Sufyan Ismail

Sufyan Gulam Ismail
Born (1975-09-02) 2 September 1975
Gujarat, India
NationalityBritish
CitizenshipBritish
Alma materUniversity of Manchester
Occupation(s)Philanthropist and entrepreneur
Known forRetiring at 39 to tackle Islamophobia
Websitewww.sufyanismail.com

Sufyan Gulam Ismail (born 2 September 1975) is a British entrepreneur and philanthropist,[1][2] ranked amongst the 500 most influential Muslims in the world on five occasions. A graduate of the University of Manchester, he started his career with Deloitte. In 2001, he set up 1st Ethical, the UK's first FSA-authorised, Sharia-compliant financial services firm,[3] which he later converted into a charity. In 2007, he founded OneE Group,[4] a specialist wealth management and consultancy operation. Sufyan retired formally from full-time business activity in 2014 to tackle Islamophobia. Sufyan's businesses have donated over £5m to alleviating poverty, community empowerment and humanitarian relief.

Early life and education

Ismail was born in 1975 as one of eight children of Rabia and Gulam Khonat, and grew up in a working class neighbourhood of Blackburn.[5] He studied economics and corporate finance at the University of Manchester[6] and then commenced his professional training with Deloitte.[2] During his final exams his father died in a car accident.[7] He also holds an advanced financial planning qualification (AFPC).

Business

1st Ethical

In 2001, he set up 1st Ethical, the UK's first FSA-authorized financial services company aimed at the Muslim community.[3][8] The company specialized in regulated investments and pensions advice with a strong focus on property investment. By 2003, the firm had become a national brand and was awarded UK's fastest growing company. In 2006, with margins falling in financial services Ismail converted 1st ethical into a charity for education and humanitarian relief.[9]

OneE Group

In 2006, Ismail founded OneE Group,[2][4][10][11] a specialist wealth advisory service which aims to give clients tax breaks through R&D investment and other UK tax reliefs.[12] The company's growth resulted in it being ranked 57th in the Sunday Times Fast Track listing in 2011 and 53rd in the Sunday Times Profit Track Listing in 2012.[13] The company operates out of offices in Greater Manchester, London and Cyprus employing approximately 80 staff.

'Islamic Private equity'

Ismail is a keen proponent of non-interest based finance and has written extensively on Islamic financing models. He also runs a private equity business,[14] which invests in numerous start up businesses by young Muslims.[15]

Philanthropy

In 2003, Ismail set up 1st Ethical Charitable Trust with a view to alleviating poverty and supporting empowerment of underprivileged communities. To date, the Trust and himself personally have donated over £5 million to humanitarian causes. The countries benefiting from the Trust include Zambia, Malawi, Philippines and India.

Muslim Engagement and Development (MEND)

In 2014, Ismail founded MEND (Muslim Engagement and Development), a specialist initiative geared towards tackling Islamophobia by advocacy work with the media and the British parliament.[16] MEND's work involved improving the media and political literacy of grassroots British Muslims. In 2016, Ismail stepped down from the position of MEND's chief executive officer.

In 2014, MEND's work was recognised by the World Economic Forum.[17] MEND is a partner of the British Electoral Commission and a representative body for British Muslims with the Independent Press Standards Organisation.

Publications on Islamic finance

Ismail has authored several papers on elements of Islamic finance, ranging from the prohibition of interest in Islamic law,[14] Islamic inheritance laws and UK wills,[18] Zakat[19] and Insurance in Islam.[20] In 2008, Ismail contributed to a university textbook on Islamic finance.[21]

Awards

Over the years, Ismail and his firms have won numerous awards including following awards;

Private life

Sufyan lives in Greater Manchester and is married, with three children.[7]

References

  1. ^ "2003 – Sufyan Ismail (1st Ethical)". Shell livewire. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  2. ^ a b c "2012 The Sunday Times Profit Track 100". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  3. ^ a b Hoar, Rebecca (1 October 2003). "COMING UP FAST: Young Meteors – Sufyan Ismail, 1st Ethical". Management Today. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  4. ^ a b "OneE". Sufyan Ismail. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  5. ^ "Biography". Sufyan Ismail (personal page). Archived from the original on 28 November 2014.
  6. ^ a b Iziren, Adeline (18 October 2003). "What happened next?". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  7. ^ a b "Biography". Sufyan Ismail. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  8. ^ Stern, Stefan (8 November 2004). "In search of stars before they are famous". Financial Times. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  9. ^ "1st Ethical". 1st Ethical. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  10. ^ "OneE Group Limited". Endole. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  11. ^ "Sufyan Gulam Ismail". Company Check. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  12. ^ "Corporation Tax: Research and Development (R&D) Relief". Government of the United Kingdom. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  13. ^ a b c "The Sunday Times Profit Track 100 league table 2012". Fast Track. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  14. ^ a b Ismail, Sufyan. "Why Islam has prohibited Interest & Islamic Alternatives for Financing" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  15. ^ "Private Equity". Sufyan Ismail. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  16. ^ "MEND – Muslim Engagement and Development". MEND. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  17. ^ "Why Care about Faith?" (PDF). World Economic Forum: 7. 2014. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  18. ^ Ismail, Sufyan. "Preparing an Islamic Inheritance Strategy in light of the Inheritance Taxation laws of England and Wales" (PDF). 1st Ethical. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  19. ^ "Your guide to understanding & calculating Zakat" (PDF). National Zakat Foundation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  20. ^ Ismail, Sufyan. "Insurance Revisited = The Shariah View" (PDF). 1st Ethical. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  21. ^ Ahmad, T.; Fazel, A; Al-Haddad, H.; Hasan, S.; Ismail, S.; Kholwadia, M.; Siddiqi, N.; Zainuddin, S. (31 March 2010). El Diwany, Tarek (ed.). Islamic Banking and Finance: What It Is and What It Could Be (1 ed.). 1st Ethical Charitable Trust. ISBN 978-0956518606.
  22. ^ "2003 – Sufyan Ismail (1st Ethical)". Shell livewire. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  23. ^ "Awards". Sufyan Ismail. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  24. ^ "Asian Jewel Awards 2005". Red Hot Curry. Archived from the original on 22 August 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  25. ^ Brown, N (27 April 2011). "Finalists announced for Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  26. ^ The Muslim 500. Jordan. 2015. p. 151. ISBN 978-9975-4283-7-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
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