IslamicFinance.de

Dubai's ruler Shaikh Al Maktoum decided to finance small and medium enterprises by a new SME Fund. Fund will offer financiall help to around 100 national entrepreneurial projects every year and thus support expecially young citizens in order to grow up a new generation of entrepreneurs to help UAE economy to thrive.

BankDhofar plans to launch 'Maisarah' Islamic banking services, according to the study that was carried out to ensure clients best in class Islamic banking experience. Maisarah Islamic banking services are subject to the Central Bank of Oman (CBO) approval.

Dana Gas will pay $70 million in cash to bondholders and offers aditionally 8% coupon on remaining debt in order to buy time to restructure its sukuk. The company is facing difficult times as it missed a bond redemption on its sukuk that has matured on October 31. In order to fix this problem, Dana has made an agreement with adhoc committee of creditors, and thus earned time to restructure its finances.

Saudi Arabia-based Saviola Group is about to launch a new Sukuk program, according to a filing on the Saudi exchange from December 15. The Sukuk will be issued in a series of tranches and its value will not exceed the Company's paid-up capital.

The deadline for discussions about the takeover of the Islamic Bank of Britain (IBB) by Masraf, the biggest Qatari bank, had been extended to January 7. IBB which is majority-owned by Qatar International Islamic Bank is trying to invigorate its business after the profit downturn in 2011 when it reported a loss of 8.9 million pounds. According to a separate statement released last week, IBB registered a 63% growth in home financing and a 43% up in long-term savings deposits in the first nine months of 2012. Management of the bank will continue focusing on secured financing and increasing of the loyalty of young savers.

The Central Bank has postponed the implementation of three most important reforms regarding the security of chip and pin debit cards. According to the National Bank of Abu Dhabi and Emirates NBD, the emirate's banks are not yet ready to implement the new security standards to protect clients against card fraud.

Kuwait Finance House (KFH) made an announcement about the sale of 16 real estate assets worth KD84m ($298m). Thus, KFH reorganises its property portfolio. No specific locations of the properties released from its portfolio across North America, south East Asia, and Europe were made public. According to Anwar Al-Ghaith, CEO of KFH, the sale aims to ensure better returns for investors and depositors.

According to Ernst & Young’s World Islamic Banking Competitiveness Report 2013 which was released on Monday, global Islamic banking assets of commercial banks will most probably exceed $1.8 trillion next year. Compared to that, in 2011 the assets were worth $1.3 trillion. The robust growth of the Islamic banking industry continues its course on a global scale. The top 20 Islamic banks registered 16% growth in the last three years. Saudi Arabia in particular emerged as the largest market for Islamic assets.

Maximizing the Arab world's gains from energy resources is possible through cross-border collaboration. Since a large number of opportunities are currently available, energy resources can be piped and distributed across the region through a regional energy grid. 60% of the world’s proven oil and 40% of gas reserves are held by the region. The energy demand in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region has grown 500% over the last 30 years, thus representing a highly beneficial target for energy trade.

The project Sarajevo City Center in Bosnia worth €130,000,000 has recently reached 60% completion. The project is conducted in partnership between International Investment Bank (IIB) and Al Shiddi Group. It is a hybrid complex which includes a number of main interconnecting features. A shopping mall is the central building of the complex together with an entertainment complex on 5 levels that cover an area of 49,500 square meters.

Alinma Bank has been assigned a long-term issuer default rating (IDR) of ‘A-’ with a stable outlook, a short-term IDR of ‘F2’, a viability rating (VR) of ‘bbb-’, a support rating of ‘1’ and a support rating floor of ‘A-’ by Fitch Ratings. The bank's IDRs, support rating and support rating floor reflect the view of the rating agency that if needed, support from the Saudi authorities is extremely probable.

The next area Islamic finance sets as a goal to develop is wealth management. So far, Muslim high net worth individuals have very limited possibilities in terms of availability of suitable products and services. According to consumer banking global head of Standard Chartered Saadiq, Wasim Saifi, the Gulf region in particular has accumulated a lot of wealth in the conventional space. Provided that customers are offered a Sharia-compliant option that can provide them with a diversity of risk and manage it properly, their wealth would be able to move into the Islamic space.

SJ Seymour Group is the leading independent Fixed Income specialist in Asia.

We are seeking to employ highly experienced, professional sales individuals with a proven record of success and established clientele in the Middle East. In addition to a wide general knowledge of capital markets, successful candidates should be able to demonstrate specialist skills in one or more of the following areas: emerging market debts, structured debt products or Islamic capital market products.

Swisslinx Middle East is URGENTLY seeking an experienced Trust or Fund Administrator to join a new entity of our reputable client, a Regional Bank. In this role, you will be based in the DIFC.

To analyze existing customers to identify areas of opportunities for Spend and engagement building exercises and implement various initiatives both on demand and supply side on proactive spends management, activation and line increase programs.

One of the most respected global Islamic Banks requires a Chief Economist reporting to the Bank’s president to provide intellectual leadership and guidance to the groups development strategy and economic research agenda at Global, Regional and Country Levels.

Responsibilities:
· Provide the overall direction of the Bank keeping in mind the best interests of shareholders, customers & employees.
· Develop, manage and execute the operational plans based on strategic plans set and agreed with the Board.
· Maximize growth and profitability in a manner consistent with Sharia principles and standards.
· Balance Sheet Management, Capital Adequacy (ALCO) and Risk Management.

Together with some of the leading global managers, SEDCO Capital has worked on the development of sophisticated Shariah-compliant investments. Due to low leverage they often are even more rewarding than conventional investments. Through Islamic finance real value in the economy can be created, enabling the creation of real growth and jobs. Also, the sukuk market continuously grows on a global scale because of ncreasing interest in Islamic financing modes.

Central Bank of Oman's (CBO) board of governors has made a revision of the legal framework of Oman's banking system. The goal of the revision is to implement Islamic banking activities in the sultanate. In a recent statement, the board made its decision to introduce amendments to the existing banking law concerning Islamic banking public. The issued last week Royal Decree made amendments to provisions of the banking law in order to allow for the inclusion of Islamic banking as a licensed banking activity. Specialized banks as well as independent windows at existing commercial banks can be used for this purpose.

The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector gave start to a fund aiming to finance renewable- energy projects in Central Asia and plans another in Africa. The fund is worth $35 million and is situated in Kazakhstan. In the very near future the North Africa fund containing $35 million to $50 million is to be opened. Financing for renewables ventures is targeting emerging markets due to the governments' striving to curb reliance on fuel imports and cash-strapped nations in Europe cut subsidies for clean power.