Could you provide a brief journey of how you arrived where you are today?
I started my career more than 15 years ago, and moved from one post to another in Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB) until I became the assistant general manager of retail and small and medium enterprise banking services.
That period provided me with substantial experience and knowledge in the field of Islamic banking, especially as QIB was the first Islamic bank to operate in Qatar.
There is a strong relationship between QIB and Al Jazeera Finance Company (AJF) and my move from QIB to AJF was appropriate as QIB used to own a high percentage of shares in AJF and it owns now almost 30% of the company.
What does your role involve?
My role involves formulating the general strategy and development plan to achieve the general objectives of the company in order to provide the customers with the highest quality services, realize good profits for the company and shareholders and ensuring the implementation of the company’s expansion plans.
We work in a highly competitive service sector where clients have wide ranging alternatives.
What is your greatest achievement to date?
I think that my most outstanding achievement is helping my new and old colleagues at AJF develop their skills, and creating a new generation of Islamic banking staff which are able to develop the company in the future and maintain the top position in the Qatari banking market.
Which of your products/services deliver the best results?
AJF has a vast collection of products and services, and a rich history of 20 years in the local market; and this makes us fully aware of the requirements and expectations of our esteemed customers.
The products and services of the company cover all the sectors of consumer commodities, real estate, and SME finance services.
The latter two sectors, real estate and SME finance, are among the most successful products of our company.
What are the strengths of your business?
Islamic financial services are easy for the customers to understand. They are clear, explicit and do not involve those fine print terms and conditions that put a lot of future obligations on customers.
Shariah specialized supervision which is available at the company is considered one of the most valuable points of strength of the Islamic banking industry.
This supervision enhances the trust of customers and makes them sure that their dealings are far from suspicion.
What are the factors contributing to the success of your company?
There are many factors that contribute to the success of the company, such as:
1) The company has a well-established Shariah supervision panel which ensures the supremacy of the Islamic culture in the company.
2) Many of the company’s staff have wide-ranging experience of over 15 years; and this ensures the passage of this experience to new employees and the creation of a new generation of well-trained talent at the company.
What are the obstacles faced in running your business today?
Finance businesses need to be more independent from the banks in applying the standards and conditions in such a way as to safeguard the rights of the shareholders.
In addition, finance businesses lack the required specialized finance technology.
Where do you see the Islamic finance industry in the next five years?
The Islamic finance industry has been growing rapidly and it will have a big share in the market.
It will also surpass the traditional banking industry in terms of strength and size.
Name one thing you would like to see change in the world of Islamic finance.
The one thing I would like to see change in the field of Islamic banking is the software used in implementing and following up the discharge of the customers’ transactions and in keeping pace with the accelerating development in this field.