In this episode, Aminah Farid speaks with officials from the Ugandan government and financial regulators on how Uganda is structuring its debut sovereign Sukuk to manage debt sustainability, the progress of the Standard Gauge Railway project and the role of Islamic finance in broadening the country's infrastructure financing mix.

Irshad Rasheed, a founding board member of Islamic Finance Trade Association of North America, gives IFN an exclusive first look into the country’s first industry-wide trade association, which already has a healthy pipeline of initiatives including the launching of Sukuk and a Shariah compliant education savings plan.

We explore how Uzbekistan’s accelerating digital transformation can drive Islamic finance adoption. We discuss digital onboarding, blockchain applications, fintech partnerships, and how the national payments ecosystem can support scalable Shariah-compliant banking and Takaful solutions.

Moderator:

Dr Adnan Aziz, Managing Director, Inclusive Resource Management

Panelists:

Alkhazur Tazbaev, Shariah Advisor, Zayed Fund for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Irodakhon Oripova, Project Manager, Mezon Kengashi
Murod Khusanov, Founder and Chair, BetterFuture Group
Okan Ünverdi, Chief Operating Officer, Mobven
Otabek Aliaskarov, Member of Expert Council, Fintech Association of Uzbekistan
Otabek Nasirov, Chairman, Central Asian Fintech Association

We review the regulatory enablers for funds and asset management, prospects for Shariah-compliant collective investment schemes, demand from institutional and retail investors, and the potential for partnerships with regional asset managers as Uzbekistan develops its capital markets.

Moderator:

Hayotjon Azimov, Head of Advisory, Al Muamalat Consulting

Panelists:

Hakan Ozyon, Group Chief Executive Officer, Hejaz Financial Services
Leah Weldon-Evans, Head of Islamic Capital Markets and Structuring, Simmons & Simmons Middle East
Dr Indra Gunawan, Chief Investment Officer and Member of Executive Board, Badan Pengelola Keuangan Haji
Munir Yakubov, CEO and Founder, Portfolio Investments

Muzaffarjon Nizamidinov, Senior Principal, Line of Finance, Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector

A regional deep dive exploring how Uzbekistan can anchor an Islamic investment and capital-raising corridor across Central Asia. The session highlights opportunities for regional cross-border trade and capital flows, infrastructure financing, investment partnerships, and the policy measures needed to elevate Uzbekistan’s competitiveness as an Islamic finance and capital market hub in the New Asia economic landscape.

Moderator:

Dr Adnan Aziz, Managing Director, Inclusive Resource Management

Panelists:

Alisher Djumanov, Managing Partner, AD Wealth
Diyor Isroilov, Head of Investor Center Coordination Unit, Ministry of Investment, Industry
and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan
James Sadler, Head of Debt Capital Markets and Structured Finance, Banking and Corporate Finance, Oman Investment Bank
Leah Weldon-Evans, Head of Islamic Capital Markets and Structuring, Simmons & Simmons Middle East
Ulan Abylgaziev, Division Manager, Line of Finance Division, Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector

We examine the next phase of Uzbekistan’s Islamic finance agenda, including regulator-driven ecosystem development, the integration of international Shariah and prudential standards, capacity-building priorities, and the active role of state-owned enterprises and corporates in establishing a sustainable industry foundation.

Moderator:

Alisher Djumanov, Managing Partner, AD Wealth

Panelists:

Bakhrom Numonov, Council Chairman, Association of Islamic Finance & Takaful
Bashar Al-Natoor, Managing Director and Global Head of Islamic Finance, Fitch Ratings
Bekhruzbek Ochilov, Investment Banking Director, ALKES
Associate Professor Dr Gapur Oziev, Managing Director, IKIACADMY
Mukhtar Umarov, Chairman, Assembly of Economy of Uzbekistan

Saibjan Khudayberdiyev, Head of Capital Market Development Department, National Agency for Prospective Projects of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Musakhadzhaev Sanjar, Deputy Director of Department, Uzbekistan Banking Association

Irvan Susandy, Director of Trading and Membership, Indonesia Stock Exchange