Asia Takaful Conference with the theme “Takaful: Unravelling the Hidden Growth Areas in Insurance

April 3, 2012 - PRLog -- The past decade has seen an explosion in the global takaful industry with leading takaful operators rapidly positioning themselves to capitalise on the new opportunities emerging. With low interest-rate environment as well as the increasing cost and severity of natural catastrophes the insurance industry is entering into a new and challenging business environment. However, the potential of the takaful business remains attractive. With an annual growth rate of over 30% in recent years, there are enormous prospects move the takaful industry to the next level of excellence in order to fully realise its market potential.

The Asia Takaful Conference, now in its 7th successful year organised by Asia Insurance Review in strategic partnership with BEST Re to be held in Singapore on 9-10 May 2012, has the theme “Takaful: Unravelling the Hidden Growth Areas in Insurance”. The two-day conference will explore how takaful players can better position themselves to identify key growth drivers and capitalise on the emerging growth opportunities in an increasingly competitive global takaful landscape; strategies to translate such market potential to real growth; new business models; pertinent issues in regulating takaful and retakaful providers; exploring the latest innovations in the next generation of takaful products in light of changing consumer expectations as well as improving capabilities in the retakaful industry.

The much anticipated conference is expected to draw some 150 international delegates from the takaful sectors as well as insurance and reinsurance companies, Islamic banking institutions, regulators, Shariah scholars, consultants, brokers as well as service providers keen to tap the potential of the takaful market.

Speakers include:

Keynote Address
Dr Saleh J Malaikah, Chairman of the Board, BEST Re

Special Address: GTG as a Force in Takaful - A Global Think Tank for Takaful Industry
Chakib Abouzaid, Vice Chairman, Global Takaful Group Ltd

Takaful Wealth Management Products: The Need for Longer Duration Sukuks
Leonardo Zanolini, Chief Operating Officer, HSBC Amanah Takaful (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd

The Importance of Sharia-Compliant Fixed Income in Takaful
Rafael Dalmau, Head of Sharia Compliant Portfolio Management, BNP Paribas Asset Management

Roundtable Discussion on Retakaful – Staying in Business
Panellists:
- Delil Khairat, Head of Underwriting, ACR Retakaful SEA Berhad, Malaysia
- Marcel Papp, Director, Head of Swiss Re Retakaful, Malaysia
- Mohammad Azmatullah, Assistant General Manager, Family and Health, Hannover ReTakaful, Bahrain
- Tobias Frenz, CEO, Munich Re Retakaful, Malaysia

Special Panel Discussion: Shariah and Legal Issues in Takaful
Panellists:
- Mufti Mohammad Hassaan Kaleem, Shariah Board Member, Hannover ReTakaful, Bahrain
- Ustaz Haron Hassan Akhtar, Member, HSBC Insurance Islamic Advisory Board, Singapore
- Peter Hodgins, Partner, Corporate Insurance, Clyde & Co, UAE
- Ezamshah Ismail, The International Centre For Education in Islamic Finance (INCEIF), Malaysia

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Asia Insurance Review, hailed by market leaders as the “Voice of Asia”, is the premier professional regional journal committed to serving the insurance industry with informative editorial on Asia, on-the-spot updates and technical conferences to support the industry’s march towards higher standards and greater professionalism.

With entrenched support from the market, it is the official magazine of the leading industry events in Asia, especially the East Asian Insurance Congress and Singapore International Reinsurance Conference.

Its value-added services to the region include hosting technical conferences, industry directories, daily online newsletters and organising the Asia Insurance Industry Awards.