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Following on from the success of 2017, IFN Europe Forum once again returns to London – this time for a full week of activities in conjunction with leading European regulators, global standard-setters, world leaders and UK and European Islamic finance practitioners.
Working closely with the UK authorities and hosted in tandem with the UK government’s annual Global Islamic Financial Investment Group, the event will comprise a full one-day event covering all the latest developments and key topics in Europe’s Islamic finance landscape; along with a series of additional events, breakout sessions and focus groups throughout the following week to bring together leading practitioners and drill down into the nuts and bolts of doing business in Europe. Across an array of sectors from real estate and fintech to human capital, education and regulation, the Islamic Finance Week will shine a spotlight on the latest opportunities in the region and how to take advantage of them.
European markets have continued to demonstrate a strong commitment to Islamic finance with an emphasis on growing the Islamic investment industry. In addition to real estate investment funds, Europe is also a vibrant market for alternative investment funds, private equity, retail, hedge funds and SRI investing. While the UK has made strides forwards with its supportive regulatory environment, attractive Sukuk listing location and booming real estate market, other countries are also making their mark. Luxembourg continues to be a key platform for Shariah compliant funds while also pioneering the green finance movement, while France is making leaps and bounds in the Islamic fintech arena and Germany continues its headway into the retail banking space. And of course, the exclusive announcement from the UK government at IFN Europe Forum 2017 regarding the reissuance in 2019 of its GBP200 million (US$264.1 million) Sukuk refocuses attention on the European capital markets, and how they can leverage sovereign support to kick-start corporate issuance.
IFN London: Islamic Finance Week 2018 is expected to gather participants from across Europe, Asia and the Middle East and will encompass everything related to the continent’s growing Islamic finance industry, attracting a truly global audience with a focus on central issues and latest developments.
Presentation slides
Main Event - 5th September 2018
Side Events - 5th & 5th September 2018
Agenda
Main Event: IFN UK Islamic Finance Week – 5th September 2018
In the face of increasing sophistication, resources and skills in the hands of criminals, the concern about cyber threats is now very high among directors and regulators. Often ORM units feel they should make a contribution to this important field but haven't identified how they can best do so. This course shows the way by defining the special role they can play and the techniques to use.
The constantly growing types of cyber attack damage a firm in different ways. Each type of attack requires very different types of response. Although cyber defence technology is a specialist IT area, there is essential and important work for the Operational Risk Manager to do. This is especially with helping non-IT departments to play their part in risk control, and to enable directors and their corporate, business, financial and administrative units to know how best to respond to each of the different types of attack in order to minimise the financial and reputational damage to the firm.
Operational Risk Management also must provide risk assessments for inclusion in the Capital Adequacy assessment for the Directors’ needs as well as regulatory requirements in connection with Capital Adequacy and Pillar 2.
| 09:30 – 09:40 |
Welcome Remarks: Lord Mayor Charles Bowman |
| 09:40 – 10:20 |
Mega Trends: Global and Regional Influencers for Islamic Finance and Investment
We examine and discuss key issues and themes influencing global Islamic finance and investment including political risk, the performance of the UK and European Islamic banking sector in the coming year, regulatory and supervisory frameworks, green finance and the ascendancy of fintech – what will offer opportunity and what will disrupt? What is the latest assessment of Brexit and what does the panel expect to be the implications and opportunities for Islamic finance and investment?
| Moderator: |
Stella Cox CBE – Managing Director, DDCAP Group and Chair of TheCityUK Islamic Finance Markets Advisory Group |
| Panelists: |
Bruno Martorano – CEO of ADIB UK
Charles Haresnape – CEO, Gatehouse Bank
Lord Mayor Charles Bowman
Duncan Steele-Bodger – CEO, QIB UK
Marco Lichtfous – Partner, Strategy and Operations, Deloitte Tax & Consulting
Nikhil Rathi – CEO, London Stock Exchange |
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| 10:20 – 10:50 |
Real Estate Finance and Investment in the UK
We discuss the current environment in the UK and Western Europe for real estate investment and explore the continuing role played by Islamic finance. What are the latest trends, structures, themes and opportunities? We also assess the role technology plays and predict where disruption will be seen. Does tokenization in property and real estate finance offer an opportunity?
| Moderator: |
Abradat Kamalpour – Partner, Ashurst
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| Panelists: |
Adam Cavanagh – Chief Investment Officer, Rosette Merchant Bank
Mark Hucker – Managing Director, VG
Nicholas Judd – Founder and Head of Investment, 90 North Real Estate Partners
Pankaj Gupta – Co-Founder and CEO for the UAE, Gulf Islamic Investments
Sarah Gooden – Partner, Trowers & Hamlins
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| 10:50 – 11:05 |
Keynote Address
John Glen – Economic Secretary to the Treasury, HM Treasury |
| 11:05 – 11:30 |
Coffee and Networking |
| 11:30 – 12:00 |
Growth and Development of Islamic Capital Markets: Highlights and Opportunities
We discuss significant developments in domestic and overseas capital markets, including home purchase plan-backed securitization programs in the UK and the Saudi Arabian syndicated loan program. We also discuss the opportunities for listings and important issues such as the Shariah compliance of tradable debt instruments, ratings and the development and deepening of domestic Islamic secondary markets.
| Moderator: |
Khalid Howladar – Managing Director and Founder, Acreditus |
| Panelists: |
Ahmed Choudhry – Senior Associate, Clifford Chance
Muhammad Gunawan Yasni – Member of National Shariah Board – Indonesian Council of Ulemas
Najib Al Aswad – Director, IFAAS
Nitish Bhojnagarwala – Vice-President - Senior Credit Officer, Financial Institutions Group, Moody’s Investors Service
Sultan Choudhury – CEO, AL Rayan Bank |
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| 12:00 – 12:35 |
Liquidity Issues and Supervision of Islamic Financial Institutions in Western Europe
We identify operational issues and challenges faced by Islamic financial institutions in the UK and Western Europe, where limited access to domestic, high-quality Shariah compliant assets make adherence to Basel III liquidity rules a challenge. What other supervisory and regulatory issues do Islamic financial institutions face and what are the solutions? What role does the Bank of England Shariah compliant liquidity facility play and what of structures such as commodity Murabahah?
| Moderator: |
Lawrence Oliver – Director and Deputy CEO, DDCAP |
| Panelists: |
Amir Firdaus – Treasurer, Al Rayan Bank
Arshadur Rahman – Manager, Shariah Compliant Project, Bank of England
Mohamed Damak – Senior Director and Global Head of Islamic Finance, S&P Global Ratings
Mohammad Faiz Azmi – Executive Chairman, PwC, Malaysia |
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| 12:35 – 12:50 |
Presentation: What is Value-Based Intermediation (VBI) and how does it fit with Islamic Banking and Finance?
David Korslund – Senior Economist, Global Alliance for Banking on Values |
| 12:50 – 14:00 |
Luncheon |
| 14:00 – 14:20 |
Hard Issues: The Islamic Asset Management Industry
Through a short, concise interview, we step outside the comfort zone and ask the tough questions the industry wants to hear.
| Interviewee: |
John Sandwick – General Manager, Safa Investment |
| Interviewer: |
Tariq Alrifai – CEO, The Quorum Centre |
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| 14:20 – 14:40 |
Gold – All that Glitters
Gold has come to prominence of late, either as an underlying asset or an asset class in itself. We take a closer look at recent financial products structured on or around gold and ask if the upward trend is set to continue.
| Moderator: |
Natalie Dempster – Managing Director, World Gold Council |
| Panelists: |
John Durham – Manager – Depository, Gold Corporation, The Perth Mint
Philip Judge – CEO, Physical Gold Fund
Robin Lee – CEO, HelloGold |
|
| 14:40 – 14:50 |
IFN Fintech Platform Launch |
| 14:50 – 15:20 |
Fintech and Islamic Finance
We assess the latest developments in fintech and analyze likely industry shifts, regulation and developments in product, distribution and delivery channels. We also discuss the role of fintech and tokenization in today's banking and capital-raising environments. What are the latest approaches to incorporating coin offerings and cryptocurrencies into developed regulatory frameworks?
| Moderator: |
Tom Sleigh – UK Country Manager, Deposit Solutions |
| Panelists: |
Herve Larren – Co-Founder, Global Crypto Ventures
Khalid Howladar – Managing Director and Founder, Acreditus
Nasir Zubairi – CEO, LHoFT
Zeeshan Uppal – Co-Founder, Yielders |
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| 15:20 – 15:30 |
Keynote Address
Abdulla Al Awar – CEO, Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre |
| 15:30 – 16:05 |
Stewardship and Responsible Investing: Opportunities for Ethical and Islamic Finance and Investment
We examine responsible, ethical investment and green finance in the UK and Europe, and identify the prospects for Islamic finance and investment to thrive in this active sector. Do green bonds and Sukuk offer viable long-term investments and how can the industry address the relative scarcity of credible climate-related and low-carbon investment opportunities?
| Moderator: |
Stuart Hutton – Chief Investment Officer, Simply Ethical |
| Panelists: |
Catherine Howarth – CEO, ShareAction
Kristina Alnes – Senior Advisor, Centre for International Climate Research
Martin Scheck – CEO, International Capital Market Association
Sean Kidney – CEO, Climate Bonds Initiative
Wan Kamaruzaman Wan Ahmad – CEO, Kumpulan Wang Persaraan |
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| 16:05 – 16:50 |
Talking Islamic Asset Management
What is the real proposition for the Islamic asset management industry? Is it a thematic investment strategy or a viable, self-supporting industry? How big is the market and how large can it potentially become? Through an experienced panel, we discuss Shariah compliant asset management in the UK, Western Europe and the GCC. What’s next for real estate investment funds, REITs and private equity? Do Waqf-like structures provide an opportunity for the UK asset management industry? What role do products such as ETFs and Sukuk funds play in a diversified portfolio?
| Moderator: |
Tariq Alrifai – CEO, Quorum Centre for Strategic Studies |
| Panelists: |
Alain Verbeken – Director-Financial Services, Mazars Luxembourg
Ali Khokha – Senior Manager, PwC
Martina Macpherson – President, Network for Sustainable Financial Markets
Michael Rainey – Partner, King & Spalding
Mohammed Al-Hassan – Co-founder, CEO-GCC and Executive Director, Gulf Islamic Investments
Rachid Ouaich – Regional Managing Director, Wafra Capital Partners
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| 16:50 |
End of Forum |
Breakout Sessions 5th – 6th September 2018
Photo Gallery                                                                                                                     
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