Bahrain, 10 July 2008 ¿ Kuwait Finance House-Bahrain (KFH-Bahrain) was the Platinum Strategic Partner of the First Annual World Islamic Banking Conference: European Summit (Euro WIBC 2008). More than 400 international delegates attended the conference held at The Park Lane Sheraton in London on 8 July 2008.

Mr. Abdulhakeem Alkhayyat, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD) of KFH-Bahrain, emphasised that partnerships of this nature help realise the Bank's vision by providing support that promotes Islamic banking and finance in the global arena.

Alkhayyat added, "KFH-Bahrain is strategically positioned and adopts a pivotal role in the growth of Islamic banking. Islamic banking assets are currently estimated at US$750 billion in value and will top the US$1 trillion mark by 2010. The continuous expansion is being driven by global demand for Shariah-compliant financial products and services in which we continue to pioneer. The conference has provided a unique and excellent platform for the advancement of the global Islamic banking industry in general. The exchange of ideas at the conference has broadened our knowledge, which encourages excellence in our work. The Euro WIBC has been an outstanding forum to discuss and set standards for conducting Islamic financial business. The direct interaction with key scholars and experts from the Islamic finance industry will enhance professional relationships and we look forward to future collaborations."

Some of the key topics addressed at the conference included critical issues facing the European Islamic financial markets, assessing the dynamic regulatory environment and establishing opportunities for the major international players from the Middle East and Asia. A unique Country Spotlight session, which explored the potential for Islamic finance in other key countries across Europe, was also featured.