IslamicFinance.de

Qatar is set to become a "key international distribution hub" for Shariah-compliant products. While infrastructure projects will feed new alternative fund structures and boost public-private partnerships, Qatar also has a long-term interest in developing as a centre for Islamic finance, The position of Islamic finance in Qatar, according to Mena Asset Management Barometer, bodes well for the future, as demand for Shariah-compliant products grows. Qatar is ranked first in Mena and the second globally in terms of opportunities for infrastructure investments. The country has outlined public investment plans worth $95bn over five years to 2016, as it prepares to host the 2022 World Cup.

Egypt-based investment bank EFG Hermes has said its merger deal with Qatari investment company QInvest is to lapse on May 3, unless it receives long-awaited approval from Egyptian regulators. If EFG does not receive a 'no objection' from the Egyptian Financial Supervisory Authority in the coming days, it will be difficult to implement the joint venture agreement. A spokesman for the authority said the deal was still being studied and that a decision would be announced at the right time, declining to give any details or time frame.

The Turkish unit of the Kuwait Finance House, Kuveyt Turk, will raise its capital by TL 960 million in the next three months and another TL 360 million will be added over the following 15 months, according to its General Manager Ufuk Uyan. Moreover, the bank is planning to issue a sukuk worth TL 100 million ($55.40 million) in September or October. Besides, Kuveyt Turk expects to open a new overseas branch in Qatar and Iraq.

QInvest has revealed plans to launch at least 30 Islamic funds over the next three years on a managed account platform which it introduced this week. QInvest hopes to attract an investor base beyond the Gulf through its Cayman-domiciled funds. Four Islamic funds already exist on QInvest's platform which focus on international equities. All of the funds are actively managed and the focus is on delivering strong returns over the mid- to long term, without focusing on a specific benchmark, according to Ataf Ahmed, head of investment solutions at QInvest Wealth Management.

Barwa Bank expects its sukuk trading platform to become full-fledged by the year-end. Moreover, it sees the market as very competitive and lucrative with a great potential, according to chief investment officer Bashar Jallad. He said Barwa Bank was active in both the primary and secondary sukuk markets and started to act as a custodian for some of the clients. Barwa Bank’s sukuk trading platform is already functional but has not reached the optimum level, Jallad added. A focus area for the bank is relationship management.

The takeover of EFG-Hermes Holding SAE (HRHO), Egypt’s biggest investment bank, by Qatar’s QInvest LLC is mired in delays almost a year after the transaction was agreed. The deal is set to expire on May 4 unless it receives a so- called no objection from Egypt’s regulator on the transfer of its assets to Qatar. The terms of the deal include a four Egyptian pound per share dividend once it is complete. However, EFG-Hermes’s co-chief executives are defendents on charges of illicit gains. Therefore, it is expected that the deal will not go through before the lawsuit is finalized.

Capital Intelligence has affirmed Qatar International Islamic Bank's (QIIB) Financial Strength Rating (FSR) at 'A-', on 'Stable' Outlook - reflecting the Bank's good capital adequacy, very strong liquidity and good loan asset quality. Ratings remain constrained by single name concentration risks in both financing and investment portfolios and by high exposure to real estate. Moreover, the Bank's relatively small balance sheet and market share remain rating constraining factors. The Bank's Long and Short-Term Foreign Currency (FC) Ratings are also affirmed at 'A-' and 'A2', respectively, on 'Stable' Outlook.

Qatar's QInvest announced the launch of the QInvest Managed Account Platform (QMAP). QMAP is the world's first open architecture Sharia'a compliant managed account platform. It provides investors with the opportunity to select from a range of funds that are managed by professional teams. At QInvest 's Annual General Assembly, H.E. Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jaber Al Thani, QInvest 's Chairman, informed shareholders about the launch of the account platform that allows shareholders and investors to invest in asset classes such as mutual funds and hedge funds, managed by globally recognized investment managers.

Islamic International Rating Agency (IIRA) has assigned a national scale rating of A+/A-1 (QR) (A plus/A-one) to Qatar International Islamic Bank (QIIB). On the international scale, IIRA has assigned a foreign currency and local currency rating of A-/A-1 (A minus/ A-one). Outlook on the rating is 'Stable'. The fiduciary score has been assessed in the range of '70-75', reflecting strong fiduciary standards wherein rights of fund providers are adequately defined and protected. The fiduciary score captures the role of the management of the institution as Mudarib, the entity's governance practices and compliance with Shariah principles adopted by the bank.

Barwa Bank Group (BBG) recently held its “Business Excellence” awards ceremony to honour the group’s best performers. The awards have been established to recognise the effort and contribution of employees and to motivate and inspire the team. The initiative is part of a commitment to training and development by the bank management to empower staff and ensure that Barwa Bank Group continues to be a major contributor to the financial services sector in Qatar and the region.

Qatar Islamic Insurance Company ( QIIC ) Chairman Sheikh Abdulla bin Thani Al Thani has said that his firm would pursue its strategic plans for the Years 2013-2015 to ensure its continued growth. The company recorded good results in 2012 by generating a premium of QR206m and aggregate net profit of QR74m. The shareholders' profit reached QR58m, constituting earnings per share of QR3.5. The general assembly on Sunday approved the company's nine-point agenda, including its financial statements for the year 2012 and election of two people in the current QIIC Board of Directors.

Al Khalij Commercial Bank's (Al Khaliji) Q.S.C., announced its Gold Sponsorship of the upcoming annual Qatar Career Fair 2013, which will be held at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) between April 1st and 6th 2013. Al Khaliji is looking for a wide-range of Qatari nationals to fill different roles in the bank, from young university graduates to more experienced professionals. The Al Khaliji team at the Qatar Career Fair will provide practical advice and recommendations to Qatari nationals looking to build careers in the banking and finance industry. The team will also discuss opportunities for professional growth within Al Khaliji.

Qatar International Islamic Bank reported that shareholders had given approval for the nonconvertible Sukuk Issuance Programme up to $2 billion. QIIB Chief Executive Officer Abdulbasit Ahmed Al Shaibe said that the bank has not yet decided when to go for the issuance. It depended on international market conditions, he added.

According to Qatar Islamic Insurance Company (QIIC) Chairman Sheikh Abdulla bin Thani Al Thani, the company recorded good results in 2012 by generating a premium of QR206m and aggregate net profit of QR74m, of which net policyholders’ surplus amounted to QR16m.He noted the shareholders’ profit reached QR58m, constituting earnings per share of QR3.5. The Board of Directors, in co-ordination with the Shariah Supervisory Board, has decided to reimburse policyholders with cash surplus equaling 20 percent of the premiums written in 2012. The general assembly approved the company’s nine-point agenda, including its financial statements for the year 2012 and election of two people in the current QIIC Board of Directors.

The ordinary general assembly of Qatar International Islamic Bank's (QIIB) shareholders, chaired by the bank Chairman Dr Sheikh Khalid bin Thani bin Abdullah Al Thani, approved all the 11 items figured in the agenda. These include the approval for the board of directors' decision to issue $2bn sukuk, election of two members to the Governing Council, and an annual dividend of 35 percent. The bank's total revenue in 2012 amounted to QR1.183bn while the net profit reached QR679m recording a growth rate of 4 percent on year-on-year basis. The issuance of the $2bn sukuk depends on international market conditions.

Last April the Qatari government signed a memorandum of understanding with the Islamic Development Bank and Saudi Arabia's Dallah Albaraka Group to establish an international Islamic bank with initial capital of $1 billion. Finance Minister Youssef Kamal, however, has not given details about the timing, ownership or other aspects of the new institution but said it would be set up soon.

Qatar will sell QR4bn ($1.1bn) of three-year and five-year bonds and sukuk. The Qatar Central Bank will offer local banks QR3bn worth of bonds and QR1bn worth of Shariah-compliant notes. The local currency issues will take place quarterly, but it was not specified how much of each maturity would be sold. The objective behind an issuance is reportedly to build a domestic sovereign yield curve.

Barwa Bank has appointed Khalid al Subeai as Chief Executive Officer at its wholly-owned investment banking subsidiary, The First Investor QSC (TFI). He is responsible for driving TFI's strategy and day-to-day management. Prior to joining Barwa Bank, Al- Subeai has held several leadership positions within the Finance sector in Qatar. Under his leadership, TFi is looking to expand and develop its investment banking franchise.

Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB) has charted out a five-year global investments strategy to help anchor the Bank’s position as an Islamic financial institution of international stature. According to the Bank Chairman Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani, QIB seeks innovation and diversification of its credit portfolio, support for small and medium enterprises, expansion of foreign investments, and maximisation of total profits. QIB recorded a net profit of QR1.24bn for the year 2012. Growth was also registered in other financial positions, such as total assets, customer deposits and total income.

International business leaders and in-house counsel gathered at the Patton Boggs office in Doha yesterday for an in-depth briefing on recent developments in U.S. and UK Anti-bribery laws, implications and compliance measures. Patton Boggs Partner and International practice Chair Joseph Brand lead a discussion on the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and the UK Bribery Act. The seminar held aimed to foster a more comprehensive understanding of the anti-bribery laws among U.S. and UK companies. It was the first in a series of seminars to help businesses operating in the Gulf to be compliant.