Ahmad Najib Nazlan — CEO, Maybank Islamic Asset Management
Akber Khan — Senior Director, Asset Management, Al Rayan Investment
Azizi Ali — Senior Vice-President, Islamic Business, Cagamas
Hanifah Hashim — Executive Director and Head of Malaysia Fixed Income and Sukuk, Franklin Templeton Investments
Dr Hasnita Hashim — CEO, Guidance Investments
Michael Orzano — Director, Global Equity Indices, S&P Dow Jones Indices, the US
Mohammad Shoaib — CEO, Al Meezan Investment Management, Pakistan
Monem Salam — President, Saturna Malaysia
Norashikin Kassim — CEO, CIMB Principal Asset Management
Stella Cox — Managing Director, DDCAP, the UK
Stuart Hutton — Chief Investment Officer, Simply Ethical
Tariq Al Rifai — CEO, Quorum Center for Strategic Studies, the UK
Understanding existing practice using environmental, social and governance data and finding common ground will help Islamic finance address the values that are important to its consumers.
The drive to create sustainable and responsible investment (SRI) options continues to gain momentum worldwide, largely driven by investor demand for investment alternatives that consider the financial impact of environment, social and governance (ESG) issues.
Recognizing the growing influence of SRI on a global scale and the parallels between the principles of SRI and those of Islamic finance, REDmoney events is pleased to collaborate with the RFI Foundation in bringing a special segment on SRI and ESG to the IFN Investor Forum.
The RFI Foundation was launched in 2015 and held a highly successful event, hosted by Bank Negara Malaysia, in Kuala Lumpur in March 2016 that brought together key stakeholders from the traditional responsible and Islamic finance sectors. During the two-day Summit, participants built connections to support future growth for responsible finance with increased (and measurable) positive impact on society. Its third event, the RFI Roundtable, will take place alongside the IFN Investor Forum on the 21st September 2016 at the Le Meridien, Kuala Lumpur.
The RFI Roundtable, a high-level onstage panel discussion open to the public, will address the two-way relationships between Islamic finance and SRI. The panellists will address questions related to the value that ESG integration brings to Islamic finance to expand its use of positive screening alongside the exclusionary screens that currently define Shariah compliance. Another session will cover how Islamic finance can add value to traditional SRI, particularly through its role in expanding responsible finance in emerging markets and unique ability to catalyse positive social impact.
“Socially responsible investing has always been a fundamental element of Islamic investing and we are delighted to be collaborating with the RFI Foundation in highlighting SRI and ESG principles at the IFN Investor Forum,â€Â said Andrew Morgan, the managing director of the REDmoney Group.
“The principles that guide Islamic finance share more with the values that motivate SRI than is currently reflected in practice. We are pleased to have the opportunity at the IFN Investor Forum to facilitate greater discussion about what Islamic finance can take away from the growth of ESG and what it has to contribute as well,â€Â said Blake Goud, the CEO of the RFI Foundation.
About the IFN Investor Forum
In April 2015, IFN launched its inaugural IFN Investor Forum in Dubai to great success, allowing participants to focus on exactly the issues that are relevant to them and creating a targeted, effective and efficient platform for discussion, analysis and action on both sides of the industry coin.
This event will encompass everything related to Islamic investment, attracting a truly global audience and focusing on both the central issues to the area and also on the latest developments, trends and innovations across the sector. The wide-ranging program will include multiple and varied formats and sessions for maximum participation: including a brand new series of issuer case studies.
The IFN Investor Forum 2016 will take place at the Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur on the 21st September 2016.
About REDmoney Group
REDmoney Group is the foremost global provider of specialized Islamic financial media services across three core divisions of events and publishing.
Established in 2004, the firm has offices in Dubai and Kuala Lumpur: offering an unrivaled multi-channel service across the full spectrum of the global financial markets.
REDmoney Group covers the full range of global markets from emerging Islamic economies across Africa and Asia to industry leaders such as Malaysia and the GCC along with developed nations in Europe and the Americas seeking to enter the sector. The company offers unequaled access to the elite of the industry, with relationships built up over a decade of trusted communication with market leaders to provide a detailed network covering every aspect of Islamic financial services.
About RFI Foundation
The RFI Foundation is a non-profit organisation with a mission to identify a neutral, nonpartisan and universal value proposition that encourages convergence of responsible finance practices. RFI evolves Sustainable, Responsible, Impact Investing (SRI), Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and the Islamic finance sectors towards a convergence of their shared standards, and engages stakeholders to build the responsible finance industry as a catalyst to support equitable, inclusive and sustainable economic development.
Visit us at rfi-foundation.org
