Thrive Talks Thrive Summit 2025 - Speakers
Rafi Shikoh
CEO - Dinar Standard
Rafi Shikoh
CEO - Dinar StandardRafi Shikoh is the founder and Managing Director of DinarStandard, a specialized research, strategy, and advisory firm empowering organizations for profitable and responsible global impact. As a globally recognized authority on the Muslim lifestyle economy and social impact, Rafi leads the production of the annual State of the Global Islamic Economy Report, a crucial tool for businesses, investors, and governments. His data-driven insights and strategic guidance have been instrumental in helping global brands and emerging startups navigate the multi-trillion-dollar values-driven economy. Rafi's work provides the critical market intelligence that allows leaders to connect authentically with a conscience-driven consumer base.
Shomail Malik
Co-Founder - Apex Capital Group
Shomail Malik
Co-Founder - Apex Capital GroupShomail Malik is the founder of Strategic Realty and a leader at Apex Capital Group, a pioneering real estate investment firm. A seasoned entrepreneur, Shomail has a proven track record of identifying high-potential investment opportunities and creating values-aligned vehicles for wealth creation. He credits his early experiences at AMCC for opening his "eyes to the possibility of thinking big and I mean really big". Shomail is at the forefront of innovating within the property sector, leveraging his deep market expertise to build portfolios and guide investors in navigating the complexities of real estate with integrity and strategic foresight.
Monem Salam
Vice President - Saturna Capital
Monem Salam
Vice President - Saturna CapitalMonem Salam is an Executive Vice President and Portfolio Manager at Saturna Capital, a leader in Halal and socially responsible investing for over 30 years. As a key figure behind the globally recognized Amana Mutual Funds, Monem is a prominent authority on Islamic finance, investment management, and financial planning. He is dedicated to educating investors on how to build wealth without compromising their ethical principles. With extensive experience in navigating global markets through a values-based lens, Monem provides expert guidance on creating diversified, Shariah-compliant portfolios that align financial returns with long-term integrity, making him a vital voice in the ethical finance landscape.
Saad Malik
Founder - Zoya Finance
Saad Malik
Founder - Zoya FinanceSaad Malik is a co-founder of Zoya Finance, a technology platform dedicated to making Halal investing simple and accessible. Recognizing that "Muslims, like every other underserved community, are no longer content with limited options," Saad and his team built Zoya to empower users with modern tools that align with their financial goals and their values. Through its popular app, which provides Shariah-compliance screening for thousands of stocks, Zoya has become a trusted leader in the Islamic FinTech space. The platform's explosive community-led growth, crossing over $500 million in connected assets, exemplifies the powerful demand for transparent and faith-aligned financial technology.
Shahzad Younus
Founder - Muzz
Shahzad Younus
Founder - MuzzShahzad Younas is the founder and CEO of Muzz (formerly Muzmatch), the world's leading marriage app for Muslims. After a decade in investment banking, Shahzad taught himself how to code to solve a personal problem: the difficulty of finding a life partner who shared his values. He launched Muzz from his bedroom, bootstrapping the platform into a global phenomenon with millions of members worldwide. His work has fundamentally reshaped how Muslims meet and marry in the digital age. Shahzad's journey from finance to tech founder is a powerful story of identifying a community need and building a scalable, venture-backed solution that has led to hundreds of thousands of successful relationships.
Chris Blauvelt
CEO - LaunchGood
Chris Blauvelt
CEO - LaunchGoodChris Blauvelt is the founder and CEO of LaunchGood, the world's premier crowdfunding platform for the global Muslim community. A Harvard graduate and convert to Islam, Chris was inspired to create a space that could harness the incredible generosity of the Muslim community and channel it towards impactful causes. He credits the early ecosystem at AMCC, Thrive's predecessor, for showing him that his "mission for Launchgood was truly valuable". Under his leadership, LaunchGood has revolutionized digital philanthropy, facilitating over $816 million in funding for more than 154,000 campaigns and proving that modern technology can transform charitable giving into a dynamic, community-driven experience.