QInvest, Qatar's leading investment bank and one of the
most prominent Islamic financial institutions in the
world, will be hosting an Islamic Finance Seminar in
partnership with London Stock Exchange in London this
Friday 16th May.
The seminar will bring together issuers to explore the
opportunity for raising capital through Sharia’a compliant
sukuk and Islamic finance.
Speakers and panelists confirmed for this event include
Alexander Armstrong, Head of Financial Institutions &
Structured Finance at QInvest; Hani Ibrahim, Head of Debt
Capital Markets at QInvest; Stella Cox, Managing Director
at DDGI Limited; and Debashis Dey, Partner at Clifford
Chance.
Pietro Poletto, Head of Fixed Income Markets, London
Stock Exchange Group said:
“London Stock Exchange is a key global venue for the
issuance of Sukuk. It is the leading western centre for
Islamic Finance and is at the forefront of key
developments in Europe. To date, over US$38 billion has
been raised through 53 issues of these alternative finance
investment bonds on our markets. London’s position in the
Islamic Finance world is strengthened by the support of
the UK government, most notably by its recent announcement
to issue a UK government sukuk which aims to raise £200m
($320m). Participation in alternative investment financing
is steadily growing in the UK and London Stock Exchange is
well placed to be the centre of western Islamic Finance.”
Commenting on the event Hani Ibrahim, Head of Debt
Capital Markets at QInvest said:
“The sukuk market is building strong growth momentum and
demand continues to outstrip supply due to the continued
growth in Islamic banking and financial assets. 2013 was a
strong year for QInvest and saw us advising on $3.5
billion of Sukuk transactions. As issuers are increasingly
looking for ways to diversify their funding, we expect
another busy year in 2014, with increased activity from
outside of the MENA region including the UK and Europe.”
Commenting on the event Alexander Armstrong, Head of
Financial Institutions & Structured Finance at
QInvest said:
“The move by London to position itself as a global Islamic
finance hub has provided an immense boost to the Sukuk
industry. It has acted as a catalyst for developing a
legislative and regulatory environment conducive for
Islamic bonds, thereby encouraging more activity from
issuers.”
The Sukuk market has experienced extremely rapid growth in
recent years. The total value of Sukuk issuance over a
20-year period up to 2010 amounted to $201.6 billion
whilst the value of sukuk issuance in the last three years
(2011-2013) has exceeded $336 billion.
The London Stock Exchange is a key global venue for the
listing of Sukuk. It is the leading western centre for
Islamic finance and is at the forefront of key
developments in Europe. In 2013 the UK government
reinforced its intentions to become the global centre for
Islamic Finance by announcing the future issue of a UK
government Sukuk which aims to raise £200m ($320m).