2nd Annual WIIFC event to focus on innovations in Islamic Project Finance and the next wave of mega deals

With project finance transactions reaching record highs and infrastructure development requirements assessed at more than $1 trillion over the coming decade in the Middle East region - and Qatar alone expected to consume $130 billion - demand from large-scale projects across the LNG, Oil & Gas, Petrochemicals, Power and Water sectors in particular is growing at an exciting pace. Combined with the huge boom in major real estate projects, the stage is set for meeting the challenges of financing complex projects

However, what is making the market even more dynamic and exciting is the increasing role that Islamically structured transactions are playing in infrastructure finance and this is having the knock-on effect of spurring more innovative 'next-generation' Islamic finance solutions.

Building on the success of last year's inaugural conference, the 2nd Annual World Islamic Infrastructure Finance Conference (WIIFC), to be held on the 4th & 5th of November at the Four Seasons Hotel, Doha, Qatar, will convene more than 250 senior executive delegates representing the international banking, finance, investment and key infrastructure sectors.

HE Yousuf Hussain Kamal, Minister of Finance of the State of Qatar & Chairman of the Qatar Financial Centre Authority will deliver the Inaugural Address at the Opening Ceremony of WIIFC on the 4th of November, and this Opening Plenary Session will also feature HE Sheikh Abdulla Bin Saud Al-Thani, Governor of the Qatar Central Bank, who will deliver the Keynote Address.

HE The Governor will focus on the overall economic growth and the subsequent surge in major project funding in the region. He will also highlight the impact of the increase in the number of Islamic banks to 300, and institutions managing assets worth $300 billion. These banks are naturally interested in funding infrastructure projects, especially after they succeeded in devising financial tools that are Shariah compliant.

The conference which is being held under the theme of 'Partnering with Conventional Financial Institutions & Developers to Capture the Boom in Infrastructure Development', will bring new insights into the latest mechanisms for financing complex transactions, such as: Identifying the Next Wave of Mega-Deals, Latest Innovations in the Application of Sukuk & Islamic Capital Markets & Project Finance: The Next Generation of Islamic Finance Solutions.

QNB Al Islami is to be a Strategic Partner of the World Islamic Infrastructure Finance Conference for the second consecutive year. Musadag El Melik, General Manager, QNB Al Islami is to deliver the opening presentation for Session 1, on the 4th of November, focusing on the Next Wave of Opportunities and Sources of Finance for Large-Scale Infrastructure Projects. QNB Al Islami will also host the Shari'ah Open Forum which is a panel of Shari'ah experts addressing compliance issues in the context of Islamic infrastructure finance. QNB Al Islami is focused on creating innovative, specialised products that enable its clients to meet their financial needs, through Shari'ah-compliant solutions.

WIIFC 2007 is further cementing its position as the world-leading forum providing new insights into the growth potential of Islamic project finance and the outlook for the next wave of Mega-deals, assembling an unprecedented line-up of outstanding speakers from the Middle East, Europe, North America and Asia.

The conference has attracted the market leaders as sponsors, including players like Borouj Capital, Barclays Capital, Masraf Al Rayan, Ernst & Young, Al Safa Islamic Bank, Doha Islamic Bank, Calyon Corporate & Investment Bank, Fitch Ratings, Doha Bank, International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance (INCEIF), Calyx Financial, KPMG, DLA Piper, and Qatar Airways.