Fasset, the American-founded banking and investment platform, has appointed Behnam Gurban-Zada as Executive Director, Islamic Finance and Banking, reinforcing its ambition to scale operations across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
The move comes as Fasset sharpens its Shariah governance architecture while deepening its presence in high-growth, underpenetrated markets. The company aims to bridge mature Islamic finance ecosystems in the GCC with emerging frameworks across CIS economies.
Two Decades of Leadership in Islamic Banking and Regulation
Gurban-Zada brings over 20 years of experience spanning Islamic banking, capital markets, and regulatory advisory. He previously held senior leadership roles at Sberbank and Sberinvest Middle East, where he played a pivotal role in establishing Islamic banking divisions and structuring large-scale Shariah-compliant transactions.
During his tenure, he oversaw portfolios exceeding $1.2 billion, covering trade finance and capital market instruments. His early career contributions include pioneering Islamic finance frameworks in Azerbaijan and Russia—markets where Shariah-compliant infrastructure was still in its infancy.
He also founded PayZakat.Global, a digital platform focused on ethical finance and zakat distribution, aimed at improving access to compliant charitable giving.
Mandate Focused on Governance, Innovation, and Market Integration
In his new role, Gurban-Zada will lead Fasset’s Islamic finance strategy, with a focus on strengthening Shariah governance, enhancing capital markets capabilities, and advancing regulatory engagement.
His mandate includes developing asset-backed financial products and enabling cross-border investment corridors between the GCC and CIS regions. His dual-market expertise is expected to support Fasset’s goal of creating consistent, transparent frameworks across diverse regulatory environments.
Commenting on his appointment, Gurban-Zada said the evolution of Islamic finance depends on aligning ethical principles with scalable financial solutions. He noted that Fasset’s current growth phase presents an opportunity to expand financial inclusion while maintaining strong governance standards.
Leadership Endorsement Signals Growth Ambitions
Mohammad Raafi Hossain, Co-Founder and CEO of Fasset, said Gurban-Zada’s experience in building Islamic finance ecosystems from the ground up would significantly strengthen the company’s execution capabilities.
He added that as Fasset expands into new markets, the need for structural rigor and regulatory credibility becomes critical—areas where Gurban-Zada brings proven expertise.
About Fasset
Founded by Mohammad Raafi Hossain and Daniel Ahmed, Fasset is focused on enhancing financial inclusion across emerging markets. The platform enables individuals and businesses to invest securely through tokenized assets.
Fasset has raised $26.7 million in funding and operates under regulatory approvals across multiple jurisdictions, including the UAE, Indonesia, Malaysia, the European Union, Turkey, and Pakistan.
