To lead ISRA, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohamad Akram Laldin has been appointed as its Executive Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Akram, a well-known and highly respected scholar has been described in the Islamic Business & Finance magazine as, “… the leading lights of the industry, a progressive advocate of the globalisation of Islamic finance…”. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Akram has successfully proven himself to be a new breed of Islamic finance scholar, one who is equally at home interacting and leading the masses in religious discussion in the mosque, just as he is equally at home interacting and solving problems with the leaders and professionals in the corporate financial world.
He holds a B.A. Honours Degree in Islamic Jurisprudence and Legislation from the University of Jordan, Amman and a Ph.D. in Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence (Usul al-Fiqh) from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Akram has extensive research experience in the area of Islamic finance and has presented many papers related to Islamic banking and finance at domestic and international level and has conducted many training sessions on Islamic Banking and Finance for different sectors. Prior to being entrusted to head ISRA, he was teaching and doing research at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), where at one time or another he was heading the Fiqh and Usul Department and assumed the post of the Deputy Dean for Academics Affairs at the same University. In addition, he also served as a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Akram is the Member of Bank Negara Malaysia Shari’ah Advisory Council, Member of Shari’ah Advisor of Employees Provident Fund Malaysia (EPF), Member of Maldives Monetary Authority Shari’ah Board, Member of HSBC Amanah Global Shari’ah Advisory Board, Member of Yassar Limited (Dubai) Shari’ah Advisory Board, Member of EAB (London) Shari’ah Advisory Board, Chairman of Islamic Advisory Board of HSBC Insurance Singapore, Shari’ah Advisor to ZI Syariah Advisory Malaysia, Member of Shari’ah Advisory Council International Islamic Financial Market (IIFM), Bahrain, Committee Member of AAOIFI Shari’ah Standards, Bahrain and other Boards locally and internationally. He is the receipient of Zaki Badawi Award 2010 for Excellence in Shariah Advisory and Research. |
