The International Executive School is pleased to announce that two of our final-year PhD candidates have had their research published in the World Sustainable Development Outlook 2025, following their presentations at the United Nations “What Next After 2030 Agenda and SDGs” conference.
Elie Daher conducted research on Islamic banking opportunities in the Commonwealth Caribbean, exploring how Shariah-compliant finance could address financial exclusion and promote inclusive economic development in the region. His work represents the first empirical study capturing executive perspectives on Islamic finance in Caribbean banking sectors, examining the potential for values-based finance to support sustainable development in small island developing states.
Rony Azar examined Islamic finance adoption among Muslim diaspora communities across Europe, investigating how these communities navigate the intersection of faith, identity, and financial participation in multicultural societies. His mixed-methods study reveals intergenerational dynamics in financial behavior and cultural adaptation, demonstrating how Islamic finance serves as both a tool for maintaining religious identity and facilitating economic integration.
Both studies were conducted under the guidance of the IES Research Department
and contribute insights to the fields of Islamic finance, financial inclusion, and sustainable development in underserved regions.
Their research reflects IES’s commitment to producing scholarship that addresses real-world challenges and advances the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. We congratulate Elie and Rony on this academic achievement as they approach the completion of their doctoral studies.
Full Citations:
Daher, E., Azar, R., Naipaul, T. and Kyriakou, S. (2025): Challenges and Opportunities for Islamic Banking and Finance in the Commonwealth Caribbean. In Ahmed, A. (Ed.): United Nations: What Next After 2030 Agenda and SDGs. World Sustainable Development Outlook 2025, Vol. 21, pp.229-245. WASD: London, United Kingdom.
Azar, R. (2025): Islamic Finance in Europe: A Mixed-Methods Study of Cultural Adaptation, Identity, and Integration among Muslim Diaspora Communities. In Ahmed, A. (Ed.): United Nations: What Next After 2030 Agenda and SDGs. World Sustainable Development Outlook 2025, Vol. 21, pp.247-261. WASD: London, United Kingdom.
Both publications are accessible from: www.wasdlibrary.org/publications/books/outlook/vol23-2025/