In its inaugural year, the Islamic Finance News Saudi Arabia Forum 2012 is part of the globally renowned Islamic Finance news Forum series, which also includes the globally renowned and recognized annual Islamic Finance News Asia Forum; now in its eighth year.
In its inaugural year, the Islamic Finance News Saudi Arabia Forum 2012 (IFN Saudi Arabia Forum 2012) will feature an Issuers Day and an Investors Day. The event will take place at the Four Seasons Hotel in Riyadh on Nov. 12-13.
Described as the first of its kind in the Kingdom, the IFN Saudi Arabia Forum is part of the globally renowned Islamic Finance news Forum series, which also includes the globally renowned and recognized annual Islamic Finance news Asia Forum, now in its eighth year. The two-day event will focus on the Islamic issuers and investors in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. It is set to bring together industry experts and market movers from the global Islamic finance industry.
It will address key issues pertinent to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf’s current economic climate and follow up on the latest developments within the region’s Islamic financial market, including recent governmental efforts, issuer and investor interest, potential capital market issuances, as well as tax and regulatory updates.
Rife with potential, the Saudi capital market has opened up at an unprecedented speed over the last year, with major capital market issuances dominating the Kingdom’s bond market. The single largest sukuk issue ever originated from Saudi Arabia in January 2012, worth $ 4 billion, by the General Authority of Civil Aviation.
The Kingdom’s sukuk market is now considered the third largest in the world, after Malaysia and the UAE, and is expected to continue to climb up the issuance ladder moving forward.
The Kingdom is also expected to play a major role in the utilization of Islamic bond issuances for the purpose of project and infrastructure financing, with major developments in the pipeline.
The forum will feature prominent players from around the world, market experts and regulators to share their knowledge and expertise with the Saudi and Gulf market. It will explore the opportunities within the region for Islamic issuers, investors, and corporate and financial institutions.
Topics to be discussed include the continuous rise of the Islamic capital markets in the Gulf and beyond; a global perspective on sukuk structures and transactions — latest developments, applications and challenges; key considerations facing issuers in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf; Case study: SATORP sukuk; project and infrastructure financing challenges and opportunities in Saudi Arabia; pivotal Islamic investment and wealth management developments in Saudi Arabia; developing Islamic private equity and venture capital in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf; key issues facing investors in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf; and gaining traction — Islamic treasury, derivative and hedging products in Saudi Arabia.
Confirmed speakers include Sheikh Dr. Mohamed Ali Elgari, Shariah Scholar, Saudi Arabia; Emad Al-Monayea, vice chairman, MD & CEO, Liquidity Management House, Kuwait; Humphrey Percy, CEO, Bank of London and Middle East; Kamal Mian, head of Asset Finance, Saudi Hollandi Bank; Muhammad Farhan, head of Islamic Finance, HSBC Saudi Arabia; Ayham Al-Yousef, CEO, AlBilad Investment Company; Mohammad Kamran Wajid, CEO, Emirates NBD Capital; Salman Akbar, AGM-Islamic Structuring, Samba Financial Group; Lilian Le Falher, executive manager, head of treasury, financial institutions and capital markets, Kuwait Finance House, Bahrain; Raed G. Al-Barakati, SVP-investment banking department, Riyad Capital; Jawad Ali, managing partner-Middle East offices and deputy global head of Islamic finance, King & Spalding; and Craig Nethercott, partner and co-chair of Islamic finance practice, Latham & Watkins.
Riyadh to host Islamic Finance News forum
