Microfinance can drive growth but hurdles remain October 30, 2013 SOCIAL enterprises in the Islamic world are playing an important role in driving improvements in living standards – particularly for hitherto marginalised groups. Jita, for instance, a Bangladeshi social enterprise, provides a sustainable source of income for over 4,000 women in rural villages. Supplied by 150 local distribution hubs, these “Avon ladies of Bangladesh” go [...]
How we can support genuine diversity in Islamic business and unlock its huge potential October 30, 2013 THE WORLD Islamic Economic Forum is in London – the first time it’s being held outside an Islamic country. This is a great opportunity to explore how Muslim and non-Muslim countries can work together to ensure our world is a happier and more prosperous place. I will be speaking at the Forum today about my [...]
Promoting cultural connections through the camera lens October 30, 2013 FOR ABDUL-REHMAN Malik, organiser of the International Film Showcase, running this week at the World Islamic Economic Forum, cinema is an ideal medium for bridging the gap between East and West. “Many of the films explore what it means to be a Muslim in the modern world,” he says. “How does a strong cultural identity [...]
Boris unveils £100m Islamic startup fund October 30, 2013 BORIS Johnson unveiled plans for a £100m Islamic entrepreneur fund in his speech at the World Islamic Economic Forum yesterday. The fund, still under discussion, would involve contributions from the UK and foreign governments, and would encourage tech startups from the Islamic world to expand into the UK. Jeremy Green of Quantum Capital Partners, who [...]
UK universities drive development abroad October 30, 2013 HIGHER education is one of the UK’s strongest industries. In 2008-09, the Department for Business estimated that Britain’s education exports were worth about £15bn. But it’s no longer just about foreign students coming to Britain. A study by the Observatory on Borderless Higher Education showed that the number of overseas university branch campuses had reached [...]
Health deal brings Malaysian tech to UK autopsies October 30, 2013 THE UK’S first network of digital autopsy centres was launched yesterday, in a £50m deal between Malaysian medical informatics company iGene and UK coroner services. The first of 18 centres, a £3m facility based in Sheffield’s Medico-Legal Centre, will be completed in November. The launch was attended by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and trade [...]
WIEF 2013 today October 30, 2013 Special Keynote Address ■ 9.45am to 10am ■ Tun Abdullah Hj Ahmad Badawi, former Prime Minister of Malaysia Promoting Transnational Education ■ 10am to 11.30am ■ Professor Sultan T Abu-Orabi, secretary general, Association of Arab Universities, Jordan ■ Ali Aslan Gumusay, doctoral scholar, University of Oxford ■ Datuk Dr Ir Zaini Ujang, secretary general II, [...]
Smart cities have arrived and the potential is huge October 29, 2013 THE PROPORTION of people living in the world’s cities passed 50 per cent for the first time in 2008. And just 600 cities accounted for about 60 per cent of economic growth in 2011, according to McKinsey. While a third of the developed world’s cities are expected to drop out of the top 600 by [...]
Britain can build on its position as a leading centre of Islamic finance October 29, 2013 WITH London opening its doors to the World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF), the buzz around Islamic and ethical finance continues to grow louder and stronger, and it’s easy to see why. As an industry worth around $1.85 trillion (£1.15 trillion) globally, with growth rates of up to 15 per cent each year, many are attracted [...]
British Business Pavilion sells UK healthcare innovations to Islamic investors October 29, 2013 SITTING two floors above the main exhibition space, and accessible by invitation only, UK Trade and Investment’s (UKTI) British Business Pavilion at this year’s World Islamic Economic Forum is the centre of Britain’s attempts to gain a tangible trade benefit from the Forum. A carefully selected series of exhibits offer a snapshot of the UK’s [...]
