Winners of Prestigious World Islamic Banking Awards
Recognised at the 16th Annual WIBC
Adnan Yousif wins Islamic Banker of the Year 2009
The winners of the prestigious WIBC World Islamic Banking Awards were recognised last night at an impressive gala dinner ceremony of the 16th Annual World Islamic Banking Conference (WIBC 2009) held at the Gulf Hotel in the Kingdom of Bahrain. WIBC is convened under the Patronage of HRH Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and the awards were presented by H.E. Rasheed M. Al Maraj, the Governor of the Central Bank of Bahrain. Presented each year for the past 16 years to industry leaders who have distinguished themselves in the field of Islamic finance, the WIBC Awards are among the oldest and most prestigious in the world.
The Islamic Banker of the Year was awarded to Adnan Ahmed Yousif, president & chief executive officer of Al Baraka Banking Group. In addition to his role in leading ABG through the challenges of the global financial crisis, Mr. Yousif has also dedicated himself to several other key strategic initiatives in the broader interests of the Islamic finance industry. His efforts to establish a truly global Islamic bank and the rapidly impending launch of Istikhlaf Bank with a USD 10 billion capital base will create a powerful platform for the industry as the world's largest Islamic bank. Furthermore, in his capacity as chairman of the Union of Arab Banks, Mr. Yousif has offered new proposals and espoused strong support for the future health of the banking industry.
The recepient of this prestigious award is voted by his peers in the industry with the results audited by Ernst & Young. Mr. Yousif is the first person to win the Islamic Banker of the Year a second time; having first won it back in 2004.
The Industry Leadership Award 2009, made in recognition of a key individual and industry pioneer who has demonstrated strong leadership qualities and long-term strategic impact over the Islamic banking and finance industry, went to Sheikh Nizam Yaquby, the internationally respected Shari’ah scholar. This was in recognition of his many decades of service and leadership in the global Islamic banking industry.
The Institutional Excellence Award, presented in recognition of a banking institution that has excelled in the key performance criteria, including excellence in leadership and overall strategic direction of their Islamic banking business, went to Bank of London & the Middle East (BLME). Collecting the Award for the bank was Humphrey Percy, Chief Executive Officer, Bank of London & the Middle East (BLME) said: “The WIBC is one of the most prestigious Islamic Finance conferences and to win the Institutional Excellence Award is a great honour. In 2009 BLME continued to expand and diversify our business and our client base. Some notable achievements were the launch of our Private Banking and Asset Management businesses in our new West End offices. Alongside these launches we have continued to develop and innovate Shari’ah compliant products tailored to our clients. This award is a testament to the strength and viability of our business model, the support of our board and shareholders and the hard work and commitment of the BLME team to building a successful and sustainable bank.”
The ceremony was facilitated by Darren Jordon, Senior Presenter, Al Jazeera News Channel and attracted international and regional industry leaders. More than 1,200 delegates from over 50 countries attended the 16th Annual WIBC, the world’s largest and most influential gathering of Islamic finance leaders.
