IFN OnAir

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Baihaqi Azhari, Investment Specialist, Bahana TCW Investment Management, on the need to expand Islamic investment products in Indonesia and the role of collaboration with Bank Syariah Indonesia in raising public awareness.

Radhika Das, IFN Journalist, interviews Aji Erlangga, CEO, Sarana Modern Sejahtera, on the grassroots-driven nature of Islamic banking in Indonesia and its role in business finance.

In this episode with IFN journalist Radhika Das, Bob Ananta, the acting president director of Bank Syariah Indonesia, shares how the bank is advancing Islamic finance globally through the 2025 Global Islamic Finance Summit (GIFS), policy harmonization and innovative initiatives like the Muslim Consumption Index.

Despite being the backbone of the MENA economy, only one in five SMEs in the region can access bank financing, resulting in a whopping financing gap of up to US$240 billion, according to the World Bank. Why is that the case and how is this changing the financing landscape; and, how does Islamic finance factor into the equation? Khaled Berjawi, the head of product management for Islamic banks at Azentio Software, breaks it down in this episode with IFN Managing Editor Vineeta Tan.

Raja Teh Maimunah Raja Abdul Aziz, the CEO of AEON Bank, Malaysia’s first Islamic digital bank, discusses the bank’s five-year growth strategy, digital adoption in the country and plans to expand into SME banking, with IFN Editor Nessreen Tamano.

Qatari conglomerate Estithmar Holding made Islamic finance history with its QAR500 million debut Sukuk, the first corporate to have tapped the Qatari riyal Sukuk market, charting a new pathway for others to follow suit and deepen the market. In a roundtable hosted by IFN, experts behind the transaction from Al Rayan Investment, Masraf Al Rayan and Simmons & Simmons discuss the intricacies and significance of this award-winning deal. 

Interviewees:

• Akber Khan, Acting CEO, Al Rayan Investment
• Tahir Hayat Pirzada, GM, Group Treasurer and Financial Institutions, Masraf Al Rayan
• Hadi El Kadi, Senior Associate, Deal Advisory, Al Rayan Investment
• Lee Irvine, Partner, Simmons & Simmons

In this honest discussion about the state of Shariah harmonization and legal landscape of Islamic finance, Mohammed Paracha, Norton Rose Fulbright's head of Middle East and the co-founder of Nester, shares with IFN Managing Editor Vineeta Tan that while there's been promising laudable efforts, the industry still needs to do more. He also shares how fintech could be the next exciting chapter in the industry's growth story. 

In this episode with IFN journalist Radhika Das, Maricel Estavillo discusses Pru Life UK's pioneering role in launching Takaful products in the Philippines and its efforts to expand financial inclusion.

Moderator:

Vineeta Tan, Director, REDmoney and Managing Editor of IFN Investor

Panelists:

Gareth Lewis, Vice President, Partnerships and Enterprise, Fasset
Ranvir Singhsachakul, Director of Marketing and Business Development, MessageSpring

How much further can regional Shariah compliant asset owners and managers incorporate green and sustainable considerations into investment decisions, while at the same time encouraging investee companies to manage climate risk? What is a current assessment of regulatory frameworks and their influence on Shariah compliant investment decisions? Is sufficient regional Shariah compliant capital being channeled into energy transition, and are we maximizing the potential of green Sukuk?

Moderator:

Sohail Zubairi, Green Islamic Finance Specialist

Panelists:

Faisal Ali, Senior Portfolio Manager, Azimut
Luma Saqqaf, Founder and CEO, Ajyal Sustainability
Mona Zeineldin, Managing Director, Emerging Capital Management Partners