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Date: 21st April 2016 Venue: Chambre de Commerce, Luxembourg

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
THE IFN European Dialogue