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ORGANISATION OF ISLAMIC COOPERATION MARKETS PROJECTED TO GROW AT AVERAGE OF
5.4% -
10th December
2014, Manama:
Bahrain Economic
Development Board (EDB) and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) announced the
launch of the Global Islamic Investment Gateway, a pioneering initiative aimed
at bringing together investors and cross-border Islamic investment
opportunities in some of the world’s fastest growing economies.
The event, set to take
place in March 2015, will attract decision makers from investment banks,
sovereign wealth funds, investment companies and family offices of high net
worth individuals.
The Global Islamic
Investment Gateway is organised by Thomson Reuters, the Islamic Development
Bank (IDB), through its Business Forum “THIQAH”. It is being held at the Gulf
Hotel in Manama on March 2nd and 3rd under the patronage
of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince,
First Deputy Prime Minister and chairman of the EDB, and His Excellency Dr.
Ahmad Mohamed Ali Al Madani, President of IDB Group.
The event is geared
toward linking investors with opportunities aligned to their preference, and providing
the information and assurance required to facilitate informed investment
decision making.
It will be supported
by an online portal which will collate international investment opportunities –
opportunities that have been refined with the help of Thomson Reuters’ internal
specialists and which are designed to be within a fortnight of being ready to
go to companies’ investment committees for approval.
The organisers are
collaborating with investment development agencies and investment originators
in Islamic markets to obtain, review and standardise investment opportunities
across sectors.
Organisation of
Islamic Cooperation (OIC) markets are projected to grow at an average of 5.4%
till 2019, significantly higher than the rest of the world (3.6%) and the high
growth BRICS markets (3.9%). This increased economic growth is accompanied by a
greater maturity in their financial markets, enabling greater involvement of
private capital in their development.
His Excellency Dr.
Ahmad Mohamed Ali Al Madani, IDB Group President, said: “The OIC economies are
at the heart of the world’s most rapid economic growth and Islamic finance
provides an excellent chance to connect capital to exciting opportunities in
these markets. This event can play an important role in making that process
happen.”
His Excellency Kamal
bin Ahmed, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications and Acting Chief
Executive of Bahrain EDB said: “We are very proud to support this event in
Bahrain. We are committed to the development of the international Islamic
finance sector and event such as this, which will enable real investment in
viable projects, can play a great role in the process.”
Dr Sayd Farook, Global
Head of Islamic Capital Markets, Thomson Reuters, said: “The Global Islamic
Investment Gateway will be the premier event for any investor looking for
access to opportunities in emerging and frontier Islamic markets. These markets
have the value chains that have the potential to provide excellent returns for
the capital in the GCC and this event will give investors the means to access
them.”
Hasan Al Jabri, Chief
Executive Officer, SEDCO Capital said: ”Other events have focussed on the
intellectual issues around Islamic investment which are important but GIIG is
very focussed on linking real investors with real opportunities and
facilitating actual business and we are very excited to be involved.”
The event will feature
over 30 OIC countries, split into the key regional sectors including GCC, MENA,
CIS, South East Asia, South Asia, West Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa and will
cover all major investment sectors, driven by the opportunities presented by
the investment development agencies and investment originators.
Individuals can
register their interest at: www.giig2015.com
