IFN OnAir

The sustainable finance space is beginning to mature with new regulations being introduced. Marlena Kareem from ISFI speaks to Salmah Bee Mohd Mydin, the executive director of market development responsible for sustainability from the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC), about the SC’s role in the development and implementation of sustainability regulations in Malaysia. 

How will the design, development and distribution of digital Islamic financial services continue to evolve in the near term? How important are regulatory frameworks in creating an environment for the enhancement of the financial services sector’s digital infrastructure? How can digital Islamic financial offerings be effectively scaled, and how is technology helping deliver financial products to un...

The UK achieved several firsts, including the first Sukuk issuance backed by an export credit agency. What was the legacy of this transaction for UK Islamic financial services? How can the UK fully leverage on its reputation for innovative structured financial products and services and cement its position as an arranging center for international Shariah compliant transactions? Assessing the potent...

The UK as an investment destination for Shariah compliant direct investment – an update of active sectors and activities. What is the continued role and scale of Shariah compliant real estate assets in the UK? How do we position the UK as a center for originating alternative asset classes, and what opportunities are on offer? Structuring co-investments between domestic UK investors with internatio...

Fabrice Susini, CEO of Saudi Real Estate Refinance Company, talks to IFN's Nessreen Tamano about the Sukuk and Islamic finance strategy of the company, whose mandate includes providing liquidity to the real estate finance market, as well as sustainable financing solutions to Saudi homebuyers. 

How do we collectively ensure the continued development of UK financial architecture as a platform for the creation and support of new Islamic financial services and Halal economy-focused businesses? How does the UK build on its competitiveness as a global Islamic finance hub and a center for regulatory and legislative developments for Islamic fintech? How can Islamic finance in the UK help develo...

Welcome Address Alderman Vincent Keaveny , Representative of the Lord Mayor of the City of London

Keynote Address Lord Johnson , Minister of State, Department for Business and Trade

Blue finance is making waves in the sustainable finance space. Marlena Kareem from ISFI speaks to Christina Ongoma, the manager of financial institutions group for upstream advisory services at the World Bank Group's private sector development arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), about how the IFC develops blue and thematic Sukuk in emerging markets.

In the aftermath of a global pandemic and the ongoing war in Ukraine, most of the world is bracing for a global recession; but the GCC had been remarkably resilient throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. How are current macroeconomic conditions impacting the region’s investment landscape?  Vineeta Tan speaks to Akber Khan, the acting CEO of Al Rayan Investments in Doha, to understand what is happening...

In 2022, after 10 years of being established, Malaysian digital platform for investing and fundraising pitchIN received approval from the Securities Commission Malaysia to list Shariah compliant companies on its platform. Sam Shafie, who is the CEO and Co-Founder of pitchIN, talks to IFN's Emir Zainul about his experience of managing a digital crowdfunding platform in Malaysia, their venture...

The use of ChatGPT or generative AI has opened up seemingly limitless opportunities for the Islamic banking industry. Khaled Berjawi, Azentio Software's head of product management of banking and capital markets, shares how the technology is reshaping the sector and weighs on the advantages as well as drawbacks. 

Bursa Malaysia launched the Bursa Carbon Exchange (BCX) last year as the world's first Shariah compliant carbon exchange. Marlena from ISFI speaks to Dr Chen Wei-nee, the head of carbon market at Bursa Malaysia, about the upcoming launch of BCX trading platform and the Malaysian compliance carbon market.

Carbon offsets are going through a confidence crisis, but APICORP's managing director of corporate banking, Nicolas Thevenot, tells Vineeta Tan that he believes the asset class is here to stay, and Islamic finance will play an important role in this growth story. 

Dunya Bashiti, the co-found and CEO of Capifly, talks to IFN's Nessreen Tamano about offering Islamic non-dilutive capital to tech start-ups in Jordan and plans to expand into the MENA region, starting with Saudi Arabia.

Malaysian infrastructure conglomerate YTL Corporation has been on Bursa Malaysia’s industry working group for the development of the Bursa Carbon Exchange since 2020. It is also an active carbon credit project developer in Southeast Asia.  Marlena Kareem from ISFI speaks with Ralph Dixon, the executive director of sustainability at YTL and CEO of YTL-SV Carbon, about the development of the Malaysi...

Malaysia is touted to be a leader in driving the Islamic sustainable finance agenda by its global peers. But has the country fully capitalized on its potential, and how can it harness these opportunities? Vineeta Tan speaks to Sharifatul Hanizah Said Ali, the head of Islamic capital market development at the Securities Commission Malaysia, to find out.  

Description: Saudia Arabia’s Regional Voluntary Carbon Market Company (RVCMC) will facilitate the first-ever Islamic finance transaction with carbon credits as underlying assets this year, according to Riham ElGizy, CEO of the RVCMC. ISFI speaks to the RVCMC CEO to learn about the upcoming deal and the launch of the RVCMC exchange early next year. 

Saudi-based BLOMINVEST BANK has launched the GBP300 million (US$384.09 million) SAED Green UK Fund as its debut endeavor in the UK market. ISFI speaks to Abdullah Alrashoud, CEO and managing director of BLOMINVEST BANK, to learn more about the fund. 

Gatehouse Bank is looking to launch an additional financing product to existing customers to improve the energy efficiency of their homes this year. ISFI speaks to Andy Homer, the chief customer officer at Gatehouse Bank, to learn about how it works with its partners to develop Islamic sustainable products. 

Ficus Capital is targeting to close its inaugural Islamic Southeast Asian Tech Fund in the third quarter of this year. ISFI speaks to Rina Neoh, the managing partner of Ficus Capital, to learn about some of the challenges of managing an inaugural fund as well as how the venture capital firm has shifted its focus toward sustainability.

With escalating geopolitical tension weighing on the global economy, the banking and finance system is under immense pressure. Vineeta Tan speaks to Moody’s Investors Service’s analysts – Alexander Perjessy, Ashraf Madani and Mohammed Ali Londe to understand the implications on the Islamic finance industry.

In this episode, Vineeta Tan speaks to Mohammed Alim, CEO of IBF Net, which built the first Halal metaverse, to understand what the Halal virtual world is all about.  

Turkiye’s largest beet growers cooperative brand Kayseri Seker issued a TRY85 million (US$4.44 million) Sukuk in February 2022.  The facility was the first Sukuk to use a quota of crystal sugar as an underlying asset and was also the first Sukuk issued by a cooperative in Turkiye.  ISFI speaks to Dr Menevse Ozdemir Diliduzgun, the head of corporate finance and advisory at Halk Investment, and Ozgu...

In a conversation with IFN Managing Editor Vineeta Tan, global finance pundit Andrew Sheng expounds on the ways we could move toward a more equitable and sustainable future including by investing in social enterprises and exploring Shariah compliant equity-based financial models as the current debt-based system is not sustainable.