JUNAID WAHEDNA-CEO of Wahedna Invest
What was your earliest ambition?
I wanted to be a Nuclear Physicist because I found it fascinating to learn how so much power could be compressed.
What do you enjoy the most?
I enjoy spending time with my family. I am fortunate that my family is very inclined towards higher education and learning. I love to sit with them and discuss concepts. In fact my family roots were in the finance industry, which is what drove me to pursue the same.
Why are you into Islamic finance?
In today’s world it is increasingly difficult to balance ones religion and work. I like to believe that by contributing to the development of Islamic finance – a young and growing industry, I can make a difference however small it may be. At the same time, I like that my educational background in mathematics and finance is being put to use in a constructive manner.
What do you do in your spare time?
I like to plan my spare time very efficiently and divide it amongst getting fit, learning and contributing to society. However, things often don’t go as planned, and almost all of my spare time ends up spending on researching trivial concepts.
Which movie is your all-time favourite? (if you watch movies)
I believe movies are a great way to experience life extremes without actually having to live through them– a catalyst for learning. One of my favourite movies is “A Brief History of Time” by Errol Morris.
Who has been your greatest mentor?
I have no specific mentor, although I admire individuals that have taken business risks for what they believed in regardless of the outcome.
Where are you the happiest?
I love to visit Dubai. It’s where I grew up and went to school. I have many fond memories there.
If your 15-year-old self sees you today, what would he say?
“Lose the beard”
In a few sentences describe yourself at the age of 65.
I’d like to focus on enhancing education in my later years. I believe there are immense unrecognised talent and potentials, which could be utilised for exceptional feats. By changing the way knowledge is delivered, I truly believe that a sustainable and cost-free system could be developed, which would remove the elitist nature of higher education as we know it.
Any disappointments in life?
I have learned that expectation leads to disappointment, and so keeping that in mind I tend to live opportunistically but forecast pessimistically.
