London — The Global Islamic Finance Summit (GIFS) 2026 and the Global Islamic Finance Awards (GIFA) 2026 were held in London, bringing together senior policymakers, regulators, institutional leaders, and industry practitioners from across the global Islamic finance community. The programme formed part of the 16th edition of GIFA and marked a significant moment for the awards, which were hosted in the United Kingdom.
The Summit opened with Opening Remarks by Mr Khuram Shehzad, Managing Director of Business Development and Strategy at Cambridge IFA. This was followed by a Special Address delivered by Dato’ Iqbal Khan, Founding Chief Executive Officer of Fajr Capital, who reflected on the vision, integrity, and purpose that continue to shape the global Islamic finance industry.
The evening continued with the Global Islamic Finance Awards 2026. Professor Humayon Dar delivered the Welcome Address, after which His Excellency Mohamed Waheed Hassan presented the Keynote Address. A Special Address was delivered by The Right Honourable The Earl of Erroll, Merlin Sereld Victor Gilbert Hay.
GIFA 2026 recognised governments, institutions, and individuals for outstanding contributions to the development, integrity, and sustainability of Islamic banking and finance. Winners and honourees included Stella Cox, Amman Muhammad, Anuj Mediratta, Iyad Asali, Limia Kamal Satti Salih, Hamid Joda, Bashar Al-Natoor, Zhao Guanghui, Prof. Dr. Imam Uddin, Bank of Khartoum, Meethaq Islamic Banking (Bank Muscat), Saturna Capital, Moody’s Ratings, Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia, Amanie Advisors, DDCAP, the Faculty of Islamic Economics and Finance at Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA), Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD), Shebelle Bank, Meezan Bank, Dahabshil Bank International, HLB Islamic, QIIB, FNB Islamic Banking, Takaful Malaysia, Kenya Reinsurance Corporation Ltd (Retakaful Window), Oasis Crescent Capital (Pty) Ltd., Oasis Crescent Equity Fund, Binghatti Holding Limited, Turkcell İletişim Hizmetleri A.Ş., Air Selangor, Siraj Finance PJSC, ETHOS–DDCAP, Aion Group, Azentio, SALIHIN Shariah, RAM Rating Services Berhad, Eiger Trading Advisors Ltd., Markfield Institute of Higher Education, Institute of Business Management (IoBM), Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Corp), Labuan Financial Services Authority, Pusat Pungutan Zakat – MAIWP, CRDB Bank Plc, Jumhouria Bank, Public Islamic Bank, Jaiz Bank Plc, Gulf African Bank, InterVest Capital Partners, Emirates NBD Capital, ZamZam Bank, CBE Noor (Commercial Bank of Ethiopia), TAJBank Limited, QIB (UK), PayHalal, Fitch Ratings, Koperasi Sahabat Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (Koop Sahabat) Berhad, Tabung Baitulmal Sarawak, Banque Al Baraka d’Algérie, Habib Bank AG Zurich, BSF, Islamic Bank of Afghanistan (IBA), MARC Ratings Berhad, Prudential BSN Takaful Berhad, Wasiyyah Shoppe Berhad, the Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF), Afghanistan International Bank (AIB), Islamic International Arab Bank, HBZ Sirat Studio, and CPPA-G for the PKR 1.225 trillion syndicated long-term Islamic finance facility.
The highest honour of the evening, the Global Islamic Finance Leadership Award 2026, was presented in recognition of Jersey’s growing contribution to the international Islamic finance ecosystem. Over the past 16 years, GIFA has recognised Heads of State, Prime Ministers, and other distinguished public leaders as GIFA Laureates for helping create the conditions in which Islamic finance can grow with confidence, credibility, and international standing. This year, that tradition continued with the presentation of the award to Senator Lyndon Farnham, Chief Minister of Jersey.
Professor Humayon Dar, Chairman of the Global Islamic Finance Awards, emphasised that Islamic finance must continue to move beyond technical compliance towards purpose, integrity, and measurable social and economic impact. He noted that platforms such as GIFS and GIFA remain essential in recognising excellence while convening the leadership required to strengthen the industry globally.
The success of the Global Islamic Finance Summit and the Global Islamic Finance Awards 2026 was made possible through the strong support of its partners — Habib Bank AG Zurich as Summit Partner, and Oasis Crescent in support of the GIFA Foundation. Their collaboration and commitment were instrumental in creating a high-quality platform for meaningful dialogue, recognition, and knowledge exchange.
As part of Cambridge IFA’s broader work in research, advocacy, and industry engagement, GIFA continues to serve as a global platform for recognising outstanding contributions to Islamic banking and finance. Founded in 2011, the programme has recognised recipients from more than 60 countries and remains one of the most respected market-led awards in the industry.
For more information about the Global Islamic Finance Awards and related programmes, please visit https://gifaawards.com/home
About Cambridge IFA
Cambridge IFA is a financial services intelligence house that specialises in developing and utilising powerful analytical tools to evaluate business data, assess macroeconomic indicators, and understand market trends, leadership positioning, and brand development relevant to the development of the financial services industry globally.
The principal activity of Cambridge IFA is developing performance indicators specific to alternative practices of banking and finance. It also aims to provide strategic advice to governments, financial institutions, and multilateral organisations in the development of financial markets, including alternative banking and finance products, procedures, practices, and policies.
Through its strong relations with policymakers and private sector industries, Cambridge IFA provides practical, focused, and effective perspectives and solutions that increase the competitive advantage of its clients.
Cambridge IFA is a member of the Cambridge-Edbiz Group of Companies headquartered in London.
