Sultan Choudhury
Sultan Ahmed Choudhury | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1972 |
| Alma mater | University of Nottingham, Aston Business School |
| Occupation(s) | Banker, Chartered Accountant |
| Known for | CEO of Al Rayan Bank (formerly Islamic Bank of Britain) |
| Awards | Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) |
Sultan Ahmed Choudhury () is a British banker and chartered accountant, recognized for his role as the chief executive officer of Al Rayan Bank (previously known as the Islamic Bank of Britain).
Early life
Choudhury completed his undergraduate studies in 1994, earning a BA (Hons) degree in Economics and Econometrics from the University of Nottingham, where he first developed an interest in Islamic finance. He subsequently obtained an MBA with distinction from Aston Business School in 2001. After becoming a qualified chartered accountant, his dedication to Islamic finance was further deepened by a pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in 2002.
Career
Beginning in July 1994, Choudhury worked within the Assurance and Advisory Practice at Deloitte & Touche. From September 1998 until December 2003, he held the position of Director of brokerage operations at both Charles Schwab Europe and Barclays Private Bank.
In January 2004, he joined the founding leadership team of the Islamic Bank of Britain (IBB), which was the first Islamic bank established in the Western world. He was promoted to Commercial Director in June 2007, where he was responsible for setting up IBB’s Head Office Operations and Branch Network, overseeing product innovation and service delivery. In 2014, Choudhury assumed the role of CEO, a position he held until April 2019.
Choudhury has played an active role in advancing Islamic Financial Services within the UK through participation in multiple advisory groups linked to community and government sectors. He holds Chartered Membership with the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment and contributes to its Employer Panel specifically for the Islamic Finance Qualification.
Additionally, he serves as a Trustee for the National Zakat Foundation, a UK-based charity dedicated to distributing zakat funds to impoverished individuals and supporting community projects.
Since 2019, Choudhury has engaged in various Board positions, including acting as an Advisor for Precept Finance, a brokerage specializing in sharia-compliant financial products. He also functions as Executive Chairman of Waqfinity, an endowment trust committed to philanthropic giving.
In 2019, The Times published an article featuring an inaccurate photograph of Choudhury, leading him to initiate legal action for libel. The following year, The Times issued a formal apology, corrected the article, and agreed to pay damages along with legal expenses.
Honours
In recognition of his significant contributions to Islamic finance within the UK market, Choudhury was honored as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) during the 2017 Birthday Honours.
External links
- An Interview with Sultan Choudhury, Islamic Bank of Britain. New Horizon. 19 May 2012