More than 400 key players, regulators and thought leaders in the global Islamic funds and investments industry are set to gather in Bahrain for a major Islamic funds and investments conference.

The seventh annual World Islamic Funds and Financial Markets Conference (WIFFMC 2011) will be held from September 26 to 27 at the Gulf Hotel.

Held in strategic partnership with the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB), WIFFMC 2011 will set the stage for critical discussions that will focus on achieving international scale and creating a vibrant Islamic financial market and re-invigorating the Islamic investments industry.

"Following the return of investor confidence to global markets, the Islamic funds and investments industry has gained substantial momentum at an international level," said WIFFMC managing director David McLean.

"The recent acceleration seen in the Islamic funds and investments industry is set to grow further as governments and institutions in the high-growth Asian and Middle Eastern markets continue to seek Sharia-compliant instruments as an attractive alternative for raising capital for infrastructure development and investment projects and also for diversifying their investment portfolio," he said.

"With global sukuk issues this year projected to surpass even the record high level of issuances achieved in 2007, it is critical for the industry to undergo structural transformations and respond to an investor-driven world to tap into the next wave of opportunities," he added.

"WIFFMC 2011 will focus on developing forward-thinking strategies that will get the industry back on the high-growth track, achieve critical mass, and tap into the highly positive global fundamentals which promise significant potential for Islamic investments," he said.

"With the Islamic investments market having grown to become an increasingly substantial segment within the global financial system and having gained substantial interest and momentum in the post-crisis economic landscape, it is essential that the strong foundations laid out for the industry is now tapped into to grow the industry to its next phase of development to achieve the international scale and critical mass," said CBB executive director financial institutions supervision Abdul Rahman Al Baker.

"With the strong and robust regulatory frameworks adopted by the CBB, Bahrain will continue to be one of the leading financial centres in the region and a global leader in Islamic finance," he said.

"We are once again delighted to host the annual World Islamic Funds and Financial Markets Conference and we believe that events like these are essential to enrich the ongoing dialogue and debate on the Islamic investments industry," he added.

WIFFMC 2011 will also feature the exclusive on-site launch of the fifth Ernst & Young Islamic Funds & Investments Discussion Paper 2011. – TradeArabia News Service