Access to Islamic Finance:

Improving Islamic Finance Investment in UK Businesses

(The British Library Conference Centre, 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB)

Conference Programme – Monday, 13 July 2009

09.00 – 09.30:       REGISTRATION & COFFEE

09.30 – 09.40:         Welcome & Introduction [GK Partners]

09.40 – 10.00:         Business Support at The British Library [Gabrielle Rose]

10.00 – 10.20:         Introduction to the Principles & Products of Islamic Finance

                            [Davide Barzilai – Partner, Norton Rose LLP]

10.20 – 11.00:         Islamic Finance (IF) Investment in UK Businesses & the Social Economy

                            [Gibril Faal – Director, A2IF & GK Partners]

11.00 – 11.15:         Risk Minimisation & the Enterprise Guarantee Scheme

                            [Ian Shaw – Deputy Director, Dept. for Business, Innovation & Skills]

11.15 – 11.30:       COFFEE BREAK

11.30 – 12.00:         Case Studies on Business Access to Islamic Finance

                            [Rahim Alli – Director, GreenEquity]

12.00 – 12.40:         Challenges of IF Investment in UK Businesses & the Social Economy

                            [Richard de Belder – Partner, Denton Wilde Sapte LLP]

                            [Fezal Boodhoo – Business Development Manager, Islamic Bank of Britain]

                            [Mufti Muhammad Nurullah Shikder – Shariah Scholar, Gatehouse Bank]

12.45 – 13.10:         Risk Minimisation & the Tax System

                            [Mohammed Amin – Tax Partner, PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP]

13.10 – 14.00:       LUNCH (Prayer room available – Room 1)

14.00 – 15.00:         Master Classes on Islamic Finance (Three concurrent classes)

                            1. Principles of Islamic Finance [Muhammad Nurullah Shikder of Gatehouse Bank]

                            2. Islamic Finance Equity & Debt Legal Structures [Davide Barzilai of Norton Rose]

                            3. Shariah-Compliant Business Plans [Gibril Faal of GK Partners]

15.00 – 15.15:       COFFEE BREAK

15.15 – 16.15:         Improving Islamic Finance Investment in UK Businesses & the Social Economy

                            [Stephen Alambritis – Head of Public Affairs, Federation of Small Businesses]

                            [Anthony Clarke – Chairman, British Business Angels Network]

                            [Bernie Morgan – Community Development Finance Association]

                            [Penny Shepherd – CEO, UK Sustainable Investment & Finance]

16.15 – 16.35:         Recommendations on Improving Access to Islamic Finance

                            [Facilitated by Gabrielle Rose]

16.35 – 16.45:         Closing Remarks [Gibril Faal – Director, A2IF & GK Partners]

16.45 – 16.55:         Evaluation Forms