Mujtaba Khalid

Mujtaba Khalid has a diversified range of experience spanning from government and private sector advisory, establishing effective governance frameworks and Islamic capital market products as well as conducting Islamic finance training and capacity building programs. He was recognized by Islamica 500 as one of the top leaders that drive the global Islamic economy.

He currently Heads the Islamic Finance Center at the Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF) which is the training arm of the Central Bank of Bahrain and the oldest Islamic finance professional qualification provider in the world. He initiated the Center’s e-Learning and digitization strategy, which saw the launch of the official AAOIFI e-Learning platform as well as the first ever Islamic banking e-simulation. Under Mujtaba, the Center’s global footprint increased significantly with projects with the World Bank, Islamic Development Bank and regulators from different parts of the world.

In his previous roles, he was a General Manager at the IFC UK where  he has been part of teams which – gave the Islamic finance governance frameworks for the Nigerian Central Bank’s insurance and pension commissions, have provided Islamic finance capacity building and training to Bill and Malinda Gates Foundation backed African financial inclusion entity Efina, have worked with one of UK’s largest credit union – ScotWest Credit Union to structure Islamic financial products, have given the investment strategy for Islamic Relief International’s Waqf (trust) fund among other work. He was also an Assistant Professor at COMSATS CIIT – one of Pakistan’s leading universities where he facilitated the establishment of an Islamic Finance Department, working closely with the Islamic Development Bank and the State Bank of Pakistan.

Academically, Mujtaba Khalid’s undergraduate degree in Accounting and Finance is from the London School of Economics and M.Sc. Investment Analysis from The University of Stirling. He also has three specialized Islamic finance qualifications namely; Islamic Banking and Finance Qualification from the State Bank of Pakistan (NIBAF), CIMA Islamic Finance Diploma and Chartered Islamic Finance Professional (CIFP) from INCEIF.

Mujtaba Khalid’s research interests include formulating effective Islamic finance macro policy using tools such as social impact bonds, Shari’a impact investment methodology and creating a specialized risk management protocol for Islamic financial institutions. He has contributed to a number of international Islamic finance publications.