Groundbreaking Summit hosted by Bank Negara Malaysia, organised by RFI Foundation and co-organised by Middle East Global Advisors launched under the theme "Unlocking Finance, Expanding Impact"

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - 4 April 2016

The Responsible Finance Summit that concluded last week, brought together representatives of the Islamic finance and traditional responsible finance sectors to build alliances in support of the expansion of responsible finance across emerging markets.

With participation by financial sector leaders including Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia, the Emir of Kano and the Founder of the UN Global Compact, as well as high profile delegates from Canada, Ghana, Malaysia, Seychelles, Libya, UAE, Nigeria, USA, Russia, the Summit brought together diverse perspectives to identify ways for the financial sector to support equitable, inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

Over two days, the Summit played host to critical discussions around strategies to increase the footprint of responsible finance in emerging markets, facilitate knowledge sharing and cooperation between Islamic finance and traditional responsible finance, and integrate responsible finance within a wider global financial markets.

Blake Goud, CEO of RFI Foundation, which organized the Summit, commented: "Islamic finance has grown strongly in emerging markets which can benefit immeasurably from further development of values-based responsible finance. By connecting Islamic finance with traditional responsible finance which is beginning its growth into emerging market, the Summit will support sharing of approaches to facilitate future growth of responsible finance."

Ehsan Abbas, Chairman of Middle East Global Advisors, the co-organiser of the Summit, stressed on the importance of enhancing the scale and impact of responsible finance: "The Summit highlighted the universal values that are shared between Islamic finance and traditional responsible finance. It spurred a critical dialogue that was previously lacking, specifically on ways to encourage the expansion of the responsible finance ecosystem into emerging markets and fostering a more inclusive Islamic finance industry."

Hosted by Bank Negara Malaysia, the Summit was organized by RFI Foundation and co-organized by Middle East Global Advisors, two leading institutions spearheading the agenda of identifying Islamic finance within the broader responsible finance universe to capitalize on its unique aspects to make responsible finance more inclusive across the global population.

For more information on the Summit, please visit rf-summit.com. Join the conversation on responsible finance #RFS2016 @RFIFoundation.

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ABOUT THE RFI FOUNDATION:
The RFI Foundation is a non-profit organisation with a mission to identify a neutral, nonpartisan and universal value proposition that encourages convergence of responsible finance practices. By highlighting the shared standards around principles that govern the sector, Islamic finance will further contribute to a more diverse and representative thinking around the growth, trajectory and development of responsible finance.

Visit us at www.rfi-foundation.org.

ABOUT MIDDLE EAST GLOBAL ADVISORS
Connecting markets with intelligent insights & strategic execution since 1993.

Middle East Global Advisors (MEGA) is the gateway connectivity and intelligence platform to opportunities in the rapidly developing economic region that stretches all the way from Morocco in the West to Indonesia in the East - The Middle East North Africa Southeast Asia (MENASEA) connection. We pride ourselves for being at the heart of these diverse markets for over 23 years.

Visit us at www.meglobaladvisors.com.

Nikita Kandath
Marketing & Media Manager
Middle East Global Advisors
Tel: +971 4 441 4946
Email: nikita@meglobaladvisors.com

© Press Release 2016