A Letter from the Founder

From Damascus to Wall Street:
My Journey to NoorVest

My name is Tarif Homsi. My story begins in Syria where I was born and raised. Even as a child, I always had a passion for knowledge and learning. As a result, I received a scholarship to attend the University of Rochester in New York. I was like a sponge, soaking up everything I could as I immersed myself in my studies of Economics. Particularly, I wanted to understand all the nuts and bolts regarding the world of Global Economics & Finance. 

After graduation, I moved to Washington D.C. and took advantage of an opportunity to enter the world of Wealth Management at UBS. There, I began to really hone my professional skills. 

Tarif Homsi
Founder & CEO, NoorVest

J.P. Morgan | UBS

Guiding Families Towards Financial Prosperity

The Lingering Void

Guiding families towards financial prosperity was not just my career but I felt it becoming my calling in life. So, I pressed on with even more passion and intensity.

The Birth of NoorVest

Now driven by a new and different sense of purpose, I risked everything and left corporate America. I founded NoorVest. In Arabic, Noor means “light”. Through NoorVest, Muslim communities are now empowered by making halal finance accessible to everyone. Guided by the principles of integrity and innovation, we strive to redefine the landscape of Fintech, one ethical investment at a time.

Finding My Calling

I eventually ascended to the position of Vice President at J.P. Morgan Private Bank. However, even though I was enjoying the heights of success, there was a lingering void. I longed for something more impactful and satisfying than just profit margins and market shares. The more I pondered the void I felt, the more it ate at me. It awakened me to the thought of how important it would be to leave a lasting legacy beyond mere wealth. It was truly a wakeup call.

Identifying the Gap

It was at this point, as my thoughts and visions turned outside myself, that I saw vividly a glaring gap in the financial landscape. I now knew what the void was. Where ethical, halal, investment opportunities should thrive, there was nothing. Muslim communities worldwide were overlooked and deprived of the tools and resources needed to build security in the financial world in accordance with our belief system.

Building a Legacy

In the end, my story is not just about building a company, but rather, it’s about empowering a community and building that legacy I envisioned. A legacy that shines as brightly as the light that inspired its name.

Shariah advisory board

Faraz Omar

Founder, Muslim Xchange

Muslim Xchange was founded by Faraz Omar, a dedicated expert in Islamic finance with a passion for making halal investing accessible to everyone. Faraz is a AAOIFI Certified Shariah Advisor & Auditor (CSAA), bringing a deep understanding of Shariah compliance standards to the platform. He also holds an MBA in Finance from a prestigious Canadian university, combining academic excellence with real-world expertise in the financial industry.

With a background that blends Shariah expertise and conventional finance, Faraz is committed to empowering investors and institutions alike to navigate the complexities of halal investing with confidence and ease. His goal is to ensure that Muslim Xchange offers reliable, transparent, and Shariah-compliant solutions that meet the highest standards in both ethics and performance.

From Damascus to Wall Street: My Journey to NoorVest