ARSALAAN AHMED (Oz)
CEO
HSBC Amanah, Malaysia
International banker experienced in large capital financing transactions. He is credited with material contributions to the development of the global Sukuk market. Oz has originated and executed multiple first to market Sukuk transactions across the Middle East and Asia including the first public Sukuk related to Makkah development, the first non-OIC sovereign Sukuk and the first vaccine Sukuk. In 2018, he oversaw the issuance of the World’s First UN SDG Sukuk issuance for HSBC Amanah Malaysia (awarded Overall, ESG and Country Deal of the Year by IFN as well as Overall, Islamic Deal, Best Sukuk, Most Innovative Deal and Country Deal of the Year by The Asset AAA), and represented a Malaysian mission to the UNGA to discuss Islamic finance and its role in achieving the UN SDGs. In recent years, Oz has distinguished himself as a thought leader in the social and environmental impact sectors within the Banking and Value-Based Intermediation (VBI) community. VBI is an initiative for Malaysian Islamic banks to refocus operations from bottom line to triple bottom line, incorporating social and environmental impact considerations along with economic return. In 2018 he was awarded Islamic Banker of the year by The Asset AAA.
Oz started his career as a Strategy Analyst, Financial Services with Accenture London. Thereafter, he joined HSBC Group in 2005 leaving for Barwa Bank of Qatar in 2013 to rejoin in 2016 as CEO of HSBC Amanah Malaysia, HSBC Group’s global centre of excellence in Islamic banking and finance. He has worked across Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
He holds an MBA with distinction from London Business School’s executive program and has a Bachelor’s degree from University College London and also a Master’s degree from The University of Bristol. He is a Chartered Professional in Islamic Finance with the Chartered Institute of Islamic Finance Professionals and a Chartered Banker with the Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers.