Majlis & Markets

Why are major financial institutions struggling to scale sustainable Islamic finance? In this episode of Majlis & Markets , we sit down with Maya Marissa Malek, CEO of Sābiq Advisory, to unpack the critical operational gaps, compliance tensions, and commercial realities shaping modern Shariah-compliant finance. We dive deep into the hard corporate finance mechanics that the industry often avoi...

The $6 trillion Islamic finance market faces an existential tension: it was built to champion equitable risk-sharing, yet it remains heavily dominated by rigid, rule-based legal screening.  Can artificial intelligence resolve this bottleneck? Can advanced machine learning models move beyond basic compliance checklists to automate substantive, purpose-driven ethical screening? In this episode of Ma...

While global headlines fixate on macro volatility and regional tensions, the underlying data tells a completely different story for Gulf technology. In this episode of Majlis & Markets, we sit down with Forbes Top Venture Capitalist Hasan Haider, Founder and Managing Partner at PlusVC, to unpack his contrarian investment thesis. Hasan lays out exactly how the GCC startup ecosystem, spearheaded...

Is the multi-billion dollar private credit market a global financial crisis in the making, or is the GCC region building a bulletproof alternative capital haven?  In this episode of Majlis & Markets, we sit down with Sharif Eid, Portfolio Manager at Amwal Capital Partners, for a comprehensive look at the realities of alternative lending, macro liquidity risks, and the massive capital migration...

As the 2026 Iran War escalates, the Middle East faces a defining moment of economic reckoning. While the world watches the missiles, the markets are watching the financial lifelines of Cairo, Beirut, and the Gulf. Expert Angus Blair (Signet Institute) returns to Majlis & Markets to discuss whether the regional economy has finally reached its breaking point. The instability of 2026 has created...

As regional volatility grows, is Turkey emerging as the ultimate refuge for global capital?  In this episode of Majlis & Markets , we are joined by Serhat Süha Çubukçuoğlu to explore Turkey’s strategic positioning amidst the Iran conflict and shifting global market dynamics. We discuss how Ankara is blending "geonomics" and active diplomacy to secure its role as a resilient regional...

Is the "Bloomberg of Baghdad" finally a reality? 🇮🇶☕️ In Episode 90 of Majlis & Markets , we sit down with Jameel Amir , the co-founder and host of the Tajarib podcast. Jameel is doing more than just creating content; he is architecting the "knowledge infrastructure" Iraq desperately needs.  His mission? To build a high-trust, digital-first powerhouse that provides the ins...

Is Syria the $215 billion "clean slate" the global financial system needs? 🇸🇾🏗️ In Episode 89 of Majlis & Markets , Hassan Jivraj is joined by Shariah governance expert Najib Al Aswad (CEO of IFCAB) to deconstruct the roadmap for Syria’s economic rebirth.  Following years of conflict and a 98% currency devaluation, we explore if Islamic finance can move beyond "halal stickers&qu...

Is the GCC facing a structural point of no return? With the Hormuz Blockade effectively "locking in" the region's economy, the old rules of Gulf growth are being rewritten. In Episode 88 of Majlis & Markets, Issam Al-Tawari  re-joins us for a high-stakes briefing on the Gulf economic reset . We move beyond the headlines to analyse why the 2026 conflict is more than just a volati...

Is the Iranian state effectively in receivership? As the 2026 conflict intensifies and the IRGC maintains its "toll booth" blockade on the Strait of Hormuz , the question of who actually holds the economic lever has never been more critical. Is President Pezeshkian’s administration a mere figurehead for the economy? In this episode, renowned strategist Bijan Khajehpour joins Majlis &...

The old world order is dead. As the Iran-Israel conflict reaches a point of no return, we aren’t just looking at a news cycle—we are witnessing a permanent Global Reset of the financial and geopolitical map. In this briefing, Hasnain Malik (Head of Geopolitical Risk and EM Equity Strategy Research at Tellimer ) joins us to navigate the high-stakes intersection of war and wealth. With oil prices vo...

Saudi Arabia is no longer just a spectator in global sports—it’s becoming the epicenter. From the "Ronaldo effect" to the 2034 World Cup , is the Public Investment Fund (PIF) ’s $trillion strategy actually working? In this episode of Majlis & Markets , recorded on 24 February 2026 , we sit down with Dr. Kristian Ulrichsen to dismantle the strategy behind Saudi Arabia's massive s...

Why is there still a massive gap between the wealth in the Muslim community and the financial products available? In Episode 84 of Majlis & Markets , Hassan Jivraj is joined by Ibrahim Khan , co-founder of Islamic Finance Guru (IFG) and Cur8 Capital . Together, they explore the evolution of Islamic finance , the mission to help the community "level up" financially, and the real reaso...

Is Tunisia the most undervalued tech hub in Africa? While the global spotlight often falls on the "Big Four" (Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, and South Africa), Tunisia is quietly building a powerhouse ecosystem rooted in a unique culture of resilience. In this episode of Majlis & Markets , we sit down with Oussama Messaoud to uncover the reality of the "Tunisia Advantage." We discu...

Is the global financial axis permanently shifting? At Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) 2025 , decision-makers representing $62 trillion in assets —equivalent to over 50% of global GDP—gathered to answer that question. Hosted within the high-growth ecosystem of ADGM , this exclusive series of interviews moves past the headlines to analyse how Abu Dhabi is officially "Engineering the Capital of Ca...

Can a $6 trillion industry survive its own stagnation? In Episode 82 of Majlis & Markets , we confront the "elephant in the room": why Islamic finance is standing still despite massive global asset growth. We are joined by industry veteran Khalid Howladar to unpack why the sector remains stuck in "business as usual" and why technology, (specifically AI and digital assets) i...

Pakistan is moving towards an interest-free Islamic financial system, but can Islamic finance really fix economic challenges or are public expectations misplaced? In Episode 81 of Majlis & Markets, Farrukh Raza from IFAAS explains why Islamic finance is not designed to create jobs overnight, how liquidity surpluses and sovereign debt complicate reform, and why this transition is ultimately abo...

Islamic finance is now a multi-trillion-dollar global industry. But has it drifted away from what it was originally designed to achieve? In Episode 80 of Majlis & Markets, Hassan Jivraj is joined by Harris Irfan , CEO and Co-founder of Cordoba Capital Markets, to examine why Islamic finance struggles to reform and why meaningful change remains so difficult. The conversation questions whether b...

Sequoia Capital, Islamophobia, and the limits of Muslim capital in global markets. In this episode of Majlis & Markets, we examine the controversy surrounding Sequoia Capital following public comments by Shaun Maguire, the firm’s response, and what this episode reveals about power, free speech, and discrimination in venture capital. FT article from October 2025 [https://www.ft.com/content/8e6d...

Is Iraq’s economy truly progressing or is new pressure starting to build? In this episode, economist and strategist Ahmed Maan Tabaqchali breaks down the real state of Iraq’s economy, covering stability since 2019, the Iraqi dinar, de-dollarisation, banking sector challenges, fintech adoption, digital payments, tokenisation, the Iraq Stock Exchange and Iraq’s post-election outlook following the 11...

In this episode, we sit down with Dr Lisa Gulesserian and John Gollifer from the GCC Board Directors Institute (GCC BDI) to discuss how governance, board effectiveness and investor relations are developing across the GCC. We explore key regional differences in board maturity, the role of IR as Gulf markets deepen, and the challenges boards face around composition, diversity, succession and disclos...

Why is Dubai still booming while global real estate slows? And is Saudi Arabia’s transformation—from home ownership to hospitality—actually sustainable? In this episode, we speak once again with Faisal Durrani, Partner & Head of Research at Knight Frank Middle East, to unpack what’s really driving the Gulf’s property cycle.  We discuss affordability, foreign ownership, migration trends, rental...

In our 75th episode, we’re joined once again by Abdul Kadir Hussain , Head of Fixed Income Asset Management at Arqaam Capital , to unpack the transformation reshaping GCC bonds and sukuk. From Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030-driven borrowing and UAE corporate issuance, to Kuwait’s market comeback and the future of AAOIFI sukuk standards, we explore how the region’s fixed income landscape is evolving an...

In this episode, we welcome back Issam Altawari to unpack Kuwait’s political and economic crossroads. We explore Kuwait’s unique political dynamics, the challenges of reform and the country’s efforts to diversify beyond oil.  From parliamentary deadlock to infrastructure and tourism projects, citizenship issues, and the role of the sovereign wealth fund, the conversation dives deep into what’s hol...

In this episode, Hassan Jivraj speaks with George Huang , CEO of SenseTime MEA and a key player in Saudi Arabia’s AI ecosystem. They discuss George’s journey into AI, the role of SenseTime in the Middle East, and how AI fits into Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.  The conversation explores the opportunities and challenges facing the Kingdom, the importance of cultural sensitivity and ethics, and why loc...