The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) has appointed Dr Abdulkader Thomas as its first Sultan Nazrin Shah Fellow, effective Nov 1, 2025, to strengthen thought leadership and innovation in Islamic finance.
The appointment was endorsed by the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah, who is the royal patron of Malaysia’s Islamic finance initiative.
Dr Abdulkader, 69, is a well-known author and industry expert in Islamic finance. He previously served as publisher and CEO of the American Journal of Islamic Finance, and held senior roles at Guidance Financial Group and United Kuwait Bank.
Under the fellowship, he will lead research on Islamic financial markets, focusing on promoting Malaysia’s leadership in Islamic finance guided by Maqasid al-Shariah. His work will also cover impact investing, sustainability, and environmental, social and governance (ESG) themes.
The programme aims to strengthen collaboration with policymakers, regulators, financial institutions, academic partners, and international stakeholders, including in the UK.
The Sultan Nazrin Shah Fellowship was established in November 2025, building on over 15 years of collaboration between the SC and the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OCIS), including their annual SC-OCIS Roundtable on Islamic finance development.
