International Islamic Finance Forum set to roar into 'Lion City'

The event has recruited an impressive array of expert international Islamic finance specialists to deliver an extensive and bespoke programme for the launch of IIFF Asia, an industry-first for the Asia-Pacific region and key to long-term strategy of the Monetary Authority of Singapore to establish a financial centre on the island state.

The Asia-Pacific region houses the most populous Islamic nation on earth, Indonesia, which is home to over 200 million Muslims and out of an estimated global population of more than 1.5 billion Muslims, approximately 50% live within the Asia-Pacific region. It's not just strength in numbers, though Brunei with an estimated per capita income of US$ 23,600 is one of the wealthiest nations in the world, with buying power equal to many of the oil-rich Gulf states.

"With only 270 Islamic banks currently worldwide and a projection that Islamic banks will account for 40% to 50% of total savings of the Muslim population worldwide within the next eight to ten years, we have every reason to be optimistic about the future of Islamic Finance in Asia-Pacific," stated Forum Director, Christianna Tsiterou.

IIFF Asia which is being organised by the Dubai-based Institute for International Research (IIR) will focus on Islamic asset management and has allocated more than twenty hours of networking time for leading business figures, finance experts and government ministers to discuss the key issues relevant to the Asia-Pacific region. In total over 40 top industry speakers (virtually a who's who of International Islamic finance) have so far confirmed their availability.

Delivering the opening address will be Heng Swee Keat, Managing Director, Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), recognised as a leading authority on Islamic Finance in the Asia-Pacific region. Mohammed Alami Bin Musa, President, Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS), another eminent speaker will present the keynote address with Linus Koh, Executive Vice President, Singapore Exchange Limited (SGX), Khalid Yousaf, Director Islamic Finance, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and Jacques Bernard, Head of Asset Management, Unicorn Investment Bank (BSC) addressing the hot topics and key issues prevalent within the Islamic finance industry today.

The forum programme has been specifically tailored towards the interests of the region and is already generating an enormous amount of interest. It will feature in excess of twenty in-depth sessions covering a wide range of topics, including alternative forms of investment in the Asia-Pacific region, the rapidly changing private banking landscape and retail issues.

Special focus sessions are also planned for an analysis of Islamic accounting standards and a thought-provoking session on Islamic finance and socially responsible investing (SRI), which created a great deal of debate during the previous IIFF held in Dubai.

Tsiterou commented, "The Monetary Authority of Singapore has played an integral part in our preparation for IIFF Asia. Their support has been instrumental and the government's ambition to become the centre of Islamic finance for the Asia-Pacific region is clear testimony to the potential Islamic finance holds for the continent's future development."