Halal Expo Canada 2025 ​Conference Schedule

REGISTER TO ATTEND

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Day 1 – Tuesday, May 27, 2025

11:00 AM – 11:15 AM
Opening Ceremony & Keynote Address
Keynote Speakers: Nasser Deeb & Dr. Slimi
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Session 1 | 11:15 AM – 11:30 AM
Keynote: State of Canada's Halal Economy
Speaker: Iman Ali – Consultant at DinarStandard

Session 2 | 12:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Session Title: What’s In My Supplement? Why Halal Wellness Matters
Sponsored by Sahara Supplements
Panelists:

• Tabish Rizwani - Founder & CEO - Sahara Supplements
• Suresh Kolla President at Pharmaline Inc and Founder & CEO, Nutrameltz Inc

Moderator: Musaab Maniar - Halal Certification Coordinator - ISNA Canada
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12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Lunch Break & Prayer

Session 3 | 1:30 PM – 1:45 PM
Keynote: Demystifying Islamic Finance: Principles, Practices, and Opportunities
Sponsored by Ansar Financial
Speaker: Dr. Mohammed Sawwaf - PhD, MSc, MBA - CEO, Manzil

Session 4 | 1:45 PM – 2:15 PM
Panel Discussion | Halal Financing in Real Life: Mortgages, Investments & What You Need to Know 
Sponsored by Ansar Financial
Panelists:

• Mohammed Jalaluddin - Chairman of Ansar Financial
• Dr. Mohammed Sawwaf -  PhD, MSc, MBA - CEO, Manzil

Moderator: Rehan Khan - CPA, MBA - Aya Financial

Session 5 | 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM 
Keynote: The State of the Halal Industry
Speaker: Sheikh Hosam Helal - Imam & Religious Educator - ISNA Halal Canada

Session 6 | 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Panel Discussion: The Power of Islamic Media: Shaping Narrative, Building Identity, and Driving Impact
Panelists: 

• Taha Ghayyur - Sound Vision 
• Dr. Safiyyah Ally - Let the Quran Speak
• ​Chelby Diagle - Editor in Chief - MuslimLink
• Tabish Hasan - CEO - Muslim Ad Network

Moderator: Mamoun S. Hassan - Managing Director - Nabaga Media Production & Agency
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4:30 PM – 4:45 PM
Closing Remarks & Day 1 Wrap-Up
Summary of key insights and preview of Day 2

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Day 2 – Wednesday, May 28, 2025
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Session 7 | 11:00 AM – 11:15 AM
Understanding the Halal Opportunity in the Canadian Grocery Industry
Speaker: Nick Gibson - Client Business Partner - NielsenIQ
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Session 8 | 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Panel Discussion: Mainstream Meets Halal – Retail Strategies for an Inclusive Marketplace 
Panelists:

• Onder Ozturk - Director, Customer Business Development - Maple Leaf Foods
• TBD

​Moderator: Nick Gibson - Client Business Partner - NielsenIQ
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Lunch Break & Prayer
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Session 9 | 1:45 PM – 2:15 PM
Panel Discussion: Export Smarter – Strategies for Canadian Businesses to Conquer Global Markets
Panelists:

• Jenn Juby – Managing Director - Startup Canada
• Lora Rigutto, CITP® – Partnerships and Community Lead - Forum for International Trade Training (FITT) 
• Zeeshanali Fazal –  Regional Director at Export Development Canada (EDC)

Moderator: Rowda Mohamud - Director, Business Development, BDC Advisory Services
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Session 10 | 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM
Keynote: Halal Business Economics
Speaker: Fathi Abu Farah - CPA, CA - Director, International Professional Group Inc.

3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Conference Closing & Key Takeaways
Final reflections and future opportunities in the halal economy