IFN OnAir

As Islamic finance accelerates digital adoption, we ask whether Shariah governance frameworks are robust enough to preserve trust and accountability. We examine how market-led oversight models are responding to AI-driven decision-making, automated product flows, tokenisation and cross-border digital services already in use. We discuss emerging governance gaps, fragmentation risks and what credible, coordinated Shariah oversight looks like in practice.Moderator:Dr Jonathan Ercanbrack, Chair, Centre of Islamic and Middle Eastern Law, School of Oriental and African StudiesPanelists:Mufti Faraz Adam, Leading Global Advisor, Islamic Finance, Fintech and Digital AssetsProf Dr Imam Uddin, Associate Dean – Industry Relations, College of Business Management and Director, Centre for Islamic Business and FinanceMohammed Saifullah Khan, Chief Executive Officer, Ebdaa Islamic Finance ConsultancySefian Kasem, Global Head of ETF and Indexing Investment Specialists and Lead Investment Specialist Portfolio Advisory and OCIO, HSBC Global Asset Management

We examine how Shariah-compliant structured real estate and vehicle finance is evolving to support increasingly sophisticated institutional and cross-border transactions. We discuss private capital, development finance, refinancing structures, risk-sharing approaches and the growing importance of real assets within Islamic investment strategies.Moderator:Nicholas Edmondes, Partner, Trowers & HamlinsPanelists:Abdullo Kurbanov, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder, Ayan CapitalSafeer Bashir, Co-founder, Piccadilly & CoSajid Bashir, Chief Executive Officer & Founder, CopperstonesSatyajeet Roy, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Habib Bank AG Zurich

Andrew Selous, Former UK Government Minister and Prime Ministerial Trade Envoy

A strong listing franchise for Sukuk and Islamic funds remains central to the UK and Ireland's Islamic markets offering, but is not the only route to Shariah-compliant financing. We examine how structured real-asset finance, private credit, securitisation, infrastructure and transition-finance vehicles, and digital platforms can complement listings and broaden market relevance. We also explore the growing role of SROI in assessing impact, and ask how innovation and regulatory clarity can support a more flexible, liquid and diversified ecosystem.Moderator:Nitish Bhojnagarwala, Executive Director, Financial Institutions Group, Moody's RatingsPanelists:Dr Arshadur Rahman, Senior Manager, Bank of EnglandDr Mohamed Damak, Managing Director and Global Head of Islamic Finance, S&P Global RatingsNeil McCarroll, Partner, Mourant LawShabnam Mokhtar, Managing Director, SHAPE Knowledge Services

Eldorbek Umirkulov, Head of Treasury Department, Open Bank

Stéphane Brown, Chairman and Co-founder, Association of Shariah Asset Management

Patrick Drum, Fixed Income Lead and Portfolio Manager, Saturna Capital

Shariah-compliant pensions remain limited, particularly within workplace schemes and default fund options, despite strong unmet demand. We examine how providers can close gaps in access, scale and pricing through digital platforms, Shariah-screened investment strategies and Takaful-based retirement income solutions, and how these innovations can support the development of credible and competitive Shariah-compliant pension offerings.Moderator:Sefian Kasem, Global Head of ETF and Indexing Investment Specialists and Lead Investment Specialist Portfolio Advisory and OCIO, HSBC Global Asset ManagementPanelists:James Lawrence, Chief Investment Officer, Smart PensionMuzzammil Dhedhy, Executive Director and Chief Risk and Compliance Officer, Hejaz GroupTolibjon Tursunov, Investment Manager, Baillie Gifford

Max Freeman, Founder, Epicenter Labs

Abdulwahhab Abed, Chief Executive Officer, SEDCO Capital

Islamic asset management faces product scarcity, pushing managers toward alternatives and real assets, now increasingly supported by data analytics, digital custody and tokenisation. How is technology reshaping portfolio construction, screening methodologies, reporting and access to private markets for both retail and global investors? How can managers further develop effective Islamic products while leveraging fintech infrastructure, AI-driven research and digital distribution to deliver competitive performance and effective governance?

Stella Cox CBE, FCSI(Hon), DDCAP Group™, Chair of IFMAG, TheCityUK

We review the UK's evolving position as a global centre for Islamic finance and whether market growth, regulatory clarity and innovation are keeping pace with expectations. We assess the sector's strengths, such as legal certainty and international connectivity, alongside pressures around Shariah integrity, digital transformation and domestic market uptake. With prudential reform delays and shifting consumer behaviour, the session sets the tone for the day: what credibility, competitiveness and relevance now look like.Moderator:Farmida Bi, Chair, Europe, Middle East and Asia Pacific, Norton Rose FulbrightPanelists:Ahsan Ali, Managing Director and Head, Islamic Corporate and Investment Banking, Standard Chartered SaadiqBashar Al-Natoor, Managing Director and Global Head of Islamic Finance, Fitch RatingsImam Qazi, Partner, Foot AnsteyJonathan Grosvenor, Partner, Trowers & HamlinsLawrence Oliver, Executive Director, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, DDCAP Group/ETHOS AFPShakeel Adli, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Zunikh

Dr Abdulkader Thomas, Fellow in Islamic Financial Markets, Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies

The Rt Hon Lucy Rigby KC MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury

Alderman and Sheriff Robert Hughes-Penney, Representative of The Lady Mayor's Office

Nick Edmondes, managing partner at Trowers & Hamlins Kuala Lumpur, discusses the trends in the Islamic finance industry, including tokenization widening access to Sukuk and the legal and regulatory hurdles facing the digital space, with IFN's Nessreen Tamano.

In this episode, IFN journalist Radhika Das speaks with Fadlul Imansyah, the CEO of Badan Pengelola Keuangan Haji (BPKH), or the Hajj Financial Management Agency, about the management and investment of Indonesia's Hajj funds, including BPKH's Sukuk strategy, portfolio diversification, investment opportunities within the Hajj and Umrah ecosystem in Saudi Arabia and the role of technology in Hajj fund management.

Hejaz Group's co-founder and executive director Muzzammil Dhedhy discusses with IFN's Nessreen Tamano the mindset behind the group's evolution, its new investment offerings, and its ambitious Wahda superapp as it looks beyond financial products.

Hamed Afzal, partner and regional head of capital markets at Norton Rose Fulbright (Middle East), talks to IFN's Nessreen Tamano about the growing opportunities in the Saudi Sukuk market for mid-sized issuers and the potential for asset-backed and securitization structures to drive its next phase of growth.

In this episode, IFN journalist Radhika Das speaks with Sue Lee, the APAC head of index investment strategy at S&P Dow Jones Indices, about the performance of Islamic capital markets during the first half of 2026, including the role of technology in Islamic equity returns, emerging market performance, Sukuk and the evolving demand for Islamic index products.

Bursa Malaysia's CFO and Director of the Islamic Capital Market, Azizan Abdul Aziz, talks to IFN Editor Nessreen Tamano about how partnerships, digitalization and efforts to deepen liquidity are shaping the next phase of Malaysia's Islamic capital market.

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Desislava Radeva, Executive Director, Structured Export Finance at Standard Chartered, on structuring Uzbekistan's first commodity Murabahah facility, the role of risk mitigation in frontier markets, collaboration between commercial banks and multilateral institutions, and the future of Islamic trade and structured finance.

In this episode, Aminah Farid speaks with Bashar Al Natoor, global head of Islamic finance at Fitch Ratings, on the geopolitical resilience of the Sukuk market, the significance of tokenization, genuine ESG impact versus greenwashing, the challenges of cross-border Shariah standardization and the markets best positioned to drive the next phase of global Islamic finance growth.

In this episode, IFN journalist Radhika Das speaks with John Gartchie Gatsi, adviser to the governor on non-interest banking at the Bank of Ghana, about the implementation of Ghana's non-interest banking guidelines, prospects for Sukuk and Takaful and the progress toward licensing the country's first Islamic banking institutions.

 Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Aymen Kasem, Division Manager of Trade Development at the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation, on intra-OIC trade, SME participation, digitalization and trade development as a driver of regional integration 

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Ahmed Jan, General Manager of Treasury at the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation, on trade finance priorities, resource mobilization, strategic partnerships and advancing regional integration across OIC markets 

From a high-level perspective, we assess the state of Shariah-compliant investment management in North America and how it is adapting to the needs of a digital-first Muslim investor base. Discussion will focus on how ETFs, SMAs, model portfolios, and fintech platforms are shaping product design, distribution, and investor education. Panellists will assess how Islamic strategies are being positioned within the broader values-based investing landscape, where innovation is happening, and what gaps still limit scaling across RIAs, family offices, and wealth-tech channels.Moderator:Dr Ehab Elsonbaty, Partner, DLA PiperPanelists:Junaid Wahedna, Founder and Chairman, Wahed InvestKamal Solaiman, CEO and Managing Partner, Sinbad CapitalProfessor M Kabir Hassan, Professor of Finance, Department of Economics and Finance, University of New OrleansMonem Salam, Executive Vice President, Director, and Portfolio Manager, Saturna CapitalZeshan Gondal, Senior Vice President, Stearns Salaam Bank

Professor M Kabir Hassan, Professor of Finance, Department of Economics and Finance, University of New Orleans

State Senator Kevin Parker , New York State Senate

A concise assessment of the Shariah-compliant investment and wealth management solutions available to North American investors: ETFs, mutual funds, REITs, SMAs and model portfolios. The panel will evaluate where products meet investor needs on performance, diversification and cost, and where under-served areas remain, including income, alternatives and thematic exposures. Discussion will highlight the evolving role of wealth managers and advisers, alongside growing demand for broader financial solutions, including savings and home financing.Moderator:Tariq Al Rifai, Advisor, Economic PolicyPanelists:Ahmad Quqa, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Crescent Private WealthAijaz Hussain, Executive Vice President of Sales & Director, UIF CorporationElias Scheker Da Silva, Portfolio Manager – Global Fixed Income, WafraDr Mohamad Sawwaf, Founder and CEO, ManzilSaad Malik, CEO & Co-founder, Zoya Finance

We examine how fintech, digital RIAs, and wealth-tech apps are reshaping access to Shariah-compliant investments in North America. Panellists will address the practical state of tokenisation in real estate, private credit, and fund structures, as well as the evolving role of P2P and crowdfunding platforms. The conversation will address investor-protection and Shariah-governance considerations, and outline regulatory developments that could support responsible, scalable digital Islamic investing across the US and Canada.Moderator:Ishmam Ahmed, Managing Director, Hoya AdvisoryPanelists:Fahad Siddiqui, Founder & CEO, MabrookLawrence Oliver, Executive Director, Deputy CEO, DDCAP Group/ETHOS AFPMichal Selbka, Director – DeFi, Digital Assets & Tokenization North America, S&P Global RatingsSouhayl Maronesy, Founder and CEO, EdificeX

Moderator:Irshad Rasheed, President, Stearns Salaam BankPanelists:Aamir Rehman, Chair, Innate Capital PartnersAijaz Hussain, Executive Vice President of Sales & Director, UIF CorporationAhmad Quqa, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Crescent Private WealthMonem Salam, Executive Vice President, Director, and Portfolio Manager, Saturna CapitalMushfique Shams Billah, Chair of Private Credit Team & Partner, Barnes & Thornburg LLP

Michael McMillen, Partner, Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP

Irshad Rasheed, President, Stearns Salaam Bank

This session explores the opportunities and constraints for Shariah-compliant investing across US private markets, including private credit, venture, growth equity, real assets, and real estate. Speakers will consider structuring approaches, liquidity expectations, governance issues, and how managers are adapting Shariah requirements to modern private-market practices. The panel will also examine where genuine deal flow exists, the current presence of US-domiciled Islamic private-market vehicles, and how tokenisation may broaden investor access to alternatives.Moderator:Mushfique Shams Billah, Chair of Private Credit Team & Partner, Barnes & Thornburg LLPPanelists:Aamir Rehman, Chair, Innate Capital PartnersDr Amjad Hammad, Founder and Managing Partner, Baraka Prosperity PartnersCharles Stackhouse, Senior Vice President, JA Mitsui Capital CorporationShakeel Adli, Founder and CEO, ZunikhThomas Polson, General Partner, Polson Real Assets

Patrick Drum, Fixed Income Lead and Portfolio Manager, Saturna Capital

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Dr Moutaz Abojeib, CEO of IFAAS, on emerging Islamic finance markets, regulatory development, Islamic climate finance and opportunities for industry growth

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Zishan Iqbal, Manager for Asia Region in the Business Development Department at the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit, on trade and investment opportunities in Asia, risk mitigation and strengthening connectivity between Asian and OIC markets

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Yasser Madani Alaki, Director of the Business Development Department at the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC), on ICIEC's growth strategy, infrastructure financing opportunities, partnerships and future initiatives

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Mohamud Hussein Khalif, Director of the Underwriting Operations Department at the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit, on geopolitical risks, underwriting trends, political risk insurance and the outlook for global trade and investment

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Ahmed Samir, Group Treasury Manager at Elsewedy Electric, on infrastructure exports, risk mitigation, trade finance and the role of insurance solutions in supporting expansion into developing markets

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Boubacar Correa, Board Director and Aminata Faye Seck, CEO of Banque Islamique du Senegal, on financial inclusion, SME financing, growth strategy and supporting regional development in West Africa

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Ousseni Ilboudo, Group Head of Islamic Finance at Coris Holding, on Islamic finance growth in West Africa, financial inclusion, SME financing and regional economic integration

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Azim Rali, Assistant Vice President, Marketing & Corporate Communications at Amana Bank and Secretary at OrphanCare Trust, on Islamic social finance, child welfare initiatives, Waqf and sustainable social impact

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Sujithav Sarangi, Executive Director at Standard Chartered, on the award-winning commodity Murabahah facility for Agrobank, Islamic finance development in Uzbekistan, Shariah compliant liquidity solutions and regional integration

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Mohamad Safri Hamid, CEO of the International Islamic Liquidity Management Corporation, on diversifying the IILM's asset base, expanding its Sukuk program and supporting global Islamic liquidity management

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Nurym Ayazbayev, Executive Director of the Directorate of Lending to Financial Institutions at the Eurasian Development Bank, on Islamic finance in Central Asia, the bank's Islamic window and Sukuk plans

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Mary Kamel, Executive Director of the Foreign Trade Training Centre, on the STEP program, SME export development, capacity building and strengthening intra-OIC trade

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Anar Yusufzada, Member of the Board of the Alternative Banking Council (ABC); Nariman Imranov, Business Development Manager at ABC; and Gorkhmaz Aghayev, Chairman of the ABC, on Azerbaijan's Islamic finance development, SME financing, Sukuk opportunities and regional integration

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Eralp Delikkaya, Financial Institutions Director at Destek Bank, on participation banking opportunities in Turkiye, funding diversification, international partnerships and Islamic finance