Prof. Dr. Imam Uddin of the Institute of Business Management (IoBM), Karachi, has been named among EqualityX’s Top Global 100 Influential Muslims 2026 and received the Upcoming Personality in Global Islamic Finance 2026 award at the Global Islamic Finance Awards (GIFA) in London.
EqualityX is a UK-based organisation recognising Muslim professionals making a meaningful contribution in their fields and communities worldwide. The two honours bring international attention to a Pakistani academic and practitioner whose work connects Islamic finance education, research and banking practice.
Dr. Imam serves as Professor of Finance, Associate Dean – Industry Relations (CBM), and Director of IoBM’s Centre for Islamic Business & Finance. He previously headed the Department of Accounting and Finance. His professional experience spans higher education, banking, Shariah advisory and consultancy.
His scholarly work includes more than 70 published research articles and several books published internationally. His research examines Islamic economics, banking and finance, connecting academic inquiry with the practical needs of financial institutions and communities.
Financial literacy, digital literacy and financial inclusion are important areas of his work. Through education, awareness and training initiatives, he seeks to help students, women and underserved communities understand financial services and use digital banking channels with greater confidence. These efforts also support wider access to formal financial services.
His banking experience includes more than a decade at the National Bank of Pakistan, with work in Islamic banking development, branch conversion, product development, Shariah guidance and staff training. His professional activities also include consultancy, the development of Islamic financial products and capacity building for banking and finance professionals.
In Islamic finance education, he works to strengthen the relationship between universities and industry through professional training, institutional collaboration and opportunities for students and faculty to engage with practitioners. His work brings academic research into discussions on banking practice, financial education and institutional development.
Dr. Imam has represented Pakistan at international conferences and professional forums in more than 20 countries. His local and international engagement includes research exchange, advisory work and collaboration among academic and financial institutions, helping connect Pakistani expertise with wider discussions on Islamic finance.
Expressing gratitude for the recognitions, he acknowledged the encouragement and prayers of his mentors, family, colleagues, friends and well-wishers. He dedicated the honours to his family, the friends who have supported him with their prayers, IoBM, and Pakistan.