Industry snapshot: content creators at the heart of storytelling

Walee’s Rizk Haddad explores the shift away from vanity metrics to authentic, ROI-driven storytelling in the content creator economy.In this industry snapshot, Rizk Haddad, Head of Monetization & Operation – MENA at Walee, explores the shift in the role of content creators in influencer marketing. He also shares how the industry is moving away from vanity metrics and moving towards authentic, ROI-driven storytelling that builds lasting brand connections.

How important is it to move beyond followers and focus on local content creators who reflect brand values?

In today’s landscape, brands must prioritise genuine connection over vanity metrics. At Walee, we champion storytelling that goes beyond manufactured narratives, placing values-aligned, local content creators at the heart of brand storytelling. Real brand impact now lies in trust-building actions and emotionally compelling, human-driven narratives.

How can influencer marketing balance creativity with measurable ROI?

Walee’s influencer solutions bridge storytelling with measurable results. Our tech and data stack aligns with media and business KPIs, ensuring campaigns deliver trackable ROI. Tools like UTM links, pixels, and promo codes allow end-to-end funnel tracking, while predictive performance modelling empowers ongoing optimisation.

Is the focus shifting from whom the influencers or creators are to how content is shared?

The industry is evolving – from chasing follower counts to crafting content that resonates. Today, it’s about strategic content delivery: the right creators, platforms, formats, and audiences. Walee’s approach blends cultural resonance with data insights, ensuring each piece of content drives both emotional and business outcomes.

Are influencer campaigns optimised for full-funnel impact?

Too many campaigns stop at awareness. At Walee, we integrate influencer strategies across the entire funnel – from discovery to conversion. Through data-led targeting and strategic creator alignment, we help brands turn influencers into conversion drivers, not just storytellers.

Are AI influencers a passing trend or the future?

AI influencers offer scalability and control, but they still lack true human relatability. Walee’s upcoming launch of an authentic Arabic AI persona merges cultural relevance with innovation, offering brands a new way to connect – without losing the power of emotion-driven marketing.

Are influencers or content creators now defined by impact rather than celebrity?

The definition of ‘influencer’ is expanding. Today, trust is built through expertise and relatability – whether in sports, science, arts or aviation. Walee partners with creators across diverse sectors to deliver deeper, value-led engagement that resonates with real audiences.

What’s the biggest influencer marketing challenge for 2025?

Trust and relevance. With audiences growing more discerning, the focus must shift to authenticity, platform-native content and micro-engagement. Walee’s data-first approach ensures content is not just seen – but trusted, felt, and acted upon.


SECP Certifies Walee Financial Services as a Fully Shariah-Compliant NBFC

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan has officially certified Walee Financial Services as a fully Shariah-compliant Non-Banking Financial Company. This milestone positions Walee Financial Services among a select group of financial institutions in Pakistan that operate entirely in accordance with Islamic finance principles.

With this certification, Walee Financial Services becomes the only NBFC in the digital nano-financing space to achieve Shariah compliance status from SECP. All future financial products launched under the Walee umbrella will follow Islamic finance models, ensuring every aspect of design, delivery, and operation adheres to the principles of fairness, transparency, and social responsibility.

From Islamic Nano-Finance to Broader Innovation

Walee Financial Services first made its mark through Hakeem, Pakistan’s first & only Islamic digital nano-financing platform launched in 2024. Built on an innovative unorganised Tawarruq model, Hakeem trades mobile airtime to make nano-financing fully Shariah-compliant.

Within its first year of operations, Hakeem has achieved millions of downloads and hundreds of thousands of active customers, helping Pakistanis meet their financial needs with ease, dignity, and trust.

Dr. Rashid Mansoor, Head of Shariah at Walee Financial Services, highlighted the broader significance of this achievement for Pakistan’s Islamic fintech ecosystem.

“Alhamdolillah, the SECP’s certification of WFS as a Shariah-compliant company marks a defining milestone for Islamic fintech in Pakistan. It demonstrates that technology and innovation can thrive fully within the bounds of Shariah, free from Riba and grounded in ethical integrity. This achievement reaffirms our conviction that digital finance must serve faith and fairness, setting a precedent for others to build financial solutions that reflect both modern efficiency and divine guidance, In Sha Allah.” he stated.

Mufti Usama Ehsan, Shariah Advisor at Walee Financial Services, also praised the certification as a step toward strengthening Pakistan’s Islamic finance identity.

“I am honored to be part of Pakistan’s first SECP approved unorganised Tawarruq model and one of the few Shariah-compliant NBFCs. This innovation sets a valuable precedent for the industry. With strong Shariah governance and visionary leadership, In sha Allah, it will grow into a model that strengthens Islamic finance.”

Building a Purpose-Driven Islamic Finance Platform

Building on this milestone, Walee Financial Services is preparing to launch a diverse portfolio of Shariah-compliant digital products, including solutions in takaful distribution, remittance financing, women and MSME empowerment, and community-based financing. Each initiative is designed to strengthen financial resilience and expand access to Islamic finance across Pakistan.

As a multi-country Islamic financing platform in the making, Walee Financial Services aims to bring faith-aligned innovation to new markets, with Pakistan as its first and foundational base. Alongside product innovation, the company is also advancing financial literacy initiatives to help consumers and SMEs better understand and benefit from Islamic finance, empowering communities and contributing to a fair, inclusive economy.

Leading the Future of Ethical Digital Finance

Speaking on the achievement, Noshad Minhas, Chief Executive Officer of Walee Financial Services, reaffirmed the company’s mission to build ethical financial systems that are both innovative and inclusive.

“We are deeply grateful to the SECP for their continued efforts to advance financial inclusion and innovation while remaining true to the spirit of Islamic finance. By aligning ourselves with Pakistan’s 2028 vision for the elimination of riba, Walee Financial Services aims to lead by example and help enable the transformation of financial institutions and businesses toward fully Shariah-compliant models,” he said.

With SECP’s endorsement, Walee Financial Services is now well positioned to expand its presence in Pakistan’s growing Islamic finance market. The company aims to build a sustainable ecosystem of Shariah-compliant digital products that empower consumers, create opportunity, and promote financial justice.

About Walee Financial Services

Walee Financial Services is a licensed Non-Banking Financial Company in Pakistan dedicated to creating innovative and inclusive financial solutions rooted in Islamic principles. Through data intelligence, technology, and strong Shariah governance, the company aims to redefine access to finance for millions of Pakistanis. Its flagship product, Hakeem, is Pakistan’s first Islamic nano-financing platform and continues to serve underserved communities nationwide.

Download the Hakeem App:

Android:
Google Play Store

iOS:
Apple App Store

For press inquiries, contact:
press@hakeem.tech

For further information about Walee Financial Services, please visit www.hakeem.tech.


Walee Financial Services and EFU Life Partner to Expand Takaful Access Across Pakistan.

Walee Financial Services has announced a strategic partnership with EFU Life through its Islamic digital nano-financing platform, Hakeem, to distribute affordable Takaful solutions, providing Shariah-compliant financial protection and inclusion opportunities for families across Pakistan.

With over 1.3 million downloads in its first year, the partnership connects Hakeem’s rapidly expanding digital user base with EFU Life’s trusted portfolio of Takaful products. Together, they aim to make access to financial protection simpler, more transparent, and easier for millions of Pakistanis seeking inclusive solutions.

Through this collaboration, Hakeem will offer a suite of innovative Takaful products designed by EFU Life to provide comprehensive life and health protection tailored to its users’ needs. The portfolio includes plans covering natural and accidental death, hospitalization, disability, and critical illness, along with income continuation and family support benefits, ensuring long-term financial stability and peace of mind.

Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Azeem Iqbal Pirani, Executive Director and COO of EFU Life, added:

“Hakeem represents a forward-thinking partner with a clear vision for empowering underserved communities through Shariah-compliant financial solutions. We are excited about the potential this partnership holds and look forward to seeing it evolve into a model for how digital innovation and Takaful can help masses across Pakistan”.

Expanding Access to Ethical Financial Protection

The initiative introduces EFU Life’s Takaful protection offerings directly into the Hakeem Easy Finance mobile app, allowing users to subscribe to Takaful coverage seamlessly without paperwork, branch visits, or complex processes. For many low-income Pakistanis, this represents their first-ever access to formal financial safety nets that align with Islamic principles.

“This collaboration opens the door to a range of future opportunities, including the development of women-focused and savings-oriented Takaful products. Together with Hakeem, we aim to make Shariah-compliant financing and protection more accessible and inclusive, ultimately helping more Pakistanis benefit from ethical financial solutions”, shared Nilofer Sohail, General Manager at EFU Life, highlighting the partnership’s focus on inclusive digital delivery.

Through this partnership, both organizations are helping redefine how Islamic financial products reach underserved markets; transforming what was once a privilege for the few into a right for every household.

Empowering Communities Through Faith-Aligned Innovation

Both organizations share a mission to promote financial inclusion grounded in Islamic ethics. Through this collaboration, individuals who previously lacked access to formal insurance can now safeguard their families, income, and health in a manner consistent with their beliefs.

With Hakeem’s strong digital infrastructure and EFU Life’s credibility in the Takaful sector, the partnership delivers a practical model of how innovation and faith can work together to build financial dignity and resilience.

Dr. Rashid Mansoor, Head of Shariah at Walee Financial Services, remarked,

“True financial security is not achieved through transactions, but through trust, transparency, and shared responsibility. Takaful embodies these values, ensuring that protection comes without compromise to faith. Alhamdolillah, this partnership with EFU Life is more than a product launch — it is a step toward nurturing a generation that is financially aware, ethically conscious, and spiritually secure.”

A Milestone for Pakistan’s Islamic Fintech and Insurance Ecosystem

This partnership stands as a milestone in advancing Pakistan’s Islamic finance ecosystem, expanding financial protection to communities historically left outside the system. By combining digital reach with institutional expertise, EFU Life and Hakeem aim to empower millions of low-income families with affordable, faith-aligned financial security.

Noshad Minhas, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Walee Financial Services (Hakeem), remarked,

“Hakeem is built for underbanked communities, empowering them with access to fair, faith-based finance that helps them move upward on the economic pyramid. Earlier, reaching the lowest segments of society — the most deserving — was not easily possible. With Hakeem’s success and deep digital market penetration, we’re now enabling our partners in Islamic finance to extend their reach through our app. Our collaboration with EFU Takaful marks the first of many such partnerships, making protection and prosperity more inclusive, digital, and truly Shariah-aligned.”

About Walee Financial Services

Walee Financial Services is a licensed & Shariah Certified, Non-Banking Financial Company in Pakistan dedicated to creating innovative and inclusive financial solutions rooted in Islamic principles. Through data intelligence, technology, and strong Shariah governance, the company aims to redefine access to finance for millions of Pakistanis. Its flagship product, Hakeem, is Pakistan’s first Islamic nano-financing platform and continues to serve underserved communities nationwide.

Download the Hakeem App:

Android:
Google Play Store

iOS:
Apple App Store

For press inquiries, contact:
press@hakeem.tech

For further information about Walee Financial Services, please visit www.hakeem.tech.


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