30/09/2026
We are very grateful to Baroness Farmida Bi CBE for chairing the OPEN London CIC panel discussion on “Investing with Integrity: How Ethical Finance Leads to Smarter, Safer and More Profitable Choices” at Norton Rose Fulbright, featuring expert panellists - Omar Shaikh, Samina Akram, Majid Dawood, and Areeb Siddiqui. 🙏
The discussion dismantled the myth that ethical investing compromises performance, with panellists demonstrating that Sharia-compliant indices often match or outperform conventional benchmarks.
Key insights from the discussion include:
📈 Performance Myths vs. Reality: Data presented by panel members highlighted that Dow Jones Islamic indices have historically outperformed the S&P 500 (15–16% annualized returns vs. 13%), driven largely by lower debt, reduced exposure to market downturns, and strong weighting in U.S. tech stocks.
🌍 ESG vs. Islamic Finance: Panellists noted that while ESG and Islamic finance overlap, they are not identical. Islamic finance relies on a 1,400-year-old framework with strict exclusionary screens and a “do no harm” principle, offering consistency compared with the broader, highly variable ESG market.
🇵🇰 The Pakistan Opportunity: The panel discussed Pakistan’s target to transition to a fully Sharia-compliant economy by 2028, presenting significant market opportunities alongside implementation challenges.
🤝 Accessibility and Trust: The panel emphasized the need for better financial literacy, lower fees, and more accessible financial products to drive higher adoption rates across the broader community.
⚠️ Risk and Reputation: Wealthy investors and younger generations are increasingly prioritizing values, driving demand away from high-risk or unethical sectors toward sustainable opportunities like renewable energy.
It was an inspiring event that clearly demonstrated how the future of finance is leaning toward ethical, transparent, and inclusive practices.
Thank you to Zahra Shah for her opening and closing remarks, to Norton Rose Fulbright for hosting this event, to Jeffrey Anderson for his incredible organisational skills, and to all the panellists and attendees for a vital and thought-provoking conversation. 🙏
OPEN Global Kestrl: Muslim Money App Samak Ethical Finance London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Women in Islamic & Ethical Finance Forum
