Meet the Team
Dr. Syed Nazim Ali
is the Director of the Research Division and the Center for Islamic Economics and Finance at Hamad Bin Khalifa University. With 30+ years of pioneering research in Islamic finance, he founded the Harvard University Islamic Finance Conference (HUFIC) and has collaborated with institutions like the U.S. Treasury and central banks worldwide. At HBKU, he continues to advance Islamic finance, launching the International Conference on Islamic Finance (ICIF) and publishing extensively on Shari‘ah governance, fintech, and circular economy. He holds a Ph.D. in Information Science from the University of Strathclyde.
Ayesha Zahrah
is the Chair of the 2024 Islamic Finance Conference (IFC) at Harvard. She first became involved with the conference as a co-organizer of the 2022 IFC and co-editor of the 2022 conference report. Outside of the conference, Ayesha serves as the Director of Logistics for the Harvard University Muslim Alumni (HUMA) and is a Master’s student in Biology, further conducting research at Harvard Medical School.
Taha Khursheed
is a dual-degree candidate at Harvard Kennedy School (MPA) and The Wharton School (MBA), with a passion for Islamic finance and ethical banking.
As the founder of a B2C neobank focused on Islamic financial products, Taha has firsthand experience in developing Shariah-compliant fintech solutions. Previously, his work at Boston Consulting Group included advising G20 governments on macroeconomic strategies, developing one of the Muslim world’s biggest charity platform, and developing Halal economy strategies. Taha’s mission is to innovate and build in the cross-sections of Islamic economy, technology and social sector.
Sakina
recently completed a Master of Theological Studies program at Harvard Divinity School. Before this, she was a management consultant with over 8 years experience advising start-ups, large corporations and government agencies on climate resilience, operational transformation and financial inclusion. She is currently a Philanthropy Advisor at a global non-profit and on the conference planning committee.
Zahra Choudry
is a sophomore at Harvard College studying Applied Mathematics and Statistics. In the past, she has served on the board of Harvard Islamic Society and Harvard South Asian Association as well as a member of Harvard College Consulting Group as well as various other groups on campus. Currently, she is organizing on behalf of Harvard Islamic Finance Conference.
Adam Latif
is a second-year student at Harvard College where he studies Statistics and Economics. At Harvard, he has been involved with student groups conducting research on foreign and climate policy, pre-professional organizations, and is treasurer of the Harvard Islamic Society. He is currently serving as an undergraduate representative on the conference planning committee.
Sapna Saleem
is an educator and leadership development coach with over 10 years of experience working with low-income communities in India, Africa, and the US. Sapna is a graduate of the Harvard Graduate School of Education and currently teaches the graduate-level course Public Narrative with Professor Marshall Ganz at the Harvard Kennedy School. She is now based in Toronto, Canada.
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IFC at Harvard 2024
Join global experts in Islamic finance and sustainable investment. Secure your spot and learn how faith-based principles are shaping responsible business.
