Announcement of Confirmed Speakers for the Conference on Islamic Finance for Asia: Development, Prospects and Inclusive Growth and a Roundtable Session for Regulators on 4 – 5 November 2013 in Manila, Philippines

24 October 2013, Kuala Lumpur – The Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will jointly organise a Conference on Islamic Finance for Asia: Development, Prospects and Inclusive Growth and a Roundtable Session for Regulators on 4 – 5 November 2013 in Manila, Philippines.

Distinguished speakers – including representatives from the IFSB and the ADB, the World Bank, central banks of Indonesia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh as well as senior level management representatives from the ministries of finance, securities commissions, stock exchanges and CEOs of the private financial sectors – will share their experience and views on the potentials and opportunities brought about by Islamic finance to the region, and explore the issues related to its further development, progress and challenges.

The line-up of confirmed Chairpersons and Speakers for the Conference and Roundtable include:

1. Jaseem Ahmed, Secretary-General, Islamic Financial Services Board
2. Stephen P. Groff, Vice President Operations 2, Asian Development Bank
3. Bruce Davis, Vice-President, Administration and Corporate Management, Asian Development Bank
4. Rajat M. Nag, Managing Director General, Asian Development Bank
5. Dr. Ishrat Hussain, Dean and Director, Institute of Business Administration, Pakistan and Former Governor, State Bank of Pakistan
6. Dr. Mulya Siregar, Assistant Governor, Bank Indonesia
7. Dr. Firdaus Djaelani, Member of Board of Commissioners, Financial Authority Services, Indonesia
8. Zainal Izlan Zainal Abidin, Executive Director, Islamic Capital Market, Securities Commission, Malaysia
9. Stefan Gannon, General Counsel, Hong Kong Monetary Authority
10. Zahid ur Rehman Khokher, Assistant Secretary-General, IFSB
11. Zamir Iqbal, Lead Investment Officer, The World Bank
12. Mohammad Taib Siddiqi, Head of Islamic Banking, Da Afghanistan Bank
13. Mohd Sani Mohd Ismail, Financial Sector Economist, Asian Development Bank
14. Mohammad Mashrur, Assistant Director, Bangladesh Bank
15. Saleem Ullah, Director, Islamic Banking Department, State Bank of Pakistan
16. Jawed Hussain, Registrar Modaraba, Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan
17. Baljeet Kaur Grewal, Managing Director and Vice Chairman, KFH Research, Malaysia
18. Mohammad Abdul Mannan, Managing Director, Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited
19. Atty. Roel A. Refran, Chief Operating Officer, Philippine Stock Exchange
20. Badlisyah Abdul Ghani, Chief Executive Officer, CIMB Islamic Bank, Malaysia
21. Richard Thomas OBE, Chief Representative, Gatehouse Bank Malaysia
22. Madzlan Hussain, Partner, Zaid Ibrahim & Co., Malaysia
23. Prof. Simon Archer, Visiting Professor, ICMA Centre, University of Reading, United Kingdom

The one and half day Conference will start on 4 November 2013, followed by the half day Roundtable on the afternoon of 5 November 2013.

This Conference aims to create greater opportunities for interaction and cooperation among the members of IFSB and ADB by examining the experiences of selected Asian countries in Islamic finance, with focus on the regulatory requirements and other pre-conditions needed to establish and sustain the industry’s orderly development. It will also seek to identify the benefits Islamic finance can bring to the respective countries. Participation for the Conference is open to all industry stakeholders.

The Roundtable Session for Regulators aims to provide a unique opportunity for regulators to discuss and share their experiences, issues and challenges in developing an Islamic finance regulatory regime and in supervising the Islamic financial services industry. This Roundtable will be particularly relevant to policy makers and others who are in the process of developing a regulatory regime for Islamic financial services in their respective jurisdictions. Among the issues to be discussed at the Roundtable are the legal and regulatory issues for Islamic finance post-crisis and the role of governments and private sectors in undertaking initiatives for Islamic finance. Participation in the Roundtable is by invitation only.

Interested participants are welcome to register their attendance to the Conference at www.ifsb.org. Please contact Mrs. Ida Shafinaz Ab. Malek at [email protected] for further information on both events.