Muslim ceos dinner
Muslim CEO’s Dinner
Legacy, Leadership and Leicester by Safaraz Ali
I had the opportunity to join the Muslim CEOs Dinner in Leicester as a guest speaker – an evening of rich conversation, shared values, and honest leadership insights.
It wasn’t just another event. It was a room full of people who are building businesses, families, institutions – and trying to stay true to their faith and purpose while doing it.
What is the Muslim CEOs Dinner?
The Muslim CEOs Dinner is an exclusive networking and leadership event that brings together Muslim business leaders in the UK to discuss faith-aligned entrepreneurship, legacy, and values-driven impact.
For me personally, Leicester holds a special place. Years ago, I was involved in delivering a European Social Fund contract for New College Nottingham, supporting owner-managed businesses in the city. That work stayed with me – not just for the outcomes, but for the people behind the businesses. It’s one of the reasons I often say: business is about people first – the rest follows.
Muslim CEOs Dinner Format: Real Conversations, Rooted in Faith
The CEOs dinner series is designed to go deeper than surface networking.
It begins with short introductions from each attendee – five minutes to share who you are, what you do, how your faith shapes your work, and your connection to the Muslim community. It’s not about the pitch – it’s about alignment and authenticity.
This was followed by a fireside chat, where I shared reflections on leadership, faith, business and legacy – and took some thoughtful questions from the audience.
The dinner brought together a dynamic mix of Muslim business leaders, including entrepreneurs, legal and finance advisors specialising working with Muslim businesses, Muslim tech founders, and halal investors – each committed to leading with values and building with impact.
Among them:
- Tech and AI founders like Aamir Hussain (Ace Creative Labs) and Hasnain Naveed (Zarbotics)
- Islamic finance professionals such as Farrukh Raza (IFAAS)
- Legal and wealth experts including Ahmed Fulat (Stansfield Law), Jahid Ali (Gunner Cooke), and Mohammed Fulat (Imperial Wealth Advisory)
- Purpose-driven founders like Sufia Hussain (FaithX) and Marwa Sabry (PayAxle)
- Strategic consultants and advisors including Tesh Moosa (Signant Tax), Azeam Akram (Alexis Consultancy), and Mabs Ali (RBC Brewin Dolphin)
What united the room wasn’t just commercial success. It was a shared belief that faith, business and community impact are not separate – they must be integrated.
My Message: Build More Than a Business
I responded the first question with this:
I aspire to not just be person who owns and runs a business. I’m clear that I am and aspire to be an impactful social entrepreneur. I’ve spent the last 24 years building organisations that make a difference and that is only done with finding the right people and putting them in the right place and creating the right environment. I also stated that I still believe our best work lies ahead, if we stay relevant and rooted.
I believe in profit – but not profit for profit’s sake. When profit is aligned with purpose, you create something powerful. You create legacy.
We all want growth. But growth without meaning feels hollow. And I’ve learnt over time that growth is not always upward – sometimes it’s outward. Sometimes it’s inward.
Leadership Is a Responsibility; it’s a duty and not a prize or a Reward
One key message I shared was this:
“Leadership isn’t a title. It’s how you show up when nobody’s watching.”
Real leadership means being the example. It means producing more than you consume. It means leaving people better than you found them. Not hoarding – but being a custodian of people, resources, ideas.
It also means accepting that the best use of your time is with your people – developing them, guiding them, trusting them. That’s why I always talk about servant leadership. It’s not soft – it’s strategic. And it works.
On Rizq, Relevance and Legacy
Faith plays a huge role in how I lead. I spoke about the concept of rizq – our provision – which is already written. What’s not written is how we respond to it.
When we operate from scarcity, we compete with one another. When we operate from barakah, we collaborate.
That’s why I say:
“Don’t just chase ROI – focus on Return on Legacy.”
Legacy is not what you leave behind after you’re gone. It’s what you’re building, day by day, through your actions, your values, and your people.
The Muslim Economy: A Sleeping Giant
British Muslims are uniquely positioned in the global economic landscape. We contribute over £31 billion to the UK economy, and globally the Islamic economy is set to hit $7.7 trillion.
But we often act in isolation – missing the power of our own ecosystem.
“This isn’t about the Muslim Pound. It’s about Muslim impact.”
We need to stop competing for space and start building space for each other. That means funding one another’s ventures. Hiring from within the community. Sharing knowledge. Creating visibility. And pushing each other, with love, to aim higher.
My soundbites that I believe landed
Here are a few phrases that seemed to resonate in the room – drawn from my Canny Bites books, my Canny Conversations podcasts and some of my Business Influencer and other short articles over the years:
- “Leadership is about transformation, not titles.”
- “If people are your greatest asset, show them.”
- “You can’t automate trust.”
- “Stay relevant, stay curious.”
- “If AI becomes a commodity, then people become the differentiator.”
- “It’s not about Return on Investment. It’s about Return on Legacy.”
And one more:
“Leadership is not about being the loudest voice – it’s about being the clearest one.”
What We Need Next
There is no shortage of Muslim entrepreneurs in the UK. What we need more of now is Muslim leadership – bold, ethical, generous and visionary.
We need ambition – not just to grow our businesses, but to grow the community.
And we need to support each other – not just in words, but in practice. That’s how real ecosystems are built.
Because ultimately:
“When one of us rises, we all rise. But only if we’re looking up together.”
A Word of Thanks
I want to extend a sincere thank you to the two visionary co-founders behind the Muslim CEOs Dinner Series and the wider Muslim CEOs Collective – Omar Khaliel and Abdul Haseeb Basit.
Omar, as CEO of the Riba Free Foundation, and Abdul Haseeb, known for his leadership in Islamic finance and entrepreneurship, are not only building platforms – but they’re also building trust, alignment, and a new culture of collaboration within the Muslim business ecosystem.
A special thank you also to Shaheena Rasool of Halal Dining Group, who hosted the evening with generosity and professionalism, and led the fireside conversation with real insight and ease. Her ability to guide the discussion with empathy and structure made the evening even more meaningful.
Final reflections
I left the evening energised. Inspired not just by the talent in the room – but by the sincerity. The humility. The willingness to learn.
If you were in that room – thank you for the questions, the challenges, the laughs.
If you weren’t – let’s find ways to connect. We’ve got work to do. Together.
Let’s not just build businesses – let’s build impact.
Let’s make a real difference to the places we live, the people we work with, and the communities we serve.
And wherever possible, let’s collaborate – and support each other and grow together
Safaraz Ali
