INDUSTRY titans, pioneers and global leaders in the international Islamic banking and finance industry will take part in the three-day 21st Annual World Islamic Banking Conference (WIBC 2014) that will commence on Dec. 1, 2014 at the Gulf Hotel in Bahrain. Held under the theme “Islamic Finance: Towards the New Paradigm Shift in Global Financial Markets”, the event is convened under the patronage of Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain and is supported by the Central Bank of Bahrain. The main WIBC 2014 conference, which begins on Dec. 2 will be inaugurated by Rasheed Mohammed Al Maraj, Governor of the Central Bank of Bahrain. The inaugural address will be immediately followed by special keynote addresses from Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, House of Lords, who has been a key driving force in the progress made by the UK in Islamic finance; Nurlan Kussainov, Deputy Governor, National Bank of Kazakhstan; and Jaseem Ahmed, Secretary-General, Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB). Another significant highlight of WIBC 2014 will be the interactive face-to-face dialogue with Professor Datuk Rifaat Ahmed Abdel Karim, Chief Executive Officer, International Islamic Liquidity Management Corporation (IILM); one of the genuine pioneers in the industry who will share his perspectives of Islamic finance past, present and future during an onstage conversation. WIBC 2014 will also include a high profile Industry Leaders' Power Debate featuring internationally respected CEOs and decision-makers from the key players in the industry. Led by Ashar Nazim, Partner, Head of Global Islamic Banking Centre, EY, and featuring Basel Al-Haj-Issa, Chief Executive Officer, Ibdar Bank; Badlisyah Abdul Ghani, Chief Executive Officer, CIMB Islamic Bank; Hisham Alrayes, Chief Executive Officer, Gulf Finance House; Afaq Khan, Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered Saadiq; and Toby O'Connor, Chief Executive Officer of the Islamic Bank of Asia, the power debate session will analyse what changes the Islamic finance industry must undergo in order to adapt to a new global paradigm. Commenting on the Bahrain Economic Development Board's participation in the forthcoming WIBC 2014, Kamal bin Ahmed, Minister of Transportation and Acting Chief Executive of the Bahrain Economic Development Board, said that “Islamic finance is set to play a much more prominent role in the wider economies of both the traditional OIC markets as well as new countries who are exploring the potential of Islamic finance in their markets, such as being witnessed recently in markets from Hong Kong to the UK. “The Kingdom of Bahrain, home to many of the world's leading Islamic financial institutions, continues to support the further development of the Islamic finance industry on a global scale. “The Bahrain Economic Development Board has been a strong supporter of the World Islamic Banking Conference (WIBC) for many years and looks forward to engaging leading industry players at the 21st annual edition of WIBC this December in Bahrain to tackle key areas of the Islamic finance sector to help enable the industry to successfully meet the needs of an ever-growing base of investors, customers and end-users.” — SG
