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Speakers


Guest Speakers
     
  Christian Menegatti
VP Global Economic Research
Roubini Global Economics

Christian is Head of Global Economic Research at Roubini Global Economics. Christian's areas of expertise are global macroeconomics, the U.S. economy, the U.S. housing sector, monetary policy and capital flows, and foreign-reserve accumulation and management. He holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Venice, Italy, and a master's degree in economics and finance from Venice International University. Previously, Christian spent three years as a research scholar at New York University's department of economics. Christian makes regular media appearances on CNBC, Forbes and Fox Business News, and is frequently quoted in the financial press. He has been an invited speaker at a variety of institutions including the Carnegie Council, Chatham House, Merrill Lynch and the Society for Quantitative Analysis. His research has been quoted by several scholars and institutions including the IMF and the European Commission.
 
Governors, Scholars, Regulators and Public Bodies
     
  Mohd Razif Abdul Kadir
Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Malaysia
     
  Professor Njuguna Ndung’u
Governor
Central Bank of Kenya, Kenya

Professor Ndung’u has been Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya since March 2007. He is an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Nairobi and holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. Previously Professor Ndung’u was Director of Training at the African Economic Research Consortium, Regional Programme Specialist for the Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office of the International Development Research Centre, Canada, and Head of the Macroeconomic and Economic Modeling Division of the Kenya Institute of Public Policy Research and Analysis.
   
  Raed H. Charafeddine
First Vice-Governor
Banque du Liban, Lebanon

Raed H. Charafeddine is the First Vice-Governor of Lebanon’s Central Bank. He is also the Alternate Governor of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF). In addition to serving on the Bank’s Board and overseeing a number of departments, he chairs the Islamic Banking Regulatory Committee and is a member of the Bank’s Investment Committee. Mr Charafeddine is a member of the Steering Committee and Co-Chair of the Advisory and Technical Committees of the Islamic Financial Risk Management Programme and a Chairman of the Advisory Council for the Islamic Finance Qualification (IFQ). Previously he held a number of senior banking positions with Fransabank and Byblos Bank in the Lebanon and with Mashreq Bank in the UAE.
   
  Dr Hussein Hamid Hassan
Shariah Scholar
     
  Sheikh Nizam Yaquby
Shariah Scholar
     
  Dr Muhammad Imran Ashraf Usmani
Shariah Scholar

Muhammad Imran Usmani, Son of justice (Retd) Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani, holds LLB, M. Phil, and Ph. D. in Islamic Finance and graduated as a scholar (Alimiyyah degree) and Takhassus (Specialization) in Islamic Fiqh and fatwa from Jamia Darul-Uloom, Karachi. He is the in-house Shariah Advisor and Head of Product Development and Shariah Compliance at Meezan Bank. Dr. Usmani also serves as an advisor/ member of Shariah Boards of the State Bank of Pakistan, HSBC Amanah Finance, Guidance Financial Group USA, Lloyds TSB Bank UK, Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JABIC), Credit Suisse Switzerland, RBS Global, Future Growth Albarakah Equity Fund South Africa, AIG Takaful, ACR Retakaful Malaysia, Capitas Group USA, Bank of London And Middle East Kuwait, BMI Bank Bahrain, Al Khaliji Bank Qatar, Sarasin Bank Switzerland, DCD group Dubai and other Mutual and Property funds and international Sukuk. He is also an advisor of International Islamic Financial Market( IIFM) Bahrain and International Center for Education in Islamic Finance (INCEIF) Malaysia.
 

 

  Sheikh Essam Ishaq
Shariah Scholar
     
  Dr Mohd Daud Bakar
Shariah Scholar

Dr. Mohd Daud Bakar is the Managing Director of Amanie Islamic Finance Consultancy and Education, based in Dubai. He is Chairman of the Shariah Advisory Council at the Central Bank of Malaysia and member of the Shariah Advisory Council at many financial institutions globally including the Securities Commission of Malaysia, AAOIFI, Dow Jones Islamic Market Index, Unicorn Investment Bank, Bank of London and Middle East, Islamic Bank of Asia, Noor Islamic Bank, Morgan Stanley and Dubai Bank. He has published more than 30 articles in academic journals and presented more than 200 papers at conferences.
 

 

    Sheikh Yusuf de Lorenzo
Shariah Scholar
     
    Ijlal Alvi
CEO
International Islamic Financial Market

Ijlal Alvi is responsible for leading the development of a wide range of Islamic finance documentation, products and processes that support the enhancement of Islamic capital and money markets. Major achievements include launching the first ever standardised murabaha document internationally and concluding a major project in collaboration with the International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) to provide a framework for Islamic hedging transactions. These initiatives are crucial steps towards the global unification of Islamic finance ideals.
     
  Peter Casey
Director, Policy and Head of Islamic Finance
Dubai Financial Services Authority

Peter Casey is Director, Policy and Head of Islamic Finance for the DFSA, having previously been responsible for the supervision of banking and insurance firms. Previously, he was Head of the Non-Life Insurance Department of the UK Financial Services Authority and has held senior regulatory posts in the Treasury, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Office of Fair Trading. He has wide experience of UK Government, having also served in the Cabinet Office and Science Research Council.
 
Senior Industry Practitioners
     
  Haroon Ahmed
Head of Business Development
Emirates NBD Asset Management Limited

Haroon is the Head of Business Development at Emirates NBD Asset Management Limited. He has fourteen years of experience in the financial services industry specialising in Islamic finance. Prior to joining Emirates NBD Asset Management Limited, he spent seven years with HSBC in various roles including Head of Strategy for HSBC Amanah in Dubai and VP Investment Product Development in New York.
 

 

 

Ahsan Ali
Head of Islamic Origination
Standard Chartered SAADIQ

     
 

Ismail Ali
Marketing Manager – Banking
ITS

     
  Johan Bastin
CEO
CIMB Standard

CIMB Standard is a joint venture established by CIMB, one of Southeast Asia’s main universal banking groups and Standard Bank, a global emerging markets bank. CIMB Standard is the leading dedicated infrastructure private equity fund manager in Southeast Asia and has three funds under management with total commitments of USD 460 million—including the ADB and IDB sponsored Islamic Infrastructure Fund which had an initial closing at USD 262 million in July 2009 and has a target size of USD 500 million. Dr. Bastin has over 25 years of experience and wide-ranging expertise in principal investing in infrastructure, transportation and energy utilities in a variety of emerging and transition economies.
 

 

 

Adnan Chilwan
Chief of Retail and Business Banking
Dubai Islamic Bank

     
 

Stella Cox
Managing Director
DDCAP (Invited)

 

  Mohammed Dawood
Director Capital Markets
HSBC Amanah

 

     
  Debashis Dey
Partner, Head of Capital Markets and Structured Finance Middle East
Clifford Chance

 

     
  Mohamed Donia
CEO and co-founder
Ideal Ratings

Mr. Donia is the CEO and co-founder of Ideal Ratings, the market leader in screening Islamic equities. Prior to establishing Ideal Ratings, he was co-founder of Cogency software where he helped to develop the business into a leading IT solution provider for some of the world’s largest hedge funds and funds of funds. Prior to joining Cogency Software, Mr. Donia was Vice President of Applications at Ten Fold Corporation, held several management positions at PepsiCo, and started his career at Proctor and Gamble.
   
  Richard Ellis
Partner
Amiri Capital
     
  Dr Hussein A. Hassan
Head of Structuring MENA and Global Head of Islamic Finance
Deutsche Bank

Dr Hussein Hassan is Head of Structuring MENA and Global Head of Islamic Finance for Deutsche Bank. He has been actively engaged in MENA structuring and the Islamic Finance industry for a number of years. Dr Hassan is an expert in both English Commercial law and Shari'a having completed postgraduate studies in both. He has practised commercial law and taught both commercial law and Shari'a at Oxford University.
   
  Muhsen Al Harbi
CEO
Sorooh Investment Company

Muhsen is the CEO of Sorooh Investment Company, a shariah compliant investment and business development company based in Kuwait. He currently manages US$140m of assets. Previously, he was CEO of Global Investment House (Qatar). Prior to these roles Muhsen was responsible for a number of start-ups and turnaround situations in the GCC. Muhsen is a Chartered Wealth Manager and has taken part in the Harvard Business School executive leadership programme.
 

 

  Edward Hesson
Manager Corporate and Treasury
Abu Dhabi TDIC
     
  Khalid Howladar
Vice President – Senior Credit Officer Asset Backed and Sukuk Finance
Moody’s

Khalid Howladar has worked on every publicly rated securitisation in the region and is a leading figure in the industry. Based in the DIFC, he has extensive experience of both structured products and MENA markets having specialised in these areas since he joined Moody’s in London in 2001. Prior experience includes four years at Credit Suisse as an analyst in the emerging markets fixed income group.
   
  Hussain Ismail
Deputy Director
Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance
     
  Sharada Iyer
Manager – CRM Development
Etihad Airways

Sharada has over fourteen years of marketing experience specialising in loyalty programmes, product and partnership development and direct marketing activities. She has developed and managed several loyalty programmes for leading airlines including Emirates (Skywards), Qatar Airways (Privilege Club) and now the award winning Etihad Airways (Etihad Guest), which she launched in 2006. Sharada is also responsible for the CRM solution and securing the complete partnership portfolio including co-brand card proposition.
   
  Abdul Baset Al Janahi
CEO
Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for SME Development
     
  Omar Kassim
CEO
Al Bogari Holdings

Omar Kassim is the CEO of al bogari Holdings, a cutting edge trading and investment firm. Omar joined al bogari Holdings in 2006 and has spent the last four years in transforming the business from an owner driven enterprise to incorporating three core lines of business including physical commodities trading, principal capital investment and precious metals services. The firm's core principle is to be completely Sharia based. He holds a science degree from the University of Warwick in the UK.
     
  Baljeet Kaur Grewal
Managing Director and Vice Chairman
Kuwait Finance House Research Ltd

Kuwait Finance House is also the only Islamic Bank worldwide with a notable investment banking research presence. Baljeet has a wealth of experience of investment banking gained through roles in credit structuring, origination and syndication and capital market research at Maybank Group Malaysia, ABN AMRO Bank and Deutsche Bank, and has participated in notable fund raising transactions in Asia & the Middle East. Under Baljeet’s leadership, KFH Research has won multiple awards for Islamic Finance Research.
     
  Aris Kekedjian
CEO
GE Capital Middle East and Africa, and Managing Director, GE Strategic Development

As CEO of GE Capital Middle East, Aris oversaw the launch of GE Capital’s $500m five year sukuk in 2009, making GE Capital the first ever US corporate issuer of an Islamic bond. In his role as Managing Director, GE Strategic Development, he has been responsible for the development and launch of the comprehensive GE-Mubadala global partnership encompassing multiple strategic investment streams.
   
  Jarmo Kotilaine
Chief Economist
NCB Capital

Jarmo Kotilaine joined NCB Capital as Chief Economist in May 2008. He previously oversaw financial services consultancy at Control Risks Group (CRG), a London-based international business risk consultancy firm. Prior to that he headed the Financial Services practice area of Oxford Analytica, where much of his work focused of emerging capital markets. His main clientele has consisted of banks, stock exchanges and financial regulators, some of which he has further served as an external advisor. Jarmo studied economics and economic history at Oxford (BA/MA), Cambridge (MPhil), and Harvard (AM, PhD). He subsequently joined the faculty at Harvard where his primary focus was the long-term economic and institutional development of Eurasia as well as on international trade and finance.
     
  Mohieddine Kronfol
Managing Director – Head of Fixed Income Asset Management
Algebra Capital

Mohieddine Kronfol sits on the Investment Committees of Algebra Capital’s funds, and is responsible for the management of fixed income assets in private and public markets across the MENASIA region. Prior to joining Algebra Capital, he was Head of Debt Asset Management, Fund Manager of The Arab Income Fund (TAIF) and Head of Capital Markets at SHUAA Capital. He has over thirteen years of experience in financial services.
   
  Andrew Leamon
Director Trusts and Securities Services
Deutsche Bank
     
  Wallace Long
CFO
Abu Dhabi TDIC
     
  Ezzeldin El Massry
COO
Abu Dhabi National Islamic Finance (ADNIF)

Mr. Ezzeldin H. Elmassry is a veteran Banker and Financial Executive with over 25 years of local, regional, and international banking and finance experience.
He is currently occupying the role of Chief Operating Officer of the Islamic Banking Group at NBAD, comprising of the Islamic Finance Company ADNIF & The Islamic Banking Division of the Bank. Prior to that, he has served in various senior positions as SVP heading different businesses and divisions within reputable financial institutions in the UAE and the region. He headed teams in the areas of Islamic Banking, Corporate Banking, Credit Risk Management, Investment Banking Services, as well as Wealth Management, among others.  He also served in other capacities such as Chairman of the BOD of a Financial Services subsidiary owned by one of the UAE based banks he worked for in other capacities as well.  His earlier career was spent with international institutions such as Chase Manhattan, Bank of America, and American Express Bank, both internationally and regionally. His other regional exposure involves senior roles with leading financial institutions in KSA, Egypt, Bahrain, and the UAE. Mr. Elmassry holds a BA in Economics, and post graduate qualification from Harvard University. In addition to being a Fulbright Scholar, he is a recipient of various academic and professional awarded.
     
    Salem Al Muhairy
Treasury Government Liaison Manager
Abu Dhabi TDIC
     
    Moinuddin Malim
CEO
Badr Al Islami

Moin is CEO of Badr Al Islami, the Islamic banking arm of Mashreq Bank. Previously, he established the Asset Management and Capital Markets unit at Dubai Islamic Bank and has lead arranged some of the highest profile sukuk in history (including the first ever US$1 billion Sukuk Al Ijara, Department of Civil Aviation, Dubai) and created a full spectrum of shariah compliant investment products. Prior to joining DIB, he was a Senior Partner at The International Investor and headed the International Finance Division at Al Tawfeek Company for Investment Funds (Dallah Al Baraka Group).
     
  Christophe Mariot
Regional Head of Structured Finance GCC
BNP Paribas

Mr Mariot coordinates BNP Paribas’s structured finance activities in the Gulf, including project finance and advisory. He also leads the local Energy & Commodities and Project Finance teams and has responsibility for Asset Finance activities. Mr. Mariot has been strategically involved in high profile projects in the Gulf over the past ten years, including Al Hidd II ECA/Islamic ($1bn), a $1bn Islamic tranche for Dolphin Energy and a $1bn refinery revamp financing for the Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco). He is also a member of the bank’s Executive Committee for the Islamic Banking unit.
     
  Dr. Shehab Marzban
Product Development Director and Head of Research
Ideal Ratings

Dr. Marzban is an expert in Islamic fund management services who joined Ideal Ratings in August 2008. Prior to joining Ideal Ratings he worked as consultant, researcher and project manager in a number of international projects and institutions in Egypt and Germany. He received his PhD magna cum laude entitled "Strategies, Paradigms and Systems for Shariah-compliant Portfolio Management" from the University of Cologne in Germany. His extensive research in Islamic Fund Management, Shariah Screening and Purification has been published in a number of highly ranked international journals and magazines. Dr. Marzban is a Visiting Fellow at Durham University in the UK and a guest speaker in various Islamic Finance programs such as at the University of Strasbourg and Cass Business School.
     
     
  Kamal Mian
Head of Islamic Banking
Saudi Hollandi Bank

Kamal has over ten years diverse experience of Islamic Banking. He led the team that closed the first Tier II Capital Sukuk in the Middle East, for Saudi Hollandi Bank, a deal which has won two Equity Deal of the Year awards. He holds a Masters in Corporate and International Finance Law from Harvard Law School and is a regular contributor to industry think tanks and publications covering the development of the sukuk market.
     
  Mian Muhammad Nazir
Senior Vice President
Dar Al Sharia (subsidiary of Dubai Islamic Bank)

Before joining Dubai Islamic Bank in 2005, Mian held the roles of Legal Advisor for Dallah Al Baraka Group, Saudi Arabia and Director, Law and Regulatory Affairs, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority. Mian Nazir is an accomplished and renowned shariah lawyer in the field of Islamic banking and finance. In his current role, Mian is involved in the structuring and documentation of various shariah compliant financial products and transactions.
     
  Khaled Hassan Rashed
CEO
CORECAP

Khaled Rashed is founder and CEO of CORECAP, a leading alternative investment firm. Previously, Mr. Rashed was CEO and Board Member of Amwal, Vice President of Abraaj Capital, Manager of Direct Equities in Dubai Islamic Bank and a corporate banker in Commercial International Bank. In 2009, he was awarded “Entrepreneur CEO of the Year” and selected in the “Gulf’s 50 Most Admired Executives”. Mr. Rashed holds an MBA from ESLSCA University in France.
     
     
  Gilles Rollet
CEO
Mirabaud Middle East

Since April 2007, Gilles is leading Mirabaud’s operations in the Middle East and Subcontinent out of Dubai, UAE. Prior to joining Mirabaud, Gilles was at ABN AMRO Bank. There, he held a number of positions including Head of Investment Banking, Country Manager and more recently CEO of Middle East and Subcontinent for Private Banking. Gilles’ various roles have meant living and working in many different parts of the world from Johannesburg, Uzbekistan and Hong Kong to Geneva and San Francisco. Before ABN AMRO, Gilles worked for Goldman Sachs in New York and BCFE in Vietnam.
     
  Ossama Salah El Din
EVP Retail Banking Group Head
Sharjah Islamic Bank

Ossama has over 22 years of multinational banking experience with two of the biggest financial institutions in the world: Citigroup and Credit Agricole group. His experience has spanned a range of key banking disciplines in both corporate and retail, including marketing, branding, product management, budgeting, strategic planning, sales, money market, bank’s reconciliation, accounting, placements. Ossama currently heads theRetail Banking Group at Sharjah Islamic Bank with growth plans for individuals, high net worth and SME segments as targets. He is accountable for all aspects of the bank’s retail activities including branches, marketing, business development, e-channels, direct sales, credit, SME and priority banking.
     
    Ahmed Ali Siddiqui
EVP Product Development and Shariah Compliance
Meezan Bank

Mr Siddiqui is EVP Product Development & Shariah Compliance (PDSC) & Secretary, Shariah Supervisory Board at Meezan Bank. The job responsibilities include managing product development initiatives, formulation of policy guidelines, Islamic banking training, Shariah audit & review of bank activities along with the Shariah Advisory and managing external product development advisory services. Mr. Siddiqui is also a member of Advisory team for Center of Islamic Economics (CIE), Jamia Darul uloom Karachi and a visiting faculty member at IBA Karachi, IQRA University & Shaikh Zahid Islamic Center, University of Karachi. He is a member of several task forces at the Central Bank level related to Islamic banking products and Shariah Standards & Secretary of PBA Islamic banking Sub-committee.
     
  Samad Sirohey
CEO
Citi Islamic

 
     
  Daniel Smaller
Managing Director – Head of Fixed Income Asset Management
Algebra Capital

With over 25 years of experience in financial services including over 20 years in the MENA region, Daniel Smaller is in charge of delivering fund solutions, discretionary mandates and structured products for a mix of institutional investors and high net worth individuals. Daniel’s career spans a range of senior international roles with Deutsche Bank, Citibank, Lehman Brothers and UBS and major achievements include setting up Deutsche Bank’s asset management business in MENA and being the first to introduce institutional investors to the MENA region while at Lehman Brothers in the early 1990s.
     
  Issam Zaid Al Tawari
Chairman and Managing Director
Rasameel Structured Finance Company

Mr. Issam Al Tawari is currently the Chairman and Managing Director of Rasameel Structured Finance company, a capital markets focused investment company supervised by the Central Bank of Kuwait and Chairman of Rasameel Investment Bank, a DIFC regulated bank. His latest area of interest is the development of Islamic debt Capital Markets. Prior experience includes roles in loans and syndication for the European and GCC markets at Arab Banking Corporation and a period as Associate Director with responsibility for syndication and marketing for ABC Islamic Bank. He was formerly COO of The International Investor in Kuwait and has served on the board of directors of a number of companies and funds.
     
    Jacques Tripon
CEO
BNP Paribas Najmah

 
     
  Sohail Zubairi
CEO
Dar Al Sharia (a subsidiary of Dubai Islamic Bank)

Sohail Zubairi is the CEO of Dar Al Sharia Legal & Financial Consultancy, a subsidiary of Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) launched in July 2008). He previously served as SVP and Head of Sharia Structuring, Documentation and Product Development at Dubai Islamic Bank and has over twenty years experience of large corporate finance, risk management and syndication in the GCC and has been an active proponent of Islamic Finance since 2001. Sohail started his banking career with MCB Bank in Karachi in 1975.