IslamicFinance.de

Vnesheconombank, Sberbank and Tatfondbank are going to take part in the 23rdWorld Islamic Banking Conference in Bahrain from 5 to 7 of December 2016. The three banks are working on launching Islamic finance products to get access to the investors from the Gulf countries and Southeast Asia. According to Linar Yakupov, head of the Association of Regional Investment Agencies of the Russian Federation, there is growing interest from other 20 Russian banks. However, the current legislation system of Russia complicates the progress. It forbids banks from engaging in commercial activities, so they can operate only a limited range of assets.

Russia continues to open new avenues and to provide new instruments for international investors through Islamic finance. Representatives of major banks and a high official of the Russian central bank will partake in the 23rd World Islamic Banking Conference in Bahrain’s capital Manama. The reason why Moscow is increasingly opening up to Islamic finance lies mainly within its quest to make up for a shortfall caused by Western sanctions. Three state-linked Russian banks, Vnesheconombank, Sberbank and Tatfondbank have all signed agreements with the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) in order to launch Islamic finance products. Maxim Osintsev, executive director at Sberbank, said there was now political will for Islamic finance to be developed in Russia. The ice has broken and people now understand that Islamic banking products can be in demand.

The leading Russian companies consider Islamic finance as a new and effective source of capital attraction. The issue of forming a collaboration with the Middle East and Southeast Asia capital markets will be discussed at the debate seminar of the Russian finance directors’ club.
The financiers of the largest Russian companies such as Vnesheconombank, Rosselkhozbank, Rosevrobank, SIBUR holding, the RUSSIAN INVESTMENT SOCIETY, VTB Capital Investment Management, Svyaztransneft, Inteco, Promsvyazkapital, Far East energy Management Company, INTERAVIAGAZ and others have confirmed their participation in the conventional meeting.
The key topic of the seminar – «Crisis – it is time to make an important decisions. TODAY IS TOO EARLY, TOMORROW WILL BE TOO LATE». The discussions will also touch on the issues of economic situation and risks assessment, forecasts, collaboration with banks, financing import from the West Europe with the assistance of the export and credit agency. The first Vice-President of the Russian finance directors’ club Tamara Kasyanova, who is in the top 100 of the Russian economy and finance experts, will hold the seminar.

Russian lenders would like to tap Islamic finance just as the international sanctions and a low oil price brings their country to the brink of a recession. The Vnesheconombank is currently seeking advice from Middle East lenders on how to sell Islamic bonds. Banks and companies are seeking Shariah financing after the Russian currency recently weakened to an all-time low.