Key players from the global Islamic finance industry will be participating at the 22nd annual World Islamic Banking Conference (WIBC) 2015, taking place on 1-3 December at the Gulf Hotel, Bahrain.
Focusing on ‘New Realities, New Opportunities’, WIBC will play host to more than 1,200 leaders including central bank governors, regulators, C-suite bankers & asset managers, policy makers, fintech entrepreneurs and contemporary thought leaders.
WIBC 2015 will host five central bank governors and deputy governors and feature speeches and discussions by the Governor of the Central Bank of Bahrain, H.E. Rasheed Al Maraj; the Executive President of the Central Bank of Oman, H.E. Hamood Sangour Al Zadjali; Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, Riaz Riazuddin; and the Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Kazakhstan, Nurlan Kussainov.
In addition, WIBC will be attended by central bank leaders from Bahrain, Pakistan, Oman, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, South Africa and Sudan, as well as senior officials from Abu Dhabi Global Market, Dubai International Financial Center Authority, Qatar Financial Centre Authority, Toronto Financial Services Alliance, Luxembourg for Finance and the Ministry of Finance & Treasury of the Republic of Maldives.
Ithmaar Bank, which has helped pioneer the development of the regional Islamic banking industry since its early inception, is a key partner for the WIBC. The Bank’s Chief Executive Officer, Ahmed Abdul Rahim, stated: “Over the years, the Conference has grown to become a key fixture in the global Islamic banking and finance calendar, and we are pleased to continue our support.
“World-class conferences like the WIBC help bring global Islamic banking experts together to discuss current issues and help drive future growth. This, we believe, is even more important today with the ever growing US$2 trillion Islamic finance industry, as it was when the industry was still in its infancy.”
Another pioneer in the Islamic finance industry is Luxembourg for Finance (LFF). Luxembourg is one of Europe’s leading Islamic finance centres, as well as a reputed wealth management hub in the Eurozone.
The CEO of LFF, Nicolas Mackel, said: “[Luxembourg] has a reputation for developing innovative solutions in both fields, thereby often acting as a first mover. This can be illustrated by various initiatives including the Luxembourg Stock Exchange being the first in a non-Muslim country to list a sukuk, in 2002, as well as the Luxembourg Government issuing the first sovereign Euro-denominated sukuk in 2014.”
He continued: “This annual gathering provides an opportunity to benchmark our experience over the previous 12 months and to present Luxembourg as a diversified Islamic finance platform in Europe.”
The conveners, Middle East Global Advisors – an intelligence platform serving emerging and frontier markets for 22 years – have once again partnered with a powerful lineup of premier organisations for what promises to be a truly successful industry event.
They include the Central Bank of Bahrain – WIBC’s strategic partners – Ibdar Bank, Al Baraka Banking Group, Jordan Islamic Bank, INCEIF, Bahrain Islamic Bank, Venture Capital Bank, Kuwait Finance House, First Energy Bank, DDCAP, Al Salam Bank, Khaleeji Commercial Bank, Bank ABC Islamic, Qatar Financial Center, BOK International, Ernst & Young, Luxembourg for Finance, Thomson Reuters, ELIAN, Path Solutions, IFAAS , Bahrain Economic Development Board, SAB, EIGER, 3i Infotech, Islamic Finance Advisory & Assurance Services, Aafaq Center for Research in Islamic Economy, Institute of Finance and Management, Shariah Review Bureau, Bahrain Bourse, The Gulf Bond and Sukuk Association and the Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance.
