Headquartered in London, Dar Al Istithmar is one of a growing number of Islamic finance specialists that have been established in recent years in response to the growing demand for rapid, cost-effective and pioneering solutions in the Islamic finance field.
A joint venture between Deutsche Bank, investment adviser Russell Wood and Oxford University’s Centre for Islamic Finance, in the past year DI has established a reputation as the premier Islamic finance advisory house thanks to the strength of its Shariah supervisory committee, which it claims brings together five of the most eminent scholars in the Islamic finance industry.
According to DI managing director Humayon Dar, the combination of the academic credentials of the SSC alongside the extensive industry experience of DI’s staff constitutes a winning formula. He adds that DI’s advisory services model is based on being able to offer specialized services to a large number of clients that results in a win-win situation for all parties concerned: clients receive high-quality expert advice on cost-effective terms, while the fee revenue from an extensive client base enables DI to bear the costs of maintaining reputable Shariah scholars on its board, thus securing future business.