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Acknowledged by the global industry as one of the most important finance gatherings in the region, IFN Asia Forum will be back in Kuala Lumpur in May 2018. Adopting a new one-day format, IFN Asia will deliver greater impact through a mix of panel sessions, onstage interviews and interactive sessions running concurrently with multiple streams dedicated to the most pertinent and talked-about segments of the industry.
Anchoring some of the most important Islamic financial markets globally, Asia continues to be a region of prime significance to the global Islamic finance community: the sophisticated infrastructure of Malaysia is a hallmark of excellence globally, the immense potential of Indonesia’s population remains captivating to many, the phenomenal expansion rates in Pakistan and Bangladesh are widely envied, relative newcomers such as the Maldives and Sri Lanka are pushing full steam ahead to make their own mark while Brunei is preparing to make a big splash in international waters.
The rollout of new regulations by the likes of Malaysia and Indonesia underscores the solid commitment governments in the region have for Islamic finance. The unabating regulatory support plus the rising affluence of the region’s favorable demographics are core to Asia’s Islamic finance success story, including being the most frequent and largest Sukuk issuer (sovereign and corporate, domestic and international) and the biggest Family Takaful market and having a vibrant Islamic asset management sector as well as a growing banking market. The story has now become even more fascinating as the region is being swept by a strong fintech undercurrent.
With fintech investment in the Asia Pacific region surging, even surpassing that of the US, Asia is the one to watch for new innovations; more significantly, Asia is scaling up to be the home of Islamic fintech revolution. Giving their Middle Eastern counterparts a run for their money, Malaysia and Indonesia are racing to become the fintech destination for Islamic finance, creating an environment conducive and attractive to Islamic fintech start-ups from around the world with new regulations and a focused approach.
Brimming with exciting activities and promising progress, IFN Asia Forum 2018 will provide a platform for international players to engage with local industry stalwarts in lively and constructive discussion about the opportunities and challenges that lie within the Asian Islamic finance market.
Presentation slides
Agenda
| 09:00 – 09:05 |
Welcome Remarks |
| 09:05 – 09:20 |
Keynote Address
Zainal Izlan Zainal Abidin – Deputy CEO, Securities Commission Malaysia |
| 09:20 – 10:10 |
Super Trends: Global and Regional Influencers for Islamic Finance and Investment
We examine and discuss key issues and themes influencing Islamic finance and investment in Asia, as well as significant other markets such as the Gulf and Africa. From regulation, to political risk to the ascendancy of fintech – what will offer opportunity and what will disrupt?
| Moderator: |
Arsalaan Ahmed – CEO, HSBC Amanah |
| Panelists: |
Ashraf Mohammed – Assistant General Counsel, Asian Development Bank
Indar Barung – Head of Financing, Investment and Syndications, Sarana Multi Infrastruktur
Irwan Abdalloh – Head of Islamic Capital Market, Indonesia Stock Exchange
Mohammad Ali Allawala – CEO, Standard Chartered Saadiq
Rafe Haneef — CEO and Executive Director, CIMB Islamic |
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| 10:10 – 11:00 |
Fixed Income, Lending and Sukuk in Malaysian Capital Markets
What does the return of global volatility mean for Malaysian capital markets and what is an accurate evaluation of current investment and capital flows into and out of Malaysia? What are the prospects for local bond and Sukuk markets in a rising interest rate environment? What structures and asset classes will find favor with investors in a more volatile investment environment? We ask a leading panel for their views.
| Moderator: |
Nicholas Edmondes – Partner, Trowers & Hamlins |
| Panelists: |
Charanjeev Singh – Managing Director, NewParadigm Capital Markets
Masumi Hamahira – Advisor, MUFG Bank (Malaysia)
Shamzani Hussain – Managing Director and Head of Islamic Banking – Corporate and Investment Banking, First Abu Dhabi Bank
Yeoh Teik Leng – Head, Structured Finance and Loan Markets, Capital Markets Group, AmInvestment Bank
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| 11:00 – 11:30 |
Coffee and Networking |
| 11:30 – 12:10 |
Managing Risk and Rating Implications
Leading capital markets and investment management professionals discuss the lessons learned so far from the Dana Gas event and ask if Malaysia is immune to such an occurrence. We also examine the effectiveness of credit enhancement measures in the local fixed income market and discuss the associated rating implications.
| Moderator: |
Khalid Howladar – Managing Director and Founder, Acreditus |
| Panelists: |
Azlin Ahmad – Senior Associate, Herbert Smith Freehills
Mohamed Damak – Global Head of Islamic Finance, S&P Global Ratings
Mohsin Shaik Sehu Mohammed – Head of Investment Banking and Capital Markets, Maisarah Islamic Banking Services, Bank Dhofar
Simon Chen – Vice-President - Senior Analyst, Financial Institutions Group, Moody’s Investors Service
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| 12:10 – 12:45 |
Preparing for the Future: Financial Technology in Asia
What does the advancement of technology mean for financial institutions in Malaysia and the Asian region? What role will cryptocurrencies play in the global Islamic finance industry and will asset-linked coins feature in the corporate fundraising process? We assess the latest developments in fintech and analyze likely industry shifts, regulation and developments in product and delivery channels.
| Moderator: |
Johnny Mayo – Business Consultant, SuperCharger Fintech Accelerator |
| Panelists: |
Abdul Rahman – Managing Partner, Abdul Rahman Law Corporation
Dima Djani – Co-Founder, ALAMI
Gopal Kiran – Fintech Advisory Lead – Malaysia, EY
Khairul Nizam – CEO, Financial Accreditation Agency
Robin Lee – CEO, HelloGold |
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| 12:45 – 14:00 |
Lunch & Networking |
| 14:00 – 14:50 |
Today’s Funding and Capital-Raising Options for Issuers
What represents an effective capital-raising strategy for local issuers today, across all available product areas and markets? What more needs to be done to bring issuers to market, particularly for corporate issuance?
| Moderator: |
Tahir Ali Sheikh – Director and Head Islamic Advisory, Client Coverage - Group Wholesale Banking, CIMB Investment Bank |
| Panelists: |
Chung Chee Leong – CEO, Cagamas
Faridah Bakar Ali – Director and CFO, Khazanah Nasional
Hazwan Alif Abdul Rahman – CEO, CMC Engineering
Lee Choo Boo – Executive Director, Quantum Solar Park Malaysia
Mohd Amri Sofian – Chief Corporate and Investment Officer, Danajamin Nasional
Yap Tse-Juie – Head of Finance, Alpha REIT Managers |
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| 14:50 – 15:00 |
Islamic Finance 2030-2050
Nik Norishky Thani – Executive Director/ Country Head Islamic Banking, UOB Bank Malaysia |
| 15:00 – 15:35 |
Developing Value-Based Banking in Malaysia
We ask industry players to assess the development of Islamic finance and banking in Malaysia, including the adoption of benevolent, risk-sharing and Musharakah-based products and the implementation of initiatives such as sustainability and value-based intermediation. What is VBI, what does it mean for the industry and what needs to be done?
| Moderator: |
Azleena Idris – Head, Legal, Kuwait Finance House (Malaysia) |
| Panelists: |
Ahmad Ramzani Ramli – Vice-President, Equity Research, Kenanga Investment Bank
Ashraf Gomma Ali – Director/Regional Head, Shariah and Governance, CIMB Islamic
Nik Norishky Thani – Executive Director/ Country Head Islamic Banking, UOB Bank Malaysia
Norazua Mohd Marzuki – Head, Islamic Finance, MUFG Bank (Malaysia) |
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| 15:35 – 16:15 |
Responsible, Sustainable and Green Finance Initiatives
What is driving the demand for sustainable, responsible and green financial products, and how can issuers tap this burgeoning market? Regulatory frameworks, innovation, pricing and placement: what are the factors for success and what are investors looking for? Where and how does green Sukuk play a role? How will governance-driven investment make its mark in Malaysia?
| Moderator: |
Lawrence Oliver – Deputy CEO, DDCAP Group |
| Panelists: |
Daud Vicary Abdullah – Managing Director, DVA Consulting
Rozani Osman – Financial Sector Specialist, World Bank
Sharifah Bakar Ali – General Manager, Group Business Development, UEM Group
Simon Lord – Chief Sustainability Officer, Sime Darby Plantation
Stuart Hutton – Chief Investment Officer, Simply Ethical
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| 16:15 – 18:00 |
IFN Fintech Huddle
A special value-added format gathering fintech experts in their own fields to take the stage in a 75-minute interactive open dialogue. The Fintech Huddle is designed to allow these thought leaders to dive deep, debate and dissect and take questions from the audience on the thorniest and most pressing issues the industry faces in the wake of the fintech revolution and identify where opportunities lie and how they can be best capitalized.
Main themes to be covered:
Investing in Fintech
- What do investors look for when investing in Islamic fintech start-ups?
- What risks should be taken into consideration?
- Which verticals are most interesting?
Blockchain
- How is blockchain changing the game for Islamic finance?
- What are the latest blockchain-driven Islamic finance innovations?
Big Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- How have big data and AI changed the way Islamic financial institutions deliver services, engage clients and design products?
- Is the Islamic finance industry ready to fully embrace big data and AI and the changes that come with them?
- What needs to be in place for Islamic financial institutions to reap the full benefits of big data and AI?
RegTech
- Is there a role for regtech in Islamic finance?
- How will it benefit the industry?
| Moderator: |
Johnny Mayo – Business Consultant, SuperCharger Fintech Accelerator |
| Panelists: |
Kyri Andreou – Co-Founder and Director, ATA Plus
Matthew J Martin – Founder and CEO, Blossom Finance
Muhammad Noor – Co-Founder, Rohingya Project
Niclas Nilsson – Founder and CEO, Capnovum
Robin Lee – CEO, HelloGold
Umar Munshi — Founder, Ethis Ventures
Wajahat Gilani – Investment Data Developer ,StrikeValuation |
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| 18:00 – 18:30 |
Coffee & Networking |
| 18.30 |
End of Forum |
Photo Gallery                                                                                                                                                
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