Thom Polson is Director of Investment for Pentavirate. A recognized expert on Islamic finance, Thom directs Pentavirate’s subsidiary, Himayah Financial Group. The company provides Shariah-compliant investment management services for Emerging Market investors, through the issuance of Sukuk (Islamic bonds) and private placements that target the acquisition of high-yield physical assets in North America and Europe. Thom’s forte is aligning investors, partners, and assets across continents, so they meet the most stringent regulatory criteria, including Shariah principles. His notable achievements include co-founding Falah Capital, where he created the NYSE-listed and Shariah-compliant Falah Russell-IdealRatings US Large Cap ETF, that served institutional investors in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. He later worked as a Senior Consultant at Ascenta International, where he helped plan the development of a large scale, government-backed technology park in Abu Dhabi. Thom’s background includes five years in Saudi Arabia, three of which were at The Investor for Securities Company, a $5 billion Riyadh-based Islamic investment bank where his responsibilities included advisory work and investment analysis for private placements and investment funds. Equal parts visionary and entrepreneur, Thom has also been an advocate for the use of Blockchain to provide transparency, scalability, and security for global investors. He is a frequent speaker on Islamic finance at conferences across the Middle East, Asia, and North America. Thom holds a Masters in Islamic Banking & Finance from Bangor University in Wales and a Postgraduate Diploma from the Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance in London.