Joined Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad (BIMB) on 15 September 1991

Joined Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad (BIMB) on 15 September 1991. I was interviewed by the "Father of Islamic Banking in Malaysia", Dato' Dr. Abdul Halim Ismail, the bank's first Managing Director. Undergone overall Islamic banking operation familisation program at Shah Alam Branch (located about 35 km from KL) for several weeks and then assigned to the Organisation and Methods Dept (more like Business Development/Product Development Dept). Developed several new products and services (mostly financing products) for the Islamic bank, wrote manuals and standard operating procedures and trained staff from branches and head office during the implementation stage. Of course, products and services must be approved by the Shariah Advisory Council of the bank before implementation.

In 1993, Bank Negara Malaysia introduced Interest-free Banking Scheme (IBS) or in Malay it was called Skim Perbankan Tanpa Faedah (SPTF) to be implemented at conventional banks as an "IB window" or "IB counter". Most of other banks asked for consultancy service from BIMB to develop and introduce their Islamic banking business. I was then assigned a consultant/trainer for almost all conventional banks in Malaysia and then expanded to foreign countries like Indonesia, Brunei, Thailand and other countries.

That was how my consulting and training career in Islamic finance started up till now....