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Fellowship Programme 2023

About

We have recruited 16 Fellows for our 6 month programme aimed at uplifting Muslim thought leaders and more deeply engaging  our online community across the following disciplines:

  • data
  • product
  • design
  • women in tech
  • software engineering
  • founders
  • content & marketing

 

As part of the fellowship we’ll be running events, sharing content and hosting discussions around each field in our online community! If you work in or want to learn more about the fields above, join our Slack community to connect with other professionals.

Join our Slack

Upcoming Fellowship Events

These are some of the events our fellows have organised- come along and network with other Muslim professionals and help shape the direction of the programme. Our Fellows are really excited to meet you and learn more about the support you need to develop your career! We will be hosting networking, CV review, upskilling and many more types of events.

lu.ma/muslamicmakers

Design Fellows - 15th March
Marketing Fellows - 21st March

Meet the Fellows

Read more about our Fellows across each discipline below. They’re working hard behind the scenes to kindle

Data


Sadiya Salim

Data Analytics Manager

Salaam my name is Sadiya! I hold a degree in Economics and completed a graduate scheme in Audit at KPMG, qualifying as a Chartered Accountant holding an ACA.

I decided to pivot into data analytics as this is something I was more interested in, since then I have worked at Accenture within Financial Services Data Consulting. Currently, I am working at BT as a Data Analytics Manager. 

I am passionate about Diversity and Inclusion and providing opportunities for upskilling and career changes into tech.
Linkedin

Junayna Al Sheibani

Data Analyst

Salaam aleikum! My name is Junayna and I'm a Business Data Analyst. I started my career in Global Development, and transitioned into tech a short while after. I've worked in various sub-fields including data analytics, data visualisation, data management and data privacy. At the moment I'm working on understanding the data lifecycle in order to manage data effectively.

As a Muslim woman living in the UK, I always see opportunities to use data for social development in the community, and I'm interested in helping other early-career Muslims get a leg up in the world of technology.

Career-wise, I have interests in deep learning and other subsets of AI. Outside of work, I'm an avid gallery and museum-goer with memberships to multiple galleries in and around London. I'm also a scuba diver (even though I can't swim) and a pastry junkie.

Product


Hamzah Hafesji

Group Product Manager

Product leader with a passion for solving the right problems, the right way - customer first! Disruptive leader with a demonstrated history of developing visions, strategies, and working with product teams to deliver award winning products to market.

Experienced in multiple markets (NFP, Agriculture, Education, Hospitality and HR) and managing products through all stages of the product life cycle - from introduction to harvest.

Insights: I lead with sunshine yellow 🟡 and fiery red 🔴 energy which means…I like to energise a team, and get them excited about working together and influence their direction.

• Muslims Making a Difference Award
• British Muslims Award, Finalist
• Business & Management Programmes (BA Hons), Student of the Year
Linkedin

Adil Hussain

Senior Product Manager

I'm a Senior Product Manager, currently working at AND digital, a forward-thinking digital agency.

In my day to day role I help untangle complex business problems and build impactful user-centered products. I hold a diverse background that includes working in consultancy, public sector, startups, and mentoring underrepresented communities - bringing a unique perspective to product management.

In the public sector I've worked on emerging and important public services and as a founder, I've honed skills in the startup world. Always bringing a product mindset to help build and grow forward-thinking ideas at any pace.

When I'm not busy crafting innovative solutions, you can find me sharing my knowledge as a mentor and Instructor at Muslamic Makers, helping the next generation of product managers make their mark in tech. I also write content and I'm currently working on building my own product ventures for the wider community.

I'm driven by the desire to make a difference and give back where and however I can!
Linkedin

Design


Ramla Anshur

Product & Conversational Designer

Hello! I am a Product & Conversational Designer, with a background in Biomedical Sciences. I started as a generalist in a Technology Consulting role, and have navigated a variety of different technology roles before landing on Product/Conversational Design. I am particularly passionate about Inclusive Design, AI, and thinking of new ideas!
Twitter

Nasra Mohamed

UX/UI Designer

I am a UX/UI designer that is currently freelancing. My background is mostly creative as well as retail, public services and concessions but I was lucky enough to find my real passion in UX/UI. I thoroughly enjoy user research, wireframing and watching my designs come to life!
Twitter

Women in tech


Marium Abid

Senior Technology Consultant

I’m a Technology Consultant at EY with a focus on product management and business analysis. I started at EY as a digital apprenticeship scheme where I got the opportunity to study for a BSc in Digital and Technology Solutions along with training to be a technology consultant. I'm interested in developing technology that has a positive impact on Muslims especially with a focus on promoting more women in technology.
Linkedin

Halima Ketrouci

Data Programmer

I'm currently a Data Programmer, I come from a background in biomedicine and decided to transition into tech. My journey was paved by a Muslim woman in my community and so wanted to give Muslim women the same support that was given to me. In my free time I like to enjoy sports and all things outdoors such as hikes, runs and bouldering.
Linkedin

Software Engineering

Noran Azmy

Software Engineer

I’ve been a software engineer at Google for the past six years. My passions include UI/UX design, accessibility, and coding best practices. I also love theoretical computer science and have a doctorate in computational logic.
Medium

Hurman Gul

Senior Software Engineer

Experienced Senior Software Engineer with a background in consultancy and diverse industries including Medical, Retail and Fintech. Passionate about technology, gaming and martial arts. Proven track record of delivering successful projects with corporations, medium-size companies and start-ups.
Linkedin

Sumeyya Javaid

Frontend Developer

I am a tech returnee working part-time as a volunteer full-stack developer with Ignite Hubs. Previously, I was a junior web developer at the University of Wolverhampton. I am passionate about contributing to open-source projects and working on community outreach activities. In my spare time, I am learning archery and I am an avid reader.
Linkedin

Founders


Dzanan Ganic

Founder

Dzanan is a founder and a software engineer focused on the Islamic fintech industry.

With 8+ years of software engineering experience, he previously founded 2 startups in the sustainable finance industry - Thematic and Sagewealth.

Thematic helped small investment advisors in the US serve ethical and sustainable portfolios to their clients. After bootstrapping the startup and getting the initial clients, the startup got acquired by an Austin-based company.

After that, Dzanan co-founded Sagewealth, a sustainable private bank for millennials in the EU. After hitting 1mil EUR in assets under management, hiring a tech team, helping raise an investment round, and helping establish the company for further growth, he’s moved on to focus on solving problems within the Islamic Finance industry.

Currently, he is founding Afterfund, a fintech-for-good startup that focuses on investing donations in a halal portfolio that grows, and distributes the profits periodically to whichever causes the donor wants - thus making them growing and perpetual. Passionate about everything related to startups, fintech, archery, boxing, Islamic philosophy and psychology
Linkedin

Khalid Sharif

Project Manager

Khalid is a Senior Project Manager who has worked in IT for over 20 years in industries ranging from Media and Finance to Beauty and the Care Sector. He is well versed in project recovery.

In between his Project Management career he has founded several startups. He launched Ummah Foods which brought the first halal chocolate bar into Tesco and Asda. He also was Editor and Founder of the Muslim Paper.

He loves working on community projects and is currently building an initiative for elders in his local area. It will include running a drop-in session for elders in his areas who have been left alone and isolated.

He is working on a new start-up that will create the "IMDB for the Muslim Community" and give Muslim parents more support in choosing faith appropriate content for their children.

He is part of a team that will also be putting together a podcast on the growth of the Metaverse, especially in the Middle East.
Linkedin

Content & Marketing

Ruqayyah Brown

Brand Strategist

Ruqayyah is the founder and CEO of The Brandz Bee, a brand & marketing agency with a mission to help passionate CEOs turn their big ideas into worldwide recognised brands. She is a homeschooling mum of two from the UK, living as an expat in Africa and a multi business entrepreneur. She has worked with a diverse range of charities and organisations from Oxfordshire, UK all the way to Morocco and Dubai.

In 2020 she co-founded Homeschool Queens, with an idea to help Muslim homeschooling parents succeed in their child education journey through customised resources and support. In its first year alone, that idea had grown into a recognised brand with an international audience of over 8000.

Ruqayyah is on a mission to put ethical & purposeful brands first. You can find her on Instagram @thebrandzbee or her website www.thebrandzbee.com.
Linkedin

Ramial Aqeel

Digital Marketer

I am a Google Ads certified Web Development graduate with years of commercial experience in Digital Marketing and Business Development.

As the Director of Rank Media Ltd and a Google Partner Marketer, I am well-versed in dealing with stakeholders from businesses of all sizes. With extensive experience managing marketing budgets ranging from £300 to £2m monthly, I have worked with countless industries in B2B and B2C markets across the UK, USA, Australia, and Europe.

Additionally, I have expertise in Search Engine Optimization, Web Development, Graphic Design, Social Media Marketing, and e-Commerce. In my free time, I enjoy following Cryptocurrency, Football, and playing strategy games like Chess.
Linkedin

Elizabeth Teixeira

Customer Support Manager

Elizabeth is currently working as a Customer Support Manager for Prickly Bear, an edtech startup that empowers students aged 8-14 to earn gift cards and toys by learning across Prickly Bear's apps.

She's also worked in Corporate Social Responsibility, as a teacher, and IT helpdesk assistant, led on social action projects and in marketing as a content specialist at an adtech startup.

She's currently an Aziz Foundation scholar, studying MSc Sustainability Science at the University of York, and is an aspiring green social entrepreneur!
Linkedin