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World's largest gathering of Islamic Finance Leaders to address next phase of global growth

The 18th Annual World Islamic Banking Conference opens on the 21st November with a series of pre-conference summits
Bahrain: 20 November 2011: Leading players, industry thought leaders and key regulators in the international Islamic banking and finance industry will take part in the 18^th Annual World Islamic Banking Conference (WIBC 2011), which is set to commence on the 21^st of November 2011 at the Gulf Hotel in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The three day event which ends on the 23^rd of November is convened under the patronage of HRH Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain and held under the support of the Central Bank of Bahrain .

Speaking to the media ahead of the event, David McLean Managing Director of the World Islamic Banking Conference said that "in recent years Islamic finance has further transitioned into a dynamic, fast growing and highly competitive market servicing an increasingly international community. This expanding globalization of Islamic finance has now gained significant momentum as manifested by increasing cross-border investment and deal flows that are Shari'ah compliant, greater participation in international Islamic financial markets, and the increased presence of Islamic financial institutions in new jurisdictions. Held under the theme "Competing for Global Growth", the 18th Annual World Islamic Banking Conference (WIBC 2011) will set the stage for discussions that will seek to boost the scale of Islamic finance activities across international markets."

He also that said "this year we have delegates attending from more than 50 countries providing the discussions at WIBC with a truly international perspective."

WIBC 2011 will begin on the 21^st of November 2011 with a series of pre-conference summits. The pragmatically focused pre-conference executive briefing sessions, led by experienced and respected industry experts, will place a range of complex themes in a practical framework, enabling a deeper understanding of the critical issues facing the Islamic finance industry.

The main WIBC 2011 conference, which begins on the 22nd of November 2011, will be inaugurated by H.E. Rasheed Mohammed Al Maraj, Governor of the Central Bank of Bahrain . The inaugural session which focuses on strengthening the regulatory frameworks to accelerate the international development of Islamic finance will also feature H.E. Khaled Mohammed Al-Aboodi, Chief Executive Office & General Manager, The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector, the private sector arm of the Islamic Development Bank Group (IDB), Saudi Arabia. The inaugural plenary session will be followed by the high profile Industry Leaders' Power Debate led by internationally respected CEOs and decision-makers from the key players in the industry. Moderated by Ashar Nazim, Senior Director, MENA Leader for Islamic Finance, Ernst & Young, this dynamic session will analyze how the leading players are positioning themselves to capitalize on the new growth opportunities presented by the increasing internationalization of Islamic banking and finance. The Power Debate session will feature Tirad Mahmoud, Chief Executive Officer, ADIB; Toby O'Connor, Chief Executive Officer, The Islamic Bank of Asia; Syed Abdull Aziz Jailani Bin Syed Kechik, Chief Executive Officer, OCBC Al-Amin Bank Berhad; Asad A Ahmed, Chief Executive Officer, Gulf African Bank; Abdulrazzak Mohammed Elkhraijy, Executive Vice President and Head of the Islamic Banking Development Group, The National Commercial Bank - Saudi Arabia; and Dr. Salah Addeen A Qadar Saeed, General Manager - Credit & Risk Management, Bahrain Islamic Bank.

WIBC 2011 will also feature a special keynote address on "Competing for Global Growth: Preparing for the Asian Century" by Prof. Kishore Mahbubani, the Dean and Professor in the Practice of Public Policy at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKY School) at the National University of Singapore on the 23^rd of November 2011. Jaseem Ahmed, Secretary-General of Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB) will be the opening keynote speaker on the final day of the event.

Commenting on the Central Bank of Bahrain 's support for the event, Khalid Hamad Abdul-Rahman Hamad, Executive Director - Banking Supervision, Central Bank of Bahrain noted that "Bahrain has a long and proud history in supporting the progress of Islamic finance. The Kingdom continues to play a pioneering role in the advancement of industry standards, best practices and in developing a strong regulatory structure. We look forward to welcoming back the global stage of the 18^th Annual World Islamic Banking Conference to the Kingdom of Bahrain and to continuing its tradition of supporting growth and innovation in the international Islamic finance industry. The past few years were so challenging for Islamic finance but at the same time the future raises several business development potentials and opportunities which we are all looking forward to explore during the 18^th Annual World Islamic Banking Conference," he said.

A similar view was expressed by Shaikh Mohamed Bin Essa Al-Khalifa, Chief Executive of the Bahrain Economic Development Board who said that "Bahrain continues to be widely recognised as a global leader in Islamic Finance, and is also home to a number of central bodies which set the standards for the industry across the globe. Guiding over thirty countries on conducting business by Islamic principles has provided many investors with the confidence they need despite the turbulent market conditions in recent years. We have built a solid foundation for Islamic banking in the Kingdom; presently there are more than twenty five Islamic banks and the monthly issues of the Sukuk Al-Salam Islamic securities are regularly over-subscribed."

He also said that "given our heritage in Islamic Banking, and our commitment to a strong future for the sector, we are proud to continue to host and support the 18th Annual World Islamic Banking Conference."

As a part of the world comes to WIBC initiative, a leading panel of international experts will converge at the Country Focus Roundtable to address how well-positioned Islamic banks can explore international opportunities in the most dynamically evolving high-growth markets for Islamic finance. The Country Focus Roundtable along with the WIBC Country Pavilions will explore exciting opportunities in key jurisdictions including France, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Bahrain, Bermuda, Luxembourg and Labuan.

HMA Iain Lindsay OBE, British Ambassador to Bahrain, who will be inaugurating the UK roundtable at WIBC 2011, noted that "with a proven track record as a leading international financial centre and a long history of building strong regulatory infrastructure, the United Kingdom is keen to further establish its links and partnerships with the international Islamic finance industry. Given the UK's strong financial and trade links with the Gulf and South East Asia, which are the major centres for Islamic finance, there are tremendous opportunities for cross-border investment flows that are Shari'ah-compliant. The progress made by UK firms in the Islamic finance industry is notable and the UK Pavilion at the World Islamic Banking Conference 2011 will be an opportune platform to showcase the Islamic finance capabilities of the UK and further build our relationships with the leading international players."

WIBC 2011 will feature more than 60 leading industry partners and exhibitors showcasing their latest innovations at the World Islamic Banking Exhibition organised along the sidelines of the conference. The exhibition will be officially inaugurated on the 22^nd of November.

The eagerly anticipated 2011/12 edition of the World Islamic Banking Competitiveness Report, developed in collaboration with Ernst & Young, will also be launched on-site at the 18th Annual World Islamic Banking Conference in an exclusive session on the 22^nd of November 2011.

-Ends-

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© Press Release 2011