World renowned management guru Robert Kaplan to speak at World Islamic Banking Conference

Professor Kaplan is the author of the 'Balanced Scorecard' and 'Strategy Maps', today's premier tools for linking a company's current actions to its strategic goals. Through a series of groundbreaking books, he has developed effective methods for tying cost and performance management systems to strategy implementation and operational excellence. These books have transformed the business strategy landscape and made Robert Kaplan one of the most valuable speakers in the fields of business strategy and leadership.

In addition, National Commercial Bank has also been announced as a new Platinum Partner for the event joining co-platinum partners, Noriba and Kuwait Finance House. The 12th Annual World Islamic Banking Conference will be held from 10 to 12 December 2005 under the theme Unlocking Market Opportunities: Consolidation, Innovation & Growth. Completing the trio of developments is the announcement of the launch of a Shari'ah Open Forum, a new development for this year's event, which will focus on Interpretation Challenges, Compliance & Innovation.

Mr. Abdulkareem Abu AlNasr, General Manager of the National Commercial Bank (NCB) said: "The new features of the conference especially the Shari'ah Open Forum look promising. We have been consistently pioneering the introduction of innovative Islamic financial solutions, be it Islamic Credit Cards, Personal Finance based on Tawaruq, or Islamic Mutual Funds. We look forward to highlighting emerging opportunities during the discussions at WIBC 2005."

National Commercial Bank provides financial services that now meet the needs of over one million customers. The Bank has a domestic network exceeding 250 branches and is represented in major international financial centers.

In addition to Professor Kaplan's speaking engagement, the Leaders and Winning Strategies session of the event also features participation by regional leaders; Abdul-Aziz Abdulla Al-Ghurair, Chief Executive Officer, Mashreqbank, UAE; and Abdullah Sulaiman Al Rajhi, Chief Executive Officer, Al Rajhi Banking & Investment Corporation, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Abdul-Aziz Abdulla Al-Ghurair is the Chief Executive Officer of Mashreqbank, UAE. He was appointed CEO of Mashreqbank Group in 1990 and has steered the bank to becoming a world-class financial services institution. Under his 14-year stewardship the bank's assets to the end of 2004 have grown by over 300 per cent to reach US$8.67 billion and shareholders equity has increased by 500 per cent to reach US$1.3 billion.

Abdullah Sulaiman Al Rajhi is the Chief Executive Officer of Al Rajhi Banking & Investment Corporation, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is a major name in Saudi Arabia's banking and business world. Operating within the framework of Shari'ah principles, it has grown from a strong base, focusing on serving the needs of the nation and its citizens, and contributing to the Kingdom's construction and development. It is one of the largest joint stock companies in the Kingdom, with a paid up capital of SR 4.5 billion.

The Shari'ah Open Forum, a new feature for this year's event, will include presentations from eminent Shari'ah scholars from three countries. The speakers include Dr. Mohamed Elgari, Shari'ah Advisor & Professor of Islamic Economics at King Abdulaziz University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Dr. Hussain Hamid Hassan, Chairman, The Fatwa & Shari'ah Supervision Board, Dubai Islamic Bank, UAE; and Shaikh Nizam Yaquby, Shari'ah Scholar, Kingdom of Bahrain.
The World Islamic Banking Conference has presented industry leaders a stimulating debate on key issues, challenges and new opportunities since 1993.