Business & Money | Wednesday 14 September, 2016 2:17 pm |

The third Global Islamic Economy Summit is set to feature a number of top-level decision makers, speakers, and researchers in the field of Islamic economy. 

 

Bearing the theme “Inspiring Change”, the summit will take place on October 11 and 12, 2016, in Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The two-day event will discuss several aspects of the Islamic economy amidst optimistic projections for its different sectors, and the impressive growth it has witnessed in the past several years.

 

His Excellency Majid Saif Al Ghurair, Chairman, Dubai Chamber, and Board Member of the Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre, said: “The elite group of speakers and researchers in the sectors of Islamic economics that this year’s summit is set to attract from around the world stands to enrich the discussions and foster a greater exchange of knowledge and opinions with regards to finding sustainable solutions to the issues affecting the Islamic economy.”

 

HE went on to explain that the summit is “keen on promoting innovation in the effort to overcome the challenges facing the global economy in the 21st century, and establishing a strong foundation for the Islamic model – one that is more in line with the efforts of the UAE Government to build a better future, as well as to make Dubai a global capital of the Islamic economy.”

 

For his part, Abdulla Mohammed Al Awar, CEO of Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre (DIEDC), said: “The upcoming edition of the Global Islamic Economy Summit examines the challenges and scope of the future development of the Islamic economy and calls for such development to be comprehensive, impartial and sustainable. 

 

“Furthermore, GIES 2016 welcomes a responsible partnership among all economic sectors, regardless of cultures and backgrounds, to identify the catalysts for growth. We need to remember that such growth can only be achieved through the concerted efforts of international entities and officials engaged in broader development issues. Through hosting a spectrum of leaders across sectors, GIES embodies the values that the Islamic economy stands for and strengthens its credibility as a key contributor in the revival of the global economy.”

 

The list of speakers includes a wide spectrum of professionals from private and public entities – both local and international ones – including Fitch Global credit rating agency, Awqaf and Minor Affairs Authority, Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation for Education, Capital Markets Authority Kenya, the Louvre Museum in France, in addition to representatives from the International Halal Accreditation Forum, Boubyan Bank in Kuwait, Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority, the Emirates Foundation for the youth, Ernst & Young, and Asda’a Burson-Marsteller.

 

The keynote address for this year’s summit will be given by His Highness Abdulaziz Al Ghurair, Chairman of Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation for Education and the Chief Executive Officer of Mashreq Group and a member of the Board of Directors of Abdullah Al Ghurair Group of Companies, one of the biggest and most successful business groups in the United Arab Emirates and the Middle East. 

 

Other speakers include Ms Clare Woodcraft, CEO of the Emirates Foundation, which focuses on guiding, inspiring and empowering youth in the UAE, and Mr Bashar Al Natoor, Head of Islamic Finance in Fitch Ratings, who is in charge of coordinating all Islamic Finance activities across Fitch’s teams, bringing together dedicated analytical and industry expertise into a centralised and focused Islamic finance group. 

 

Also taking to the podium at the third Global Islamic Economy Summit are: Her Excellency Chiara Appendino, Mayor of the City of Turin, Italy; Mr Mohammed Badri, Managing Director of International Halal Accreditation Forum; Mr Abdulla Al Tuwaijri, Deputy CEO of Boubyan Bank in Kuwait; Ms Marcie Merriman, Executive Director for Growth Strategy and Retail Innovation at Ernst and Young; and Mr Hassan Al Damluji, Head of Middle East Relations of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the US-based philanthropic organisation that works to alleviate poverty and spread healthcare and education around the world.

 

His Excellency Tayeb Al Rais, Secretary General of Awqaf and Minor Affairs, the organisation that supervises the legal aspects of Islamic awqaf and investments, in addition to educating minors and investing their money in Shariah-compliant avenues. 

 

Furthermore, the list of speakers at GIES 2016 includes Paul Muthaura, Chief Executive of Capital Markets Authority Kenya; Ms Yannick Lintz, Islamic Art Director of the Louvre Museum in France; Mr Sunil John, CEO of Asda'a Burson-Marsteller, a key player in the public relations sector in the Middle East region; Mr Hans Henrik Christensen, Director, Silicon Oasis Founders of Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority; Ms Carol Bierr, Scholar for Islamic Studies and Islamic Geometry; and Ms Maysa Jalbout, CEO of Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation for Education, which strives to equip the youth in the Arab world with the necessary skills to become the leaders of the future.

 

Organised by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in collaboration with the Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre (DIEDC) and with Thomson Reuters as a strategic partner, The Global Islamic Economy Summit is the first annual forum of its kind in the region, bringing together international experts from key sectors to intercept the challenges and opportunities that face the Islamic economy.