Saudi developer Salman Abdullah Bin Saedan Real Estate Group is planning a debut sukuk issuance in the coming months. Proceeds from the sukuk would be used for Saedan’s social housing projects, which aim to address a shortage of affordable residential properties in Saudi Arabia. The $1 billion sukuk programme will be set up by Ibdar Bank, which was formed in 2013 through a three-way merger of smaller Islamic lenders. The bank's Director of Capital Markets Ikbal Daredia said the sukuk programme would be listed on the Irish Stock Exchange with a possible listing on Nasdaq Dubai. Ibdar Bank aims to bring on board one or two international banks and regional partners as joint lead managers for the deal.
Alkhair Islamic Bank Bhd (AKIIB) has appointed Datuk Adissadikin Ali as its new chief executive office, succeeding Ikbal Daredia effective June 1, 2015. The bank said on Friday that Adissadikin would be responsible for the development of AKIIB, as it is the first Islamic bank in the country to conduce a full range of non-Malaysian ringgit banking activities. He will also oversee all aspects of AKIIB business in Malaysia and the surrounding regions. Meanwhile, it noted that Adissadikin has 15 years experience in the financial services sector which gave him wealth of management and leadership exposures in the industry.
Bank Alkhair is looking for small boutique banks in Malaysia to acquire, so that it can expand its presence in south east Asia and to win ringgit exposure.
The bank operates in Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Turkey, primarily in the Islamic investment banking field.
Ikbal Daredia, CEO of its Malaysian operation, stated that Alkhair has put a target on some small institutions as takeovers, but underlined that nothing was going in the near future.