The largest and most prestigious gathering of Islamic banking and finance leaders in the world will open today in Bahrain with the participation of over 1,300 global industry leaders, policy makers, innovators and stakeholders.

 

The 24th edition of the World Islamic Banking Conference (WIBC) is being held under the patronage of HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister of Bahrain, at the ART Rotana Hotel in Amwaj Islands. The three-day event will continue till December 6.

 

Convened by Middle East Global Advisors, a leading financial intelligence platform facilitating the development of knowledge-based economies in the MENASEA markets and in strategic partnership with the Central Bank of Bahrain, the forum will have the theme “Drivers of Economic Growth & Risks: Policymakers & Regulators”.

 

The conference’s steady vision is to serve as a compass for the global Islamic finance and banking industry and participants will be focused on generating breakthrough insights that help navigate through the complexities of the global financial system.

 

Rasheed Mohammed Al Maraj, Governor, Central Bank of Bahrain, whose support has been instrumental in helping the conference touch new heights year-on-year, will inaugurate the conference and give the keynote address, with the vision of furthering the ecosystem for Islamic finance entities to thrive and grow in the global markets.

 

An exciting addition to this year’s conference will be the keynote address by Alex Tapscott, CEO, NextBlock Global, co-author of Blockchain Revolution and founding member, IMF’s High Level Advisory Group on Fintech. 

 

A globally recognised thought-leader, speaker and writer focused on the impact of emerging technologies on business, society and government, Tapscott’s work has been featured in several magazines and other publications. 

 

The significance of Islamic finance as a means to strengthen economic ties between CIS and OIC countries cannot be overlooked and will see a keynote address by Taliya Minullina, Chief Executive of the Tatarstan Investment Development Agency and member of the Investment Council of the Republic of Tatarstan. Xen Baynham-Herd, head of strategy and lead economist – Blockchain will also give a keynote address on blockchain owing to its growing significance in the digital era.

 

Delegates can also look forward to witnessing the 24th Annual World Islamic Banking Exhibition where they can exclusively network and connect on a one-to-one basis with leading industry players.

Speaking on behalf of WIBC’s Platinum Partner, Abdul Hakeem Alkhayyat, Managing Director and CEO, KFH Bahrain, said: “We are proud to sponsor the World Islamic Banking Conference. The event aims to provide a shared platform for the Islamic Banking and Finance industry professionals in the region to deliberate at length on key challenges and opportunities affecting the industry. The event, among other things, will deliver the latest advances in technology, thought leadership and intelligence. We hope the 24th edition of the conference continues to add great value to critical issues in the global arena of Islamic Banking.”

 

Speaking on behalf of WIBC’s Gold Partner, Tawfeeq Mohamed Bastaki, acting CEO/chief risk officer, Khaleeji Commercial Bank, said: “Given the economic uncertainties, the Islamic economy sector has displayed a strong appetite for diversification. The time is now more than ever to facilitate thought-leadership amongst industry leaders and regulators by means of shared platform.  In this relation, Khaleeji Commercial Bank is proud to be sponsoring the 24th World Islamic Banking Conference – an event that has time and again established itself as the leading compass for the Islamic finance industry.”

 

Speaking ahead of participating in the CEO Power Debate and on behalf of WIBC’s Gold Partner, Hassan Amin Jarrar, CEO, Bahrain Islamic Bank, said: “While the Gulf region is experiencing low economic confidence as a whole, Islamic finance as an area has remained relatively insulated. It is a key priority for us at Bahrain Islamic Bank to improve the perception of Islamic banking and as a smaller segment we are well positioned to adopt evolving technology and mobile banking versus many traditional banks. We are proud to sponsor the 24th World Islamic Banking Conference that provides industry leaders with a suitable platform to generate thought-provoking insights that might prove to be critical in shaping the future of the industry.”

 

Key features for WIBC 2017 include: A conversation with a distinguished Islamic finance veteran - Adnan Ahmed Yousif, Chief Executive and President, Al Baraka Banking Group on the future course of the Islamic economy; An interview with renowned Shari'ah Scholar Sheikh Nizam Yaquby on Centralized Shariah Boards, Shariah Standardization and Fostering New Generation of Sharia Experts; Digital banking-focused panel on harnessing digital technologies to stay relevant; The CEO Debate focused on increasing the market share and geographical footprint of Islamic banks; The Regulations Power-Table on fostering synergies among regulators, standard setters and global financial regularities authorities to further Islamic Finance; Panel discussions focusing on dynamic capital markets, sustainable, equitable & inclusive growth, potential of disruptive technologies, new horizons for Islamic finance, ESG, VAT, the effect of the recent global economic & political developments and more.

The 24th WIBC will also see the launch of two major financial intelligence reports from Thomson Reuters: The Islamic Finance Development Report & The Islamic Commercial Law Report 2018, arming the industry with critical insights going forward. 

 

Delegates can also stay abreast of the latest updates on the programme, network and connect with other delegates and speakers through Direct Messaging, and engage in live interactive polling across all of the session via WIBC’s very own digital Mobile App – Web Connect, making for a truly immersive experience.

 

Industry leaders will also be recognized for their excellence through the WIBC Performance Awards 2017, the winners of which will be honoured at the Gala Dinner on December 5. (Nominees can be viewed here: https://wibc2017.com/awards).  – TradeArabia News Service