About
Professor Dr. Obiyathulla Ismath Bacha is currently Professor of Finance and Head of PhD Program at INCEIF University, a post graduate university specialising in Islamic Finance, established by Bank Negara Malaysia. Prior to joining INCEIF, he has held several key positions at the International Islamic University Malaysia, including as Director and Founding Head of the university’s MBA Program. Professor Obiyathulla began his working career at Malayan Banking Berhad. On completing his doctoral studies, he was appointed an Assistant Professor of Finance at Boston University, where he received the Allen E Beckwith Award for teaching excellence, having taught at both the MBA and undergraduate levels.
Prof. Obiyathulla was President of the Malaysian Finance Association for 5 years from 2013-2017. He has also been a trainer at several institutions such as the Securities Commission of Malaysia and the Central Bank of Malaysia. Internationally, he has conducted training programs in Islamic Capital Markets at the University of Luxembourg where he was an Adjunct Professor, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Central Bank of Turkey, Borsa Istanbul/ OIC Stock Exchanges, Turkey and several other institutions. He has published scholarly articles in numerous local and international journals and has presented papers at several international and Islamic finance conferences. He is author of a course textbook on Financial Derivatives, currently in its 5th edition and another on Islamic Capital Markets which is in its 2nd edition.
Prof. Obiyathulla was an Independent Non Executive Member of Bank Rakyat Malaysia’s Board of Directors. During his directorship, he was Chairman of the Board Investment Committee overseeing the entire Bank’s Treasury operations. He was also a member of the Board Audit & Examination Committee, The Board Financing Committee and The Board Oversight committee which was tasked with executing and implementing the bank’s new core banking system. He was Advisor for 15 years to Great Eastern Life Assurance, for its Shariah compliant equity linked products. Prof Obiyathulla has been a Member of the Shariah Committee for SABANA, Singapore’s first Islamic REIT, since its inception, and HSBC Amanah’s Shariah Committee as Finance expert for seven years. Prof. Obiyathulla has undertaken Consulting Projects on Islamic Capital Markets for the World Bank, IDB/IFSB and the UNESCAP.
He received his Doctor of Business Administration (Finance), Master of Business Administration (High Honours) and Master of Arts (Economics) from Boston University, USA and Bachelor of Social Science from the Science University of Malaysia in Penang.