21^st April 2016
Chambre de Commerce, Luxembourg

About The IFN Europe Forum

With Islamic finance gaining growing traction across Europe and ever more countries exploring its potential, the region has become one to watch. As investment pours in from Islamic investors across the Middle East, Asia and beyond, the industry is rapidly evolving to meet their demands, making this one of the most exciting stops on the IFN train. New countries continue to enter the fray while existing markets expand their scope, deepening and strengthening the Shariah compliant sector.

Home to IFN Europe for the last two years, Luxembourg lies at the heart of this European wave, and has continued to demonstrate its unwavering commitment to Islamic finance. With the full and fervent support of the regulators and the domestic Islamic finance industry, the event is going from strength to strength, becoming a truly global platform with unmatched international participation. We look forward to returning to Luxembourg once again for IFN Europe 2016.

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Forum Agenda

09:15 – 09:30

Welcome Remarks and Introduction of Motion

A Rebranding is the Catalyst for Creating Mass Appeal for Shariah Compliant Investments in Europe

09:30 – 09:45

Keynote Address

Pierre Gramegna, Minister of Finance, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

09:45 – 10:45

Europe 2016: A Review of Markets on the Rise

Key industry players representing developing Islamic finance markets provide an update on what significant progress has taken place in their respective jurisdictions and how these markets are being affected by geopolitics and economic conditions. What is the outlook for Sukuk issuances, establishment of Islamic banks and windows and alternative lending/investment platforms in these markets? Is the much discussed rebranding of Islamic finance a necessity for further industry growth?

Moderator:

Stella Cox, Managing Director, DDCap, the UK

Panelists:

Dr Johannes Engels, Senior Advisor, Federal Financial Supervisory Authority, Germany (BaFin)
Khairul Nizam, COO, Finance Accreditation Agency
Robert Scharfe, CEO, Luxembourg Stock Exchange
Stefano Padovani, Partner, NCTM Studio, Italy
Ugurlu Soylu, Former Managing Director, Germany, Kuveyt Turk Bank, Consultant, Soylu Consuting

10:45 – 11:15

Coffee & Networking

11:15 – 12:00

What’s Next for Shariah-Compliant Funds in Europe?

Where is the funds industry headed in light of contracting emerging markets, plunging oil prices and general market volatility?
Where are investors putting their money and where are funds from MENA and Asia flowing to?
Where are European Shariah compliant funds being distributed?
Funds distribution: How will Europe benefit from the implementation of the ASEAN-CIS, ARFP and China-MRF?
New structures in real estate and private equity transactions

Moderator:

Kamal Ikherrazen, Advisor, Eethiq Advisors, Luxembourg

Panelists:

Annemarie Arens, General Manager, LUXFlag
Ashraf Ammar, Director, PwC Luxembourg
Florence Stainier, Partner, Arendt & Medernach, Luxembourg
Magdy Eissa, Vice-President, IdealRatings

12:00 – 12:45

Capital Raising and Securitization: What is Driving Europe’s Lending Market?

A discussion on structures, regulations, recent innovation and risks

Moderator:

Paul Peporte, Counsel, Allen & Overy, Luxembourg

Panelists:

Anouar Hasoune, Managing Director, Euris Group
Alex Armstrong, Managing Director, Head of Financial Institutions & Structured Finance, QInvest, Qatar
Farmida Bi, Partner and Head of Islamic Finance – Europe, Norton Rose Fulbright
Mark Smyth, Chief Investment Officer, Tawreeq Holdings, the UAE

12:45 – 13:45

Networking Luncheon

13:45 – 14:05

Presentation: Bringing Innovation and Technology to Islamic Finance

Rachid Ouaich, Founder and Managing Director, Eethiq Advisors, Luxembourg

14:05 – 14:50

Riding the Fintech Wave: Are Alternative Funding Platforms Continuing to Grow Sustainably?

What is driving the continued growth of these platforms?
What Shariah principles are companies like Beehive, Blossom Finance and Club Ethis basing their products on?
How will peer-based capital raising platforms overcome investor concerns relating to exit strategies and lengthy investment periods?
Outlook for crowdlending for SMEs
Is there potential for secondary market creation?
What’s next in the FinTech space?

Moderator:

Stuart Hutton, Chief Investment Officer, Simply Ethical, the UK

Panelists:

Anass Patel, President, 570 Asset Management, France
Natalya Zotikova, Adviser, FinTech Development, Luxembourg for Finance
Rachid Ouaich, Founder and Managing Director, Eethiq Advisors, Luxembourg

14:50 – 15:50

The Debate: This House Believes: A Rebranding is the Catalyst for Creating Mass Appeal for Shariah Compliant Investments in Europe

With an increasingly tense geopolitical situation playing out in Europe many have voiced a need to consider replacing ‘Islamic finance’ with a more culturally acceptable term such as alternative finance or SRI. Is the ‘Islamic finance’ brand preventing Europe’s Shariah compliant funds industry from achieving its potential growth? Or are there other issues at play? Will the industry decide to take this controversial step and what will this mean for Islamic finance in Europe going forward?

Moderator:

Lauren McAughtry, Group Managing Editor, REDmoney Group

Panelists:

Ammar Dabbour, Managing Director and Founder, Euris Group
Anouar Hassoune, Managing Director, Euris Group
Lawrence Oliver, Deputy CEO, DDCap, the UK
Rachid Ouaich, Founder and Managing Director, Eethiq Advisors, Luxembourg
Volker Nienhaus, Professor, University of Bochum, Germany

15:50 – 16:00

Closing Remarks

16:00 – 16:30

Coffee & Networking

16:30

End of the Forum

11:00 – 13:30

TheIFN European Dialogue

Forum Speakers

Alex Armstrong, Managing Director, Head of Financial Institutions & Structured Finance, QInvest, Qatar
Ammar Dabbour, Managing Director & Founder, Euris Group
Anass Patel, President, 570 Asset Management
Annemarie Arens, General Manager, LUXFlag
Anouar Hassoune, Managing Director, Euris Group, Manager, CF Fund Services
Ashraf Ammar, Director, PwC Luxembourg
Farmida Bi, Partner & Head of Islamic Finance – Europe, Norton Rose Fulbright
Florence Stainier, Partner, Arendt & Medernach, Luxembourg
Dr Johannes Engels, Senior Advisor, Federal Financial Supervisory Authority, Germany (BaFin)
Kamal Ikherrazen, Advisor, eethiq Advisors, Luxembourg
Khairul Nizam, Chief Operating Officer, Finance Accreditation Agency
Lauren McAughtry, Group Managing Editor, REDmoney Group
Lawrence Oliver, Deputy CEO, DDCAP, the UK
Magdy Eissa, Vice President, Business Development, IdealRatings
Mansur Mannan, Director, Tejara Capital
Mark Smyth, Chief Investment Officer, Tawreeq Holdings, the UAE
Natalya Zotikova, Adviser, FinTech Development, Luxembourg for Finance
Paul Peporte, Counsel, Allen & Overy, Luxembourg
Pierre Gramegna, Minister of Finance, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
Rachid Ouaich, Founder & Managing Director, eethiq Advisors, Luxembourg
Robert Scharfe, Chief Executive Officer, Luxembourg Stock Exchange
Stefano Padovani, Partner, NCTM Studio, Italy
Stella Cox, Managing Director, DDCap, the UK
Stuart Hutton, Chief Investment Officer, Simply Ethical, the UK
Ugurlu Soylu, Former Managing Director, Germany, Kuveyt Turk Bank, Consultant, Soylu Consulting
Volker Nienhaus, Professor, University of Bochum, Germany

Advisory Board

Ammar Dabour, Managing Partner, Euris Group
Anouar Hassoune, Managing Director, Euris Group
Bishr Shiblaq, Partner and Head of Middle East Office, Arendt & Medernach
David Testa, CEO, Armila Capital, United Kingdom
Eleanor de Rosmorduc, Senior Adviser, Market Intelligence, Luxembourg for Finance
Farmida Bi, Partner & Head of Islamic Finance, Norton Rose Fulbright
Germain Birgen, Director & Head of Business Development, Professional Banking Services, Banque de Luxembourg
Dr Johannes Engels, Senior Advisor, The Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), Germany
Lawrence Oliver, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, DDCAP
Philippe Muller, Partner, Lexfield
Valentine Baudouin, Associate, Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel

Forum Partners

LEAD PARTNER

EETHIQ Advisors is a Luxembourg-based advisory firm that specializes in cross-border Shariah compliant investments, created by a group of passionate experienced professionals.

EETHIQ Advisors is exposed to cross-border alternative investments and financing in a Shariah compliant context and thus benefits from a unique expertise in Europe, Turkey and the Middle East, where it has built and maintained a large network of selected and tested service providers in all business areas.

Within these jurisdictions, EETHIQ Advisors associates have rendered the following services to institutional investors (through fund structures) and HNWIs (family offices):

Conducting/monitoring of transactions, including acquisitions, restructurings and disposals (review of sale and purchase agreements both asset and share deals, financing agreements, etc).
Optimization and set up of efficient investment structures that include external financing; main challenge is to find the appropriate recognized Shariah debt and debt expense deductibility.
Set up of appropriate corporate governance, on-going operational management and financial reporting framework (Local GAAP, IFRS, INREV, etc).
Investment strategy implementation through awarding and supervision of asset managers.
Structuring Shariah compliant financing products on behalf of a prominent Luxembourg-based bank.

EETHIQ Advisors provides tailored, honest, transparent and independent advice to individuals and institutions targeting Shariah compliant alternative investments.

Head office
LUXEMBOURG
3, rue des Girondins
L-1626 Luxembourg

Tel: +352 27 29 55 78
Email: [email protected]

570easi/EasiUp

Website: https://570easi.com

Website: https://www.easiup.fr

570 Asset Management is a purpose-driven company created in Paris in 2010, recognized as an innovative start-up by the French government, with a mission to democratize access to ethical and participative finance, starting with home finance.

Innovation drive

By bringing innovation and technology to participative and Islamic finance thanks to its research and development programs, 570 AM has demonstrated it can meet consumer demands through the simplification of financial products. 570 AM is certified by the French World Innovation Cluster, and was recently awarded the Paris 2015 FinTech Prize for its innovative home finance and savings platform.

Servicing priority needs

570 AM is a French leader in the fintech community for ethical products, operating two platforms, 570easi and Easi Up, the first specializing in home financing and saving solutions, and the second in crowdfunding focusing on student loans and educative projects financing.

570 AM has received academic recognition (Harvard program) for its mini Sukuk dedicated to the SME sector.

Key figures

570easi: +50,000 members/financing volume end of first quarter of 2016: EUR60 million (US$68.32 million)

Easi Up (launched in 2014): +5,000 users/financing volume: EUR400,000 (US$455,468)/successful projects end of first quarter of 2016: 27

Expertise in finance, real estate, Sukuk structuring and technology.

Head Office
France
44 rue Poliveau
75005 Paris

Tel: +33 1 70 69 93 27
Mail: [email protected]

MULTILATERAL STRATEGIC PARTNER

ASSOCIATE PARTNERS

EXECUTIVE PARTNERS

RECEPTION SPONSOR

EXCLUSIVE KNOWLEDGE PARTNER

LEAD MEDIA PARTNER

INFORMATION PARTNER

MEDIA PARTNERS

Photo Gallery

About REDmoney Events

REDmoney events designs, organizes and hosts industry-leading conferences, forums, roadshows, seminars and dialogues focusing on the Islamic financial markets across a global, regional and national level. Leveraging an exceptional network of the industry’s elite and supported by the expertise of the REDmoney publishing and seminars divisions, REDmoney Events are able to provide access to a unique array of influential speakers, panelists and participants from a cross-section of the global industry to debate the most significant issues affecting the Shariah compliant financial markets.

REDmoney events are differentiated by their complimentary yet qualified attendance structure, ensuring the highest quality of both delegates and contributors. Comprehensive and cutting-edge, attendance ensures exclusive access to the leaders in their field across all sectors and markets.

TThe annual IFN Asia and IFN UK Forums are categorically recognized as their continent’s leading industry events since their inception in 2006 and 2007 respectively. The Dialogues series has also become an integral element of the REDmoney events series and have cemented their position as leading, must-attend, events. In 2022, we introduced the Islamic Sustainable Finance & Investment Forum, which was an enormous success, and will become a mainstay.

For any inquiries contact us

Our team will be glad to answer any questions you may have about this event.

About The IFN Europe Forum

Forum Agenda

Forum Speakers

Advisory Board

Forum Partners

LEAD PARTNER

Eethiq Advisors

570easi/EasiUp

MULTILATERAL STRATEGIC PARTNER

The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD)

ASSOCIATE PARTNERS

EXECUTIVE PARTNERS

IdealRatings

RECEPTION SPONSOR

EXCLUSIVE KNOWLEDGE PARTNER

LEAD MEDIA PARTNER

INFORMATION PARTNER

MEDIA PARTNERS

Photo Gallery

About REDmoney Events

For any inquiries contact us