Sheila Ainon Yussof –  Senior Analyst

In May 2010 Sheila Ainon joined IAIS-Malaysia bringing with her a multidisciplinary background. She pursued a one year intensive postgraduate studies on Islamic Art and Civilization at ISTAC in 2006; earned her Master in Comparative Laws from International Islamic University Malaysia (2008); took a Post Graduate Diploma in Shariah Law and Practice, IIUM (1997); her LLB at the University of Buckingham, UK (1991); and a Bachelor of Social Science (Political Science) at Universiti Sains Malaysia (1975). She is now pursuing a PhD at IIUM’s Institute of Islamic Banking & Finance (IIiBF) since 2009, with a thesis on a model framework to audit Shariʿah compliance of Takāful operations.

Activities & Experience: Her wealth of experience spans ten years of human resource management and consultancy with multinational corporations; industry spokesperson and lobbyist; lawyer (civil & Shariʿah); mediator; patent agent; research assistant & editor for professors at IIiBF & INCEIF; and currently a qualified chartered Islamic finance professional (cifp). She has received training in industrial property rights in Japan in 2000, sponsored by the Ministry of Trade and Consumer Affairs (Intellectual Property Division); participated in feasibility studies for construction industries in Iran in 2005 through her law practice, commissioned by CIDB and funded by the Economic Planning Unit.

Current Projects include analysis of existing research on Islamic banking & finance, takaful and Islamic capital markets; a joint research on Sukuk defaults; Shariʿah governance and improved role of Shariʿah advisors in Islamic financial institutions; Waqf development; and Islamic art as an instrument of unity in diversity.

Publications will cover research & project papers (pending publication):

• ­The state of Shariʿah audit in Malaysia
• Shariʿah governance & Shariʿah advisors in Islamic financial institutions
• Takaful regulatory issues in Malaysia
• Cross-border issues on sukuk structuring or Islamic securitization: Legal and Shariah requirements
• Bird symbolism in Islamic art during the Golden Chersonese Period.