Suhaimi Ali has 27 years of experience as a central banker. He currently oversees the Financial Development and Innovation, Islamic Finance, LINK and BNM Offices, as well as Financial Inclusion departments.

Throughout his career with BNM, he has served in various areas which include financial sector development, regulation and supervision, strategic planning, consumer protection, market conduct, international negotiations digital and cyber strategies in IT services, as well as in the Governor's Office. In his previous role as the Director of the Financial Development and Innovation, he was responsible for the development of the financial sector and payments systems, as well as to drive digital innovation within the sector. He also recently led the development of the Financial Sector Blueprint 2022 – 2026.

Suhaimi Ali graduate from the University of Notre Dame, United States of America with a Bachelor of Business Administration (Accounting).

Shahira Johan is a Senior Financial Sector Specialist with the World Bank's Finance, Competitiveness, and Investment Global Practice in East Asia and the Pacific. In her role, she is instrumental in performing analytical tasks and offering technical assistance to government agencies concerning financial inclusion and stability. She also oversees the Islamic finance program in Malaysia.

Prior to her tenure at the World Bank, Shahira accumulated over fifteen years of experience as a prudential policy regulator at Bank Negara Malaysia. There, she spearheaded policy development in various domains, including Islamic finance regulation, Shariah contracts, risk management, capital requirements, accounting and financial reporting, and sustainability-related issues. Additionally, she began her career as an external auditor with Ernst & Young, gaining significant expertise in auditing practices.

Shahira holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy from the University of Chicago and a BSc in Accounting and Finance from the University of Warwick. She is also a Fellow Chartered Accountant (FCA) with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

Mohd Zikri Mohd Shairy served as the founding executor, contributing to the early design and implementation of Malaysia’s iTEKAD programme, which has benefited over 1,500 underbanked micro-entrepreneurs under Bank Islam. He is currently the Director of the Social Finance Division at Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad. With 18 years of experience in Islamic finance, he focuses on integrating zakat, waqf, and sadaqah into the banking framework to promote financial inclusion. He leads Sadaqa House, Bank Islam’s flagship social finance catalyst, which mobilises philanthropic funds to support high-impact social projects. Zikri has a strong background in Shariah governance and advisory, including international consultancy work across Southeast Asia and the Middle East. He is a Malaysia Acumen Fellow 2023.

Kamarulzaman Omar is the Head of the Corporate Strategy Division at Lembaga Zakat Selangor (LZS), the institution mandated by the Sultan of Selangor to collect and distribute zakat in Malaysia’s most developed state. He leads the development of long-term strategies and oversees initiatives that enhance zakat’s role in poverty alleviation, financial inclusion, and entrepreneurship among the asnaf (eligible recipients). His work includes advancing social finance innovations such as digital wallets, crowdfunding platforms, and data-driven profiling to strengthen transparency and impact.  With over two decades of experience in corporate strategy and organizational development, Mr. Omar is committed to integrating Islamic social finance with sustainable models of entrepreneurship to enable asnaf to progress from recipients to active contributors in society.

Putu Rahwidhiyasa is the Director of Islamic Business and Entrepreneurship at the National Committee for Islamic Economy and Finance (KNEKS), Republic of Indonesia. He brings over three decades of leadership experience across banking, and healthcare sectors. Mr. Rahwidhiyasa spent 20 years in conventional bank, culminating in his role as Senior Vice President at Bank Mandiri, and 12 years in Islamic bank, serving two terms as Director of Bank Syariah Mandiri.

He actively contributes to various professional organizations and is a frequent speaker at national and some international seminars focused on Islamic Economy and Finance, Entrepreneurship, and Economic Inclusion. Mr. Rahwidhiyasa holds an MBA from the University of Illinois, USA (1995) and an Engineering degree from IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia (1986).

Ananya Wahid Kader is the Cross Regional Lead, Asia and the Pacific, Financial Institution Group. Ananya brings over 28 years of expertise in banking and financial sector development, spanning 16 countries across Asia, the Pacific, and the United States. As a senior specialist at IFC for the past 19 years, she has led transformative initiatives in SME banking, digital finance, gender finance, financial inclusion, affordable housing finance, microfinance, insurance, sustainable energy finance, and green finance. Her work has focused on designing and scaling innovative solutions that expand access to credit and financial services for underserved communities, including micro-entrepreneurs and women-led businesses. Ananya’s experience includes pioneering digital and alternative credit scoring models, developing risk-sharing instruments, and fostering public-private partnerships to drive financial innovation. She has worked closely with commercial banks, Fintechs, and NGOs to implement best practices in financial inclusion. Prior to joining IFC, Ananya served as Head of Foreign Exchange and Treasury Department at Credit Agricole Indosuez Bank, with prior experience as a Senior Relationship Manager in Corporate Banking. She is seasoned expert with the ability and experience to deliver impactful results in diverse markets, across various geographies.

Wan Ya Shin is a Social Protection Economist at the World Bank. Her current research focuses on social assistance, ageing and pensions, and active labor market policies. Previously, her work covered social policy, education policy, and inclusive development. Before joining the World Bank, she was Acting Research Director and led the Social Policy Unit at the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS). Ya Shin was also a Young Professional Fellow at the International Centre for Human Development in India, where she examined Malaysia’s social protection from a life-cycle and gender perspective. She has worked as a consultant with the World Bank, UNDP Malaysia, and UNICEF Malaysia on social protection, inclusive growth, and child protection projects. Ya Shin holds an MSc in Social Policy and Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Malaya.

Wan Ahmad Najib Wan Ahmad Lotfi is the President & Chief Executive Officer of Takaful Ikhlas Family Berhad. He holds a Bachelor of Science (Honors) in Information Technology from Universiti Tenaga Nasional and a Certificate in Shariah from International Islamic University Malaysia. He is a Fellow Chartered Professional in Islamic Finance (F.CPIF).

With over 20 years of experience in the Takaful and Islamic finance industry, Wan Ahmad Najib is a distinguished leader known for his expertise in strategic planning, inclusive takaful, and digital transformation. Before joining Takaful Ikhlas Family Berhad, Wan Ahmad Najib served as the Chief Distribution Officer at FWD Takaful Berhad. He has also held leadership roles at Great Eastern Takaful and Prudential BSN Takaful, being among the pioneers in early years of both entities. He assumed the role of President & CEO of Takaful Ikhlas Family Berhad on 14 January 2025.

Joehan Martinus is the Chief Customer & Marketing Officer at Prudential BSN Takaful, where he leads enterprise-wide customer transformation spanning customer acquisition and retention, product development, experience design, digital marketing, data and AI strategy, and non-agency distribution. With over 25 years of leadership experience across Asia Pacific, he has held senior commercial roles in financial services, telecommunications, consumer technology, FMCG, and health and wellness. At Prudential BSN Takaful, Joehan leads the company's initiative on microtakaful, CSR and financial inclusion programs - to date, Prudential BSN Takaful’s microtakaful programs has benefited nearly 1.5 million people across Malaysia, reflecting the company’s deep commitment to empowering vulnerable families with essential financial safety nets and social protection. Joehan is also the President of PruBSN Prihatin, the charitable foundation arm of Prudential BSN Takaful that supports the company's CSR and social finance vision.