After years of instability, Iraq’s political and security situation is improving, opening up new opportunities for economic growth. With a young, tech-savvy population, many are starting businesses in areas like fintech and e-commerce. The potential is there, but challenges like funding, infrastructure, and regulations still slow things down.

Our guest today is Zahra Shah. Her experience spans roles at the United Nations, Gaza Sky Geeks, and Re:Coded, where she focused on supporting refugees, entrepreneurs, and youth through tech education and innovative programs

Since 2019, she’s been leading Iraqi Innovators, a media and data hub supporting Iraq’s investment ecosystem. Her work gives key insights into startups and helps shape the future of Iraq’s industries.

In this episode, we talked about several topics including:

• Iraq’s start-up ecosystem potential
• The day-to-day challenges entrepreneurs face, like limited funding and tricky regulations
• Broader economic challenges impacting start-ups

Email us: hassan@majlisandmarkets.com

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Islamic finance is gaining traction in Australia. With over 813,000 Muslims—about 3.2% of the population—there's an increasing demand for financial services that align with their faith. However, Islamic finance still makes up a small part of the banking sector, with limited options from major banks and a few non-bank providers.

Change is on the horizon. Australia has signed a significant free trade deal with the UAE, its top trading partner in the MENA region, which opens doors for stronger economic ties. Now, the country is getting ready to launch its first Islamic bank.

In our 37th episode, we spoke to Dean Gillespie, CEO of Islamic Money Australia (formerly Islamic Bank Australia or IBA). With extensive banking experience and a commitment to financial inclusion, Dean shares how this new bank could reshape finance for Australia’s Muslim community and beyond.

In this episode, we touched on several topics including:

• Looking at the financial needs of Australian Muslims
• The journey in setting up a new Islamic bank
• Some of the challenges in facilitating Islamic finance

Islamic Money Australia's Facebook page-https://www.facebook.com/ibaustralia

Email us: hassan@majlisandmarkets.com

Follow Majlis & Markets on LinkedIn-https://lnkd.in/eXKNRVcF

Intro theme song-Arab and Muslim by StockMusic via Pixabay

The digitalisation of finance is reshaping the industry, with new asset classes like cryptocurrency gaining traction.

Dubai and the UAE have become key hubs for fintech and crypto, driven by new frameworks and initiatives to attract firms and talent. Saudi Arabia and Qatar are also enhancing their regulatory systems.

But what are the benefits and challenges of these shifts?

In our 36 episode, we spoke to Anna Zeitlin, Partner at Addleshaw Goddard. She leads the fintech and financial services practice in Dubai, advising both government and private clients across the region.

In this episode, we covered several topics including:

• The rise of fintech in the UAE and region
• Looking at the benefits and drawbacks of CBDCs
• The adoption and future of crypto

Email us: hassan@majlisandmarkets.com

Follow Majlis & Markets on LinkedIn-https://lnkd.in/eXKNRVcF

Intro theme song-Arab and Muslim by StockMusic via Pixabay