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Keynote Address Muhamad Umar Swift, CEO, Bursa Malaysia
Keynote Address Muhamad Umar Swift, CEO, Bursa Malaysia
The Islamic Economy: Improving Livelihoods and Creating Prosperity
With Southeast Asian nations looking to kickstart economic recovery through commercial activity and stimulus, it is time for the Islamic economy, and all its components, to show its true mettle. Have we truly grasped the importance of the Halal economy to the prosperity of regional economies, as well as to the continued growth of Islamic financial institutions? What role will Southeast Asian Islamic financial institutions play in meeting the challenges of the real economy through mobilizing the funding and liquidity support necessary to stimulate the vital SME and corporate sector? Through socially impactful strategies, how can Islamic financial institutions inspire and support entrepreneurship, thereby creating jobs and improving livelihoods? How can successful initiatives such as Values-Based Intermediation (VBI) be harmonised…
Keynote Address Adnan Zaylani Mohamad Zahid, Assistant Governor, Bank Negara Malaysia
Keynote Address Adnan Zaylani Mohamad Zahid, Assistant Governor, Bank Negara Malaysia
The Evolution of GCC Islamic Financial Technology – Digital Assets, Crowdfunding and Digitization
With the GCC boasting 51 Shariah compliant fintech providers on the IFN Fintech Landscape, what is a realistic assessment of the sector across multiple verticals? With noteworthy developments in equity crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending in the GCC, what’s next in the evolution of these important activities? How do ECF and P2P address and reduce funding gaps, particularly in the SME sector, and how can they be further harnessed to fund regional entrepreneurial activity? What is the role and success rate of tech accelerator programs in regional centers, and what else can be done to provide vital seed and growth capital for regional Islamic fintechs? With the first Bitcoin fund being listed on NASDAQ Dubai, what is the future of crypto…
Operational Issues Facing Islamic Financial Institutions in the Gulf
Through a respected panel we address two current, important operational issues affecting Islamic financial institutions and financial products in the Gulf. Firstly, we discuss reform of global benchmarks, the transition to risk-free rates and the implications for Islamic financial products. Secondly, we examine the development of liquidity management tools – repurchase agreements and their Shariah compliant equivalents – and how they offer value to regional Islamic financial institutions. Moderator: Stephen Knight, Partner, Dentons Panelists: Anita Wieja-Caruba, Associate Director, Strategy, Policy and Risk, Dubai Financial Services Authority Ijlal Ahmed Alvi, CEO, International Islamic Financial Market (IIFM) Rizwan Malik, Head – Standards Implementation and Strategic Developments, Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI)
Green, Transition and Sustainability-Linked Finance and Investment – Shariah Compliant Options
Alongside ‘Transition to Net Zero’ and decarbonisation targets, what is realistically achievable and what does net zero mean for important sectors in the GCC such as aviation, oil and gas and other asset-based industries? How are Shariah compliant financing products and assets playing a role in this shift and what do green Sukuk offer in relation to transition and sustainability-linked initiatives? How can the financing of Shariah compliant assets continue to contribute to the achievement of the UN SDGs and towards the Paris Accord? Where and how do ESG investing and Shariah compliant investing complement each other, and how can we further leverage this important linkage? We ask an expert panel. Moderator: Jessica Robinson, Founder and Managing Director, Moxie Future…
Funding Opportunities and Growth: GCC Islamic Corporate Finance and Capital Markets
What do GCC credit markets look like in the coming 12 months, what are the options for potential corporate, sovereign and supranational issuers? How influential are oil prices on regional Islamic capital markets? What are investors demanding in terms of pricing, tenor, rating, structure, as well as other factors such as ESG? What do the major GCC centres offer as listing destinations for Sukuk issuance, as well as other products such as investment trusts and ETFs? How can Shariah compliant instruments, including Sukuk, be further applied to the funding of alternative asset classes in the region? How is technology such as blockchain shaping and influencing Islamic corporate finance and capital markets, considering notable recent innovations by GCC Islamic banks? Finally,…
The Islamic Economy: Improving Livelihoods and Creating Prosperity
With GCC countries looking to kickstart economic recovery through commercial activity, stimulus and technology, it is time for the Islamic economy, and all its components, to show its true mettle. Have we truly grasped the importance of the Halal economy to the prosperity of regional economies, as well as to the continued growth of Islamic financial institutions? What role will regional Islamic financial institutions play in meeting the challenges of the real economy through mobilizing the funding and liquidity support necessary to stimulate the vital SME and corporate sectors? How is financial technology playing a role in regional development and the enhancement of financial inclusion in GCC countries? And through socially impactful strategies, how can Islamic financial institutions inspire and…
Keynote Address
Omar Mustafa Ansari, Secretary General, Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI)
Disrupting and Enabling: Islamic Fintech and Crowdfunding Platforms in Oman
With Oman witnessing notable developments in the areas of equity crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending, what’s next in the evolution of these exciting activities? How do ECF and P2P work in practice, what platforms are they built on and how might they help address and reduce funding gaps in the Omani economy, particularly in the SME sector? What role do the CMA and CBO sandboxes play in the conception and development of new Shariah compliant capital market, insurance and banking products in Oman, and what is their place in the fintech ecosystem? Through this ecosystem, will we witness the successful development positioning of appealing Islamic digital retail, wealth management, Takaful and pension offerings in Oman? Moderator: Zaineb Sefiani, Founder, Carrera Learning…
Issues facing Islamic Banks and Islamic Financing in Oman
We address two current, important operational issues influencing Islamic financial institutions and financial products in Oman. Firstly, we examine the enforceability of Islamic finance contracts in the Sultanate and assess mechanisms for dispute resolution, the role of the courts and arbitral tribunals. We ask if Islamic finance contracts are recognized in their own right, whether they are differentiated from conventional products, how regulatory bodies have responded to registration of security charges in Islamic finance contracts, and what precedents have been established in cases of default. Secondly, with the global transition to risk-free rates, what are the implications for Islamic financial products in Oman and the Gulf region? We seek the views of an expert panel. Moderator: Asad Qayyum, Managing Partner,…
Green, Transition and Sustainability-Linked Finance, Sukuk and Investment Funds in Oman
What steps has Oman taken toward the development of ESG investing and what does the Sultanate offer potential issuers of green bonds and Sukuk, blue bonds and other products related to transition and sustainability? Alongside ‘Transition to Net Zero’ and decarbonisation targets, what is realistically achievable and what does net zero mean for important domestic sectors such as aviation, oil and gas and other asset-based industries? How are Shariah compliant banking, capital market and investment products playing a role in this important shift? What incentives will encourage Oman’s private sector’s involvement in sustainable projects? How can the financing of Shariah compliant assets in Oman continue to contribute to the achievement of the UN SDGs and toward the Paris Accord? We…