IFN OnAir

This episode explores the evolving Islamic finance strategy of South Africa’s Standard Bank Group, as Ameen Hassen, the head of Shariah banking, speaks to IFN Editor Nessreen Tamano about the bank’s Islamic finance roadmap and the broader South African market landscape.

How are fintechs addressing the needs of American Muslim investors, and how is asset tokenization assisting investor access to real assets and Sukuk? What is offered by P2P and equity crowdfunding, and what is a realistic assessment of the market for digital assets, including crypto? What regulatory changes would help the development of Islamic investment products in North America?

Moderator:
Ishmam Ahmed, Managing Director, Hoya Advisory

Panelists:
Fahad Siddiqui, Founder and CEO, Mabrook
Saad Malik, CEO and Co-Founder, Zoya

We cast a critical eye over the range of Shariah compliant investment products currently available to investors in the US market, including ETFs, REITs, mutual funds and other products. What is being done well, what can be improved and what additional products and asset classes would be beneficial for US investors?

Moderator:
Zeshan Gondal, Senior Vice President, Stearns Salaam Banking

Panelists:
Elias Scheker Da Silva, Director and Portfolio Manager, Wafra
Max Kaiser, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Saturna Capital
Mohamad Nasir, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Guidance Investments

What are current market trends in private capital in the US and what are the underlying factors driving growth? What opportunities are on offer for US Shariah compliant private capital investment, including asset-backed credit, venture funds, private equity, real assets, and real estate? Is there US-domiciled Islamic private equity for US deals, and if so, where’s the smart money at?

Moderator:
Kavi Chawla, Chief Growth Officer, PowerPollen

Panelists:
Aamir Rehman, Chair, Innate Capital Partners
Amir Memon, Investment Director, Princeton University Investment Company
Dr Ehab Elsonbaty, Partner, DLA Piper
Nasser Albarghash, Managing Director, Partner Capital

Patrick Drum, Fixed Income Lead and Portfolio Manager, Saturna Capital

What’s a realistic assessment of Shariah compliant investment management in North America? What trends are influencing this in terms of investment patterns, structure and asset allocation? Has Islamic asset management in the US been positioned and promoted effectively, and what more could be done? What innovation is being seen in Islamic investment management and how is technology being deployed? We ask an expert panel.

Moderator:
Kavi Chawla, Chief Growth Officer, PowerPollen

Panelists:
Irshad Rasheed, President, Islamic Banking Division, Stearns Bank
Mike Tirman, Partner, Honigman
Oussama Kaissi, Founder and CEO, Meridiem Group
Dr Radwa Elsaman, Adjunct Professor, Cornell Law School
Samim Abedi, Chief Investment Officer, Wahed

Justin Alexander, Director, Khalij Economics and GCC Analyst, GlobalSource Partners

State Senator Kevin Parker, New York State Senate

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Dr Vicente Pons, Managing Principal, Frontera Capital Group, on structuring a risk-remote, Solvency II-aligned facility supported by ICIEC credit insurance and mobilizing international capital into frontier markets through innovative, development-focused finance

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Maryam Khosrowshahi, Chair Global SSA and Head Sub-Saharan Africa Coverage & CEEMEA Sovereign DCM, Deutsche Bank, on structuring an award-winning Shariah compliant healthcare financing deal in Côte d’Ivoire and using ICIEC’s Non-Honoring of Sovereign Financial Obligation policy