Although the practice of Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) is relatively new in the Islamic Finance sector, 79 per cent of the institutions have established a risk department in the last five years, a report said.

“Greater pressure has been placed on financial institutions offering Islamic Financial services to galvanize risk exposure and governance capabilities,” said Dr Hatim El Tahir, director of the Deloitte Middle East Islamic Finance Knowledge Center (IFKC).

IFKC recently published a report entitled ‘Empowering Risk Intelligence in Islamic Finance: Managing Risk in Uncertain times’, addressing and investigating the important issues in practice and regulation in Islamic Finance in the current market challenges.

The Deloitte report is based on a survey and group of case studies developed during the second half of 2011, on 20 leading Islamic Financial institutions from the Middle East and South East Asia, with aggregate assets of more than $50 billion. It also includes several interviews conducted with industry leaders and risk management executives.

The Deloitte Risk Intelligence in Islamic Finance report focuses on the governance and structural aspects of an effective risk management framework in Islamic Finance. It presents new findings in the practice of Islamic Finance risk management that offer guidance to boards in managing risk in troubled times.

The report identifies three closely-linked issues: risk governance, regulatory pressures and accountability. It also outlines the challenges faced by institutions offering Islamic financial services (IIFS) to develop effective risk intelligence functions.

“The complexity of Sharia’a compliant debt and equity instruments has evolved, and the types of risks, issues and investors, as well as market conditions have emerged. These factors combined have made it imperative for IIFS to develop and adopt integrated risk management strategies, in order to protect their businesses and stakeholders,” El Tahir added.

"Along with the Central Bank of Bahrain, the Bahrain Association of Banks supports all efforts to develop and strengthen Islamic banking and finance in Bahrain. We continue to promote it at regional and international conferences and in the pages of The Bahrain Banker, as well as in the BAB publication Handbook of Islamic Banking and Finance,” said Robert Ainey, CEO, Bahrain Association of Banks.

The Deloitte report further finds only 5 per cent of the IIFS’ risk departments were set up more than 10 years ago.

The Deloitte survey indicates that 83 per cent of the Islamic Financial institutions surveyed have both a formal risk management function that manages the risk activities, and a risk committee that oversees all risks. Moreover, 87 per cent of the Islamic Financial institutions surveyed have ‘management members’ on their risk committees.

In terms of accountability for the Enterprise Risk Management program, 32 per cent of the surveyed institutions have indicated that the CEO is accountable for risk; while 27 per cent hold the chief risk officer and 13 per cent hold the head of Risk Management accountable.

Thus, the report suggests that IIFS management and decision-makers should support the risk governance process with subject matter experts for in-depth analysis and adequate selection of risk solutions and strategies.

“Global and regional jurisdictional regulatory reforms are continuing. How this regulation will affect the Islamic Finance sector and the role of IIFS in the economy is yet to be seen,” said El Tahir.

“One thing is certain – the traditional operations and management of Islamic Finance will need to change. IIFS around the globe will not only need to deal with risk management but will also need operational effectiveness and a skilled workforce to empower risk intelligence in Islamic Finance,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service