WORLD ISLAMIC BANKING CONFERENCE EYES NEW GROWTH STRATEGIES

By Abdul Muin Majid

DUBAI, Nov 11 (Bernama) -- The 17th Annual World Islamic Banking Conference
(WIBC 2010) in Bahrain will call for new growth strategies that leading
institutions will have to adopt to succeed in the new global financial
landscape.

A Bahraini Central Bank official noted that Islamic finance continued to be
one of the fastest growing segments in the global financial system and had
become increasingly important in international markets.

"(But) work has still to be done in order to ensure that this considerable
success to date is sustained," the bank's banking supervision executive
director, Khalid Hamad Abdul-Rahman Hamad, commented ahead of the Nov 22-24
meeting.

The event carries the theme "Building a New Growth Paradigm -- Islamic
Banking and the New Global Financial Landscape".

Organisers said the opening plenary session of the conference would discuss
what should be strengthened in the current regulatory architecture to ensure
long-term stability and growth in the industry.

Ng Nam Sin, assistant governor (development) at the Monetary Authority of
Singapore, will address the gathering on catalysing growth of Islamic finance in
Asian markets.

More than 1,200 industry leaders from over 50 countries are expected at WIBC
2010.

This year's event will also feature more than 60 leading industry partners
and exhibitors showcasing their latest innovations at the World Islamic Banking
Exhibition organised on the sidelines of the conference.

-- BERNAMA