Following a successful inaugural edition, Ethical Finance GCC returns to Dubai convening a senior audience of finance professionals and policy markets to discuss how the GCC navigate the imperatives of resilience and sustainability.
The Summit will centre on three defining topics shaping the financial agenda:
Resilience: The Economics of Disruption, Uncertainty and a Fracturing World
- What does a resilient GCC economy look like in an era of heightened uncertainty?
- How geopolitical fragmentation, energy and resource security are redefining risk, redirecting capital and reshaping economic priorities?
Sustainability: Trends and Tensions
- Is sustainability losing ground to resilience or is the agenda evolving?
- What is the changing trajectory of sustainable finance and emerging trends?
- Do resilience and sustainability represent competing priorities or a shared ambition for long-term prosperity?
Rewriting the Market Agenda: Purpose in Practice
- Looking back to chart the way forward: How Smith and Ibn Khaldoun will navigate today’s economic realities?
- From the Future Finance week to COP31 and the UN Water conference
Senior representatives from across finance
Open, frank and challenging discussions
Ample networking opportunities
For the first time, Ethical Finance GCC is by invite-only, with attendance offered through a register of interest process.
Registration starts at 09:00. Sessions start at 09:30
Speakers
Lina Abou Diab
H.E. Maher Al Kaabi
Omar Shaikh
EMEA Sustainable Debt Team Leader. Bloomberg
Lina Abou Diab
Lina Abou Diab is the EMEA Sustainable Debt Team Leader at Bloomberg LP, where she plays a key role in advancing sustainable finance initiatives and market transparency across the region. With over a decade of experience at Bloomberg, including previous roles in company fundamentals and ESG analysis, she brings deep expertise in financial data, capital markets, and sustainability trends across emerging economies.
Lina holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the American University of Beirut and is recognised for her thought leadership on the evolving landscape of sustainable finance in the Gulf and broader EMEA markets.
Advisor to the Group Chairman of Al Serkal Group of Companies
H.E. Maher Al Kaabi
H.E. Maher Al Kaabi, a visionary leader and a seasoned banker with over 30 years of experience in the Banking, IT industry and Family Business. He has extensive expertise in Board Membership, Islamic Banking, Wholesales & Consumer Banking, Risk Management, Finance, Operation & Technology, Sales & Distribution and Business Development. Serves in various boards of companies and is actively involved in various startup companies and is a co-founder of Blink.
Currently, he is an advisor to the Group Chairman of Al Serkal Group of Companies (165+ year old family) and serves as an Independent Board Member. His expertise lies in devising impact and commercial strategies, working with government leaders and private sectors.
Works extensively with various ministries in future technologies, circular economy, and sustainability of family businesses by training NextGen on Venture Studio Module. On the advisory board of UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and other entities.
He is on the Board of Director / Advisory Board:
– UAE Ministry of Economy – Circular Economy Committee
– UAE International Investors Council
– Middle East Energy
– MENA Power Projects
– MIT Sloan CIO Council
– Cybersecurity – CYSEC Global
– The Optimisation Hub
– Chairperson – Copperstone Education
– Impact Investing Solutions (based in Switzerland)
– Impact Boards Emerging Markets (based in UK)
– Messe Frankfurt GmbH (Smart Building)
– CARE (of Sustainability) by Trescon
He has worked at Citigroup for 15 years where he has assumed various senior roles both locally and internationally. Post that he worked as the Chief Risk Officer at Dubai Bank. And then as Group Head of Islamic Banking at Emirates NBD and served as Group Head Chief Operating Officer for Group Wholesale Banking. In addition, he has been honored with numerous Global Awards.
He is currently pursuing his doctorate in the field of AI driven sustainability.
Managing Director, GEFI
Omar Shaikh
Omar is the Managing Director of the Global Ethical Finance Initiative (GEFI) and Board Member of the UK Islamic Finance Council (UKIFC)
A Chartered Accountant by profession, he specialises in ethical/responsible finance, Islamic finance, and private equity. He has extensive experience in financial services and has advised multiple governments and regulators on ecosystem building as a leading advocate for sustainable and Islamic finance. His background includes working with EY London, where he qualified as a CA and was the former Head of Islamic finance.
Through his GEFI work, Omar has established a number of initiatives, including the Path to COP, the SDG Financial Products platform with UNDP, which promotes innovative financing structures for the SDGs, the Global Islamic Finance and UN SDGs Taskforce launched with the UK Government and IsDB, and the award-winning interfaith Edinburgh Finance Declaration—the world’s first shared values approach to finance between Islamic finance and the Church. He also served on the Board of the University of Oxford Faith-Aligned Impact Finance Project
Omar received a BAcc and a PhD from the University of Glasgow along with an Honorary Doctorate from Heriot-Watt University conferred for his work in developing ethical finance. Beyond finance, he is actively involved with Colourful Heritage which works with Glasgow Museums to preserve and celebrate South Asian heritage in Scotland, The King’s Trust Scotland and Olivewood Primary School.
EF GCC 2025
Partners:
Interested in Partnership Opportunities?
There are an exciting range of partnership opportunities at Ethical Finance GCC 2026 and to work with GEFI throughout a range of regional and international events and strategic campaigns.
For details, please contact dalia@globalethicalfinance.org
Back by popular demand, GEFI’s practitioner-led executive programme, the Sustainable Finance Masterclass returns, equipping finance professionals across ethical, sustainable and Islamic finance with the knowledge and tools to challenge assumptions, explore emerging issues and build the capabilities needed to shape tomorrow’s markets.
Supporting the DIFC 1 million sustainability leaders initiative, the programme will provide a solid grounding in Islamic and sustainable finance, practical insights and contextual knowledge of mainstream sustainable finance.
Sunday 1st, Monday 2nd, Tuesday 3rd November 2026 | Heriot-Watt University, Dubai
