Sohail Hanif has joined as the new CEO while trustee Sultan Choudhury has been appointed as Chair of Trustees.

Hanif brings to the role expertise in Islamic law, having studied extensively with traditional scholars, and holds a PhD from Oxford University. In his professional capacity, he most recently held the position of BA Manager and Lecturer at Cambridge Muslim College. He was previously NZF’s Head of Research and Development and will take the role of CEO on 1st December 2021.

Hanif will work alongside the dedicated Senior Leadership Team to lead the organisation, and his wealth of knowledge will be critical for shaping the strategic direction of NZF.

‘I am delighted to join the NZF team, especially during a time of such growth. I’m greatly looking forward to working alongside the talented leadership team and developing the charity further in the coming months’ Hanif said.
In addition to this key appointment, Sultan Choudhury OBE also joins the charity as Chair of Trustees. Choudhury brings with him over 20 years’ experience within the financial field, working at prestigious companies such as Deloitte, Barclays, and AI Rayan Bank where he held senior management, director, and executive positions.

In his new role as Chair of Trustees, Choudhury will lead and direct the Board, providing oversight to the strategic direction of the charity.

‘I’m thrilled to be taking on this role as Chair of Trustees for NZF. With such a huge demand for additional support within the UK Muslim community, we have an abundance of opportunity to develop and provide the community with what they need’, adds Choudhury.

Nazia Hassan, Director of Communications at NZF, commented ‘This is a very exciting time for the charity as we look to continue to grow. We are delighted to welcome both Sohail and Sultan who will strengthen our senior team and help us deliver on our mission to connect every Muslim in the UK through Zakat.’

‘We’ve seen increased need throughout the last year, and as we enter the next period of growth, Sohail and Sultan will be critical for driving NZF forward, especially in the lead up to Ramadan’ Hassan continues.

The previous CEO and Chair – Iqbal Nasim MBE and Azim Kidwai – are stepping down after both spending 10 years with the charity. Kidwai continues to serve the Board as trustee.

Both Nasim and Kidwai have contributed greatly to NZF and established it as one of the UK’s leading Zakat charities. Their dedication to the Foundation has meant thousands of Muslims in need across the UK have been supported and they have been the driving force behind the charity’s recent technological innovations.