ISLAMIC FINANCE QUALIFICATION
A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN
The Ecole Supérieure des Affaires (ESA) and the Securities and Investment Institute- London (SII) have jointly organized the launching in London of the Islamic Finance Qualification (IFQ).
The event took place on Tuesday 31st, 2006 at 'Mansion House', historical residence of the Lord Mayor of the City, under the actual presidency of the Mayor of the City of London - Rt Hon Sir Alderman David Brewer CMG.
The event was particularly marked by the presence and speech of his Excellency Mr. Riad Salamé, Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon and Ed Balls MP, UK Economic Secretary to the Treasury. The Governor of the 'Banque Du Liban' lately nominated by Euromoney as the best central bank governor in the world, headed to London especially to attend this event. Mr. Salamé took the floor and reminded that this qualification is basically «an initiative of the Central Bank», essentially justified by «the considerable growth of Islamic Finance and the great interest most of global financial institutions take in Islamic Finance». Mr. Salamé also praised «the tight commitment of ESA and SII. The efforts and professionalism of these two prestigious institutions made it possible to offer this unprecedented qualification».
It is worth mentioning that Mr. Salamé is the co-president of the ESA Oversight Board alongside his Excellency Mr. Bernard Emié, Ambassador of France in Lebanon.
It is to be noted that the IFQ creation was announced in Beirut at the Summit of the Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB) held on May 17 and 18, 2006. After London, the IFQ will be officially launched in Beirut in the spring of 2007.
This qualification is the first awarded by IFQ Institute, which is an international institution authorized to design and deliver qualifications in Islamic Finance. The institute was established on the initiative of the Central Bank of Lebanon and is the fruit of a partnership between ESA and SII. It constitutes a World First and results from a successful partnership between Europe and the Middle-East.
This international qualification is devoted to financial, investment and insurance services in Islamic Finance. It is meant to train Islamic banks staff as well as conventional banks' personnel interested in this booming sector of Finance. The development of this qualification was made possible owing to the involvement of many professionals of the Islamic Finance world in addition to experts from ESA, SII, and the Central Bank of Lebanon.
For further information contact ESA on telephone (961) - (1) - (373 373) or SII on telephone 07801 521034. For queries, please send an e-mail on ifq@esa.edu.lb or ifq@sii.org.uk
GENERAL INFORMATION
This qualification is the first awarded by IFQ Institute, which is an international institution authorized to design and deliver qualifications in Islamic Finance. The institute was established on the initiative of the Central Bank of Lebanon and is the fruit of a partnership between ESA and SII. It constitutes a World First and results from a successful partnership between Europe and the Middle-East.