HamlinsPanelists:Faris Lodin, Wahed Global Advisory Board and Member of Wahed Ventures Investment CommitteeMohammed Parekh, Founder and CEO, MRP Premier GroupRanjit Singh Gill, Director, Head, Product and Market Development, Kenanga InvestorsRebecca Chua, Managing Partner, Premia Partners

Max Freeman, Founder and CEO, Epicenter Labs

What are the value propositions of Islamic investment management, and what is driving the strategic development of the Islamic wealth economy? What trends are influencing the development of Islamic investment products in Southeast Asia? Has Islamic asset management been strategically positioned and promoted effectively, and what more could be done? We ask an experienced panel.Moderator:Ismitz Matthew De Alwis, Executive Director and CEO, Kenanga InvestorsPanelists:Mohamad Safri Shahul Hamid, CEO, International Islamic Liquidity Management CorporationMohammad Ashraf Md Radzi, Chief Executive, Lembaga Tabung Angkatan TenteraOliver Agha, Managing Partner, Agha & Co and Columnist, IFN (The Islamic Legal Opinion)Shahariah Shaharudin, President, Saturna MalaysiaSharifatul Hanizah Said Ali, Executive Director, Islamic Capital Market Development, Securities Commission Malaysia