The Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB) organises the Islamic Financial Services Forum: The European Challenge.
Benchmark on a broad and sophisticated first ever Forum on the challenges facing the Islamic financial industry in Europe
Kuala Lumpur, September 19, 2005 – The Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB), an international-standard setting body of regulatory and supervisory agencies for the Islamic financial services industry is proud to organize the Islamic Financial Services Forum: The European Challenge which will be hosted by the Banque Centrale Du Luxembourg (Central Bank of Luxembourg). The Forum will be held on the 8 and 9 November 2005 at Hotel Le Royal, Luxembourg.
This two-day Forum, which will be the first ever to be held in Europe by the IFSB, will focus on the current prudential issues and potential risks, and challenges through comprehensive discussions and working papers delivered by industry renowned regulators, practitioners and academics.
The Secretary-General of the IFSB, Professor Rifaat Ahmed Abdel Karim, said, “The IFSB is proud to organize this first issue-driven Forum in Europe with the Central Bank of Luxembourg. The Forum is aimed at providing participants with an opportunity to discuss the challenges that they will face when Islamic financial services are widely offered in Europe.
The confirmed chairpersons and speakers so far include:
- H.E. Yves Mersch, Governor, Central Bank of Luxembourg
- H.E. Riad Toufic Salamé, Governor, Central Bank of Lebanon
- Sheikh Saleh A. Kamel, Chairman, General Council for Islamic Banks and Financial Institutions
- Professor Rifaat Ahmed Abdel Karim, Secretary-General, Islamic Financial Services Board
- H.E. Dr. Ahmad Jachi, First Vice Governor, Banque du Liban, Lebanon
- Mr. Anwar Khalifa Ebrahim Al-Sadah, Executive Director, Financial Institutions Supervision, Bahrain Monetary Agency, Bahrain
- Mr. Michael R. Hanlon, Managing Director, Islamic Bank of Britain, UK
- Atif A. Abdulmalik, Chief Executive Officer, Arcapita B.S.C. (c), Bahrain
- Mr. Abdul Hakeem Yaqoub Al Khayyat, General Manager, Kuwait Finance House, Bahrain
- Dr. Abdel-Rahman Eltayeb Ali Taha, General Manager, The Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit
- Dato’ Noorazman A. Aziz, Managing Director, Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad, Malaysia
- Elham Hassan, Senior Country Partner, Pricewaterhouse Coppers, Bahrain
- Dr. Hasnita Hashim, Head of Institutional Business, Guidance Financial Group, USA
- Sheikh Nizam Yaqouby, Shari’a Scholar, Global Securities House, Bahrain
- Professor Volker Nienhaus, President, University of Marburg, Germany
- Professor Simon Archer, University of Surrey, UK
- Ms. Stella Cox, Managing Director, Dawnay Day Global Investment Limited, UK
- Wafik Grais, Senior Advisor Financial Sector, Global Partnership, The World Bank
- Mr. Ismail E. Dadabhoy, Head of Institutional Bank, Noriba Bank, Bahrain
- Ms. Harpreet Bambra, Senior Manager, Supervision Division, Dubai Financial Services Authority, UAE
- Mr. Michael J T McMillen, Partner, Dechert LLP, USA
- Mr. Michael R. Hanlon, Managing Director, Islamic Bank of Britain, UK
- Mr. Tim Plews, Partner, Clifford Chance, UK
- Mr. Faheem Ahmad, President/CEO, JCR-VIS Credit Rating Company, Pakistan
- Mr. Andrew Cunningham, Director, Regional Programme Development, Financial Services Volunteer Corps
- Mr. Henry A. Thompson, Executive Director Legal, General Manager London, Arcapita Limited, UK
The Forum is designed to cater for regulators, finance officers, financial analysts, compliance officers, actuaries, accountants, auditors, retail and private bankers, fund managers, investment advisors, lawyers and academics.
The Forum will address the following topics:
- Adapting BASEL II Capital Adequacy and Risk Management to Islamic Finance
- Issues in Corporate Governance in Islamic Finance
- Enhancing Financial Reporting & Transparency in Institutions Offering Islamic Banking Services
- Regulatory Challenges of Institutions Offering Islamic Banking Services in Europe
- Shari’a and Legal Risks in Islamic Finance
- Islamic Financial Centers and Markets
- Developing Islamic Capital Market Instruments
- Islamic Fund Management
“The end result of this Forum will hopefully act as a catalyst for the Islamic Financial Industry to make a quantum leap into the highly competitive market of Europe which holds significant potentials for the growth of Islamic finance” concluded Professor Rifaat.
The IFSB has set up an enlightening and dedicated website for the Forum at http://www.ifsb.org/luxembourg which offers up-to-date information and registration form that can be downloaded.
