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Positioning ESG and Sustainable Finance and Investment – Policy, Regulation and Action
Why is a united regulatory response to climate risk, such as that offered by JC3 and The Value-based Intermediation Financing and Investment Impact Assessment Framework (VBIAF), so important for the financial services industry as a whole? How do we evaluate initiatives designed to encourage investment and resource allocation into sustainable economic activity? How do we address the implications of various taxonomies, frameworks and standards, and identify what can now be labelled sustainable investments? Should taxonomies recognise and reflect market-specific regulations, and are we presenting a clear, consistent message? What industry-led measures would address and mitigate current challenges, such as greenwashing and inconsistent reporting standards? How can potential sustainability bond and Sukuk issuers successfully connect issuances to internal sustainability frameworks? Are…
Presentation by HSBC Amanah
Raja Amir Shah Raja Azwa, CEO, HSBC Amanah
Keynote Address
Dr Awang Adek Hussin, Chairman, Securities Commission Malaysia
Islamic Social Finance: Offering Relief, Creating Opportunities and Improving Lives
What is social finance, why is it important and how can Islamic financial institutions play a significant role in its growth and development? In a post-pandemic world, what does social finance offer in terms of relief and renewal, and what real-life examples are there of this in practice? How can social Sukuk be used to support enterprise, entrepreneurship, home ownership and job creation, as well as healthcare and education? What has worked towards these goals in other countries and what can be learnt from these achievements? How can Islamic social finance be deployed to assist with liquidity and funding for the vital SME sector? Can Islamic social finance play a role in the evermore consequential issue of food security, simultaneously…
Technology Roundtable: Digitalization and the Evolution of Southeast Asian Islamic Financial Services
The digitalization of Islamic financial services: what is working, what is viable, and what is not? What do the answers to these questions mean for the evolution of Islamic financial services in Southeast Asia? With new neo-banking licenses in Malaysia, how will the development, provision and distribution of digital Islamic financial services evolve in the near-term, and what models will be deemed successful? What further measures would assist domestic Islamic financial institutions in the modernization and digital transformation of Islamic retail, commercial, Takaful and pension offerings? What are notable milestones and achievements in the development of systems and software for Islamic banks and financial institutions? What technology is available to help Islamic financial institutions drive scale, integrity, efficiency and ultimately…
Contemporary Islamic Capital Markets: Fit for Purpose
What represents innovation in the contemporary Sukuk market: pioneering structures, sourcing underliers, and the transition from ESG to Impact? What options do hybrid or combination Sukuk offer issuers, particularly in asset heavy industries such as oil and gas, and aviation, and why have such structures been so successful in the Gulf? How do Tier-1 and Tier-2 Sukuk offer financial institutions a flexible, efficient and user-friendly way of satisfying regulatory capital requirements, and what do perpetual Sukuk structures offer such issuers? How has innovation been incorporated into project and infrastructure finance, particularly regarding concession agreements, cash contributions and investor protection? With ESG and sustainability continuing to grow in the Islamic capital markets issuance, when will we see the measurement of impact?…
The New Paradigm of Marketplace Financing and Alternative Funding Channels
How has the evolution of regional equity crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending platforms created opportunities for the joint ownership of Shariah compliant assets and investment projects? How is technology increasing SMEs’ access to Shariah compliant capital, while also widening the investor base? What does the growth of digital investment management (DIM) platforms and robo-advisory mean for investment managers, and what new opportunities are available for Shariah compliant savers and investors? What are the potential uses and applications of digital assets in Southeast Asia’s financial markets today? What are the key risks and issues surrounding digital assets, P2P and ECF and what is the role of regulators in the development of an efficient digital marketplace in the region? We ask an expert…
Leaders’ Question Time: The State of the Industry
We pose a series of high-level strategic questions to senior representatives of Islamic financial services industry. How can Islamic finance and investment create a genuinely competitive advantage in key areas such as retail, commercial, corporate banking and wealth management? Are there inhibitions and limitations the industry needs to acknowledge and overcome? Does Islamic finance want to become mainstream, or are we content with the plausible alternative label? What’s really working in financial technology, and who ultimately benefits: financial institutions, consumers, or both? Is the success of neo-banks inevitable, and how will they change the market? Having witnessed the remarkable growth of ESG and sustainable finance, on reflection, are there things Islamic finance could have done differently? Moderator: Professor Azmi Omar,…
The Deployment of Shariah Compliant Capital in the UK: Trends and Opportunities
What are the global investment flows and trends that continue to influence the deployment of Shariah compliant capital in the UK today? What are recent significant developments in Shariah compliant private equity, and can we identify potential targets for private equity investment in the UK market? What are the latest opportunities and demands for Shariah compliant direct investment into the UK real estate markets? How significant is the private placement market in the UK Shariah compliant investment landscape? What structures are being employed to facilitate Shariah compliant investments in the UK, and what investment types and asset classes are in favor? Can we identify geopolitical events, international developments and transactions that may influence future investment trends, and what are other…
Islamic Capital Markets: Fit for Purpose
What represents innovation in the contemporary Islamic capital market: pioneering structures, sourcing underliers or the transition from ESG to impact? What options do hybrid or combination Sukuk offer issuers, particularly in asset-heavy industries, and why have such structures been so successful in the Gulf? How do Tier 1 and Tier 2 Sukuk offer financial institutions a flexible, efficient and user-friendly way of satisfying regulatory capital requirements, and what do perpetual Sukuk structures offer such issuers? What does the Bank of England Alternative Liquidity Facility offer financial institutions in terms of meeting regulatory requirements under Basel III prudential rules? What did the second sovereign Sukuk mean for Islamic finance in the UK, how was the deal structured and why was it…
Building Momentum: Successfully Positioning Islamic ESG and Sustainable Finance and Investment in the UK
How do policymakers balance the fulfillment of energy demands with the achievement of the principal goals of COP26? Why is a united regulatory response to climate risk so important for the financial services industry, and how do we evaluate initiatives that encourage investors to channel capital and resources into sustainable economic activity, climate transition and social responsibility? How do we address the implications of various taxonomies, frameworks and standards, and identify what can now be labeled green investments? How can potential green bond and Sukuk issuers effectively connect issuances to internal sustainability frameworks, and what is the likelihood of a UK sovereign green Sukuk? With ESG and sustainability continuing to grow in Islamic capital markets issuance, when will we see…
Technology and Marketplace Financing Roundtable: Digitalization and the Evolution of UK Islamic Financial Services
The digitalization of Islamic financial services: what is working, what is viable and what is not? What do the answers to these questions mean for the evolution of UK Islamic financial services? What would assist domestic Islamic financial institutions in the further development of Islamic digital retail, wealth management, Takaful and pension offerings in the UK? What are notable milestones and achievements in the development of systems and software for Islamic banks and financial institutions and what technology is available to help financial institutions drive scale, integrity, efficiency and ultimately profitability? What opportunities are created by crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending platforms for the joint ownership of Shariah compliant assets and investment projects in the UK? What does the growth of…