With Southeast Asian nations looking to kickstart economic recovery through commercial activity and stimulus, it is time for the Islamic economy, and all its components, to show its true mettle. Have we truly grasped the importance of the Halal economy to the prosperity of regional economies, as well as to the continued growth of Islamic financial institutions? What role will Southeast Asian Islamic financial institutions play in meeting the challenges of the real economy through mobilizing the funding and liquidity support necessary to stimulate the vital SME and corporate sector? And through socially impactful strategies, how can Islamic financial institutions inspire and support entrepreneurship, thereby creating jobs and improving livelihoods? We seek the views of a distinguished panel.
Alongside ‘Transition to Net Zero’ and decarbonisation targets, what is realistically achievable and what does net zero mean for sectors such as aviation, oil and gas and other asset-based industries? How are Shariah compliant financing products and assets playing a role in this generational shift? What do green Sukuk and other products offer in relation to transition and sustainability-linked initiatives, and why are regional sovereign sustainability-linked and green Sukuk so important for the market? How can Shariah compliant assets continue to contribute to the achievement of the UN SDGs and towards the Paris Accord? Lastly, does Islamic finance and investment have more to offer sustainability-linked finance through Shariah compliant structures such as Waqf? We ask an expert panel.
Financial activities that deliver tangible social impact represent a range of new and interesting opportunities to deploy innovative community-wide Shariah compliant finance solutions. How can Islamic financial institutions support micro-enterprise and entrepreneurship through schemes such as iTEKAD in Malaysia? How can Islamic finance play a pivotal role in the development of gender finance products and policies, empowering women, narrowing gender inequality and driving financial inclusion? How can Shariah compliant finance be further applied to social impact initiatives, enriching lives through the advancement of education, health and well-being? With such goals in mind how do we design effective models and strategies, offer innovative products and measure the impact of these important initiatives?
What do southeast Asian Islamic credit markets look like in the coming 12 months, and what are the options for potential corporate, sovereign and supranational issuers? What are investors demanding in terms of pricing, tenor, rating, structure as well as other factors such as ESG? What do the major Southeast Asia centres offer as listing destinations for Sukuk issuance, as well as other products such as investment trusts and ETFs? How can Shariah compliant instruments, including Sukuk, be further applied to the funding of alternative asset classes in the region? How significant are recent dollar denominated green and sustainability-linked sovereign Sukuk? How is technology such as blockchain shaping and influencing Islamic corporate finance and capital markets, considering notable recent innovations by GCC Islamic banks? Finally, how can global and regional regulation and standards applicable to the issue of Shariah compliant financing products, be more effectively aligned for the good of the market?
The IFN FinTech Landscape identifies 65 Shariah compliant fintech providers in Southeast Asia, making the region an important Islamic fintech centre. How do we assess the rapid evolution of Shariah compliant fintech in Southeast Asia and what is the value proposition, market positioning and comparative advantage of our Islamic fintech offerings? With five digital bank licenses available in Malaysia, and with the digital banking sector in Malaysia about to experience a tectonic shift, what will the challenger banks look like and how will Shariah compliant products feature? Will we witness the successful mass positioning of appealing Islamic digital retail, wealth management and pension offerings in the region? What is the potential for regional government-sponsored fintech growth funds and how would these assist startups? What else can be done to fill the funding gap and provide the capital necessary for Southeast Asian Islamic fintechs to achieve their potential? We seek the views of an expert panel.
