21st October 2014
Cinnamon Grand, Colombo

About The IFN Sri Lanka Forum

With a strong turnout every year, the IFN Sri Lanka Forum continues to attract players from different backgrounds and sectors looking to tap into Sri Lanka’s massive potential in terms of infrastructure development, as well as halal food and tourism sector. The prospects for growth in Sri Lanka are extremely attractive, with more banks opting to open Islamic banking windows and strong demand for Ijarah, Musharakah and Sukuk instruments.

Sri Lanka is also a strategic naval link between West Asia and Southeast Asia. A legislative breakthrough in 2005 which saw amendments being made to its Banking Act turned this economy into a potential hub for Islamic finance in the South Asian region. The 3rd IFN Sri Lanka Forum will be held in Colombo, and is set to attract a strong delegation from both the local and neighboring markets such as Pakistan, India, the Maldives and the UAE.

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Forum Agenda

09:00 – 09:10

Prayer Recital

09:10 – 09:25

Welcome Address

Mohamed Azmeer, Chief Executive Officer, Amana Bank

09:25 – 09:40

Keynote Address by Chief Guest

Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Governor, Central Bank of Sri Lanka

09:40 – 10:40

CEO Session: Addressing Challenges through Innovation: Emerging Trends and Opportunities

  • Challenges for Islamic finance in continuing the growth of the industry in Sri Lanka
  • What will 2015 hold and what should our approach be
  • How can the Islamic finance industry in Sri Lanka align itself with the country´s strategic path (CBSL Roadmap)
  • Islamic finance outlook on MSME and retail banking
  • Growth prospects for infrastructure financing
  • Outlook for Takaful in Sri Lanka

Moderator:

Reyaz Mihular – Managing Partner, KPMG Sri Lanka

Panelists:

Ananda Silva – Senior Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Sri Lanka
Fazal Ghaffoor – Chief Executive Officer, Amana Takaful
Krishan Thilakaratne – Chief Executive Officer – Al Falaah, Lanka Orix Finance, Sri Lanka
Mohamed Azmeer – Chief Executive Officer, Amana Bank

10:40 – 10:55

Keynote Address by Guest of Honour

Dr Azeema Adam – Governor, Maldives Monetary Authority

10:55 – 11:25

Coffee and Networking

11:25 – 12:25

Advancing Sri Lanka’s Islamic Finance Industry: What Needs to Get Done

As Sri Lanka continues to develop it’s Islamic finance market, market players and regulators must consider what crucial steps need to be taken to advance the industry and promote sustainable growth. Why have Shariah compliant transactions been few and far between? What can be done to collaborate with mature markets on cross border transactions? What legal, tax and regulatory frameworks need to exist in order to do so?

  • Outlook for Sukuk and other debt capital market transactions
  • Sector focus: Which Shariah compliant niche should Sri Lanka focus on?
  • Are Islamic windows commercially viable and how will they add value to the industry?
  • Initiatives in Sri Lanka’s Takaful industry
  • Update on legal, tax and regulatory changes encouraging Islamic finance transactions
  • What new products are in the pipeline to meet the needs of investors and borrowers in Sri Lanka?

Moderator:

Reyaz Jeffrey – Chief Executive Officer, Amana Takaful Life

Panelists:

Harith Harun – Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Maldives Islamic Bank
Imruz Kamil – Head of Islamic Finance, Richard Peiris Finance
Roshan Madawela – Director, Research Intelligence Unit
Siddeeque Akbar – Vice President – Consumer Banking & Strategic Marketing, Amãna Bank
Suresh R I Perera – Principal – Tax & Regulatory, KPMG
Tyrone Hannan – Head – Global Transaction Banking, Deutsche Bank

12:25 – 13:20

Investors Roundtable: The Islamic Investment Landscape: Market Trends and Strategies for 2015

  • What will 2015 hold for Islamic investors and fund managers
  • Which asset classes are expected to outperform and why
  • Growth prospects for Islamic REITs and wealth management products
  • The changing face of the institutional investment market: Discussing investment strategies and product trends for 2015
  • Capitalizing on key advantages in the real estate and property sector
  • Outlook for i-ETFs, Shariah compliant mutual funds

Moderator:

Ariff Sultan – Regional Director (Asia), IdealRatings, Singapore

Panelists:

Fazly Marikar – Head of New Product Initiatives, Amãna Bank
Ishrat Rauff – Managing Director/CEO, ADL Capital
Dr Naveen Gunawardane – Managing Director, Amana Capital
Ravi Abeysuriya – Director & Chief Executive Officer, Candor Group, Sri Lanka

13:20

End of Forum

Forum Speakers

  • Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Governor, Central Bank of Sri Lanka
  • Ananda Silva, Senior Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Sri Lanka
  • Ariff Sultan, Regional Director (Asia), IdealRatings, Singapore
  • Dr Azeema Adam, Governor, Maldives Monetary Authority
  • Fazal Ghaffoor, Chief Executive Officer, Amana Takaful
  • Fazly Marikar, Head of New Product Initiatives, Amãna Bank
  • Harith Harun, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Maldives Islamic Bank
  • Imruz Kamil, Head of Islamic Finance, Richard Peiris Finance
  • Ishrat Rauff, Managing Director/CEO, ADL Capital
  • Krishan Thilakaratne, Chief Executive Officer - Al Falaah, Lanka Orix Finance, Sri Lanka
  • Mohamed Azmeer, Chief Executive Officer, Amana Bank
  • Dr Naveen Gunawardane, Managing Director, Amana Capital
  • Ravi Abeysuriya, Director & Chief Executive Officer, Candor Group, Sri Lanka
  • Reyaz Jeffrey, Chief Executive Officer, Amana Takaful Life
  • Roshan Madawela, Director, Research Intelligence Unit
  • Siddeeque Akbar, Vice President - Consumer Banking & Strategic Marketing, Amãna Bank
  • Suresh R I Perera, Principal - Tax & Regulatory, KPMG
  • Tyrone Hannan, Head - Global Transaction Banking, Deutsche Bank

Advisory Board

  • A.D Priyanka Baddevithana, Managing Director, HDFC
  • Aishath Muneeza, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Maldives
  • Imran Zahir, Head of Islamic Banking, Habib Bank
  • Ishrat Rauff, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Adl Capital
  • Mohamed Azmeer, Chief Executive Officer, Amana Bank
  • Reyaz Jeffrey, Chief Executive Officer, Amana Takaful Life
  • Reyaz Mihular, Managing Partner, KPMG Sri Lanka
  • Roshan Madawela, Director, Research Intelligence Unit
  • Tyrone Hannan, Head - Global Transaction Banking, Deutsche Bank AG, Sri Lanka

Forum Partners

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

MULTILATERAL STRATEGIC PARTNER

ASSOCIATE PARTNERS

EXECUTIVE PARTNERS

LANYARDS SPONSOR

LEAD MEDIA PARTNER

STRATEGIC MEDIA PARTNERS

MEDIA PARTNERS

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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.

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