Why don't you use an Islamic Bank?

Kestrl all began with this simple question, asked one lunch time at the University of Cambridge between friends Areeb and Daeng.

Islamic london city skyline

Both faced a common dilemma. Why, despite both being practicing Muslims was it so hard for them to bank and invest in line with their religious beliefs?

From finding interest-free savings accounts to taking out a mortgage, affordable and convenient options were few and far between.

Together, Areeb and Daeng decided to combine their experiences in UK Fintech and Malaysian Islamic Banking to solve a problem faced not only by themselves, but by  2m British Muslims  today.

Islamic london city skyline

We’re building something you can trust

Finance for Muslims has been far from easy. From high fees and poor service levels, to a lack of clarity on what makes a product  Islamic — Trust in Islamic Finance within our communities is often low.

Kestrl aims to remedy that.

We want to build a true alternative to the conventional banking system, one that benefits real people and the real economy instead of faceless financial organisations. We will do this by adhering to values that resonate with you as a user;

Islamic london city skyline

Meet The Team

Kestrl is nothing without it's people!

Mufti Faraz Adam

Mufti Faraz Adam

Sharia Advisor

Mus'ab Shaharom

Mus'ab Shaharom

Head of Data Science

Naelah Nordin

Naelah Nordin

Data Scientist

Nazrin Zulkifli

Nazrin Zulkifli

Data Engineer

Hala Jawoshy

Hala Jawoshy

Legal & Compliance Associate

Yan Ahmad

Yan Ahmad

Happiness Engineer

Anwar Husaini

Anwar Husaini

Content Manager

Azreen Danial

Azreen Danial

Product Manager

Akif Farhan

Akif Farhan

Mobile App Developer

Azlan Shah

Azlan Shah

Mobile App Developer

Israrfaiq Elias

Israrfaiq Elias

UI/UX Designer

Fareez Idzuan

Fareez Idzuan

UI/UX Designer

Anis Aini

Anis Aini

UI/UX Designer

Arif Rahmat

Arif Rahmat

Backend Engineer

Ashman Rahman

Ashman Rahman

Backend Engineer

Mohd Ariffin

Mohd Ariffin

Full-Stack Developer

Why the name Kestrl?

Kestrl derives its name from a brightly coloured little falcon called a Kestrel — a common sight hovering over the British Countryside.

We chose this name to represent our  desire to democratise finance and financial literacy for the masses.

You see, in Old England when falconry was a common sport, different hunting birds were reserved for differing social classes, “An Eagle for an Emperor, a Falcon for a King”.

Why the name Kestrl?
Why the name Kestrl?

Due to its small size, the Kestrel was to be used by the lowest social classes, the peasants or the ‘knaves’, leading to the expression “A Kestrel for a Knave” (popularised in the famous 1968 Novel by the same name and later the movie Kes).

Like the bird, our app Kestrl is meant for everyone, regardless of their background, wealth or knowledge

P.S Kestrl's are also partial to common garden birds including starlings (make of that what you will)

The Kestrl Account is issued by Contis Financial Services Ltd who are authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 (registered number 900025). The Kestrl Account and Card are electronic money products which are not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. The funds will be safeguarded by Contis Financial Services Ltd.

Kestrl Ltd (registration number: 12297799) is acting as an agent of TrueLayer, who is providing the regulated Account Information Service, and is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 (Firm Reference Number: 927200)