GBF Target 19: Resource Mobilization ,

Islamic Finance for the Sustainable Development Goals

In this course, you will explore the foundations and principles of Islamic finance from the perspective of sustainable development.

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 Course type: Massive Open Online Course
 Languages: English
 Estimated effort: 3-4 hours per module
Duration: 5 modules
 Partners:  Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), IsDB Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Fund – Engage Platform, Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI), Durham University Business School, UNDP Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development (IICPSD), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Contributors: Akhuwat, Islamic Relief Worldwide, CIMB, Albaraka Garaj, Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited (IBBL), KSPPS BMT Bahtera, Awqaf Properties Investment Fund (APIF), World Bank Group Inclusive Growth & Sustainable Finance Hub in Malaysia, Global Islamic Finance and Impact Investing Platform (GIFIIP), Innovative Financing Lab, Business Call to Action (BCtA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Indonesia 

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About the course

Did you know that the financing gap in developing countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 could ​increase by 70%​ in the wake of the​ COVID-19 pandemic? Are you interested in the role of Islamic finance in building a sustainable future? Do you want to learn about the foundations and principles of Islamic finance from the perspective of the Sustainable Development Goals? Are you a development professional engaging with Islamic finance institutions? An Islamic finance professional willing to acquire an in-depth understanding of financing sustainable development? Do you want to be a part of this alliance for a better world by channeling Islamic finance resources for the Sustainable Development Goals?

Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), IsDB Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Fund – Engage Platform, Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI), Durham University Business School, UNDP Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development (IICPSD), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are pleased to provide this free Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on “Islamic Finance for the Sustainable Development Goals.” 

Positioning Islamic finance as broadly relevant to Sustainable Development Goals and not only a niche proposition, this course is the first of its kind designed for capacity building in order to engage development professionals and Islamic finance partners for leveraging this vital source for financing sustainable development. 

From the resemblance of Islamic finance principles to the objectives outlined by the Sustainable Development Goals, to the potential of Islamic microfinance in socioeconomic empowerment; this course brings theory and practice together with the authoring and video lecturing contributions of 27 leading subject matter experts.

Course outline

Module 1 Introduction 

Module 2 The Sustainable Development Goals and the Role of Islamic Finance 

  • Lesson 1 The Sustainable Development Goals and Financing the 2030 Agenda 
  • Lesson 2 Islamic Finance: An Ethical Proposition for Sustainable Development 
  • Lesson 3 The Islamic Finance Principles and Their Link with the Sustainable Development Goals 
  • Case Study An Interest-Free Microfinance Institution: Akhuwat Pakistan 
  • Case Study Charity-Based Microfinance: Islamic Relief Worldwide 

Module 3 Modes and Institutions of Islamic Finance 

  • Lesson 1 Islamic Commercial Finance Instruments 
  • Lesson 2 Islamic Social Finance Instruments and Institutions for Economic and Social Empowerment 
  • Lesson 3 Islamic Social Finance: Unlocking the Potential in Humanitarian Crises 
  • Lesson 4 The Governance Structure and Principles in Islamic Commercial and Social Finance Sectors 
  • Case Study Integrating Sustainability into Banking: CIMB Malaysia 
  • Case Study A Bank-Led Startup Accelerator: Albaraka Garaj 
  • Case Study Channeling Microfinance Through a Commercial Bank: Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited (IBBL) 
  • Case Study A Digitalized Islamic Cooperative Institution: KSPPS BMT Bahtera in Indonesia 

Module 4 Impact Investing and Islamic Finance 

  • Lesson 1 Financial Mechanisms for Private Sector Engagement in Sustainable Development   
  • Lesson 2 Blending Islamic Finance and Impact Investing 
  • Lesson 3 Impact Measurement and Management 
  • Case Study Blending Islamic Finance and Impact Investing: The Global Islamic Finance and Impact Investing Platform (GIFIIP)   

Module 5 Perspectives for Multilateral Organizations in Engaging with Islamic Finance 

  • Lesson 1 Engaging with Islamic Finance Within the Policy Frameworks of Development Organizations 
  • Lesson 2 Financial Development with Risk-Sharing: An Islamic Finance Framework 
  • Lesson 3 Development Finance Framework and Infrastructure Institution: Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) 
  • Case Study Unlocking Zakat to Help Communities: UNDP Indonesia 
  • Case Study Activating Waqf for Sustainable Development: Awqaf Properties Investment Fund (APIF) 
  • Case Study Pioneering Green Sukuk: The Technical Assistance of the World Bank in Malaysia
  • Case Study Pioneering Green Sukuk: The Technical Assistance of UNDP in Indonesia

Learning objectives

After you complete the course, you will be able to:

  • Understand the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 
  • Define the financing mechanisms for sustainable development and the Sustainable Development Goals 
  • Acquire extended awareness and comfortable communication in Islamic finance, as well as enhanced understanding of Islamic finance principles and the requirements of Islamic finance partners 
  • Build effective dialogue and partnerships within the global development community and Islamic finance stakeholders 
  • Outline which program design and policy requirements may be needed to engage with Islamic finance 
  • Identify projects and develop policies related to the Sustainable Development Goals that accommodate requirements pertaining to Islamic finance 
  • Develop blended finance solutions combining Islamic social and commercial finance instruments with technology and innovation 
  • Explore how Islamic finance instruments and institutions can be utilized to support the Sustainable Development Goals through real world case studies

Course completion requirements

To receive the certificate of course completion, participants must:

  • Watch all the course videos
  • Pass all the quizzes with a score of 60% or higher
  • Complete the course survey

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If you have any questions, please contact the Learning for Nature team at info@learningfornature.org.

Disclaimer

The content of this course has been developed solely for educational and training purposes. Certificate of completion only indicates the completion of the course, and it does not imply proficiency in the subject matter, nor should it be seen as a professional certification. The views expressed in this course are those of the instructors and do not necessarily represent those of the United Nations, including UNDP, or the UN Member States.



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Course Includes

  • 7 Modules
  • 32 Activities
  • 4 quizzes
  • Course Certificate

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Instructors

Achim Steiner
UNDP Administrator

Achim Steiner became UNDP Administrator on 19 June 2017. The United Nations General Assembly confirmed his appointment following his nomination by Secretary-General António Guterres. In April 2021, the General Assembly confirmed his appointment to a second four-year term beginning in June 2021. Mr. Steiner is also the Vice-Chair of the UN Sustainable Development Group, which unites 40 entities of the UN system that work to support sustainable development.

Over nearly three decades, Mr. Steiner has been a global leader on sustainable development, climate resilience and international cooperation. He has worked tirelessly to champion sustainability, economic growth and equality for the vulnerable, and has been a vocal advocate for the Sustainable Development Goals.

Prior to joining UNDP, he was Director of the Oxford Martin School and Professorial Fellow of Balliol College, University of Oxford. Mr. Steiner has served across the United Nations system, looking at global challenges from both a humanitarian and a development perspective. He led the United Nations Environment Programme (2006-2016), helping governments invest in clean technologies and renewable energy. He was also Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi. He previously held other notable positions including Director General of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, and Secretary General of the World Commission on Dams.

Mr. Steiner has lived and worked in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Latin America and the United States. He graduated in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (MA) from Worcester College, Oxford University and holds an MA from the University of London/School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS).

H.E Dr. Muhammad Al Jasser
President, Islamic Development Bank and Chairman, Islamic Development Bank Group

Dr. Al Jasser served as an Advisor at the General Secretariat of the Saudi Council of Ministers and Chairman of the General Authority for Competition from 2016 to 2021. He also served as the Minister of Economy and Planning and Governor and Board Chairman of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA), the Saudi Central Bank. He was a member of several ministerial councils, boards, and committees, including the Council for Economic Affairs and Development, the Supreme Council for Civil Defense, the Board of Directors of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, the Board of Directors of the Public Investment Fund, the Higher Committee for Hajj (Pilgrimage) Affairs and the Ministerial Environmental Committee, among many others.

Dr. Al Jasser obtained his M.A. (1981) and Ph.D. (1986) in Economics from the University of California. Earlier, he received his B.A. in Economics with honors from San Diego State University in 1979. He gained a wide range of leadership experience in the public and private sectors, having held senior positions in several institutions.

He served as the Alternate Governor for Saudi Arabia at the IMF, the World Bank, and the Islamic Development Bank, as well as Vice Governor and Vice Chairman of the Board of SAMA, Deputy Minister of Finance and National Economy, IMF Executive Director, Chairman of the GCC Monetary Council, Member of the Governing Body of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, Chairman of the Board and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Saudi Telecom Co. (STC), Chairman of the Board of the Arab Investment Company and Chairman of the Council of Islamic Financial Services Board.

Dr. Al Jasser participated in the G20 summits and meetings at the ministerial, governors, and deputies levels. He participated in the monthly and annual meetings of the Bank for International Settlements over the period 1997-2011. He also took part in several local and international symposia and gave lectures on economic and monetary policy. Dr. Al Jasser received several medals and awards, most notably the King Abdul Aziz Medal of the First Order in 2001.

Sahba Sobhani
Director
UNDP Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development (IICPSD)

Sahba Sobhani is the Director of the UNDP Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development (IICPSD). He brings 19 years of experience in the private sector in Silicon Valley, Singapore and at UNDP as Programme Advisor, Team Leader and Programme Manager including as the technical lead for the recently endorsed UNDP private sector strategy. Mr. Sobhani has significant partnership development and advocacy experience with the private sector working with over 100 companies and business organizations and a track record of operational leadership, innovation and management of 6 global UNDP-led strategic multi-stakeholder partnerships and initiatives in the area of business and development including the Business Call to Action Initiative, the Connecting Business Initiative and the G20 Global Platform on Inclusive Business and has been the principal author and content manager of all 5 major UNDP-led reports in the area of private sector in development, Previously, Mr. Sobhani managed two key UNDP private sector initiatives in the executive office of the former Administrator of UNDP, Mark Malloch Brown, including the Commission on the Private Sector and Development, and the African Financial Markets Initiative. He co-authored Unleashing Entrepreneurship: Making Business Work for the Poor, the seminal report of the Private Sector Commission produced at the request of former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Mr. Sobhani was the managing editor of the African Stock Markets Handbook. He is a graduate of Yale University and the Fletcher School of Diplomacy (USA).

Dr. Sami Al Suwailem
Acting Director General (IsDB Institute) and Chief Economist
Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI)

Dr. Al Suwailem is currently Acting Director General of the Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) and Chief Economist, the Islamic Development Bank Group, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Before joining IRTI in 2004, Dr. Al Suwailem managed the Research and Development Center at Al-Rajhi Bank, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He worked at the Institute of Islamic and Arabic Sciences in America, Virginia; Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Illinois, USA; and King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Dr. Al Suwailem held membership in several professional committees, including the Technical Committee of the Islamic Financial Services Board; Economic Committee of Awqaf at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs in Riyadh; Academic Committee in Islamic Fiqh Academy of Muslim World League; Liquidity Risk Management Working Group at IFSB; and Task Force for Islamic Finance and Global Financial Stability at IsDB, among others.

He obtained his M.A. from Southern Illinois University in 1990, and his Ph.D. from Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, in 1995. He authored many books and published several papers on Islamic economics and finance.

Prof. Mehmet Asutay
Professor of Middle Eastern and Islamic Political Economy & Finance
Durham Centre for Islamic Economics and Finance (DCIEF), Durham University Business School

Prof. Mehmet Asutay is a Professor of Middle Eastern and Islamic Political Economy & Finance at Durham University Business School, the Director of the Durham Centre in Islamic Economics and Finance, and Programme Director of Islamic finance master programmes. Prof. Asutay’s teaching, research, and publications are all in Islamic moral economy/Islamic economics, Islamic political economy, Islamic finance and banking, Islamic governance and management and Middle Eastern political economies. Mehmet is the Editor in Chief of the American Journal of Islamic and Society and the Review of Islamic Economics.

Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin
Special Envoy on Financing 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
United Nations

Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin is the Executive Director for the Arab States and the Maldives at the International Monetary Fund, the United Nations Special Envoy on Financing the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. He has been recently appointed as the High-Level Climate Champion for the Egyptian COP27 Presidency. Dr. Mohieldin has worked in a number of international economic and financial institutions that included serving as the Senior Vice President of the World Bank for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development until 2020. He served as Minister of Investment in Egypt from 2004 to 2010.

Prof. Habib Ahmed
Sharjah Chair in Islamic Law & Finance
Durham University Business School

Professor Habib Ahmed is the Sharjah Chair in Islamic Law and Finance at Durham University. Prior to joining Durham University in 2008, he worked at the National Commercial Bank and Islamic Development Bank Group (IRTI) in Saudi Arabia and taught at the University of Connecticut, National University of Singapore, and University of Bahrain. Prof. Ahmed has worked as consultant for several international organizations and has authored/edited more than 100 publications.

Dr. Muhammad Amjad Saqib
Founder & Chairman
Akhuwat

Dr. Muhammad Amjad Saqib is the founder of Akhuwat, the world’s largest interest-free microfinance program that has supported over 5 million beneficiaries across Pakistan through loans worth USD 895 million. His areas of expertise include governance, poverty alleviation, microfinance and rural development. He has provided consultancy to various development organizations and authored multiple books. In recognition of his services, he has received numerous awards including “Ramon Magsaysay Award” (2021).

Dr. Mohammed Kroessin
Head of the Islamic Microfinance Business Unit
Islamic Relief Worldwide

Dr. Mohammed R. Kroessin is a development economist with 20 years’ experience and is currently heading Islamic Relief’s global 10-country portfolio of financial inclusion programmes. He holds a Masters in international political economy (Kent, UK) and a Masters in development management (Westminster Business School, UK) and a PhD from the University of Birmingham (UK). He is also a lecturer (ex-faculty) in Islamic Microfinance at the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, Germany.

Kamran Khalid Sherwani
Islamic Banking and Finance Expert

Kamran Khalid Sherwani is a Shariah expert and lawyer who has been working for an Islamic Financial Institution as the Head of Internal Shariah Control and the Secretary to the Internal Shariah Supervision Committee. Mr. Sherwani is considered one of the most experienced Shariah lawyers in the Islamic banking and finance industry.

Mr. Sherwani comes with a plethora of professional experience in a leading role from various parts of the world. He structured various sukuk, reviewed the transaction documentation and handled the transactions from scratch till launch for various sukuk issuances. He is a regular speaker at Islamic banking and finance related training, conferences and seminars. He has trained thousands of banking and finance professionals through his training and e-learning initiatives.

Dr. Aishath Muneeza
Associate Professor
International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance (INCEIF), Malaysia

Dr. Aishath Muneeza is Associate Professor at the International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance (INCEIF), Malaysia. She is the first female Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and was the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury of the Republic of Maldives. Dr. Muneeza is the former chairman of Board of Maldives Hajj Corporation of Maldives, the national hajj pilgrimage fund. She sits in various Shariah advisory bodies of Islamic financial institutions such as CIMB Islamic and Munich Re and since 2011, she is the chairman of the apex Shariah Advisory Council of Capital Market Development Authority, Maldives.

Dr. Sarah A. Tobin
Research Professor
Chr. Michelsen Institute – Bergen, Norway

Dr. Sarah A. Tobin is a Research Professor and anthropologist focusing on Islam, economic anthropology, and displacement and migration in the Middle East at the Chr. Michelsen Institute in Bergen, Norway. Professor Tobin’s work explores transformations in religious and economic life, Islamic piety in the economy, Islamic Banking and Finance, and in the economic life of displaced Syrians in Jordan, Sudan, and Norway.

Mohammad Farrukh Raza
Group CEO
IFAAS (Islamic Finance Advisory & Assurance Services)

Mr. Farrukh Raza has 18 years of extensive contribution to the Islamic finance industry, leading Islamic finance projects across 51 different jurisdictions including policy level advisory to 35 governments across 4 continents. He led IFAAS team in various high-profile projects funded by IsDB, ADB, World Bank, IFC and UK’s DfID, establishing Islamic finance Masterplans, strategic roadmaps, regulatory and governance frameworks for several countries. Mr. Raza is actively engaged with the international standard-setting bodies, contributing towards the industry’s thought-leadership. He also co-founded IFIN, a fintech solution for Islamic finance industry.

Rafe Haneef
Chief Executive Officer
Group Transaction Banking & CIMB Foundation

Mr. Rafe Haneef is the CEO of Group Transaction Banking overseeing transaction banking business which consist of four main product pillars namely Trade Finance, Cash Management, Securities Services and Financial Institution serving the Group’s Non-Retail customers across CIMB franchise in ASEAN. Transaction Banking drives annuity business and relationship stickiness; thus, pivotal to the growth of CIMB Group. Mr. Haneef, as the CEO of CIMB Foundation, spearheads CSR in community development, sports and education initiatives with diversity and inclusion as the guiding principles.

Mr. Haneef holds a Master of Laws (LL.M) from Harvard Law School and Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) from International Islamic University Malaysia. He was also qualified for the New York State Bar in 1997 and was admitted to the Malaysian Bar in 1995.

Mr. Haneef has 20 years of experience covering a range of businesses and functional roles gained from three global banks, an international asset management company and a legal firm, at various financial centers including London, Dubai and Kuala Lumpur.

Previously, he worked as Group Chief Sustainability Officer and was responsible for driving sustainable financing and social responsibility initiatives across the CIMB Group, and as the CEO of CIMB Islamic Bank Berhad in charge of the Group’s Islamic banking and finance franchise. CIMB Islamic operates as a parallel franchise to the Group’s conventional operations and covers Islamic wholesale banking, Islamic consumer banking, Islamic commercial banking and Islamic asset management and investments. Mr. Haneef’s role has been instrumental in the inclusion of CIMB Islamic in the Value-Based Intermediation (VBI) Community of Practitioners, working to develop VBI together with the central bank to contextualize and drive sustainability with Islamic finance institutions in Malaysia. He also played an instrumental role in CIMB Group, being a member of RFI as well as a founding member to the UNEP FI Principles for Responsible Banking.

Mr. Haneef has served as the CEO (Malaysia) and Managing Director of Global Markets, ASP, HSBC Amanah in 2010; Regional Head for Islamic banking, Asia Pacific, Citigroup Asia in 2006; and the Global Head of Islamic Finance business at ABN AMRO Dubai in 2004 covering both consumer and corporate businesses. In 1999, he joined HSBC Investment Bank plc, London, and thereafter HSBC Financial Services Middle East, Dubai where he set up the global sukuk business in 2001.

Talha Erdoğan
Director
Albaraka Garaj

Mr. Talha Erdoğan, after graduating from Marmara University Industrial Engineering Department in 2010, he joined Albaraka Türk as the Corporate Communication Specialist, and took various roles there, in April 2018, he became Marketing Manager of insha GmbH. He worked with the founder team to establish Europe’s first interest-free digital bank. After seeing the enthusiasm of building a business from scratch, he decided to work with startups to help them grow their businesses. Since 2020 he is working as the Director of Albaraka Garaj.

Dr. Md. Mizanur Rahman
Director Research
Islami Bank Training and Research Academy, Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited (IBBL)

Dr. Md. Mizanur Rahman is an economist and had his PhD in Economics from Imperial College, London. He also completed a post-graduate diploma in Islamic Banking and Insurance from UK. Dr. Rahman worked as Director Research at the Islami Bank Training and Research Academy of IBBL from 2006 to 2021. In between this period, he worked as Head of Training and Research Academy, Jaiz Bank Plc, Nigeria, for 3 years, on deputation from IBBL. He also worked as a researcher with different capacities in two Government Research Institute in Bangladesh since 1987 to 2006. He has 40 articles published in different national and international journal and presented 50 papers in different seminars at home and abroad. Dr. Rahman visited more than 30 countries for training, academic and seminar purposes. He authored seven books on Economics and Finance published from home and abroad.

Budi Hardyansyah
Chairman
KSPPS BMT Bahtera

Budi Hardyansyah was born on September 5th 1971 in Batang Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. He is one of the very first personnel of KSPPS BMT Bahtera who was extremely loyal serving the institution from its day of establishment in 1995. He finished his latest formal education from Diponegoro University Semarang and graduated with Master of Management in 2009, after previously honored with Bachelor of Economics in 1995. Up to this point, he serves as the Chairman of KSPPS BMT Bahtera and has led the institution into a national level cooperative.

Funda Süzer
Impact Investing Portfolio Lead
UNDP Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development (IICPSD)

Funda Süzer is the Impact Investing Portfolio Lead at UNDP’s Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development (IICPSD). At IICPSD, Ms. Süzer leads the design and implementation of projects and activities aiming to create and nurture impact investing ecosystems in developing and the least developed countries. She actively supports UNDP Country Offices in Turkey, Djibouti, Morocco, Tunisia, Ukraine, Eswatini, Mauritius, Seychelles and Maldives. Prior to joining UNDP, she worked as Project Coordinator at Deloitte Consulting and as Project Manager at Istanbul Textile and Apparel Exporters’ Association specializing on industrial clustering, SME development and strategic business planning.

Dr. Dalal Aassouli
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs & Assistant Professor of Islamic Finance
College of Islamic Studies, Hamad bin Khalifa University (HBKU)

Dr. Dalal Aassouli is an Assistant Professor of Islamic Finance and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) in Qatar. She was previously a visiting academic at Durham Centre for Islamic Economics and Finance. Prior to that, she worked at the International Islamic Liquidity Management Corporation (IILM) in Malaysia and other international corporates in Europe. Dr. Aassouli’s areas of research interest includes Islamic finance, sustainable finance, food security and entrepreneurship. She is also an invited speaker in international conferences and events and provides her consultancy expertise to various organizations on issues related to sustainable and Islamic finance.

Rabayl Mirza
Impact Specialist
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Business Call to Action (BCtA)

Rabayl Mirza is a development economics specialist with a decade of experience in the nexus of international development and private finance. In her current role, Ms. Mirza is working with UN DESA’s Financing for Sustainable Development Office to support the Global Investors for Sustainable Development (GISD) Alliance in mobilizing sustainable finance.

Prior to this, Ms. Mirza was based in Istanbul for 5 years providing technical assistance and capacity-building to companies and investors with the Business Call to Action (BCtA), the global platform for inclusive business hosted by UNDP. She is experienced in training private sector actors to develop and deepen their understanding of their positive and negative impact, and to manage better their contributions to the global Sustainable Development Goals. Ms. Mirza is passionate about private sector solutions for the world’s most complex problems and making finance work for the people and the planet.

Ayşe Nur Tepebaşı
Islamic Finance Portfolio
UNDP Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development (IICPSD)

Ms. Ayşe Nur Tepebaşı worked as a Project Manager at the UNDP Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development (IICPSD). Prior to joining the UNDP, she worked as an International Relations Specialist at the Participation Banks Association of Turkey. Before that, she worked as a Financial Sector Analyst at the World Bank. Ms. Tepebaşı also worked in the International Relations Department of Kuveyt Turk Participation Bank. She completed her Masters in Islamic Finance at Durham University, UK and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Industrial Engineering.

Dr. Aamir A. Rehman
Senior Advisor on Islamic Finance
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

Dr. Aamir A. Rehman served as UNDP’s Senior Advisor on Islamic Finance from 2017 to 2021. His work included strategy development, project support, and capacity building on aligning Islamic finance flows with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Dr. Rehman is an investor and educator. He is Chair of Innate Capital Partners and a partner at Princeton Stone House Capital. Additionally, he is an adjunct faculty member and senior fellow at Columbia Business School. He is the author of two books and numerous articles on finance and strategy. Dr. Rehman holds Bachelor’s, Master’s, and MBA degrees from Harvard University and a doctoral degree from Columbia University.

Mariana González Migueles
Team Leader, International Financial Institutions Partnerships Team
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

Mariana González Migueles is an international development practitioner with over 15 years of experience in UNDP, and in CSOs focusing on indigenous and women’s human rights in her native Mexico. In her current role, she manages corporate relationships with multilateral and regional development banks to help maximize partnership opportunities towards Agenda 2030. Her previous roles in UNDP include heading the Management Support Unit in Sri Lanka, to enhance results-based planning, implementation, and monitoring of UNDP programs; and leading communications strategies to mobilize political and financial support for the crisis prevention and recovery work of UNDP. Ms. Migueles has a Master’s degree in Development and International Cooperation (Université de Paris I-Panthèon-Sorbonne), Political Science (Institut d’Études Politiques de Grenoble) and a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations (Universidad de las Américas-Puebla).

Dawood Ashraf Ph.D., CFA
Senior Research Economist
Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI)

Dr. Dawood Ashraf is a Senior Research Economist at the Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI). He holds a Ph.D. in Banking & Finance, and he is a CFA charter holder. His banking and academic experience span over two decades. Research interests of Dr. Ashraf include sustainable and ethical finance, portfolio management, banking, corporate finance, and the application of AI in finance. In addition to publishing in international journals, he has presented at numerous international conferences. Dr. Ashraf has contributed and delivered several leadership training programs on topics related to Islamic finance. On the policy side, he has led teams to produce several reports, including the first two editions of the Global Report on Islamic Finance, the impact of COVID-19 on Islamic finance, and the use of AI to leverage financial inclusion.

Dr. Rami Abdelkafi
Team Leader, Knowledge Leaders
Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI)

Dr. Rami Abdelkafi, PhD, is currently the Team Leader of the Knowledge Leaders Team at the Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI). He joined the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) in August 2008 and has accumulated an important experience in the field of economic development. Prior to this, Dr. Rami worked as Assistant Professor at the University of Sfax in Tunisia. He earned a doctorate in economics from the University of Nice, France, in 2002. His areas of expertise are economic growth and development, Islamic economics and finance and macroeconomic policies.

Sophie Kemkhadze
Deputy Resident Representative
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Indonesia

Sophie Kemkhadze is Deputy Resident Representative (outgoing UNDP Indonesia, incoming UNDP Syria) at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). She was also the Deputy Country Director in UNDP Nepal from 2014 to 2018. Prior to that, she was posted in Armenia in 2013 as the acting Deputy Resident Representative. Ms. Kemkhadze first joined UNDP in 2007, leading the Economic Development Portfolio in Georgia, and in 2008 she became UNDP Assistant Resident Representative in Georgia. She holds a Master’s degree in Economics and Policy from Warwick University (2003), and Ph.D. in Mathematics from Georgian Academy of Sciences (1998). She received her undergraduate degree in Mechanics and Mathematics from Tbilisi State University. She also holds a diploma in Psychology.

Dr. Mohamed Ali Chatti
Manager, Awqaf Investment Funds Division & Acting Director, Islamic Financial Sector Development (IFSD) Department
Islamic Development Bank (IsDB)

After getting his Ph.D. from Paris X Nanterre la Defense University in France, Dr. Mohamed Ali Chatti began his professional career at the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) in 2010 while continuing to lecture at the ESSEC Tunisia. In 2018, he was promoted to be the manager of the Islamic Finance Investments Division, managing two strategic portfolios for the IsDB: the direct equity portfolio of IsDB in Islamic Financial institutions and the Awqaf Properties Investment Fund (APIF). In addition to his duties, Dr. Chatti was nominated as acting Director for the Islamic Finance Sector Development Department in October 2019. After 4 years and the implementation of transformative marketing and operational strategies for APIF, the fund is displaying great improvement on its financial and operational indicators.

Mohamed Rozani Osman
Senior Financial Sector Specialist
World Bank Group Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Finance Hub in Malaysia

Mohamed Rozani Osman is a Senior Financial Sector Specialist with the Finance, Competitiveness and Innovation Global Practice of the World Bank. He covers several areas including sustainable finance, Islamic finance, and capital markets, especially in the East Asia Pacific region. Mr. Osman has 18 years of investment management experience, including 10 as Head of Treasury at Khazanah Nasional, the sovereign investment fund of Malaysia. He has an MBA from Cornell University and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Virginia.

Muhammad Didi Hardiana
Head of Innovative Financing Lab
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Indonesia

Muhammad Didi Hardiana is currently working as Team Leader of the Innovative Financing Lab in UNDP Indonesia. Prior to joining UNDP in 2014, he worked at the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) and Panasonic Gobel Energy Indonesia. He has more than fifteen years of relevant working experience in the areas of sustainability, development finance, climate finance, climate change, and monitoring & reporting.