Industry Stalwarts set to headline the 24th World Islamic Banking Conference

Amwaj Islands, Kingdom of Bahrain, November 30 2017: Under the patronage of HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, The Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain, the 24th edition of The World Islamic Banking Conference (WIBC), the largest and most prestigious gathering of Islamic banking and finance leaders in the world, will take place on December 4th, 5th & 6th in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Convened by Middle East Global Advisors - a leading financial intelligence platform facilitating the development of knowledge-based economies in the MENASEA markets and in strategic partnership with the Central Bank of Bahrain, the three-day long forum will take place at the ART Rotana Hotel in Amwaj Islands.

The theme for WIBC 2017 - “Drivers of Economic Growth & Risks: Policymakers & Regulators”, is in line with the conference’s steady vision to serve as a compass for the global Islamic finance and banking industry, and is expected to draw participation from over 1300 global industry leaders, policy makers, innovators and stakeholders, all focused on generating breakthrough insights that help navigate through the complexities of the global financial system.

His Excellency Rasheed Mohammed Al Maraj, Governor, Central Bank of Bahrain, whose support has been instrumental in helping the conference touch new heights year-on-year, will inaugurate the 24th World Islamic Banking Conference and give the keynote address, with the vision of furthering the ecosystem for Islamic finance entities to thrive and grow in the global markets.

An exciting addition to this year’s conference will be the keynote address by Alex Tapscott, CEO NextBlock Global, Co-Author of Blockchain Revolution & Founding Member, IMF’s High Level Advisory Group on Fintech. A globally recognised thought-leader, speaker and writer focused on the impact of emerging technologies on business, society and government, Mr. Tapscott’s work has been featured in TIME, Fortune, Forbes, the Harvard Business Review, the Toronto Star, the Globe and Mail and dozens of other publications. He also currently sits on Advisory Board to Elections Canada, the independent, non-partisan agency responsible for conducting federal elections and referendums, and is a founding Member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Futures Council on Blockchain. In 2016, he co-founded (with Don Tapscott) The Blockchain Research Institute, a multi-million dollar think tank focused on blockchain strategies, opportunities and use-cases and they were awarded the 2017 Thinkers50 Digital Thinking Award.

The significance of Islamic finance as a means to strengthen economic ties between CIS & OIC countries cannot be overlooked and will see a keynote address by Taliya Minullina, Chief Executive of the Tatarstan Investment Development Agency & Member of the Investment Council of the Republic of Tatarstan. Xen Baynham- Herd, Head Of Strategy and Lead Economist – Blockchain will also give a keynote address on blockchain owing to its growing significance in the digital era.

Delegates can also look forward to witnessing The 24th Annual World Islamic Banking Exhibition where they can exclusively network and connect on a one-to-one basis with leading industry players.

Speaking on behalf of WIBC’s Platinum Partner, Abdul Hakeem Alkhayyat, Managing Director & CEO, KFH Bahrain, said, “We are proud to sponsor the World Islamic Banking Conference. The event aims to provide a shared platform for the Islamic Banking and Finance industry professionals in the region to deliberate at length on key challenges and opportunities affecting the industry. The event, among other things, will deliver the latest advances in technology, thought leadership and intelligence. We hope the 24th edition of the conference continues to add great value to critical issues in the global arena of Islamic Banking.”

Speaking on behalf of WIBC’s Gold Partner, Tawfeeq Mohamed Bastaki, Acting CEO/Chief Risk Officer, Khaleeji Commercial Bank, said, “Given the economic uncertainties, the Islamic economy sector has displayed a strong appetite for diversification. The time is now more than ever to facilitate thought-leadership amongst industry leaders and regulators by means of shared platform.  In this relation, Khaleeji Commercial Bank is proud to be sponsoring the 24th World Islamic Banking Conference – an event that has time and again established itself as the leading compass for the Islamic finance industry.”

Speaking ahead of participating in the CEO Power Debate and on behalf of WIBC’s Gold Partner, Hassan Amin Jarrar, CEO, Bahrain Islamic Bank, said, “While the Gulf region is experiencing low economic confidence as a whole, Islamic finance as an area has remained relatively insulated. It is a key priority for us at Bahrain Islamic Bank to improve the perception of Islamic banking and as a smaller segment we are well positioned to adopt evolving technology and mobile banking versus many traditional banks. We are proud to sponsor the 24th World Islamic Banking Conference that provides industry leaders with a suitable platform to generate thought-provoking insights that might prove to be critical in shaping the future of the industry.”

Key features for WIBC 2017 include: A conversation with a distinguished Islamic finance veteran - Adnan Ahmed Yousif, Chief Executive and President, Al Baraka Banking Group on the future course of the Islamic economy; An interview with renowned Shari'ah Scholar Sheikh Nizam Yaquby on Centralized Shariah Boards, Shariah Standardization and Fostering New Generation of Sharia Experts; Digital banking-focused Panel on harnessing digital technologies to stay relevant; The CEO Debate focused on increasing the market share and geographical footprint of Islamic banks; The Regulations Power-Table on fostering synergies among regulators, standard setters and global financial regularities authorities to further Islamic Finance; Panel discussions focusing on dynamic capital markets, sustainable, equitable & inclusive growth, potential of disruptive technologies, new horizons for Islamic finance, ESG, VAT, the effect of the recent global economic & political developments and more.

The 24th WIBC will also see the launch of 2 major financial intelligence reports from Thomson Reuters: The Islamic Finance Development Report & The Islamic Commercial Law Report 2018, arming the industry with critical insights going forward.

Delegates can also stay abreast of the latest updates on the programme, network and connect with other delegates and speakers through Direct Messaging, and engage in live interactive polling across all of the session via WIBC’s very own digital Mobile App – Web Connect, making for a truly immersive experience.

Industry leaders will also be recognized for their excellence through the WIBC Performance Awards 2017, the winners of which will be honored at the Gala Dinner on December 05. (Nominees can be viewed here: https://wibc2017.com/awards). Confirmed partners at WIBC 2017 include: Kuwait Finance House (KFH), Khaleeji Commercial Bank (KHCB), Bahrain Islamic Bank (BISB), Al Salam Bank -Bahrain, Ibdar Bank, Bank ABC Islamic, Bank of Khartoum (BOK) International, Boubyan Bank, Avaya, Wahed Invest, Alvarez & Marsal, Al Baraka Banking Group, Ithmaar Bank, Thomson Reuters, Path Solutions, Grant Thornton, Labuan IBFC, Shariyah Review Bureau, Luxembourg for Finance (LFF), Oracle Financial Services, Baker McKenzie, DARKTRACE, The Benefit Company B.S.C, Infosys Finacle, Sadad, NEC Payments, Eiger Trading Advisors Ltd, G4S, Department for International Trade – British Embassy Bahrain, CBX Unit LLC, Deloitte, The District, Tejoury, DDCAP, Fitch Ratings, Crestbridge Bahrain, The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), Bahrain Institute of Banking & Finance (BIBF) & International Islamic Financial Market (IIFM).