Digitalising Maqasid al-Shariah: Islamic Finance for the Next Era
In conjunction with the 8th Global Islamic Finance Forum, Labuan IBFC together with Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad will host an exclusive post-forum titled “Digitalising Maqasid al-Shariah: Islamic Finance for the Next Era” on 15 October 2025 at Sasana Kijang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
As Economy 4.0 unfolds, the intersection of digital innovation and Shariah-aligned finance presents unprecedented opportunities for ethical, inclusive growth. This high-level engagement presents Malaysia, via Labuan IBFC, as a leader in Islamic digital finance and tokenisation. Key highlights include Sukuk 4.0 to unlock global liquidity to AI Sukuk as a new asset class, with smart contracts enhancing zakat and waqf transparency. The programme also introduces Climate Sukuk, integrating Maqasid al-Shariah with green finance by tokenising carbon and biodiversity credits, alongside discussions on AI, SME access and measurable ESG and SDG outcomes.
Aligned with this vision, the programme will also showcase Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad’s strategic fintech initiatives, particularly under Project Juara, which underscores how various parties can come together to shape Malaysia’s digital finance future.
As part of this milestone event, there will also be an MOU signing between Labuan IBFC Inc. and the Association of Shariah Advisers in Islamic Finance Malaysia (ASAS), a collaboration aimed at strengthening Shariah governance and talent and fostering greater innovation in Islamic finance.
Bringing together key stakeholders, this event offers a platform to shape the future of Shariah-compliant digital finance. Gain fresh insights and strategies to preserve, grow, and transition wealth through Malaysia and Labuan IBFC’s unique offerings.
As Economy 4.0 unfolds, the intersection of digital innovation and Shariah-aligned finance presents unprecedented opportunities for ethical, inclusive growth. This high-level engagement presents Malaysia, via Labuan IBFC, as a leader in Islamic digital finance and tokenisation. Key highlights include Sukuk 4.0 to unlock global liquidity to AI Sukuk as a new asset class, with smart contracts enhancing zakat and waqf transparency. The programme also introduces Climate Sukuk, integrating Maqasid al-Shariah with green finance by tokenising carbon and biodiversity credits, alongside discussions on AI, SME access and measurable ESG and SDG outcomes.
Aligned with this vision, the programme will also showcase Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad’s strategic fintech initiatives, particularly under Project Juara, which underscores how various parties can come together to shape Malaysia’s digital finance future.
As part of this milestone event, there will also be an MOU signing between Labuan IBFC Inc. and the Association of Shariah Advisers in Islamic Finance Malaysia (ASAS), a collaboration aimed at strengthening Shariah governance and talent and fostering greater innovation in Islamic finance.
Bringing together key stakeholders, this event offers a platform to shape the future of Shariah-compliant digital finance. Gain fresh insights and strategies to preserve, grow, and transition wealth through Malaysia and Labuan IBFC’s unique offerings.
Speakers
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Datuk Chin Chee Kee, Board of Directors, Labuan IBFC Inc.
Datuk Chin Chee Kee, Board of Directors, Labuan IBFC Inc.
Chairman, Association of Labuan Trust Companies
Executive Chairman, Noblehouse International Trust Ltd.Datuk Chin Chee Kee is currently the Executive Chairman of Noblehouse International Trust Ltd. And Managing Partner of CK Chin PLT, Chartered Accountants.
He is a member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants, CA (M), a fellow of The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, United Kingdom, - (FCCA), a Fellow of the Chartered Tax Institute of Malaysia (FCTIM), an Associate Fellow of Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers (Associate Fellow AICB), a member of the International Tax Planning Association (ITPA) and a Registered Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP).
He is also the Chairman of the Association of Labuan Trust Companies and a director of Labuan IBFC Inc. Sdn Bhd. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace by the Governor of Sabah on September 16, 1997.
He also practices as an approved company auditor and an approved tax agent in the accounting firm of CK Chin PLT in Malaysia since 1987.
He has 35 years of experience in cross border tax planning and has been involved in the offshore trust industry and corporate secretarial work for the past 30 years. -
Datuk Wira Ismitz Matthew De Alwis, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Kenanga Investors Berhad
Datuk Wira Ismitz Matthew De Alwis, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Kenanga Investors Berhad
Datuk Wira Ismitz Matthew De Alwis (“Datuk Wira De Alwis”) is the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Kenanga Investors Berhad. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Kenanga Islamic Investors Berhad, Eq8 Capital Sdn Bhd, Kenanga Trustees Berhad, Kenanga Digital Sdn Bhd, Helicap Pte Ltd, and all subsidiaries of KIB.
In addition to his corporate roles, Datuk Wira De Alwis is the Chairperson of the Malaysian Association of Asset Managers and sits on the board of the Federation of Investment Managers Malaysia. He is the Vice Chairman of the Institutional Investors Council Malaysia and a member of Bursa Malaysia’s Securities Market Consultative Panel (SMCP). His involvement in sustainability includes membership in the Joint Committee (BNM & SC) on Climate Change (JC3) and the Sustainable Investment Platform Steering Committee – Malaysia Sustainable Investment Initiative.
He also serves as Investment Adviser to the Olympic Council of Malaysia’s Trust Management Committee. A strong advocate for talent development in the industry, he contributes as a member of the Capital Market Graduate Programme Steering Committee (SC), the Industry Competency Framework Advisory Panel for the Malaysian Capital Market project by the Securities Industry Development Corporation, and the SC’s Assessment Review Committee (ARC) – Fund Management. -
Dr. Taha Omar, Applied Finance Senior Lecturer, University Putra Malaysia
Dr. Taha Omar, Applied Finance Senior Lecturer, University Putra Malaysia
Dr. Taha Omar is a Senior Lecturer in Applied Finance at University Putra Malaysia, specialising in Islamic Finance. He is also a Shariah Advisor with experience in fintech, digital assets, and cooperative investment strategies. His research focuses on digital assets and cryptocurrency, integrating Shariah principles with modern financial solutions. -
Dr. Aida Othman, Board Member of ZICO Shariah Advisory Services Sdn Bhd
Dr. Aida Othman, Board Member of ZICO Shariah Advisory Services Sdn Bhd
Dr. Aida specialises in Islamic banking and finance, Islamic capital market instruments and takaful products and operations. She also advises on Shariah compliance and governance, including on the legal and regulatory framework for Islamic finance.
She currently serves as a Shariah committee member at several Islamic financial institutions.
Dr. Aida holds Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Islamic Law (Shariah) degrees from International Islamic University, Malaysia as well as a Master of Law degree from Cambridge University, United Kingdom. She obtained her PhD in Comparative Law & Middle Eastern Studies and completed her Postdoctoral Fellowship at Harvard University, USA. -
Doreen Fadli, Head of Business Policy and Tax Development, Labuan Financial Services Authority
Doreen Fadli, Head of Business Policy and Tax Development, Labuan Financial Services Authority
Doreen is the Head of Business Policy at Labuan FSA. She is responsible for the formulation of developmental policies to promote businesses in Labuan IBFC. She is also on the insurance and risk assessment task forces at the authority. Prior to joining the business policy unit, she was head of the licensing department there.
Doreen is an Associate Member of The Malaysian Insurance Institute and a Member of the Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers. She holds an MBA from Universiti Malaysia Sabah and a Bachelor of Accountancy with Honours from Universiti Teknologi Mara. She also holds certificates in AML/CFT and a Diploma in MII. -
Mohammad Raafi Hossain, CEO and Co-founder of Fasset
Mohammad Raafi Hossain, CEO and Co-founder of Fasset
Mohammad Raafi Hossain is an entrepreneur with a diverse background in strategic roles across governments, multilaterals and corporates. Throughout his career, he delivered end-to-end projects in emerging technologies, economic development, climate change, renewable energy, healthcare, agriculture and education.
Before founding Fasset, Raafi served as Advisor to the UAE Prime Minister's Office. In this role, he seeded and facilitated several innovative initiatives that led to the adoption of emerging technologies across several sectors. He is also the founder of Finocracy, a think-and-do tank with a mission to democratise access to financial opportunities for the next billion people. Finocracy is a partner of the United Nations, the Global Fund, and the Islamic Development Bank among others.
Previously, Raafi worked for the United Nations in the MENA region focusing on agriculture, climate change and sustainable development. He also led the development of Narwi - an award-winning platform that connects ethical microfinance institutions with aspiring entrepreneurs and crowdfunded capital. Narwi created 5,000 new businesses and 15,000 jobs across 6 MENA countries through support from a global community of over 100,000 individuals.
Raafi has an academic background in Environmental Economics and Sustainable Development from the University of California Berkeley and Harvard University. -
Qin En Looi, Managing Partner, Onigiri Capital
Qin En Looi, Managing Partner, Onigiri Capital
Qin En Looi is the Managing Partner of Onigiri Capital, a venture capital fund launched by Saison Capital, the corporate venture arm of Japan’s Credit Saison. Qin En funds, advises, and empowers blockchain founders who are unlocking real-world, global financial products and utility across stablecoins, payments, tokenised assets, DeFi, and financial markets infrastructure.
At Saison Capital, Qin En is a Partner leading early-stage investments across fintech and commerce. He kickstarted Credit Saison’s digital asset strategy, and co-founded ONCHAIN, Asia’s first real-world asset conference.
Qin En was formerly the Co-Founder and COO of Glints, Southeast Asia’s largest talent ecosystem. He has been featured on Forbes 30 Under 30 and Entrepreneurs 27 Under 27 for being one of the youngest founders in the region to raise venture funding. -
Ja’afar Rihan, Head, Islamic Business Development, Labuan FSA
Ja’afar Rihan, Head, Islamic Business Development
Ja’afar Rihan is currently heading the Islamic Finance section of Labuan FSA. Before joining Labuan Financial Services Authority (Labuan FSA) he was the Head of Business Development in Co-opbank Pertama Malaysia Berhad.
He was General Manager of Simpanan Shariah Department (World First Syariah Pension Fund) of Employees Provident Fund (EPF) from 2008 to 2018. He was a Vice-President of Calyon Bank prior to him joining EPF.
He was with Bank Negara Malaysia for 15 years whereby he was actively involved in the development of Islamic Money Market and Islamic Financial Market. His last position held with Bank Negara was as a Manager of the Islamic Money Market and Investment Operations and Financial. -
Aqim Marzuki, Sustainability Strategist & CEO, Aqim Marzuki Advisory (AMA)
Aqim Marzuki, Sustainability Strategist & CEO, Aqim Marzuki Advisory (AMA)
Aqim Marzuki is not in the business of ticking ESG boxes—she builds empires with it. A master strategist trusted by boards, she turns sustainability into serious business. With 15+ years of experience and the sharp mind of a Chartered Accountant, Aqim helps companies move from reporting to revenue, from risk to relevance.
She founded Aqim Marzuki Advisory to advise those ready to lead. From Bursa compliance to carbon monetisation, she delivers impact where others deliver paperwork. -
Prof. Dr. Hamed Faghiri, Founder & CEO, Dorod Group Berhad
Prof. Dr. Hamed Faghiri, Founder & CEO, Dorod Group Berhad
Captain of GreenToken | Global Green Economy AmbassadorProf. Dr. Hamed Faghiri is a global thought leader in sustainable technology, ESG, and climate finance. As Founder & CEO of Dorod Group Berhad, he pioneered the Aeroponics Arrow Tower, a patented vertical farming system reducing water use by 98% while enhancing food security. He serves as Captain of GreenToken (XGT), a real-world asset initiative integrating carbon credits, biodiversity, and ESG impact into global Islamic finance markets. Recognised as Global Green Economy Ambassador, he advocates for aligning Maqasid al-Shariah with sustainability goals, particularly through tokenisation, private placement funds, and climate sukuk. Holding dual Ph.D.s in Business Economics and Management, alongside an MBA in Finance, and B.Sc. in Agricultural Engineering Prof. Faghiri combines technical expertise with financial innovation, advancing scalable, Shariah-compliant solutions for a greener global economy. -
Prof. Dato' Dr. H'ng Paik San, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, Universiti Putra Malaysia
Prof. Dato' Dr. H'ng Paik San, Faculty of Forestry and Environment
Universiti Putra Malaysia
Prof. Dato' Dr. H'ng Paik San is a distinguished figure in Forestry, environmental science and sustainable finance, with a career bridging academia and industry. He's known for his expertise in carbon trading, sustainable forestry, and his significant contributions to global environmental policy.
Prof. Dato' Dr. H'ng Paik San is a Professor at the Faculty of Forestry and Environment, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), and previously hold the position as Head of the Laboratory at the Institute of Tropical Forestry & Forest Products. He holds a Ph.D. in Wood Science and Technology from UPM. His research interests include biomass, biofuels, and green technology, with a focus on sustainable use of biomass from sources like oil palm for graphene and graphite in energy products. He has also been a prolific author, publishing numerous articles and book chapters on these topics.
Prof. Dato' Dr. H'ng is the founder of Tek Securities and ICAS Ltd. Tek Securities is a firm that incubates companies on their journey toward net-zero emissions, helping them with carbon assessments, emission reduction strategies, and ESG reporting. ICAS Ltd. is a consultancy specialising in sustainable practices, which uses GHG Protocol for transparent and efficient management of climate actions.
In collaboration with Unity Group, Dato' Dr. H'ng played a key role in structuring and launching what has been touted as the world's first climate sukuk with a carbon credit payout. This groundbreaking Islamic finance instrument, denominated in offshore Renminbi, is designed to fund green initiatives, with its initial tranche channeled into a green building project in Selangor. The sukuk offers investors two recurring revenue streams: energy savings and certified carbon credit revenue, demonstrating how ESG investments can be a source of both financial returns and tangible environmental impact.
Prof. Dato' Dr. H'ng is a recognised carbon credit expert and a key figure in the development of International ISO environmental standards. He is the Chairman of the Malaysian National Standard TC1 and serves as Malaysia's National Representative & Convener for ISO Standards. His work has been instrumental in integrating timber standards into the International Standards Organisation (ISO). He also acts as a technical expert to the then Ministry of Green Technology on Malaysia Green Technology Roadmap. His involvement in the ISO working committee on ESG standards is reflected in his advisory and consultancy work, where he emphasises the importance of credible and transparent financial mechanisms for climate change mitigation. -
Wan Suhaimie Wan Mohd Saidie, Head of Economic Research, Kenanga Investment Bank
Wan Suhaimie Wan Mohd Saidie, Head of Economic Research, Kenanga Investment Bank
Wan Suhaimie Wan Mohd Saidie has more than 30 years of professional experience, including 28 years as an economist specialising in financial markets. He graduated with a degree in Economics from the International Islamic University Malaysia in 1991 and began his career as a reporter with The Star before moving on to AFX Asia (a joint venture between Agence France Presse and Financial Times) as a financial correspondent.In 1996, he entered investment research with PB Worldsec Securities, then a Hong Kong–based brokerage under Mitsubishi Tokyo Bank, as an equity analyst before focusing on macroeconomic research. After the Asian Financial Crisis in 1999, he briefly returned to journalism before joining AmInvestment Bank as an economist. He later moved to Kenanga Investment Bank in 2006, where he continues to serve as Head of Economic Research.Wan Suhaimie also sits on the Board of Trustees of the Malaysian Tax Research Foundation. Beyond economics, he trained as a photojournalist at the Brandenburg Berlin School of Journalism in Germany. His professional and intellectual interests span behavioural science, multi-asset investment, risk management, blockchain and digital assets, and economic history. -
Ahmad Fuad Alhabshi, Executive Director, Halogen Capital
Ahmad Fuad Alhabshi, Executive Director, Halogen Capital
Fuad Alhabshi is the Executive Director of Halogen Capital, the first licensed digital asset fund manager in Malaysia. He leads the growth and development of the company, with the goal to provide institutional and individual investors with regulated crypto asset opportunities and innovative investment solutions.Prior to taking this role, Fuad was the CEO of Abbas Investment Management Sdn Bhd (now known as Opus Islamic Asset Management).Throughout his 16-year career in asset management, he has successfully managed over RM2 billion worth of assets for a diverse clientele, from government-affiliated organisations to family offices, small and medium enterprises, private banking clients and high net worth individuals. These portfolios were exclusively composed of assets in the fixed income/ sukuk category denominated in MYR, USD and SGD.Recognising the rising traction in digital assets, he joined Halogen Capital, driven by a vision to provide investors with regulated access to Shariah-compliant cryptocurrency assets. Being Malaysia’s first licensed digital asset fund manager, Halogen Capital has launched many innovative products, one of which is the world’s first Shariah-compliant cryptocurrency mutual fund, the Halogen Shariah Bitcoin Fund.He holds a Master of Science degree in Analogue and Digital Integrated Circuit Design from Imperial College London, UK and a Bachelor of Science degree in Electronic Engineering from the University of Warwick, UK.He has also been a holder of a Capital Markets Services Representative’s Licence from the Securities Commission of Malaysia since 2010. -
Mariam Veronica Bt Abu Bakkar Seddek, Director, Group Head Institutional & Islamic Asset Management, Kenanga Investors Berhad
Mariam Veronica Bt Abu Bakkar Seddek, Director, Group Head Institutional & Islamic Asset Management, Kenanga Investors Berhad
Mariam Veronica Bt Abu Bakkar Seddek (“Mariam”) is currently the Director, Group Head Institutional and Islamic Asset Management of Kenanga Investors Berhad (“KIB”).As Director, Group Head Institutional and Islamic Asset Management, she is responsible for driving the business of both the Institutional and Islamic Asset Management business of Kenanga Investors Group. Since 2014, her main role is to grow institutional business by acquiring, retaining and servicing the company’s clients ranging from the Government Link Companies, Government Agencies, Multi-National Corporations and corporate clients, amongst others.
Mariam brings with her over 20 years of extensive experience in the areas of asset management, unit trust and audit. Her work experience includes the Securities Commission Malaysia, her experiences in the United Kingdom as well as in one of the top asset management companies in Malaysia.
Mariam is a Shariah Registered Financial Planner and holds a Capital Markets Services Representative's License. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from University of Wales Cardiff, United Kingdom. -
Dr. Qasim Nasar-Ullah, Director Co-Founder, Arabesque ASG Pte Ltd
Dr. Qasim Nasar-Ullah, Director Co-Founder, Arabesque ASG Pte Ltd
Dr. Qasim Nasar-Ullah serves as co-Founder and Senior AI Engineer at Arabesque AI, and has been with the Arabesque Group since 2014. Since 2021, Qasim has been in Singapore leading an AI and Data Analytics programme that has received funding (via the MAS [Monetary Authority of Singapore] AIDA [Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics] grant. Qasim has served as an Honorary Researcher at UCL (University College London) since 2014. Qasim obtained his Ph.D. at UCL in the area of GPU-based high performance parallel financial derivatives computation.
Event Details
Date :
15 October 2025
(Wednesday)
Time :
0815AM - 1215PM
Address :
Conference Hall 2, Sasana Kijang
2, Jalan Dato Onn,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
