Speaker Irfan Ahmad

Irfan Ahmad is a researcher and technologist specializing in digital typography, text engines, and complex script rendering. With over a decade of experience, he has worked extensively on the unique challenges of Indic, MENA, and Southeast Asian scripts.
A polyglot and language scholar, Irfan has spoken at leading international forums, including the UN General Assembly in New York, EuroSTAR in Stockholm, and STC Bangalore. He is also a co-inventor of a software patent at Adobe. Irfan is actively involved in multiple research initiatives on text layout innovations, such as algorithms for drop caps in complex scripts, curved Kashida insertion in Arabic, and language-based font prioritization in creative applications.
His current work explores how digital text engines can evolve to better support the world’s writing systems. Passionate about script equity, Irfan champions inclusive design practices to ensure no language is left behind in the digital publishing ecosystem.