Major summit to discuss increasing Islamic investment in UK economy announced

Senior leaders from business, academia and government are set to meet to discuss opportunities to tap into further Islamic investment in the United Kingdom.

The 2nd AlBaraka Summit will take place in London’s JW Marriott Grosvenor House under the theme, ‘Islamic Economy in The United Kingdom: Reality and Opportunities’ from October 28 — 29.

One of the objectives of the summit is to dive deep into Islamic finance, economics, and investment and how policymakers and the private sector can stay ahead of legal frameworks and regulatory changes.

A number of high-profile leaders will be speaking at the summit including Bashar Al-Natoor, Managing Director of Global Head of Islamic Finance for Fitch Ratings, one of the “Big Three credit rating agencies”; Dr Arshadur Rahman, Senior Manager at the Bank of England; and Naz Shah, MP for Bradford West and the All Party Parliamentary Group Chair on Islamic Banking and Finance.

Yousef Khalawi, Secretary General, AlBaraka Forum for Islamic Economy. said: “The 2nd AlBaraka Summit in London, themed ‘Islamic Economy in The United Kingdom: Reality and Opportunities’, will bring together a diverse group of industry leaders, experts, government representatives, academics, potential investors, and media stakeholders from across the globe.”

With Islamic investment contributing 12% of the UK’s total economic output (over £100 million) and employing over 2.2 million people, the event aims to shine a spotlight on the remarkable growth and exciting opportunities it offers.

Khalawi added: “The summit focuses on discussions that aim to influence the future direction of the Islamic Economy industry, while also acknowledging the United Kingdom’s significant contributions to Islamic financial services education, training, and capacity development on a global scale.”