Malaysia, 27 October 2015 – In a show of confidence in Malaysia, the international halal economy and the World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) as a pre-eminent annual global forum, the WIEF Foundation today confirmed the attendance of 23 Heads of State, personalities and ministers who will be attending the 11th WIEF. The 11th WIEF, themed “Building Resilience for Equitable Growth”, will take place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 3rd to 5th November 2015.
They will share more on the potential that businesses can explore in their countries as well as opportunities for collaboration to achieve sustainable and equitable growth in Muslim and non-Muslim economies. The global halal sector is valued at US$2.3 trillion[1].
The 11th WIEF has also confirmed 253 role players from all over the world, including global leaders, panelists, masterclass speakers, artists, programme speakers, Ideapad presenters and business exchange presenters, who will bring their diverse perspectives to the event.
The forum is set to welcome more than 2,500 delegates representing more than 100 Muslim and non-Muslim countries. The Forum has witnessed a steady growth in numbers since its inception, from a total of 600 participants during the 1st WIEF in 2005 to a total of 2,700 participants at the 9th WIEF in London in 2013.
Key attendees at the 11th WIEF include:
Global Leaders
The Hon. Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak, Prime Minister of Malaysia & Patron, WIEF Foundation
H.E. John Dramani Mahama, President, Republic of Ghana
H.E. Dragan Čović, Chairman of the Presidency, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
H.E. Jusuf Kalla, Vice President, Republic of Indonesia
H.E. Yaqub Eyyubov, Deputy Prime Minister, Republic of Azerbaijan
H.E. Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali, President, Islamic Development Bank
Personalities
H.E. Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr al-Thani, Former Prime Minister of Qatar
The Hon. Tun Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad Badawi, Former Prime Minister of Malaysia
H.R.H. Sultan Dr. Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Al-Maghfur-Lah, Sultan of the State of Perak Darul Ridzuan
Ministers (speaking and attending)
The Hon. Dato’ Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia
The Hon. Dato Sri Mustapa Mohamed, Minister of International Trade and Industry, Malaysia
H.E. Bambang Permadi Soemantri Brodjonegoro, Minister of Finance, Indonesia
H.E. Mohamed Saeed, Minister of Economic Development & Special Envoy of the President, Maldives
H.E. Sun Chanthol, Senior Minister & Minister of Commerce, Cambodia
H.E. Anne Waiguru, Cabinet Secretary for Devolution & Planning, Kenya
H.E. Mustafa Kamal, Minister of Planning, Bangladesh
H.E. Seth Terkper, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Ghana
The Rt. Hon. Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, United Kingdom
H.E. Othsman Hassan, Minister in Prime Minister’s office, Cambodia
H.E. Choi Moon-soon, Governor of Gangwon Province, Korea
H.E. Josip Brkić, Deputy Foreign Minister, Bosnia and Herzegovina
H.E. Mike Mabuyakhulu, Minister of Economic Development for the Province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Liban Soleman, Chief of Staff of the President of the Republic of Gabon
Attending leaders will officially open the 11th WIEF on Tuesday, 3rd November, and they will also deliver special addresses bringing to fore the opportunities nations, large corporations, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs can explore for sustainable growth.
The Hon. Tun Musa Hitam, Chairman of the WIEF Foundation, said, “Malaysia has fundamental strength in key halal sectors such as food and Islamic finance, and these present opportunities for long-term economic and business growth. Especially amid a global economic slowdown, businesses must be creative in exploring opportunities in new markets. The 11th World Islamic Economic Forum, with our international list of Heads of States, leaders and speakers, will bring to the fore opportunities in dynamic economies and thriving industries which may otherwise have been overlooked.”
“In addition, the Forum’s programme includes numerous activities which encourage delegates to network, connect and explore opportunities for collaborations. Our aim is simple – Building Bridges through Business to drive economic and social progress,” he added.
Beyond looking at dynamic fast-growing economies, the stimulating discussions, plenary sessions, one-to-one meetings and networking opportunities at the 11th WIEF encourage businesses to also explore different industries and segments for growth. The close to two billion Muslim consumers in the world and expectation that growth in total value of Muslim consumers’ contribution to the global digital economy will outweigh the growth of the total global digital economy[2] suggests opportunities for businesses all over the world to target the Muslim market.
The 11th WIEF will also see the introduction of the ‘SME Business Pavilion’, in support of the SME community in Southeast Asia to uncover growth prospects. The ‘SME Business Pavilion’ provides a platform for business owners to foster cross-border collaborations and increase their competitiveness in the international marketplace.
The Forum returns to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia just as the region prepares for the regional integration opportunities that the upcoming ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) promises. The establishment of the AEC is in tandem with the goals of WIEF as it continues to promote Islamic finance as an economic model that encourages sustainable development, bringing stability and prosperity to global economy.
The 11th WIEF has gained attention with the leading companies from major Islamic economies. Some of these companies, including Maybank Islamic Berhad and Khazanah Nasional Berhad, have come on board to sponsor and play a part in this annual gathering of world leaders, top CEOs, experts, academics, entrepreneurs and businessmen from the global economic arena.
Leading international and local media partners including Bloomberg TV Malaysia, CNBC, The Financial Times, The Economist and Thomson Reuters will be delivering comprehensive business insights and bringing up-to-date news coverage of the interactive and thought-provoking activities held during the three-day event.
The three-day Forum will cover cutting-edge topics in the Muslim world including Islamic finance, halal industries, green technologies, education, sustainable living and development, women and youth development, and the Creative Arts.
Some of the international speakers and role players at the forum include Janez Potočnik, co-chair of the International Resource Panel (IRP), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Dr Anwar Ghani, President of the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand (FIANZ) & Chairman of Halal Advisory Council, New Zealand and Tan Sri Jemilah Mahmood, Chief, World Humanitarian Summit Secretariat, United State of America.
The World Islamic Economic Forum is the largest international gathering of heads of government, economic experts and stakeholders to share experiences and knowledge about Islamic economy since its launch in 2004.
Find out more about the 11th WIEF here: http://wief.org/forum/11/
About the World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) Foundation
The WIEF Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation based in Kuala Lumpur, organises the annual World Islamic Economic Forum, a world-class business platform showcasing business opportunities in the Muslim world, and runs programmes of the various initiatives of the Foundation that strengthen people partnership and knowledge exchange between Muslim and non-Muslim communities across the globe.
The WIEF has previously held forums in Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Kuwait and
Pakistan, the United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates and aims to bring together Muslim and non-Muslim communities through the common language of business.
The 11th WIEF will be held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from November 3 – 5, 2015.
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Jasmine Guo guo@ogilvy.com or +65 6213 7778
[1] ‘Islamic halal economy set to grow: Experts’ (October 6, 2015) The Times of India. Available at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/international-business/Islamic-halal-economy-set-to-grow-Experts/articleshow/49246625.cms
[2] ‘Digital might of Muslim consumer: Spending to grow fastest by 2020’ (September 15, 2015) Emirates 24/7. Available at: http://www.emirates247.com/business/digital-might-of-muslim-consumer-spending-to-grow-fastest-by-2020-2015-09-15-1.603660