Another first on the Islamic Finance news forum calendar, the IFN Iran Forum will be a breakthrough event for the industry, as opportunities abound in the world’s largest Islamic banking industry by assets. The Iranian Islamic banking system, which is said to be 100% Shariah compliant, poses great potential in terms of creating traction on a global scale. Opportunities in the oil and gas and infrastructure sector are also attractive to foreign investors and issuers seeking new markets to enter.
The Iranian capital market has also gradually begun to open up to Shariah compliant funds, including ETFs, and instruments to allow for liquidity management and the flow of funds within the interbank money market. Support from the government and its regulators are crucial at this juncture, to allow for growth within the Iranian Islamic banking system.
Agenda
08:00 - 09:00
Registration
09:30 - 09:45
Keynote Address: Securities Market Overview and Opportunities Dr Ali Saleh Abadi - CEO, Securities and Exchange Organisation
09:45 - 10:45
Session 1: Islamic Capital Markets in Iran: Current Developments & Future Growth
Structure of the capital markets in Iran and comparison with other markets
Roles of market players and regulators
Regulation:recent developments and the current agenda to support growth
Developing the local sukuk market and the primary market to balance the active equity market and secondary market
Experience with domestic sukuk and outlook for domestic sukuk in 2014
Internationalising the Iranian capital markets: what would it take, what are the opportunities (both inward and outward) and challenges
Cross border sovereign and corporate sukuk issuance: what are the challenges, how can they be overcome and what are the opportunities
International capital market benefits for local companies exploring offshore opportunities
Dr Ali Saeedi - Deputy for Supervision of Financial Institutions, SEO Dr Behrouz Khodarahmi - Secretary General, Iran Institutional Investor Association Dr Hassan Ghalibaf Asl - CEO, Tehran Stock Exchange Dr Hamed Soltani-Nejad - CEO, Central Securities Depository of Iran Dr Masoud Rahi - Deputy for Finance and Economic Affairs, Pars Oil Company
10:45 - 11:15
Coffee and Networking
11:15 - 12:15
Session 2: Key Issues Facing Foreign Players and Investors in Iran
Entry of foreign players into the domestic market - regulations, ease of entry, ownership rules
Understanding the Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Act (FIPPA)
Addressing regulatory challenges to ease foreign investor participation in the domestic investment markets
Key Sharia considerations for foreign investors and relevant Sharia differences
What foreign market players and investors seek, how they view Iran as an Islamic investment destination
What must the local market do to attract foreign players and investors
Foreign Direct Investment and Foreign Portfolio Investment
What international investment structures may be appropriate in Iran
Dealing with currency exposure
Moderator:
Dr Ghasem Mohseni - Director, SEO
Panelists:
Abolfazl Koudei - Deputy, Organization for Investment Economic and Technical Assistance Hamid Azarakhsh - CEO, Mofid Securities Bishr Shiblaq - Partner, Arendt & Merdenach, Luxembourg and Dubai Rouzbeh Pirouz - Chairman, Turquoise Capital
12:15 - 12:30
Presentation on Islamic Banking Intelligence: The First Comprehensive Global Islamic Banking Database and Analytical Dashboard Innovation & Development Corp
Panelists:
Omid Torabi - Managing Director, Innovation & Development Corp Marjan Naseri - Senior Islamic Banking Expert, Innovation & Development Corp
Session 3: Banking Industry Landscape of Iran and Potential Foreign Participation
Structure of the banking industry in Iran, its features and challenges
Regulation: background, recent developments and the current agenda to support growth
Iran's changing landscape and its impact on the development of Islamic banking
New Islamic banking products and developments in 2014
What is the industry-wide strategy required to take Iran's Islamic banking sector to the next level
Cross-border trade: Pursuing investment flows from Asia and the Middle East
What are the opportunities to participate in Islamic banking in Iran: equity participation, free zone licences, joint ventures and others
Connecting Iran to the global Islamic finance market
What would attract foreign players into the banking sector
Moderator:
Dr Farhad Nili - Director of MBRI and Advisor to the Governor of the Central Bank of IR of Iran
Panelists:
Tom Guest - Associate Director, Eiger Trading Advisors Mohammad Farrukh Raza - Managing Director, Islamic Finance Advisory & Assurance Services, United Kingdom Hamid Tehranfar - Vice Governor, Central Bank of IR of Iran Dr Parviz Aghili Kermani - CEO, Middle East Bank
15:00 - 16:00
Session 4: Potential Sectors of the Iranian Economy for Foreign Players
Potential growth sectors in the Iranian economy and opportunities for Islamic finance
Which sectors and classes of the Iranian economy are expected to perform well in 2014?
Outlook for Islamic asset and fund management
Government-linked investment and investment funds: prospects, opportunities and challenges
What are the borrowing needs and financing opportunities in the oil and gas sector
What are possibilities for dual listings or offshore sukuk for the industry
Outlook and opportunities in the power sector
Moderator:
Dr Hosein Abdo Tabrizi - Senior Advisor, Ministry of Transportation & Housing
Panelists:
Dr Seyed Ali Hosseini - CEO, Iran Energy Exchange Datuk Noripah Kamso - former CEO, CIMB Principal Islamic Asset Management, Malaysia Nicolas Poole - Chairman, PouyaFaraz Kish Dr Mehrdad Sepahvand - Director of Foreign Investment Department, National Development Fund
