Islamic finance leaders to host Open Conference sessions

DUBAI, 13 Nov, 05 (WAM) - Dignitaries and key industry decisionmakers will be attending the 2nd Islamic Retail Banking Conferenceto be held on November 14-15 at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Dubai.

Due to the importance of marketing, branding and Shariah issuesin contemporary banking and finance, the organizers have openedtwo sessions on these topics to the public, according to a pressrelease.

The conference, being convened under the auspices of UAE Ministryof Finance and Industry, is the second installment in a seriesof industry dialogues on Islamic banking which began March 2004with the first Islamic Retail Banking Conference.

To celebrate 30 years of successful operations, Dubai IslamicBank is hosting the inaugural sessions starting Monday, November14, with keynote addresses by Dr. Mohammed Khalfan bin Kharbash,UAE Minister of State for Finance and Industry, and Sheikh SalehKamel, Chairman of the Dallah Albraka Group and President ofthe Islamic Chamber of Commerce (ICCI), Saudia Arabia.

Unique to this event will be interactive sessions on marketing,branding and Shariah open to the public on November 15. Thefirst session will focus on how Islamic financial institutionscan work more effectively with media to successfully promoteproducts and services. Discussion participants include manywell-known institutions such as the global advertising groupSaatchi & Saatchi, Emirates Airlines, CNBC Arabia, Forbes Arabiaand the BBC.

Following the marketing and branding session will be a discussionon Shariah and the future direction of Islamic financial services.

Prominent Shariah scholars participating in this session includeDr. Sheikh Hussein Hassan of Dubai Islamic Bank, Sheikh Osaidof Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank and Dr. Imran Usmani of Meezan Bank.

Both complementary sessions will be held in the afternoon ofNovember 15. The invitation is open to all parties interestedin attending. The Islamic Retail BankingConference (IRBC) is the second in a series of conferences heldby Islamic Conferences Group and Failaka.com. IRBC is being heldunder the auspices of UAE Ministry of Finance and Industry.

The program will consist of sessions on: The Changes FacingIslamic Retail Banks, Regional Overviews featuring the UAE, Kuwait,Bahrain, Malaysia, Europe & USA, Market Segmentation Within IslamicRetail Banks, Takaful, Wealth Management, Islamic Credit Cardsand Technology, Marketing & Branding as well as public sessionson Media and Shariah.