9.05 – 9.10
Welcome Remarks
9.10 – 9.20
Presentation: Debt, its Implications, and Islamic Finance
Dr Jarmo T Kotilaine, Economic Advisor, Tamkeen
9.20 – 10.40
Dialogue One: Driving Growth – Bahrain’s Islamic Financial Markets
- What progress have the Bahraini Shariah compliant financial markets made since we last met?
- What is a competitive advantage the Bahraini Islamic capital market can lay claim to, and what activities do the Kingdom perform well?
- How will interest rates influence domestic and regional Sukuk markets in late 2024 and early 2025, and what opportunities will be on offer for investors?
- How can Bahrain further deploy Sukuk to support banking and non-banking financial businesses?
- What are the key drivers behind the growth of the Islamic capital markets in Bahrain, and what challenges need to be addressed to sustain this momentum?
- How is Bahrain leveraging technology and digitalization to modernize capital markets infrastructure, as well as further the development of digital assets?
- How significant is the re-emergence of the regulatory capital Sukuk market for Bahrain’s Islamic financial institutions?
- How can green and sustainability linked Sukuk and other innovations further flourish in Bahrain?
- How can Bahrain further drive the integration of sustainability and climate risk into the development of Shariah compliant investment products?
- To what extent has the domestic Islamic asset management industry managed to differentiate itself from its conventional peers?
- What opportunities exist for Shariah compliant asset owners and managers in Bahrain to diversify their product offerings and expand into new markets and asset classes?
Dr Rizwan Malik, Head, Islamic Finance Centre, Bahrain Institute of Banking & Finance
Panelists:Abdul-Rahman Hammad, Regional Director – Middle East, IdealRatings
Elina Mohamed, Group General Counsel, Bapco Energies
Hakan Ozyon, CEO, Hejaz Financial Services
Ijlal Ahmed Alvi, CEO, International Islamic Financial Market
Steven Griffiths, Founder, Absolute Collateral
10.40 – 11.10
Coffee and Networking
11.10 – 12.20
Dialogue Two: A Model for Stability - Islamic Banking in Bahrain
- What makes Bahrain’s banking system – comprising of both conventional and Islamic financial institutions – a model for others to follow?
- How has an open economy, prudent macroeconomic policies and regulatory frameworks contributed to the development of Islamic banking in Bahrain?
- Recent mergers have bolstered the market share and balance sheets of Bahraini Islamic financial institutions. Will consolidation of the banking sector continue, and how will smaller institutions perform?
- How far along the transformation journey are Islamic financial institutions in Bahrain, and what more needs to be done?
- How have regulatory frameworks and sandboxes driven innovation in Shariah compliant financial technology and digital assets in Bahrain?
- With the recent launches of digital Islamic banks in Bahrain, how will the development and delivery of domestic Islamic financial services evolve?
- Do Islamic banks in Bahrain still face challenges in terms of liquidity creation and liquidity risk management, and what solutions are available?
- What regulatory frameworks and guidelines exist in Bahrain to promote ESG practices within Islamic financial institutions?
- How is climate risk being measured in the banking books of Bahrain Islamic financial institutions?
- How is the adoption of ESG frameworks pushing the agenda for better financial inclusion, climate impact and governance under the umbrella of responsible banking in Bahrain?
Ashar Nazim, Chief Executive, Aion Digital
Panelists:Debopam Dutta, Senior Associate, Trowers & Hamlins
Dr Gulnar Mulla, Senior Fellow of Department of Finance, University of Technology Bahrain
Hammad Hassan, Group Head of Islamic Banking and Managing Director, Bank ABC Islamic
Lilian Le Falher, Treasury & Financial Institutions, Al Salam bank
Dr Mughees Shaukat, Senior Manager – Advocacy and Awareness, The Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions
12.20
Luncheon