— Founder & Chief Executive · Yasaar Group of companies
Majid
Dawood
Pioneer of Islamic Finance & Ethical Capital Markets.
Shaping the global Shariah compliant economy since 1992.
Islamic FinanceShariah AdvisoryCapital MarketsSukuk StructuringFTSE Yasaar IndexESG & Green Finance
— About
The Mind Behind
Ethical Finance
“Islamic finance is about financing real growth with real money. Money shouldn’t make money — building things should make money.”
As the Founder and Chief Executive of the Yasaar Group of companies including Yasaar Limited — the first independent Shariah advisory and compliance firm of its kind — Majid has guided major banks, funds, asset managers, financial institutions, and regulators across many countries in structuring Shariah compliant instruments, from complex Sukuk issuances to equity screening and Takaful products.
His landmark partnership with FTSE Russell (London Stock Exchange Group) produced the FTSE Yasaar Global Equity Shariah Index Series — now celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2026, comprising over 150 indices, and recognised as a cornerstone benchmark of the global Islamic finance industry valued at approaching $10 trillion in assets.
A regular keynote speaker at global conferences, a published author of industry articles and book chapters, and a trusted counsellor to institutions having included Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Daiwa Securities, Societe Generale, Royal Bank of Scotland, NatWest and Bank of Ireland among others. Majid is widely celebrated as a thought leader, innovator, and institution-builder in ethical finance.
Beyond finance, Majid is an avid photographer with a deep appreciation for visual storytelling, a lover of music and the arts, and a devoted mentor to the next generation of Islamic finance practitioners. Those who know him speak of a rare combination: technical mastery married to genuine warmth, wisdom, and integrity.
CURRENT ROLE
Yasaar Research Limited · London, United Kingdom
Yasaar Research LLC · Dubai, United Arab Emirates
COMPANY FOUNDED
First independent Shariah advisory & compliance company globally
Industry Landmark
Board & Advisory Roles
Festival of Muslim Cultures
Board Director and Trustee — UK Charity under the patronage of HRH Prince Charles (Now King Charles III)
Board Member — Overseas Pakistani Entrepreneurs Network CIC London (OPEN)
Board Advisor — British Pakistan Foundation (BPF)
Industry Body Membership
Prior Career
Country Representative · Capital Markets Consultant — Privatisation Advisory
— CAREER Journey
A Life Spent
Building the Future
Majid was a shareholder and initiator in BRR Investments — one of the very first Islamic leasing companies in Pakistan — with shareholders including Robert Fleming and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). A defining early move that planted the seed for an industry-shaping career.
Served as Country Representative for Credit Lyonnais Securities (Asia) Ltd and as a capital markets consultant advising on privatisation and capital market strategy — building an elite global finance pedigree that would underpin Yasaar's future credibility.
Established Yasaar as the first independent Shariah compliance advisory company globally, with offices in London and Dubai. The firm quickly became a trusted partner to the world's leading financial institutions — providing Shariah compliance reviews, product structuring, fatwa issuance, and Shariah supervisory boards.
Received the prestigious Deloitte & Touche award at the Kuala Lumpur Islamic Finance Forum for the "Most Innovative Islamic Financial Product" — the groundbreaking Caravan 1 Limited Sukuk — setting new standards for structured Shariah compliant instruments.
Yasaar developed its own proprietary equity screening software to provide Shariah compliant stock universes — a technological leap that positioned the firm at the cutting edge of Islamic index construction and institutional investment management.
Partnered with FTSE Russell and the Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX) to launch the world's first Pan Asian Islamic Index — laying the groundwork for what would become 150+ FTSE Yasaar Shariah indices, now celebrating their 20th anniversary in 2026 and benchmarking an industry approaching $10 trillion in global assets.
Launched the FTSE Bursa Malaysia Hijrah Shariah Index in partnership with Bursa Malaysia — further cementing Yasaar's position as the defining name in Shariah compliant equity indexing across Asia and worldwide.
As guest speaker at White & Case's annual Islamic Finance seminar, Majid explored the powerful convergence of Islamic finance with ESG principles — particularly the opportunities for Green Bonds and sustainable finance within a Shariah framework, positioning Islamic finance as a natural ally of the global sustainability agenda.
The FTSE Yasaar Global Equity Shariah Index Series celebrates two decades of transforming Islamic investment. Majid has contributed considerably to academia journals on the subject of Islamic Finance — continuing his role as the industry's leading voice for ethical, principled finance at the global level.
— AREAS OF Expertise
Mastery Across
Every Dimension
Shariah Advisory & Compliance
End-to-end Shariah compliance services for banks, fund managers, and fintech firms — from product review and fatwa issuance to ongoing Shariah audit and supervisory board management across global jurisdictions.
Sukuk Structuring & Capital Markets
Deep expertise in structuring Shariah compliant capital market instruments including Sukuk, Murabaha, and Ijara — advising on issuances for sovereign, corporate, and institutional clients across GCC, Southeast Asia, and Western markets.
Islamic Equity Indexing & Screening
Architect of the FTSE Yasaar Global Equity Shariah Index Series — over 150 indices used by institutional investors worldwide. Pioneer of proprietary screening methodologies balancing rigorous Shariah standards with real-world investability.
Regulatory & Policy Advisory
Trusted counsel to central banks, regulatory bodies, and policymakers on developing supportive frameworks for Islamic financial institutions — promoting regulatory innovation and access to Shariah compliant financial products globally.
ESG & Green Islamic Finance
A leading voice on the natural alignment between Islamic finance principles and the global sustainability agenda — including Green Sukuk, ESG-integrated Shariah screening, and opportunities at the intersection of climate finance and ethical investment.
Thought Leadership & Publishing
Prolific author of articles in industry journals and chapters in academic texts on Islamic economics. Founding publisher of Islamic finance industry publications, with over 23 years as a leading editorial voice in the sector.
— Recognition
Honours &
Distinctions
2004 — Kuala Lumpur Islamic Finance Forum
Awarded for the Caravan 1 Limited Sukuk — a landmark structured finance instrument that advanced the science and practice of Shariah compliant capital markets.
2006–2026 — London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG)
20-year landmark partnership producing over 150 globally recognised Shariah equity indices — now a defining benchmark of the $10 trillion Islamic finance industry.
AAOIFI
Elected Associate Member of the Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions — the leading international standard-setting body for the Islamic finance industry.
UK — Board of Trustees
Appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Festival of Muslim Cultures charity, a prestigious UK institution operating under the patronage of HRH Prince Charles (now HM King Charles III).
COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP
CHARITIES
Board Advisor — BPF
— WHAt OTHERS SAY
Voices of
Colleagues & Peers
— CURRENT ACTIVITIES
Vision In
Motion
Islamic Centre — City of London (Square Mile)
In discussion with Alderman Alastair King, Lord Mayor of London 2024/2025, developing the idea of a dedicated centre in the Square Mile for Muslims working in the City of London and visitors — a space for networking, prayer, Halal food, meeting rooms, hot desks, and an event space auditorium for conferences and interfaith dialogue.
Affordable Housing — Shariah Compliant Investment Fund
Raising investment and establishing a Shariah compliant fund to provide much needed affordable housing across the United Kingdom — combining the principles of ethical finance with direct social impact to address one of Britain's most pressing challenges.
Kareem Abdul Jabbar — GCC Legacy Project
A pioneering project to bring the legacy of basketball legend and GOAT Kareem Abdul Jabbar to the GCC — with Academies, an Ambassadorial role, and advisory commitments from the inimitable Giant himself, inspiring a new generation through sport, leadership, and values.
— the man himself
Origins, Life &
Everything That Matters
— Origins & Early Life
Majid Siddique Dawood was born on 14 November 1947 in Bantva, India — in the turbulent weeks following Partition, one of the most consequential and painful upheavals of the twentieth century. At fifteen days old, he made his first great journey, emigrating with his family to Karachi, Pakistan, a city that was itself being forged anew from the hopes and sacrifices of millions.
He attended St Patrick’s High School in Karachi — a formative institution that instilled in him discipline, intellectual curiosity, and an early appreciation of the wider world. At fifteen, he made another bold crossing, this time westward to England, where he attended St Peter’s School in York as a boarder — one of England’s oldest and most distinguished schools. There, beyond the qualifications, discovering in himself a capacity for independent thought far from home.
In 1967, he crossed the Atlantic to the University of Massachusetts, Boston campus, where he majored in Economics — laying the intellectual foundation for a career that would reshape an entire global industry. Boston in the late 1960s was alive with ideas, politics, and possibility, and Majid absorbed it all.
BORN
Born in the year of Indian Partition — one of history’s great upheavals.
Early Childhood
Emigrated with his family at the age of fifteen days, settling in the new nation of Pakistan.
Schooling
Foundational years in one of Karachi’s most respected institutions.
Boarding School
Five O Levels · Two A Levels · One of England’s oldest schools, founded 627 AD.
University
Majored in Economics · The intellectual foundation of a world-changing career.
— FAMILY
Angela
PARTNER & WIFE
Happily married since 1992. Together they relocated to Karachi before building their life across London and beyond. The steadfast heart of the family.
Shezad
ELDEST SON
An established visual artist with commissioned works across the GCC and United Kingdom. A singular achievement: the Tate acquired a piece of Shezad's work for their permanent collection — a testament to exceptional talent and enduring artistic vision.
Mikayl
SON
Music producer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist. A creative force carving his own path in the world of music — with a passion for excellence running through every note.
Sam
DAUGHTER
Sculptor, multimedia artist and freelance fabricator with credits on major blockbuster productions. She is a gifted visual artist who brings worlds to life — on screen and in three dimensions.
Friends & Community
Over a life lived across continents and industries, Majid has been very fortunate to count among his friends people from rock bands, the investment world, and the finance industry — a reflection of a personality that moves with equal ease between creative culture and global commerce. He is, at heart, someone for whom relationships are the true currency — and his circle of trusted friends, built across decades and geographies, is one of his most cherished assets.
Resilience & Gratitude
Majid has faced and overcome cancer — a chapter of his life that deepened his gratitude for every day and his appreciation of what truly matters. His recovery was made possible by the phenomenal healthcare providers in London, to whom he extends his everlasting thanks. It is a testament to his character that he speaks of this not with bitterness but with grace — and that it has only sharpened his commitment to living fully, purposefully, and with an open heart.
— Beyond Finance
The Human Behind
the Professional
“An innovator, author, speaker, thought leader, ethical finance industry expert — and
very down to earth, with the good fortune of some superb friends.”
— Global Presence
An Industry That
Spans the Globe
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates Regional Office – Dubai
🇬🇧 United Kingdom Representative Office — London
🇲🇾 Malaysia FTSE Bursa Malaysia / Kuala Lumpur
🇸🇬 Singapore SGX Partnership — First Pan Asian Islamic Index
🇵🇰 Pakistan BRR Investments — Pioneer of Islamic Leasing
🌍 140+ Countrie FTSE Yasaar Indices reach across the globe
$10T
Islamic Finance Assets Globally (Projected)
150+
FTSE Yasaar Shariah Indices
20
Years of the FTSE Yasaar Index Series
140
Countries where Islamic Finance Operates
1998
Year Yasaar Was Founded
30+
Years of Industry Leadership
— Media & Downloads
Media
— media & downloads
Downloads
Modern Islamic finance is a young but vibrant sector of global finance. Its growth rate of 15 to 20 percent over the last few years and suggestions for the future rate of growth of 30 percent raises concerns due to the fragmentation of the sector.
Islamic finance is essentially a set of financial activities that conform to principles found in the Quran (command of God encompassing all aspect of human life) and the Hadith (the words/actions and acknowledgement of Prophet Muhammad) known as Shariah delivered more than 1,420 years ago.
The global size of the Islamic finance universe is estimated at approximately US$400 billion, with the Islamic bond market expected to double to US$20 billion by the end of the decade, according to Standard & Poor’s Commentary Report “The Islamic Financial Industry Comes of Age” dated 25 October 2006.
Emerging economies – offering the possibility for innovative product development
With recent events in the financial markets since last summer we have seen an upheaval and concern not witnessed for a considerable amount of time. The bull markets had stampeded around the world and we have seen record highs for some time since the mid 90’s. Interest rates have been low, credit was easy, unemployment levels were extremely low and growth targets were being exceeded everywhere.
Forecasting the future is never easy especially when dealing with a subject such as the evolving and growing market of Islamic Banking and Finance. The sectoral market is in a revival phase and only three decades old in its current development
Actually, yes. Giant Western banks—or, rather, their Islamic subsidiaries—are leading the market for financing that complies with Qur’anic laws forbidding lending money for profit, or sponsoring un-Islamic activities such as gambling or smoking.
— GET IN TOUCH —
Let's Shape the
Future of Finance
Whether you are a financial institution seeking Shariah advisory, a conference organiser looking for a world-class keynote speaker, or an investor exploring ethical opportunities — Majid Dawood brings decades of expertise and an unmatched network to the table.