Name: Position: Company: |
Muhammad Abdullah Al-Harith Sinclair
Partner and head of Islamic finance 37 British, Pakistani and Canadian |
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Could you provide a brief journey of how you arrived where you are today? These early origins gave me an understanding of how Islam is perceived by Muslims on one hand and by non-Muslims on the other. I learned Urdu as a second mother tongue when growing up in Pakistan and I studied Arabic language with Law at the University of London. This background has provided me with the skills to act as an interpreter between the Islamic and non-Islamic worlds. Being a specialist Islamic finance lawyer applies that capability into my work as a banking and finance professional. After working at Clifford Chance, one of the best UK law firms, and Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton, one of the best US law firms, I then became a partner at the leading UK international law firm Pinsent Masons. Wanting to gain direct experience of the Arabian market, I moved to the Gulf from 2006 to 2009, where I worked as a Partner in a major law firm, advising clients across Arabia. I have now returned to Pinsent Masons. What does your role involve? What is your greatest achievement to date?
Which of your products/services deliver the best results?
What are the strengths of your business?
What are the factors contributing to the success of your company?
What are the obstacles faced in running your business today? Where do you see the Islamic finance industry in, say, the next five years or so?
Name one thing you would like to see change in the world of Islamic finance. The global Islamic finance industry is even younger. We must not let such a youngster industry fall victim to early mistakes in interpretation. This requires us to be good Muslims and to meditate on what Allah wants us to achieve. For this we must use our hearts as well as our minds. |