KFH-Bahrain, Platinum Partner of The World Islamic Banking Conference: European Summit

Mr. Abdulhakeem Alkhayyat, CEO and Managing Director of KFH-Bahrain, emphasised that partnerships of this nature help realise the bank's vision by providing support that promotes Islamic banking and finance in the global arena.

Alkhayyat added:

"KFH-Bahrain is strategically positioned and adopts a pivotal role in the growth of Islamic banking. Islamic banking assets are currently estimated at $750bn in value and will top the $1 trillion mark by 2010. This continuous expansion is being driven by an increased global demand for Shariah compliant financial products and services."

He concluded "The Conference provided a unique and high profile platform for the advancement of the global Islamic banking industry in general. The exchange of ideas at the Conference contributes to the growth of our knowledge, and inspires excellence throughout our work. The Euro WIBC was an excellent forum for discussion and the setting of standards for the conduct of the Islamic financial business. The occasion also provided the opportunity for direct interaction with key scholars and experts from the Islamic financial industry, which will contribute highly towards establishing professional relationships and laying foundations for future collaboration."

With indications of an exciting growth potential for Islamic finance in Europe, Euro WIBC could not have come at a more opportune time as the industry stands on the threshold of significant expansion. Euro WIBC focused on emerging regional opportunities, led by a world-class speaker line-up, providing groundbreaking insights into the key developments driving Islamic finance in the European markets.

Keynote speakers in the conference included Kitty Ussher, UK Economic Secretary, HE Rasheed M. Al Maraj, Governor of the Central Bank of Bahrain, HE Shaikh Mohammed bin Isa Al Khalifa, Chief Executive Officer of the Bahrain Economic Development Board, and Andrew Cahn, Chief Executive Officer of UK Trade & Investment.

David McLean, the Managing Director of MEGA commented "the London conference complements the objectives of the world event held annually in Bahrain. It provided a powerful platform for industry leaders seeking to leverage their presence in the dynamically evolving European markets for Islamic finance. Building on WIBC's decade and a half of tracking the developments and shaping the trends in the global Islamic banking and finance industry, Euro WIBC 2008 featured insightful debates on the substantial issues facing the industry."

With major initiatives already well underway to establish London as a key European centre for Islamic finance, Euro WIBC 2008 provided a unique opportunity to engage those leaders who are currently shaping the international opportunities for Islamic banking.

Some of the key topics addressed at the conference included critical issues facing the European Islamic financial markets, assessing the dynamically developing regulatory environments, establishing opportunities for the major international players from the Middle East and Asia who are now focusing on rapidly emerging growth prospects for Islamic finance in Europe and identifying the outlook for new institutions based in the UK and Europe.

Euro WIBC 2008 also featured a unique "Country Spotlight" session, which explored the potential for Islamic finance in other key countries across Europe.

KFH-Bahrain brings to the market a compelling concept in Islamic Banking combining both Islamic investment banking and Islamic commercial banking facilities. KFH-Bahrain's mission is to deliver excellence and innovation through a broad and integrated range of financial products and services that are in perfect harmony with Shari'ah principles.