Kuala Lumpur, 5th October 2023: The Islamic Sustainable Finance & Investment Forum (ISFI Forum), organized by IFN (Islamic Finance News), took place at the Securities Commission Malaysia on 3rd October 2023 and was supported by Capital Markets Malaysia, with the IsDB as the multilateral strategic partner.
In response to the growing prominence of ESG considerations in investment decisions and financial product development strategies, the forum aimed to convene the industry’s most influential players, including practitioners, investors, and regulators. Together, they engaged in meaningful discussions to further drive the sector of Shariah-compliant ESG finance forward.
The global sustainable finance market, valued at an impressive US$3.65 trillion in 2021, is expected to witness exponential growth in the coming years. According to projections by Allied Market Research, the industry is expected to reach a staggering US$22.49 trillion by 2031, reflecting a remarkable compound annual growth rate of 20.1% from 2022 to 2031. Against this backdrop, Islamic sustainable finance and investments are also set to expand significantly, with Islamic financial institutions and key players committing to net-zero goals and the UN SDGs.
The 5th ISFI Forum featured a diverse range of sessions and presentations covering critical topics such as policy, regulation, low-carbon transition, and market innovation, with the Keynote Address by Dr. Awang Adek Hussin, Executive Chairman, Securities Commission Malaysia. The event aimed to provide attendees with valuable insights into the latest trends and opportunities in Islamic sustainable finance.
One of the key highlights of the forum was the ‘Blueprint for Protecting the Future’ session, where experts discussed the necessary steps to ensure Islamic sustainable investors are offered a common definition of climate risk standards in ASEAN. Additionally, there was an exploration of how innovation is driving the funding of green and sustainable activities, along with the role of the financial sector in facilitating an effective energy transition in conjunction with the National Energy Policy.
Panelists for ISFI Forum 2023 include:
- Amit Pathak, Director, Head of ESG Index Products for Asia Pacific, S&P Dow Jones Indices
- Dr Ayaz Ismail, Director – Wholesale Banking, CIMB Islamic Bank
- Basheer Ahmad, Listing Authority, Markets, Dubai Financial Services Authority
- Bilal Parvaiz, Executive Director and Head Islamic Corporate, Commercial and Institutional Banking, Standard Chartered Saadiq
- Elias Moubarak, Partner, Trowers & Hamlins
- Jeffrey Lee, Vice-President, Regional Manager APAC, Sustainable Finance, Moody’s Investors Service
- Lim Beng Guan, Executive Director, reNIKOLA Group of Companies
- Louis Booth, APAC Commercial Lead, Sylvera
- Marlena Kareem, Editor, Islamic Sustainable Finance & Investment, REDmoney Group
- Millie Yap, Director, Debt Capital Markets, HSBC
- Dr Mohamad Zabidi Ahmad, Regional Chief Representative, DDCAP Group
- Mohd Ekmal Mohd Zazi, Regional Head, Wholesale Banking, CIMB Islamic Bank
- Mushtaq Kapasi, Managing Director, Chief Representative, Asia Pacific, International Capital Market Association
- Nor Masliza Sulaiman, Deputy CEO, CIMB Investment Bank
- Raja Amir Shah Raja Azwa, CEO, HSBC Amanah
- Sedef Gunsur, Senior Investment Officer, Financial Institutions Group, International Finance Corporation
- Shahariah Shaharudin, President, Saturna Malaysia
- Sharifatul Hanizah Said Ali, Executive Director, Islamic Capital Market Development, Securities Commission Malaysia
- Vineeta Tan, Managing Editor and Director, Islamic Finance news
ISFI Asia 2023 was an outstanding event, bringing together industry leaders, experts, and professionals to discuss and shape the future of Islamic finance. With an attendance of 315 delegates, the conference provided a platform for fruitful engagement, capacity-building, and networking opportunities.
For more information and photos from the event, please visit https://redmoneyevents.com/event/isfi-forum-2023/.
About Islamic Finance news (IFN)
IFN is the leading Islamic finance news and solutions provider in the world, housing the largest pool of Islamic finance-related articles and coverage. Providing breaking news, reports and analyses through its multimedia channels, IFN covers the whole spectrum of the Shariah compliant finance industry, leveraging its unrivaled connections, team of journalists and global network of market expert correspondents. IFN has over 65,000 readers worldwide and has organized over 300 events across 35 countries.
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