More than 350 international Islamic funds and investment leaders to gather at the 8^th Annual World Islamic Funds and Financial Markets Conference as More Corporate Borrowers Look to Islamic Finance 

More than 350 key players, regulators and thought leaders in the global Islamic funds and investments industry are set to gather in the Kingdom of Bahrain on the 20th and 21st of May 2012 for the 8th Annual World Islamic Funds and Financial Markets Conference (WIFFMC 2012). Held in strategic partnership with the Central Bank of Bahrain, the 8th Annual WIFFMC 2012 will set the stage for critical discussions that will focus on “New Growth Horizons: Expanding The Global Footprint of Islamic Funds  and Investments.”

Announcing the launch of the event, David McLean, Chief Executive of the World Islamic Funds and Financial Markets Conference noted that “with key markets for Islamic finance, especially in Asia and the Middle East, now facing escalating infrastructure and development needs backed by solid economic growth, and the outlook for global lending markets still remaining uncertain, Islamic investments will play a key role in funding these multi-billion dollar projects given the fact that the global liquidity pool continues to shrink. Governments in various key markets are making moves to create a more attractive investment climate for Shari’ah-compliant finance and are forging greater co-operation between each other and multilateral agencies to attract investments.”

He also said that “according to the Ernst & Young Islamic Funds and Investments Report 2011 in the GCC alone, liquid wealth of Shari’ah sensitive investors is expected to add more than $70 billion to Islamic funds by 2013.”

“This, along with the fact that Islamic funds industry had registered a growth of 7% in AuM last year – shaking off a period of stagnation – indicates a significant opportunity to harness the full potential of Shari’ah-compliant investments”, he added.

The 8^th Annual World Islamic Funds and Financial Markets Conference (WIFFMC 2012) will be inaugurated on the 20th of May by an opening address by Abdul Rahman Mohammed Al Baker, Executive Director – Financial Institutions Supervision, Central Bank of Bahrain.