Founding Director of CEIF

Ahmed Ali Siddiqui

Ahmed Ali Siddiqui

Email: aasiddiqui@iba.edu.pk




He has over 21 years of rich Islamic banking experience and is being involved in pioneering work in the field of Islamic finance in Pakistan. His major areas of interest are Shariah Compliant product development, Sovereign Sukuk & deal structuring, development of innovative solutions for retail, corporate & consumer banking, formulation of policy guidelines, Islamic banking training, Shariah Audit, applicative research & Islamic financial advisory services.

He also holds the post of Senior Executive Vice President & Head, Shariah Compliance Department at Meezan Bank and leading one of the largest Research departments in the Islamic banking world with over 55 dedicated team members. He is also the Secretary for Shariah Supervisory Board at Meezan Bank Limited.

Mr. Siddiqui is also part the Joint Financial Advisors team to the Government of Pakistan for Issuance of Local currency Sovereign Sukuk & Islamic financing transactions and has advised the government in structuring and issuance of Sukuk/Islamic transactions of over US $ 16.29 billion dollars.

He has served and is also a member of several task forces at the Central Bank level related to Islamic banking products, Islamic banking regulations, governance framework, Accounting disclosures and Adoption of AAOIFI Shariah Standards.

Mr. Siddiqui is also actively involved in Islamic banking training activities and has conducted various training sessions, corporate workshops & seminars on different Islamic Banking topics including Islamic Financial Products, Product Development & Structuring, Islamic Accounting Standards, Legal documentation and Liquidity Management Solutions etc both locally and abroad.

He is also a frequent speaker on Islamic banking at National Institute of Banking & Finance (State Bank of Pakistan), Export Promotion Bureau, LUMS & Center of Islamic Economics (CIE), Karachi and has conducted several specialized training sessions & workshops in UAE, Bahrain, Malaysia, Australia & UK.

Mr. Siddiqui was named in the Islamica 500 for 2016 as among the 500 of the world's most prominent and influential personalities who build up and pioneer the Islamic economy and the Halal industry.

Currently Mr. Siddiqui also serves as:

  • Director, IBA Centre for Excellence in Islamic Finance (IBA CEIF)
  • Senior Executive Vice President & Head Shariah Compliance at Meezan Bank
  • Secretary to Shariah Supervisory Board of Meezan Bank Limited
  • Lead Advisor to Ministry of Finance, Pakistan for Sovereign Sukuk Program
  • Member of Advisory team for Center of Islamic Economics (CIE), Jamia Darul uloom Karachi,
  • Member Board of Editorial Advisor, Journal of Islamic Banking & Finance (ISSN -18184-8042)
  • Visiting Faculty member at IBA Karachi.
  • Member Task Force for Asset Lite Sukuk development for Government of Pakistan
  • Member of multiple committees in State Bank and Finance Ministry for Conversion of Conventional Banking System into Islamic Banking 

Brief Summary of some training sessions/workshop/courses conducted

Courses taught:

  1. Islamic Banking & Finance
  2. Islamic Capital Markets
  3. Investment banking and Product Structuring
  4. Risk management for Islamic Financial Institutions

Various Training sessions on:

  1. Musharakah & Equity Based Products
  2. Liquidity Management Solutions for Islamic banks
  3. AAOIFI Accounting Standards
  4. Shariah Compliance & Audit
  5. Comprehensive Training sessions for Islamic bankers & Scholars at Markfield, UK

Various Workshops conducted:

  1. One-day Workshop on Islamic Finance for Journalists at IBA Karachi, 7th March 2023
  2. Workshop of Islamic Product Development
  3. Specialized workshop on Successfully Structuring Innovative Sukuk for Various Real Estate Types, KL
  4. Specialized workshop on Valuation Issues and Developing Effective Valuation and Viable Exit Strategies for Shariah Compliant Real Estate Investment, KL
  5. Workshop of legal documentation for Islamic banking, KL
  6. 5-day detailed workshop on Islamic Accounting Standards, UAE
  7. Advance Islamic Finance Workshop, Melbourne, Australia 

Some of the Paper & Presentations delivered on Local & International Forums

  • Islamic Green & Sustainable Finance Solutions in Pakistan, Moderated, IFN Roadshow OnAir Pakistan Aug 2022 
  • Online webinar Roshan Apna Ghar (Islamic Housing Financing), Sep 3, 2021 
  • Role of Key Institution in Elimination of Riba, Shariah Academy Aug 2021 
  • How to Fund your Journey to Higher Education (IBA CEIF & Ihsan Trust, online webinar Aug 11, 2021) 
  • The growth of Sukuk and opportunities for Islamic digital banking in Pakistan, IFN Roadshow OnAir Pakistan June 2021 
  • Career Opportunities in Islamic Finance, Online webinar by IBA CEIF, April 20, 2021 
  • "Islamic Home Finance, The way forward" Online webinar by IBA CEIF, April 9, 2021 
  • Panelist for “The Need and Prospects of Moving to Social Finance” at 5th International Conference on Islamic Business - Islamic Finance by “Riphah International University” March 2021. 
  • Case Study for PKR 400 BN Pakistan Energy Sukuk issued by Government of Pakistan and Sukuk for Belt & Road initiative presented at 2020 International Financial Cooperation Forum, Shanghai China. (Nov 8, 2020) 
  • Basic concepts of Islamic Banking & Finance, Online webinar by IBA CEIF (Aug 11, 2020) 
  • “Successful Issuance of Pakistan Energy Sukuk: Transaction Structure, Issuance & Challenges” by UMT Lahore & IBA CEIF (June 18, 2020) 
  • Innovative Product development – Case study of Meezan Bank’s Product for Retail space (Sept 2016, Dubai – 2nd Annual Product Development for Banking Summit) 
  • Globalization of Sukuk – Issues and challenges. OIC Trade & Economic Forum (Oct 2015 - KL, Malaysia) 
  • Labor Market Trends for OIC countries for 2020 & Expectation of High growth companies from Young graduates – OIC Higher Education Forum. (Oct 2015 - KL, Malaysia) 
  • Workshop of Islamic banking Products, Regulations & Supervisory Framework for Islamic banks for Central Bank of Djibouti (March 2015) on special Invitation of IDB, Jeddah 
  • Legal documentation in Islamic banking (3rd Asia Islamic Finance Forum KL 2013) 
  • Islamic Banking & Finance: Global & Local perspective – Islamic banking session by Management Association of Pakistan (Karachi, March 2012) 
  • Challenges in Islamic Finance Product Development - 2nd International Conference on Islamic Business 2012 by Ripha University (Islamabad, Feb 2012) 
  • Islamic Finance: Socio-Economic Impact and Accountability – First Islamic Finance & Banking Conference Oman (Muscat, Jan 2012) 
  • Strategic Road map for Islamic Financial Product Development & Innovation – World Islamic Finance Summit 2011 (Karachi, Sept 2011) 
  • Islamic Banking: Global & local perspective - Conference on Islamic Economics & Finance by IBA Karachi (Karachi, June 2010) 
  • Exploring Islamic Retail Banking Solutions for SMEs - International Islamic Finance Forum UAE (Dubai, May 2010) 

Some Publications:

  • The Premise of Islamic Banking, Disclosures, Transparency, and Investors’ Confidence, Journal of Islamic Business and Management (2020, 10(2), 436-440­)
  • A Case Study of Meezan Bank – Journal of the Institute of Bankers Pakistan Dec 2014
  • Meezan Bank – A Role Model of Shariah Compliance for Islamic Banks – Islamic Finance Review UK (May 2014)
  • Islamic Banking Synopsis - Journal of the Institute of Bankers Pakistan Sept 2013
  • Successful launch of IIBR gives hopes for development of local benchmark in Pakistan –IFN news / The Finance Daily (Jan 2013)
  • Country Feature – Islamic Banking in Pakistan Report 2012 (IFN News)
  • Islamic Banking – A viable solution to Current Financial Crises (2009)
  • Islamic Banking – Differences, Growth & Challenges (2008)

Articles:

  1. Corporate Window: Modernizing Islamic Finance – 14th Aug 2023
  2. The role of Islamic Finance for woman entrepreneur – Dawn 1st May 2023
  3. The Islamic Way Forward (Role of International institutions for Islamic Finance) – Dawn March 6, 2023
  4. Blank Cheque Companies (Shariah Compliance of SPACs) – Dawn Oct 31, 2022
  5. The Rise of Sukuk – an effective tool for financing Sovereign debt – Dawn Sept 5, 2022
  6. The need for a Sharia-compliant counter at PSX (Dawn, April 18, 2022)
  7. Islamic finance — the uphill journey continues (The Business and Finance Weekly Dawn Feb 07, 2022)
  8. Aligning housing finance with public demand (The Business and Finance Weekly Dawn Jan 13, 2020)
  9. Inclusion through Islamic finance (The Business and Finance Weekly Dawn Feb 17, 2020)
  10. Islamic Finance Education – Challenges & Growth (Pakistan & Gulf Economist Nov 2018)
  11. Interview with Shabbir Kazmi in Jan 2018 before/about WIFF 2018 (Eurasia Review)
  12. Bridging the Skill Gap (for Islamic Finance) – Aurora Dawn Jan-Feb 2018
  13. Challenges of Islamic banks in Courts. (Daily Dawn, Oct 17, 2016)
  14. Islamic Banking Industry – Growth Amid Challenges – The Financial Daily (Nov 16, 2012)
  15. Islamic Banking Modes for Agriculture & Financing Facilities – The Financial Daily (Oct 12, 2012)