Islamic Insurance Leaders gather at the 10th World Takaful Conference
More than 400 international Islamic insurance industry leaders from the Middle East, South East Asia, Africa and beyond to gather in Dubai at the 10th Anniversary of the World Takaful Conference (WTC 2015) for discussions that will Chart a New Way Forward for Takaful Dubai, United Arab Emirates: 6th April 2015: More than 400 key players and thought leaders in the global Takaful industry will be gathering on the 13th and 14th of April 2015 in Dusit Thani, Dubai, for the 10th Anniversary Special Edition of the World Takaful Conference (WTC 2015). Held under the theme “Revitalizing the Industry: A New Way Forward For Takaful”, WTC 2015 will set the stage for discussions that will strive to improve the competitive performance of Takaful players and will also seek answers to questions such as the increasing product demand based on consumer demographics, rising income levels and an increasing appetite for Shari’ah-compliant products. Speaking ahead of the event, Ehsan Abbas, Chairman of the World Takaful Conference, noted that the Takaful industry, like any other growing industry, is facing a number of challenges such as balancing a growth drive with sustainable profitability, the need for skilled professionals, an enhanced regulatory and prudential framework and a deeper pool of Shari’ah-compliant investment opportunities all of which need to be urgently addressed.” It is against this dynamic backdrop that MEGA Events is announcing the launch of the 10th Anniversary Special Edition of the World Takaful Conference (WTC 2015) under the theme “Revitalizing The Industry: A New Way Forward For Takaful.” With key rapid-growth markets poised to become the new centres of Islamic finance development in the next decade and with the development of supporting regulatory infrastructure in key markets, the global Takaful industry has significant opportunities for growth. The World Takaful Conference 2015 will be officially inaugurated with a special opening keynote address by Abdulla Mohammed Al Awar, Chief Executive Officer of the Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre. Confirming his participation at the event, Abdulla Mohammed Al Awar said that “The Global Takaful industry has exhibited an exponential growth over the past few years. One of the major factors is the development of overall Islamic economy, others include robust regulatory frameworks, increasing customer awareness and low penetration rates. The key challenges that the global Takaful industry face are intense competition, depreciating profit margins, operating efficiency and scalability. For the global Takaful industry to achieve its goal of long term stability, it is imperative to find pioneering solutions to cope with the challenges of an increasingly competitive Takaful market.” Mr. Al Awar also said that “This year’s World Takaful Conference (WTC 2015) held under the theme of “Revitalizing the Industry: A New Way Forward for Takaful” will present meaningful insights on reenergizing the industry and set forth a new way forward. I am delighted to be a part of 10th Anniversary of the World Takaful Conference (WTC 2015) and I look forward to the discussions.” The inaugural session will be immediately followed by a keynote address featuring His Excellency Ebrahim Obaid Al Zaabi, Director General of the Insurance Authority. The session, will be an Overview of Key Developments in the Rapidly Evolving Regulatory Landscape in the Takaful Industry. A key highlight of the 10th Anniversary of the World Takaful Conference (WTC 2015) will be the exclusive industry leaders’ power debate featuring an exceptional cross-section of international thought leaders in the global Shari’ah-compliant insurance industry. The session chaired by Mohamed Hussein El Dishish, Chief Executive Officer, Emirates Retakaful Limited (EmiratesRE) and featuring Amer Daya, Chief Executive Officer, Al Hilal Takaful; Firas El Azem, General Manager, Takaful Re Limited; Irshied Tayeb, Head of Insurance & Reinsurance, Bin Shabib & Associates (BSA) LLP; and Lakhdar Moussi, Independent Consultant, Advisor to PineBridge Investments Middle East, will discuss practical solutions to Revitalize the Industry and chart a New Way Forward for Takaful Day two of WTC 2015 will continues on the 14th of April and will feature high-profile sessions such as an exclusive on-stage interview session with a leading pioneer in the Takaful industry. Interviewed by Nicolas Parasie of the Wall Street Journal, Fareed Lutfi, Secretary General of the Emirates Insurance Association and Gulf Insurance Federation and a renowned industry figure, will share his unique insights into the progress of the international Islamic insurance industry over the past decade and discuss what the industry needs to do going forward. The WTC 2015 exhibition which will be held along the sidelines of the conference will showcase the latest products, services and innovations.