IslamicFinance.de

Dr Haron Sirima is likely to be appointed the new Central Bank of Kenya Governor following the expiry of Prof Njuguna Ndungu’s term on Tuesday. Sirima, whom analysts gave a nod ahead of fellow nominees, is currently the Deputy to Ndungu who has been at the helm for eight eventful years. Geoffrey Mwau, Economic Affairs Director at the National Treasury, Isaac Awuondo, Managing Director of Commercial Bank of Africa, and Rose Ngugi, an adviser at the International Monetary Fund make up the broader list of nominees. President Uhuru Kenyatta will announce the latter’s successor once approval has been sought by Parliament.

The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) has signed an agreement with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) to cooperate in the development of the private sector in ICD member countries in Africa. ICD and Afreximbank will share information on projects and business opportunities in Africa and on participation in the arrangement of syndications or investment in funds. They will also cooperate in structuring sukuk/debt capital market transaction opportunities, co-invest in Islamic leasing companies and support local financial institutions in Africa through the raising of capital via lines of finances. In addition, they will exchange information aimed at upgrading knowledge and expertise about Islamic finance, among others.

Liquidity Management Centre (LMC) has announced 18 per cent increase in the net profit at $4.22 million for last year when compared with $3.57m for 2013. This resulted in a return on capital equivalent to approximately 8pc while the average one-year interbank rate remains below 0.75pc. Total operating income was $10.11m as against $10.57m for 2013. Net profit for the fourth quarter was $847,000 versus $784,000 for the same period in 2013. Portfolio-based activities saw a growth of approximately 13pc while the bank's balance-sheet continues to see significant improvement in terms of asset quality and liquidity. Shareholders' equity grew by 7.18pc from $62.96m as of 2013-end to $67.48m as of December-end last year.

London has set its sights on becoming the world centre for the Islamic finance industry according to the UK's foreign office minister for Middle East, Tobias Ellwood. Britain was also committed to promoting a "peaceful and prosperous" Middle East and expanding trade ties with the region, which topped £35bn last year, said Mr Ellwood. Mr Ellwood also celebrated notable sharia-compliant investments that have been used to fund some of the capital’s largest developments, including The Shard and the Olympic Village. The sovereign Sukuk market, which makes up only 0.1pc of global financial assets, is predicted to expand by 20pc a year.

As uncertainties over the management of the Islamic lender Bank Asya continue, auditors from the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK) who are uneasy about a possible penalty that they may be subject to, have warned the agency, since the takeover decision was not made at a general assembly meeting of the bank. A news report in Bugün daily on Monday said the BDDK's auditors are worried about a possible fine for the takeover decision and had called on the agency's top officials to convene a Bank Asya general assembly meeting. The report further claims that the auditors expect a penalty of around TL 8-10 billion for the failure to gain a general assembly decision in the handing over of the management of the bank.

Greece’s new Syriza government has two major economic challenges to address: a Resolution of Greece’s unsustainable debt burden followed by a Transition to a long term sustainable economy. Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis' proposal is for a conversion of the existing dated ‘debt’ liabilities into a modern form of the undated credit instruments (‘stock’). Firstly, Greece would dedicate an agreed proportion of tax income to long term funding. Greece then issues stock at a discount, each of which is returnable in payment of Greece’s taxes. This new issuance would then be allocated between the different creditors in a way reflecting the repayment date and interest rate of Greek liabilities. From then on Greece would use part of its tax income to buy back this stock for cancellation.

In Egypt, 20% of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have indicated a preference for Sharia-compliant products, according to an IMF working paper issued this month. The paper said there is a substantial demand for Islamic banking among the MENA region’s SMEs, with approximately 35% expressing their interest in financing by Islamic banks. Islamic banks need to make adjustments in the structure of their work to improve their ability to reach consumers. They also need to sell their products to the global Muslim population segment that does not currently have a bank account, according to the paper. Moreover, banks need to focus on SMEs and pursue private equity and venture capital initiatives.

Iran's Bank Mellat is suing the British government for almost $4 billion in damages after the Supreme Court quashed sanctions imposed against it over alleged links to Tehran's nuclear programme. The lender wants compensation for the "significant pecuniary loss" and substantial reputational damage it sustained as a result of sanctions imposed in 2009, according to a claim filed in London's High Court. It claims the UK government also successfully lobbied other authorities to impose their own sanctions that ultimately caused and continue to cause the loss of profitable business, customers, banking relationships and dealing services.

Dr. Kaldari Surgi-Art Centre, a cosmetic surgical facility in Qatar, has tied up with Tajmeel, the Qatar International Beauty Academy, for the sharing of expertise to both the Centre’s staff and Tajmeel’s students. As part of their collaborative effort, Tajmeel will be hosting staff members of Dr. Kaldari Surgi-Art Centre in attending some of its sessions, while the Centre will be providing students of Tajmeel with an Observer Program that will enable them to observe, witness and attend procedures and treatments at the facility.

Researchers are seeking to apply the principles of game theory to Islamic finance, one of several efforts to shed new light on economic behaviour in an industry driven by religious principles. A competition launched this month by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), in partnership with universities in Morocco and Saudi Arabia, invites entrants worldwide to submit computer models of some aspect of Islamic economics or finance. Models are to employ agent-based simulation (ABS), which uses individual rules for the behaviour of each participant and shows how their interaction can have results that no participant intended.

Eduware, a provider and integrator of comprehensive technology-based learning products and services in the MENA region, said Wednesday that 21st century education is inevitable and should undergo a paradigm shift to prepare children for the jobs that have not yet been invented. The company, which will be addressing challenges facing educators, parents and businesses at the Microsoft in Education Global Forum taking place in Dubai on Feb. 22-23, said the new generation has to be armed with a different set of skills than their parents did if they were to enter the emerging job market. The company will present its 21st Century edu-digital tools at the forum.

One of the foremost critics of the Islamic finance industry, Mahmoud Amin El-Gamal, a professor of economics at Rice University in the United States, considers modern Islamic finance to be “Shari’a arbitrage” wherein what is prohibited in conventional finance becomes permissible when deemed “Shari’a compliant” despite having similar, if not the same, economic substance. Duke University economist Timur Kuran claims that Islamic banking is based on an operational principle [of profit and loss sharing] that is simply unfeasible. There are lots of other views and opinions on Islamic finance. Those who consider it a failure point to its tendency to favor legal form over economic substance and the lack of substantive differentiation from conventional finance.

Islamic banks have yet to devise strategies for attracting large swathes of the global Muslim population, limiting the industry's prospects, according to researchers at the International Monetary Fund. Growth of Shariah-compliant finance has done little to boost inclusion for individuals and businesses without bank accounts, a working paper from staff at the Washington-based fund said this month. Banks need to focus on small- and medium-sized enterprises and pursue private equity and venture capital initiatives, according to the paper. While the IMF's researchers found that Islamic banking within OIC countries was associated with greater use of bank credit by households and by firms for investment, it said there was no significant effect on other indicators of credit use.

Morocco is to create a sharia board of Islamic scholars to oversee the country's fledgling Islamic finance industry. Called the Sharia Committee for Participative Finances, the board will be composed of 10 Islamic scholars plus at least five financial experts. The members of the committee will be named by the president of the country’s Islamic Scholars Council, the bulletin said. The board will approve the conformity of the Islamic products proposed by the participative banks, as they will be known under the legislation, and insurance (takaful) to sharia law. It will also oversee the central bank decisions regarding the participative finances sector.

Morocco has issued a royal decree to create a sharia board of Islamic scholars to oversee the country's fledgling Islamic finance industry. Called the Sharia Committee for Participative Finances, it will be composed of 10 Islamic scholars and financial experts, the country's official bulletin said. The members of the committee will be named by the president of the country's Islamic scholars council. The board will approve the conformity of the Islamic products proposed by the participative banks, as they will be known under the legislation, and insurance (takaful) to sharia law. It will also oversee the central bank decisions regarding the participative finances sector.

The year 2014 brought changes for the Russian economy. The sanctions imposed by the European countries and the US and historically low oil prices have led to prices to double and businesses to lose access to traditional finance. At the annual Gaidar Economic Forum on January 14-16, a session was dedicated to Islamic finance and its development prospects in Russia. Indeed, 2014, especially its second half, was filled with economic and finance forums and seminars, which embraced among other topics, the issue of Islamic finance. The industry, which is capable of bringing new investments into the market, finally seems to be taken more seriously. Islamic finance is now being studied at various government bodies and institutions, both at the federal and regional levels.

The Islamic Center of Nashville is listed as being a church meaning it qualifies for a property tax exemption. Only ICN did have a problem with its property tax exemption. When ICN decided to finance a school it deeded property to Devon Bank, which paid for the construction. ICN leased the property and bought it back over time from the bank. So even though the religious use of the property had not changed, it was no longer owned by a religious organization and hence for a period of time did not qualify for property tax exemption. ICN was asking for the exemption to be retroactive three years. However, the Tennessee State Board of Equalization ruled against ICN.

Zilzar Tech Sdn Bhd (Zilzar) has announced the appointment of Mr. Akira Miyama to its Advisory Board. He joins six other international members: Mr. Saleh Lootah, Mr. Safdar Khan, Mr. Rafik Kassim, Mr. Ebrahim Pate, Sir Iqbal Sacranie and Mr. Rahman Khan. Mr. Miyama recently retired as Executive Director of RHB Bank. He also served as Director of RHB Investment Bank, Director of RHB Sakura Merchant Bankers Berhad and Non-Independent Non- Executive Director of RHB Capital Berhad. Zilzar is a B2B and B2C global information, content, community, and trade platform for the Muslim Lifestyle Marketplace.

Aafaq Islamic Finance, a provider of Islamic finance products and services in the UAE, has been awarded ISO 9001:2008 certification for its quality management system. The company’s implemented system has been recognized for its aim to satisfy Aafaq clients through its services--meeting client expectations as well as the requirements needed in developing the quality management system continuously. The ISO, which covers the set international standards on quality management systems within organizations, was awarded after a review and evaluation conducted by the British Standard Institute (BSI), the assessing body assigned by the International Organization for Standardization to grant the ISO Certificate of Conformity.

Private wealth in the GCC has doubled from $1.1 trillion in 2010 to $2.2 trillion in 2014 at an overall compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.5 percent, according to a study by management consultancy Strategy&, formerly Booz & Company. Most of the region’s private wealth resides in Saudi Arabia (44 per cent), but the UAE has made notable gains with its share increasing from 24 per cent to 30 per cent during 2009 to 2013. Together, Saudi Arabia and the UAE control 74 per cent of the region’s private wealth, up from 71 per cent in 2009. The study reveals that geopolitical events also intensified the migration of new wealth to the region. This growth in private wealth makes the GCC a lucrative market for local and global private bankers, said the study.