15th April 2025, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain | The General Council for Islamic Banks and
Financial Institutions (CIBAFI), the global umbrella organisation for Islamic
financial institutions, successfully hosted two significant events today as
part of its annual meetings, held virtually.
The day commenced with the 23rd CIBAFI Accreditation Board
(AcB) Meeting, which focused on ongoing efforts to strengthen CIBAFI’s
capacity-building and professional development initiatives.
This was followed by two flagship sessions:
· - The
Professional Development and Human Empowerment Strategic Session, titled
"Empowering Leaders in Islamic Finance to Face Future Challenges",
and
· - high-level
Roundtable Meeting on "CIBAFI’s Strategic Plan: Evaluating Progress &
Defining Future Priorities".
The Strategic Session was inaugurated by Dr. Abdelilah Belatik,
Secretary General of CIBAFI, who underscored the vital role of leadership
development in preparing Islamic financial institutions to navigate an
increasingly complex global environment. He also announced the commencement of
the CIBAFI’s Digital Learning Platform project, a strategic initiative designed
to enhance training and certification services across the industry, scheduled
for rollout in 2026.
Following Dr. Belatik's address, the session commenced with an opening
statement from Mr. Omar Al-Sheshan, Director Assistant for Academic,
Training, and Development Affairs at Institute of Banking Studies, Jordan.
The session featured a dynamic exchange of insights among industry
leaders and experts, focusing on the challenges facing leadership in Islamic
finance, particularly in the context of digital transformation, evolving
regulatory requirements, and the growing need for robust capacity building.
Distinguished panelists included: Dr. Ayman Sami Homoud, Group
Chief Executive Officer, FEH Consulting; Dr. Hussein Samhan, General
Manager of Jana International Consulting Foundation, Jordan; and Mr. Majed
Gharsalli, Head of Shariah Compliance and Audit, Zitouna Bank, Tunisia. The
session has been moderated by Ms. Zainab Al Owainaty, Director of
Administration and Finance at CIBAFI.
Later in the day, CIBAFI convened its Strategic Roundtable Meeting,
bringing together members and key stakeholders to review progress on its
current strategic plan and to define priorities for the upcoming planning
cycle.
Dr. Belatik opened the session by reaffirming CIBAFI’s commitment to
transparency, inclusivity, and responsiveness to industry needs. His remarks
were followed by a keynote address from Dr. Sami Al-Suwailem, Acting
Director General of the Islamic Development Bank Institute, who highlighted the
importance of addressing critical challenges and seizing opportunities to
further support the industry’s growth.
Participants engaged in meaningful discussions on how CIBAFI can further
refine its initiatives, better serve its members, and remain aligned with
global trends. The roundtable offered valuable insights into the rapidly
evolving Islamic finance ecosystem and reinforced the importance of strategic
agility to ensure sustainable impact.
Panelists included: Mr. Khalid Al Kayed, Chief Executive Officer,
Bank Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman; Mr. Usama Saleh, Chief Shariah Audit
Executive, TAJ Bank, Nigeria; and Ms. Madina Tukulova, Head of Islamic
Finance, Astana International Financial Centre Authority JSC, Republic of
Kazakhstan. The session has been moderated by Mr. Rachid Ettaai, Business
Development Manager at CIBAFI.
These events were held as part of CIBAFI’s annual meetings and
activities, preceding the Annual General Meeting (AGM). We are pleased to
invite you to attend the AGM, which will take place tomorrow at Oberoi
hotel, Madinah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and online. During the AGM, the
winner of the CIBAFI Award 2025 will be officially announced, under the
theme: “Innovation for Advancing Financial Inclusion and Islamic Finance
Objectives.” Please register in the following link for participation. Click
here to register