26 February 2026 – A high-level meeting between Dr. Ahmed Rufai (International Islamic Financial Market (IIFM) - Acting CEO) and Mr. Rui Correia (ACI Financial Markets Association (ACI FMA) - CEO) was held to discuss a strategic framework for professional training and certification of IIFM published standards. The initiative aims to bridge the gap between high-level Shari’ah-compliant documentation and practical treasury operations worldwide, ensuring that financial institutions worldwide have qualified and skilled personnel capable of confidently executing sophisticated, standardized, and Sharia-compliant market activities.
Dr. Ahmed Rufai, Acting CEO of IIFM, stated:
"Standardization is the bedrock of market confidence. By moving toward a formal certification of IIFM standards, we are providing treasury professionals and others with the validated tools they need to operate with certainty in complex transactions. Our goal is to bridge the gap between Shari’ah theory and market practice. A robust certification framework ensures that the next generation of Islamic finance leaders is equipped with globally recognized, technically sound expertise. By leveraging ACI FMA’s global certification infrastructure and IIFM’s commitment to standards adoption and usage, we can achieve that."
The meeting was attended by Mr. Ammar Ahmed (CEO of Dar Al Sharia), Mr. Adrian Hodges (Group Treasurer of Ajman Bank), Ms. Elena Trimcheska (ACI FMA Head of Education), and Ms. Hakima Moosa (Manager – Learning and Development, Ajman Bank).
Both parties agreed that this collaboration marks a significant milestone in their strategic roadmap. By combining IIFM's specialized Shari’ah standard-setting with ACI FMA’s world-class educational reach, the partners are moving beyond mere documentation toward a unified, global professional benchmark. This synergy ensures that the next generation of financial leaders is equipped with the technical expertise and ethical grounding required to drive the future of the global Islamic financial industry.