Dr. Farook is responsible for developing innovative Islamic financial solutions for clients while reviewing the Shari’a and Legal compliance of the structures and documentation. He is also a research advisor to Oxford Islamic Finance. an associated entity of the Oxford University’s Center for Islamic Studies (OCIS).
 
His papers are widely published in peer-reviewed journals, magazines and edited books and he has presented his research and views at renowned international gatherings on Islamic Finance.
 
A Governance Standard consultant for the AAOIFI, he sits on their Governance and Auditing Standards Committee and delivers their CIPA qualification. He is also a member of the international editorial board of the Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research. 
 
Sayd earned his Doctorate with a specialization in Islamic Finance from the University of Technology, Sydney and completed his Bachelors of Laws (LLB) (with Distinction) with a specialization in International Laws and a Bachelor of Business (B.Bus) (Accounting) with First Class Honours from the University of Technology, Sydney. He is a Fellow Certified Islamic Professional Accountant (FCIPA). 

 

 

Bernardo has extensive background in Islamic fund research and manager due diligence. His past work includes 7 years between Citigroup’s Global Corporate & Investment Bank division and Eureka hedge consultancy. Here, he developed the industry-standard for Islamic funds research as well as other areas (SRI, 130/30, alternatives, among others). He graduated with a BS in International Business, MSU and a Masters in Applied Finance, Macquarie University. He is also a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst and Associate Lecturer at RMIT and CSU Universities.

 

 

 

Nikan has over 14 years experience in leading Wall Street and City firms on the buy and sell-side including Lehman Brothers, Goldman-Sachs, Deutsche Bank, Bernstein Alliance, and Citadel. He has worked in a variety of primarily technical or quantitative fixed income roles from Rates & Hybrids Structuring to Strategy and Quantitative Modelling to Asset Allocation and Risk Management to Securitization and Capital Markets. He graduated with a PhD in Mathematics from the Courant Institute, New York University. He is also an Assistant Professor at University of Illinois.

 

 

 

Mohamed Habib Hasan is currently Manager of Asset Management and Investments at Liquidity Management Centre (LMC).  He has worked as a Senior Economist for the Economic Development Board in Bahrain and an adjunct professor of economics at University of Texas and at the Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF).  He holds a Bachelors and Masters degree with honors in Economics from the University of Texas at San Antonio and is an author of numerous editorials in regional business publications.

 

Gohar Bilal is currently working for BNP Paribas, Islamic Finance (Najmah) as an Executive Director, Head of Structuring and also assisting the Najmah's marketing activities.

 

Ms. Bilal is a multifaceted specialist with a sound understanding of credit risk. Her experience with BNP Paribas includes, assessing the risk of capital markets, structured products and derivatives, investing and managing a portfolio of over Euro 5 bill securitisation assets. Prior to this she invested and managed high yield and real estate portfolios. Her experience with Islamic banking started in 1996 in Pakistan where she structured and raised financing for public and private sector entities in Oil and Gas, Telecom, Energy and Real Estate.  In 1998, she was accepted as a Visiting Scholar at the Harvard Law School, Islamic Legal Studies Program where she researched on Islamic Sukuk and Conventional Securitization. Currrently her focus includes, sukuks, derivatives and syndicate transactions. Ms. Bilal is a graduate of Stanford University and is a recepient of an Achievement Award from the Harvard Islamic Finance Program, Harvard Law School.

 

 

 

Ijlal Alvi is an experienced professional with over 20 years’ experience in the financial services industry with strong credentials; specifically in the areas of Foreign Exchange, Money Market, Fixed Income Securities and Asset & Liability Management. He has extensive hands on experience in setting up new Treasury functions, strategic planning, policy making and banks restructuring/formation as well as Mutual & Special purpose fund & financial institutions. Prior to moving to the Gulf, he had spent 10 years at senior positions in the areas of Treasury & Capital Markets with international and regional financial institutions. Since 1997, he has served at senior positions with a number of Middle East based financial institutions.

 

Mr. Alvi is the Chief Executive of IIFM since mid 2005 where he has been instrumental in initiating standardization of documentation, products and processes in Islamic Money & Capital Market.

 

Mr. Alvi has been involved in several working committees at international level such as the Islamic Financial Services Industry's 10 year Framework, Islamic Money Market Task Force and Islamic Financial Sector Development Working Group. He currently manages a number of IIFM’s Global Working Groups focused towards developing unified approach in documentation and products covering liquidity management, hedging and other Islamic Capital & Money Market related issues. Last year he had overseen the launch of Islamic Financial Services Industry’s first documentation standardization in the form of Master Agreements for Treasury Placement.

 

Mr. Alvi has presented a number of papers in Islamic Finance and Islamic Capital & Money Market at several forums, seminars and workshops worldwide. Moreover, he is a regular contributor in the printed media where his contribution is particularly focused on standardization in Islamic Financial Services Industry.
 

 

Tamer Makary is currently an Executive Director at Arqaam Capital, one of the fastest growing regional investment banks, with activities in asset management, corporate finance and capital markets.  Mr. Makary has originated and helped execute a number of financial sponsor led buyouts, utilizing both conventional and Islamic financing structures.

 

Tamer Makary previously headed the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) /GCC operations of BDA, a global investment banking boutique with regional offices based in Bahrain. Mr. Makary was also previously VP at EFG-Hermes Group, where he was a member of the advisory team responsible for the privatization of the UAE telecoms market.  He was also Project Manager for the Dubai Investment Group in its multi-billion dollar acquisition of a stake in Tunisia Telecom.  

Mr. Makary received notable recognition for his work on cross-border mid-market transactions between Europe and the MENA region in the form of the “Deal of the Year - Islamic Finance Award” for Europe from The Banker in 2009.  BDA acted as exclusive buy-side advisor to Seera Investment Bank (formerly United International Bank), a Shari'a compliant investment bank headquartered in Bahrain, on the leveraged acquisition of UK headquartered BWA Water Additives, a leading global water treatment solution provider.
 
Mr. Makary holds a BA in Economics from Columbia University.