As one of the companies whose products earlier this year achieved Shariah-compliant status from IBFIM (formerly known as the Islamic Banking and Finance Institute Malaysia), Asia Plantation Capital Berhad is proud to be one of the supporters of the Islamic Finance Conference 2016, which took place today.
Jointly organised by the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) and IBFIM, this year’s one-day conference carries the theme, ‘Future Banking in the Technological Advancement Era’. It is designed to strengthen the competencies of senior management and professionals in the Islamic financial industry, with the objective of providing useful insights on practical issues and solutions in advancing Islamic finance.
The discussions today covered topics such as ‘Redefining the Business Model: What Changes Are Needed to Succeed in a Competitive Market?’, ‘Investment Account as a New Product Offering for Customers’, ‘Impact of Financial Technology (Fintech) on Islamic Finance’, ‘MFRS 9 Financial Instruments – Impact and Challenges for Islamic Financial Institutions’, ‘Raising Capital: Corporate Funding Strategies in the Current Economic Environment’, and ‘Shariah and Human Talent Development for the Islamic Finance Industry’.
These important and contemporary issues were deliberated over by renowned experts in the Islamic finance industry, such as Badlisyah Abdul Ghani (founding President of the Chartered Institute of Islamic Finance Professionals), Professor Dr Mohamed Akram Laldin (Executive Director of the International Shari’ah Research Academy in Islamic Finance), Professor Datuk Dr Syed Othman Alhabshi (Deputy President Academic of International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance, INCEIF), and Associate Professor Dr Aznan Hasan (member of the Shariah Advisory Council at the Securities Commission Malaysia), amongst others.
“Over the years, Islamic finance has gained worldwide recognition,” said Steve Watts, Chief Executive Officer of Asia Plantation Capital, Asia Pacific, “and it seems as though its ethical and socially responsible nature is also attracting non-Muslims. We at Asia Plantation Capital, are very happy to be able to cater to the Islamic investment market with our products that gained IBFIM’s approval for Shariah compliance in February last year. IBFIM’s approval of Asia Plantation Capital’s products has provided our Malaysian and Middle Eastern investors with the confidence and assurances that they are investing in sound and socially responsible Islamic products that are fully in accordance with their religious beliefs. We are very proud, therefore,” he concluded, “to be here to support the Islamic Finance Conference 2016 as a Gold Sponsor, and to showcase our products.”
Although operating privately since 2002, Plantation Capital was officially established in 2008 in the UK, before incorporation as Asia Plantation Capital in Sri Lanka in 2009, followed by Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. With a workforce of more than 2,000 people and 126 plantations across the globe, the company has plans to expand further into other forestry products such as bamboo and teak in the very near future.
