Australian firms eye Islamic funding from GCC

With enormous multi-billion dollar pools of capital forming from within the GCC's combined economies of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and the UAE, there is expected activity of approximately $1.5 trillion in 2013, this representing a huge opportunity for Australian businesses and fund managers to grow.

Amanie Advisors Australia Pty Ltd, part of Group Amanie Advisors, a global Islamic finance advisory firm operating in nine cities of the world, has recently obtained an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) from financial markets regulator, the Australian Securities and Investment Commission.

Deputy Chairman of Australia Post and member of the Takeovers Panel, lawyer Mark Darras, who has been appointed the Executive Director of Amanie in Australia commented, "Structures used in Islamic Finance transactions mirror very closely, the types of funding that are in demand in Australia, particularly with respect to real economic activity which includes leasing, infrastructure project financing and financing mining activities. We see opportunities for our advisory services in many parts of the Australian economy, particularly in sectors dealing in hard assets, such as natural resources investments, including oil, gas, gold and other precious metals."

"Amanie views Australia as an important investment destination because its economy is one of the strongest performing in the world, in which many investors from the GCC are keenly interested. Our mission is to ensure they have the right, culturally appropriate, Islamic finance vehicles in which they can invest and obtain an excellent return. We will assist Australian corporate clients and financial sector players structure Shariah-compliant investments and source like-minded partners from among our global network of clients," added Darras

Amanie has been active since 2005 in helping asset managers and banks create products that conform to religious prohibitions on the charging of interest and that avoid other prohibited activities disallowed by Islamic teachings.

Amanie's work is overseen by its Shariah Supervisory Board, which is comprised of world-leading experts on Islamic finance issues Dr. Mohamed Ali Elgari, Dr. Mohd Daud Bakar, Dr. Muhammad Amin Ali Qattan, and Dr. Osama Al Dereai.

Dr. Mohd Daud Bakar, Amanie's founder and Group Chairman explained more about the opportunities he sees in Australia.

"This is an important step for our firm to offer financial advice beyond our normal Shariah advisory services. Our focus will be Sukuk and Islamic funds working with our many partners in Australia."

Dr. Daud plans to visit Australia for the firm's first Australian Islamic Finance Forum (AIFF) as well as conducting an Islamic investment roundtable between global investors and Australian businesses in Melbourne in April 2013.