Type: Seminar Target Audience: Senior Management from Regulatory and Supervisory Authorities and Market Players Duration: 4 hours Program Overview: The pandemic has unexceptionally affected all economic and financial sectors globally, including the Islamic financial services sector. Given the ongoing uncertainty created by the pandemic and the potential risks it poses for economic growth and financial stability, protecting investors against possible market failures, as well as enhancing transparency and information available to investors are essential in regaining investor trust and confidence in the Islamic capital markets, which is in turn, crucial to prevent any deterioration of market conditions. Many market failures directly impact investors, including asymmetry of information, agency problems or detrimental conflicts of interest. They may affect the functioning of the market and contribute to the perception that capital markets are an unsafe environment. Thus, it is imperative for policy makers and regulators to address these issues through regulatory intervention, in order to rebuild investor confidence during volatile market conditions and to effectively address possible market failures that could impact the level of protection of investors. Better protected investors are also likely to make more informed investment decisions and be less prone to react irrationally to market events or follow “herd behavior” which are disruptive for financial markets and the economy as a whole. Thus, transparency and investor protection can be seen as factors that ultimately contribute to the stability of financial markets. The seminar therefore aims to increase awareness of the importance of investor protection and transparency in fostering investor confidence and ultimately the sustainability and stability of the Islamic capital markets and to provide a platform to discuss critical policy issues arising in the context of the current global financial environment. Objectives The seminars’ main objectives are to: Address Islamic finance-specific issues in relation to investor protection. Discuss best practices for investor protection in the ICM and the elements of a robust investor protection framework. Highlight best practices and guidelines on disclosure requirements for ICM products, specifically for ṣukūk and Islamic collective investment schemes (ICIS). Identify issues arising from the current global environment, and share policy actions taken by various regulators and policy makers to address emerging challenges and issues. Programme Outcome At the end of the seminar, participants will have a comprehensive understanding on investor protection and disclosure requirements to strengthen investor confidence and improve financial market performance. The seminar will be structured around guidance from IFSB standards, as well as experiences from the industry. Participants will be able to takeaway insights on the various policy approaches and best practices in different jurisdictions to address new and emerging issues related to investor protection and transparency in light of the new global realities. Programme Approach Discussion on the best market practices and regulatory challenges Interactive discussions on a wide array of issues on investor protection and transparency in the ICM Event Snapshots:

COVID-19 has shifted the dynamics in the global Islamic financial services industry (IFSI). The necessary public health measures have created the need for businesses to change their course of action and overall outlook for the future. Beyond the immediate economic implications, COVID-19 is creating new opportunities by forcing the IFSI to adapt to rapidly evolving market conditions and speeding up the pace of emerging trends in socially responsible investing, sustainability, and digitalization to mitigate the impact of the outbreak. The Covid-19 outbreak has led to growth in the IFSI in some areas by accelerating trends such as socially responsible investing and a stronger focus on social sustainability. The impact of Covid-19 presented a window of opportunity for the Islamic capital market sector, particularly regarding the issuance of sovereign sukuk as a part of the government’s strategy to diversify its funding for financing fiscal deficit and to meet the fiscal requirements for combating Covid-19. In the business sectors, some IFSI have started to convert their ongoing business models into a more digital and virtual based businesses. Digital payment, monitoring, recording, reporting and even the Islamic financial institution and instrument themselves have become fully digital (virtual) which are now commonly called as digital banking, e-Sukuk, etc. in line with the issue of digital currency. Objectives: To discuss the recovery initiatives within the Global Islamic Financial Services Industry To discuss the limitation for IFSI and identify specific risk factors that might arise in relation to specificities of Islamic Finance To provide a better understanding on the challenges faced by the industry, particularly related to Cybersecurity Risk due to accelerated digitalisation and liquidity risk management. Register Now   Event Snapshots: 

Online IFSB Executive Programme Managing Digital Transformation Risks for Islamic Finance Institutions (IFIs) The Covid-19 pandemic has given a very important lessons to global financial services industry unexceptionally which the Islamic finance industry shall face post the pandemic. One of them is the necessity of accelerated digital business transformation which includes amongst others, changes in the business model, operations, technical mechanism, supervision and monitoring into the digital ones including larger and comprehensive risk assessment and mitigation. Physical business interactions, dealing, negotiation, financial transactions and execution may not be feasible nowadays and are changed into digital and virtual Islamic financial transactions. Currently, Islamic finance players have started to transform their products and services into digital ones for examples, e-deposit, e-sukuk, insurTech, e-payment, etc offered and operated via new business and digital based systems in the integrated financial market. Even, Islamic finance is now giving the greater attention on Islamic social finance, funds, products and instruments including the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG). Sukuk awqf, digital zakah and awqf payment and distribution mechanisms are amongst the recent innovations in Islamic finance most of which IFSB Standards had provided clear guidance for both regulators and market players.  To enhance participants understanding of operational risks and regulatory concerns associated with accelerated digital transformation for the Islamic banking, Islamic capital market and takaful institutions. To elevate key skills and competencies of participants on regulation, supervision and monitoring including comprehensive risk assessment and mitigation of digital transformation associated risks for IFIs. To equip participants with understanding and acceleration of Islamic social finance including new and innovative instruments, mechanism and programs. Interactive online discussion, providing direct engagement with subject matter experts and sharing of country and organisational experiences as well as using IFSB standards and technical notes as reference.   Event Snapshots: