IFN OnAir

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Mohd Azad Jasmi, Group CEO, Permodalan Kedah, on Shariah compliant products, investor appetite and demand amid current market conditions

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Hazimah Adanan, Managing Director, Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam, on digitalization, technology and emerging trends in Islamic finance

Islamic investment is evolving as investor expectations, digital distribution and technologies reshape products and frameworks. We examine next generation Shariah-compliant funds, including product innovation, personalisation and ESG, alongside digital platforms and screening technologies. We consider how Shariah governance, screening standards, ESG and technology-enabled compliance can maintain integrity and investor confidence. What will Islamic investors demand, and how can asset managers, regulators and Shariah practitioners respond while supporting growth across Malaysia and Southeast Asia?

Moderator:
Vineeta Tan, Managing Editor and Director, Islamic Finance news

Panelists:
Eslam Anbar, CEO, Phi Wallet
Lydia Long, Investment Specialist, Deal Operations Department, Credit Guarantee and Investment Facility
Mariam Veronica Abu Bakkar Seddek, Director, Group Head Institutional and Islamic Asset Management, Kenanga Investors
Dr Mohamad Zabidi Ahmad, Regional Chief Representative, DDCAP Group
Noor Surya Mohd Noor, Senior Fixed Income Manager, KWAP

Islamic investors are increasingly looking beyond traditional asset classes toward private credit, infrastructure, real estate, venture capital and other Shariah-compliant alternatives. We examine how Islamic finance can play a greater role in funding start-ups, innovation and high-growth businesses, while addressing structuring trends, risk management, liquidity and the opportunity for Southeast Asia to establish itself as a leading centre for alternative Islamic investments.

Moderator:
Tom Reynolds, Partner, Trowers & Hamlins

Panelists:
Dr Bilal Ilhan, County Advisor – Investment and Finance Office, Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye
Faris Lodin, Founder, AxeHoldings
Hamed Mashal, Chief Investment Officer, Al Salam Bank
Suryono Darnor, Chief Operating Officer, MIMOS International Venture

Professor Cornelia Walther, Senior Fellow, Harvard Learning and Innovation Lab

Through an expert panel, we discuss the development of a trusted Shariah compliant digital asset ecosystem, focusing on stablecoins and digital assets, addressing regulation, ethics, risk management, and innovation while ensuring alignment with Islamic finance and investment principles and enhancing stakeholder confidence.

Moderator:
Shabnam Mokhtar, Managing Director, SHAPE Knowledge Services

Panelists:
Christopher Griffin, Partner, Carey Olsen
Gerard Ang, Head, Financing and Securities Services, Standard Chartered
Hazmi Rahim, Deputy President, Malaysia Digital Asset Community Association
Ranjit Gill, Director, Head of Product and Market Development, Kenanga Investors

Dr Fadlul Imansyah, Chief of Executive Board, Badan Pengelola Keuangan Haji

Asset managers, institutional investors and wealth platforms discuss demand trends, product gaps, cross-border flows and how Southeast Asia can position itself as a global centre for Islamic investment management. We address scale, distribution, transparency and innovation across public and private markets.

Moderator:
Vineeta Tan, Managing Editor and Director, Islamic Finance news

Panelists:
Ahmad Farouk Mohamed, Chief Investment Officer, Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera
Dr Fadlul Imansyah, Chief of Executive Board, Badan Pengelola Keuangan Haji
Hichem Djouhri, Senior Executive Officer, ASB Capital
Shahariah Shaharudin, President, Saturna Malaysia

Darius Nass, Associate Director, Global Equity Indices, S&P Dow Jones Indices

As Malaysia positions itself as a global Halal hub, Islamic finance plays a central role in enabling growth across food, healthcare, logistics, tourism and manufacturing. We explore the financing needs of the Halal economy, opportunities for SME and corporate funding, and how Islamic banks, capital markets and alternative platforms can support expansion across Southeast Asia.

Moderator:
Dr Marco Tieman, CEO, HSC Alliance

Panelists:
Mohammad Hafiz Jamaluddin, Head of Halal Integrated Platform, Halal Development Corporation
Joann Maryam Tansinsin Enriquez, Managing Director, IAP Ventures Malaysia, and President, Al-Amal Zakat Philippine
Dr Mohammad Mahbubi Ali, Associate Professor and Deputy Dean, IIUM Institute of Islamic Banking and Finance