Kalair, Omar

(President and CEO, UM Financial, Toronto, Canada) In 2004, Kalair founded UM Financial, which today is Canada’s premier Islamic Financial Institution as well as a member of IFSB and AAOIFI. UM operates UM Financial, UM Investment, UM Advisory (Sukuks) and a Islamic Mastercard. UM Financial is also working towards Islamic ETF, Takaful insurance, Canadian bank license and more. UM Financial is a founding member of Usury Free Association of North America. In 2005, Kalair was admitted to a PhD program in Islamic Economics & Finance. In 2007, Kalair was recognized among CIC's top twenty Muslim business leaders at the Canadian parliament. In 2009, Kalair was presented by World Finance with the annual “Islamic Finance Business Leadership Award - North America”. He was also awarded Entrepreneur of the Year 2009 by the Canadian Islamic Chamber of Commerce. In founding UM Financial, Kalair has demonstrated an exceptional ability to see and lead the Canadian Islamic Finance industry from a technical, marketing, financial and regulatory angle.