Abdulkader Thomas
President, SHAPE Knowledge Services
21st October 2019, Washington Court Hotel on Capitol Hill
Date: 21st October 2019
Venue: Washington Court Hotel on Capitol Hill
Attendees: 57
Speakers: 20 Speakers
About The Dialogue
Taking place on the fringes of the annual meetings of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund (14th to 20th October), REDmoney’s IFN Americas Dialogues 2019 offer an exclusive opportunity to benefit from detailed insight and analysis on developments and opportunities in Shariah compliant finance and investment.
IFN Americas Dialogues will provide market players with an opportunity to come together and discuss in detail, in a closed-door environment, how to advance the Islamic finance and investment industry in the U.S. and the region. The 90-minute sessions will adopt the Chatham House Rule, enabling participants to freely share information and views through high value discussion and engagement.
Through panels featuring leading industry practitioners and market players, IFN Americas Dialogues will focus on recent developments in global Islamic finance and investment. We will also drill down into specific investment areas, including real estate finance and private equity activity, seeking to answer where and what Islamic investors require and to identify the rewarding opportunities on offer, and the role the U.S market plays.
Dialogue Agenda
13:45
Welcome Remarks
14:00
Global Trends and Developments in Islamic Finance and Investment
Islamic finance is a global phenomenon, tied to the health of international economies as well as developments in local markets. This session will examine the issues surrounding the deployment of Shariah compliant capital throughout the world. Among the areas covered will be:
- Notable recent developments in global Islamic finance and investment, including industry developments affecting investment patterns and possibilities
- Opportunities available for Shariah compliant investors, and investments sought by such investors
- Global investment flows and the sources and uses of Shariah compliant capital
- International developments and transactions that may signal future US investment trends
- Sector and geographic areas for potential future growth and investment, and
- The effect of sociopolitical events on current and future Islamic finance and investment.
Moderator:
Jawad Ali, Managing Partner – ME Offices, King & Spalding
Panelists:
Abdulkader Thomas, President, SHAPE Knowledge Services
Arthur Rogers, Managing Director – General Counsel, Arcapita
Christopher Combs, Managing Director, Falconvest
Dr Umar Oseni, Acting CEO and Executive Director, International Islamic Liquidity Management Corporation
Volkan Celen, Counsel, Legal and Claims Group, Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, World Bank Group
15:30
Coffee & Networking
16:00
The U.S. Market: Real Estate, Private Equity and Other Investment Opportunities
Shariah compliant investment from the Middle East to the US market is a well-trodden path. This session will examine the latest trends and opportunities. Among the areas covered will be:
- Current investment types and asset classes
- The latest opportunities and demands for Shariah compliant direct investment into US real estate market
- Potential targets for private equity investment in the US market
- Other potential areas for investment of Shariah compliant capital in the US, and
- The structures used to facilitate Shariah compliant finance in the US and other structures that could be employed.
Moderator:
Andrew Metcalf, Partner, King & Spalding
Panelists:
Aamir Rehman, Board Member, Fajr Capital Advisors
Brian Hebb, Managing Director, Head of US Real Estate, Arcapita Investment Management
Damian Taylor, Senior Vice-President, Arch Street Capital Advisors
Thom Polson, Director of Global Investments, Pentavirate
17:30
Refreshment & Networking
Dialogue Speakers
Aamir Rehman
Board Member, Fajr Capital Advisors
Andrew Metcalf
Partner, King & Spalding
Arthur Rogers
Managing Director – General Counsel, Arcapita
Brian Hebb
Managing Director, Head of US Real Estate, Arcapita Investment Management
Christopher Combs
Managing Director, Falconvest
Damian Taylor
Senior Vice-President, Arch Street Capital Advisors
Jawad Ali
Managing Partner – ME Offices, King & Spalding
Thom Polson
Director of Global Investments, Pentavirate
Dr Umar Oseni
Acting Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, International Islamic Liquidity Management Corporation
Volkan Celen
Counsel, Legal and Claims Group, Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, World Bank Group
Advisory Board
Abdulkader Thomas
President, SHAPE Knowledge Services
Jawad Ali
Managing Partner – ME Offices, King & Spalding
Dialogue SPONSORS
LEAD PARTNER
King & Spalding
King & Spalding is an international law firm with more than 30 years’ experience advising clients globally on Islamic finance. Consistently ranked among the best in the world, the firm’s global Islamic finance and investment practice includes over 30 lawyers and professionals in offices across the Middle East, Europe and the US.
In the Middle East, the firm leads in the formation of investment funds across a range of asset sectors, and the innovative fund structures it has developed to deal with local ownership and financing restrictions are now precedents followed by the industry. The firm maintains a leading role in handling debt capital markets work, in particular Sukuk issuances for issuers and lead arrangers across the Middle East and Turkey. In Europe, the firm is recognized as a leader in structuring and advising on Shariah compliant real estate financing and investments, as well as advising various international investment banks in their capacities as arrangers in debt capital market transactions, particularly Sukuk issuances. In the US, the firm is widely acknowledged as the firm of choice for Shariah compliant investment and financing transactions.
MULTILATERAL STRATEGIC PARTNERS
The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD)
The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) is a multilateral development financial institution and is part of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Group.
The ICD was established in November 1999 to support the economic development of its member countries through the provision of finance for private sector projects, promoting competition and entrepreneurship, providing advisory services to governments and private companies and encouraging cross-border investments.
The ICD has an authorized capital of US$4 billion. Currently, the shareholders of the ICD are the IDB (50%), 53 Islamic countries (30%) and five public financial institutions (20%).
ICD mandate and objectives
The ICD fosters sustainable economic growth in its 53 member countries by:
- Financing private sector investment
- Mobilizing capital in the international financial markets, and
- Providing advisory services to business and governments.
The ICD selects the financing projects based on their contribution to economic development considering factors such as job creation, Islamic finance development, contribution to exports, etc. The ICD also provides advisory services to governments and private sector groups on policies designed to encourage the establishment, expansion and modernization of private enterprises, the development of capital markets, best management practices and to enhance the role of the market economy. The ICD operates to complement the activities of the IDB in member countries.
The ICD is rated ‘AA/FQ’ by Fitch Ratings, ‘Aa3/P-1’ by Moody’s Investors Service and ‘A+’ by Standard & Poor’s.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Tel: (966-12) 6361400; (966-12) 6441644
Fax: (966-12) 644 4427
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.icd-ps.org
The Islamic Corporation for The Insurance Of Investment And Export Credit (ICIEC)
Established 26 years ago in 1994 as a multilateral institution and a member of the Islamic Development Bank Group, the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC) was tasked to promote cross-border trade and foreign direct investments in its member countries.
The ICIEC’s mission is to make trade and investment between member countries and the world more secure through the Shariah compliant risk mitigation tool. Its vision is to be recognized as the preferred enabler of trade and investment for sustainable economic development in member countries.
The ICIEC is the only multilateral export credit and investment insurance corporation in the world that provides Shariah-compliant insurance and reinsurance solutions.
Today, the ICIEC supports trade and investment flows in 47 member countries spanning across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Its target clients are corporates (both exporters and investors), banks and financial institutions as well as export credit agencies and insurers.
International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation
The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) is a member of the IDB Group. It was established with the purpose of advancing trade among OIC member countries, which would ultimately contribute to the overarching goal of improving the socioeconomic conditions of the people across the world. The ITFC commenced operations in January 2008 and has since consolidated all trade finance businesses that used to be handled by various windows within the IDB Group. Earning an ‘A1’ rating from Moody’s Investors Service reflects the ITFC’s efficiency in service delivery by responding swiftly to customer needs in a market-driven business environment.
Since 2008, the ITFC has provided more than US$40.2 billion of trade financing to OIC member countries, making it the leading provider of trade solutions for the needs of OIC member countries. With a mission of being a catalyst for trade development among OIC member countries and beyond, the ITFC helps entities in member countries gain better access to trade finance and provides them with the necessary trade-related capacity-building tools, which would enable them to successfully compete in the global market.
Contact us at:
Twitter: @ITFCCORP
Facebook: @ITFCCORP
Linkedin: International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC)
Tel: +966 12 646 8337
Fax: +966 12 637 1064
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.itfc-idb.org/en
PARTNERS
IdealRatings
IdealRatings was incorporated in 2006 in San Francisco with a corporate objective to provide SRI/ESG and Shariah compliant solutions to ethical investors and enable them to identify such instruments across different asset classes in the global market. IdealRatings serves clients in over 30 countries with a range of capital market solutions including:
- Equities – A web-based platform covering over 40,000 stocks, where fund managers can screen equities using different, custom-built ESG/SRI/Responsible Investments and Shariah rulebooks or guidelines. This solution caters to different purification calculation methodologies with a comprehensive set of reports for fund managers to manage their portfolio.
- REITs – Global coverage of all listed REITs that could be screened in accordance with different standard Shariah rulebooks or guidelines.
- Indexes – Co-branded and jointly marketed by FTSE-Russell Indexes and a separate series with Thomson Reuters for the global markets, designed for fund management and investment benchmarking. In addition, IdealRatings is able to provide custom-built indexes for the fund management industry.
- Sukuk – A unique solution which includes the global Sukuk and a pioneering Sukuk-screening solution that enables fund managers to customize their Sukuk selection in accordance to their Shariah rulebook, guidelines or investment preference, and
- Brokerage – The solution provides broking houses the ability to screen global equity markets, a technical analysis of the markets and equities, buy/sell/hold recommendations and purification amounts.
Latham & Watkins
Latham & Watkins is a leading global law firm serving multinationals, start-ups, investment banks, private equity funds, venture capital firms, sovereign wealth funds, governments and other organizations from its offices across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the US. Latham lawyers offer legal and strategic commercial thinking to provide clients with innovative solutions to complex business and legal matters.
The firm is internationally recognized for its practices across a wide spectrum of transactional, litigation, corporate and regulatory areas, and has received considerable market recognition for the handling of landmark matters. Latham is committed to pro bono and community service, providing approximately 245,000 hours of pro bono work in 2018 and more than 3.5 million hours since 2000, valued at US$1.6 billion.
MEDIA PARTNERS
AlHuda CIBE
AlHuda Centre of Islamic Banking and Economics is working diligently and under vigilance shariah
compliant standards since its inception. AlHuda CIBE was established in 2005 and Mr. Zubair Mughal is its
Chief Executive Officer. AlHuda CIBE has been accredited as a distinguished service provider due to our
notable services, team of dedicated professionals and one stop solutions of Islamic banking and finance.
Our aim is to provide state-of-the-art and science services of Islamic banking and finance worldwide.
AlHuda head office is in UAE and regional offices are in Pakistan and in South Africa. AlHuda CIBE is
omnipresent worldwide for its various services:
- Advisory & Consultancy
- Research & Development
- Education & Capacity Building
- Shariah Advisory
- Publications & Events
Website link: www.alhudacibe.com
The Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA)
The Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA) is the global representative of the alternative investment industry, with around 2,000 corporate members in over 60 countries. AIMA’s fund manager members collectively manage more than $2 trillion in hedge fund and private credit assets.
AIMA draws upon the expertise and diversity of its membership to provide leadership in industry initiatives such as advocacy, policy and regulatory engagement, educational programmes and sound practice guides. AIMA works to raise media and public awareness of the value of the industry.
True Banking
True Banking is a Bi-Monthly magazine working to deliver Islamic banking & financial services with specific focus on research development, market analysis, training and advancements. The prime aim of True Banking is to create awareness of Islamic banking and finance in the masses and to make available a platform to get the latest news, innovations and updates of national and international banking and finance industry. It is an addition to our achievements towards developing and promoting Shariah compliant financial industry worldwide.
Last Visit to US
IFN US Forum 2017 will be the preeminent event for Islamic finance opportunities in the western hemisphere, as the forum returns for its third installation.
The US features pockets of possibilities for the Shariah compliant investment sector to flourish, especially since the financial crisis almost a decade ago highlighted the growing need for greater transparency in financial transactions among large financial institutions. IFN US Forum will offer delegates access and insight into efforts being taken by industry players and market makers within the US in developing Islamic financial products, as well as the lucrative opportunities for domestic and foreign investors interested in making Shariah compliant investments into the country.
The forum will bring together key industry players, asset and fund managers and financial intermediaries in the US in another exciting IFN-led event, as they discuss the Shariah compliant landscape, ranging from innovative real estate deals to agriculture and livestock investments.
Sharif El-Gamal 2016
As Islamic banking continues its expansion into mainstream US finance, it is important that Islamic business leaders come together and engage in meaningful dialogue to learn from each other’s experience. The IFN team facilitated first-class event where delegates and panelists were able to share new methods, examine case studies and build fellowship. It was truly a pleasure to participate in the IFN US Forum and I look forward to future involvement.
Sharif El-Gamal
Chairman and CEO, Soho Properties
Sharif El-Gamal 2016
I really enjoyed attending the IFN US Forum 2016; a lot of important topics affecting Islamic finance were covered comprehensively by a select group of seasoned panelists. Looking forward to attending the next one.
Nasr El Hage
Co-Founder and Managing Director, Ritz Banc Group
Ptrcik Drum 2016
Being a part of the IFN US Forum as both a panel participant and an attendee was incredibly insightful and valuable. The collective knowledge, experience and expertise of the attendees and speakers offered a meaningful opportunity to learn not only about current trends but timely insights on best practices and lessons learned. I look forward to the next upcoming conference.
Patrick T Drum
Research Analyst & Portfolio Manager, Saturna Capital
Sanjay-Arora- USA 2017
Good conference and quite impressive. I had to run and attended for a short time. Well done!
Sanjay Arora
Managing Director, Fixed Income Capital Markets, Raymond James
For any inquiries contact us
Our team will be glad to answer any questions you may have about this event.
