What locations and how many advisers and broker firms do you cover in your role?
I support a growing panel of brokers who specialise in clients based across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), primarily in Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain. My role includes prospecting new brokers, managing relationships, and helping a diverse range of brokers provide property finance solutions to international clients.
What personal talent/skill is most valuable in doing your job?
Empathy and patience. Understanding a broker’s challenges and being able to guide them calmly and clearly through complex cases has been key to building long-term, trusting relationships.
What personal talent/skill would you most like to improve on?
Personally, I am a creative person, and enjoy learning or engaging in activities that boost my creativity, such as embroidery or flower bead making. Professionally, I’m working on improving my organisational skills as I tend to rely on my memory rather than using a physical diary. While this approach has served me well so far, I’ve found noting things down helps maintain focus and makes it easier to revisit key details when needed.
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What’s the hardest part of your job?
Navigating the complexities of cross-border transactions is a key challenge, particularly when it comes to helping stakeholders understand our Sharia-compliant approach.
At Nomo, we use the Islamic finance principle of Commodity Murabaha to facilitate property finance. While effective and ethical, it’s a structure that isn’t widely known outside Islamic finance, so part of my role is ensuring brokers and clients alike are confident and well-informed throughout the process.
What do you love most about your job?
The relationships I’ve built, both internally and externally, with brokers. I strongly believe in teamwork, and I have been fortunate to work with an amazing team where I can openly share my thoughts and continuously learn from those around me. There is also something incredibly rewarding about supporting someone’s property journey, knowing that it also aligns with their ethical or religious values.
What’s the best bit of career-related advice you’ve ever been given? Who gave it to you?
“Stay curious, and don’t just chase deals, understand the whole process.” This was from my mentor Zeenat Shaffi, who played a key role in helping me transition from a telephone BDM into my current role.
What has been the biggest lesson you’ve learned in your career?
That knowledge is power. The more I’ve taken the time to understand the entire journey, from product to legal to client comms, the better support I’ve been able to give my brokers.
How do you keep up to date with developments in the market?
I keep close to the broker community, regularly speak with colleagues, and actively read up on market changes, especially those affecting international and Islamic finance.
What is the most quirky/unique property deal you’ve been involved in?
At Nomo, given our unique proposition, I feel every deal is unique. Working with foreign nationals and expats residing and working in the GCC, I have always admired and respected the different nationalities and industries that our clients work in. Nevertheless, it also feels good helping clients achieve their property dream in a Sharia-compliant manner.
Tell us about your trickiest case – what happened and how did you resolve the problem(s)?
One of the trickiest cases I’ve handled involved a broker who was managing a portfolio for a family buying a new development in Manchester. Securing a mortgage requires meticulous documentation and collaboration with underwriters to ensure all income is accounted for accurately. It’s also not just about getting the client an offer, but also supporting the broker right through completion.
A last minute update from the broker stated that the client had been given just two weeks to complete, but thanks to the incredible efforts of their solicitor we made it happen. This is the fastest case I have seen to date.
What was your motivation for choosing this career?
As a Muslim, I’ve always wanted to pursue a career that aligns with my faith. Islamic finance lets me work in a field that supports ethical practices and helps me achieve my goals in a way that respects my values.
If you could do any other job in the property sector, what would it be and why?
Real estate investment manager. I would like to gain a deeper understanding and manage client relationships in sourcing, analysing and executing deals on a bigger scale, while also managing the debt finance aspect in a Sharia-compliant manner.
What did you want to be growing up?
I wanted to become a teacher. Seeing my mum work as a primary school teacher and a Montessorian (a method of education), I have always loved being around young children. After school, I used to go to the school that she worked in and volunteer to help with the after school club. Teachers play a great role in shaping children’s lives and I wanted to become someone who brought positive change and helped shape them as an adult.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Continuing to grow within the Islamic finance sector, ideally in a senior strategic role where I can help shape the future of Sharia-compliant property finance for international clients.
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
It might sound a bit cliché, but to go back in time. Not to change anything, but in the hope that I can become a stronger version of myself and explore different things that I wouldn’t normally get a chance to explore, even if it means exploring a variety of careers in different industries.
What is your strategy for tackling challenges?
Take a step back, break the issue down, and reach out for support. I’ve learned that asking the right people early makes the biggest difference.
What is your greatest skill(s), either work and non-work related?
My ability to stay calm under pressure, my colleagues often tell me I have a “calming energy,” which helps a lot in complex transactions.
And finally, what’s the strangest question you’ve ever been asked?
‘Is that a Barbie phone case?’. As young girls, we always loved playing with Barbie dolls, they were our role models. When the movie was released and I found a pink Barbie phone case, I knew I wanted it. I feel like a real-life Barbie, and I love the colour pink.