Blake Goud

Blake Goud has been the CEO of the RFI Foundation since the organization’s incorporation in 2015. The RFI Foundation works to promote responsible finance in Islamic markets and Islamic finance, and to support its members’ adoption of responsible finance practices and their integration into the global responsible finance industry.

As CEO, Blake has led work on a series of reports analyzing financed emissions risks in Islamic markets, the investment performance of combining environmental, social & governance (ESG) and Shari’ah screens, and developed in partnership with a global bank a Global Virtual Innovation Hub supporting FinTechs in the Middle East and North Africa with their adoption of responsible finance.

Blake has more than 15 years experience researching Islamic finance and working in a compliance and investment officer role in the finance industry. He was the Chief Research Officer for ME Global Advisors where he focused on MENA financial sector development and the growth of the Islamic economy. He was responsible for leading ME Global Advisors’ research efforts as well as advising on the content of the events organized by ME Global Advisors.

He was the Community Leader for the Thomson Reuters Islamic Finance Gateway from 2012 to 2015. At Thomson Reuters, he conducted research and was the lead author for a number of widely referenced reports on the Islamic finance and Islamic economy sectors, he was involved in organizing large-scale events and one-on-one sessions including IILM roundtables in London and Washington, DC and the Global Islamic Economy Summit in Dubai, UAE.

His published research includes papers on incorporating environmental, social & governance (ESG) within Islamic finance, Islamic microfinance, renewable energy microfinance and Islamic public finance. He received his B.A. in Economics from Reed College in 2003.