London Gala Rallies Islamic Economy Leaders; Taawon Cites USD1B
(MENAFN) Business leaders, academics, entrepreneurs, and institutional representatives converged on the Jumeirah Carlton Tower on Monday for the 6th Global Business Excellence Gala, an event aimed at turning Islamic economic values into practical partnerships and lasting community gains.
AlBaraka Forum for Islamic Economy Secretary-General Yousef Hassan Khalawi used his address to stress the importance of bringing like-minded people together.
Yahya Hendi, director for Muslim life at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, urged stronger cooperation and economic coordination. He challenged leaders to link global perspectives to local action.
Drawing on three Islamic principles, getting to know one another, cooperating in good, and competing in good, Hendi laid out a business philosophy built on mutual understanding and shared purpose. He told entrepreneurs to “compete with one another, not against each other” in doing good and to build networks that let businesses and communities prosper together.
Nabil Qaddoumi, chairman of the board of directors of Palestine’s Taawon Association, said business leaders carry a moral and ethical duty to improve lives through collective action. He described how the group converted a shared vision among business leaders into long-term community development.
Taawon has invested $1 billion in people, Qaddoumi said, through programs covering education, health care, youth development, and support for vulnerable communities. Pointing to the group’s endowment and generations fund as pillars of long-term sustainability, he pressed leaders to turn ideas into action and deliver hope to humanity.
Businesspeople urged to master Islamic finance
Necmeddin Bilal Erdogan, deputy chair of the board of trustees at Istanbul Ibn Haldun University, honored the late Sheikh Saleh Kamel for his contribution to Islamic finance. He then set out a vision for applying the halal and tayyib principles across production, trade, and investment.
Erdogan said those values reach beyond products to cover how income is earned, how workers are treated, and whether business decisions uphold human dignity.
“We must show the same care for the legitimacy of the income that puts food on our tables as we show for the halal status of the food itself,” he said.
He argued that businesspeople should treat Islamic finance instruments as ways of doing business, not merely as a route to financing. Erdogan also underscored the part charitable endowments play in supporting communities. He called for partnerships among entrepreneurs, financial institutions, and development partners to turn ideas into productive projects backed by innovation and responsible resource use.
High-profile guests and banking heavyweights
Attendees included Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdul Majeed Al Saud, Mauritius Housing and Lands Minister Shakeel Mohamed, Türkiye’s Ambassador to the UK Koray Ertas, and Azfar Mohamad Mustafar.
Leaders from the investment and banking sectors were also present: Türkiye Wealth Fund CEO Salim Arda Ermut, Republic of Türkiye Presidency Investment and Finance Office President Ahmet Burak Daglioglu, Albaraka Turk Participation Bank CEO Malek Khodr Temsah, and HBL President and CEO Muhammad Nassir Salim.
Executives from fintech, investment firms, and other industries rounded out the guest list, reflecting broad participation and the scope for closer cooperation across banking, investment, technology, and the wider Islamic economy.
Albaraka Turk Participation Bank was the official gala partner. A news agency served as global communications partner, and Arab Bank Europe and Libya Africa Investment Portfolio were premium sponsors.
Their backing helped make the evening a showcase for stronger international business ties, shared values put into action, and collaboration across the global Islamic economy.
AlBaraka Forum for Islamic Economy Secretary-General Yousef Hassan Khalawi used his address to stress the importance of bringing like-minded people together.
Yahya Hendi, director for Muslim life at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, urged stronger cooperation and economic coordination. He challenged leaders to link global perspectives to local action.
Drawing on three Islamic principles, getting to know one another, cooperating in good, and competing in good, Hendi laid out a business philosophy built on mutual understanding and shared purpose. He told entrepreneurs to “compete with one another, not against each other” in doing good and to build networks that let businesses and communities prosper together.
Nabil Qaddoumi, chairman of the board of directors of Palestine’s Taawon Association, said business leaders carry a moral and ethical duty to improve lives through collective action. He described how the group converted a shared vision among business leaders into long-term community development.
Taawon has invested $1 billion in people, Qaddoumi said, through programs covering education, health care, youth development, and support for vulnerable communities. Pointing to the group’s endowment and generations fund as pillars of long-term sustainability, he pressed leaders to turn ideas into action and deliver hope to humanity.
Businesspeople urged to master Islamic finance
Necmeddin Bilal Erdogan, deputy chair of the board of trustees at Istanbul Ibn Haldun University, honored the late Sheikh Saleh Kamel for his contribution to Islamic finance. He then set out a vision for applying the halal and tayyib principles across production, trade, and investment.
Erdogan said those values reach beyond products to cover how income is earned, how workers are treated, and whether business decisions uphold human dignity.
“We must show the same care for the legitimacy of the income that puts food on our tables as we show for the halal status of the food itself,” he said.
He argued that businesspeople should treat Islamic finance instruments as ways of doing business, not merely as a route to financing. Erdogan also underscored the part charitable endowments play in supporting communities. He called for partnerships among entrepreneurs, financial institutions, and development partners to turn ideas into productive projects backed by innovation and responsible resource use.
High-profile guests and banking heavyweights
Attendees included Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdul Majeed Al Saud, Mauritius Housing and Lands Minister Shakeel Mohamed, Türkiye’s Ambassador to the UK Koray Ertas, and Azfar Mohamad Mustafar.
Leaders from the investment and banking sectors were also present: Türkiye Wealth Fund CEO Salim Arda Ermut, Republic of Türkiye Presidency Investment and Finance Office President Ahmet Burak Daglioglu, Albaraka Turk Participation Bank CEO Malek Khodr Temsah, and HBL President and CEO Muhammad Nassir Salim.
Executives from fintech, investment firms, and other industries rounded out the guest list, reflecting broad participation and the scope for closer cooperation across banking, investment, technology, and the wider Islamic economy.
Albaraka Turk Participation Bank was the official gala partner. A news agency served as global communications partner, and Arab Bank Europe and Libya Africa Investment Portfolio were premium sponsors.
Their backing helped make the evening a showcase for stronger international business ties, shared values put into action, and collaboration across the global Islamic economy.
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