Islamic finance has emerged as the fastest growing industry. Coupled with increasing liquidity in the financial services industry, the demand for Shariah Compliant products has sky rocketed. This workshop is tailored for those who are interested in Islamic real estate investments or those who are considering taking part in the huge liquid money available in the Muslim world which is devoted to Shariah compliant Real Estate investment.

Why attend?

You will have the opportunity to learn the following:

• The importance of real estate investments to Muslims
• How to apply various Shariah products to real estate investments
• Converting conventional real estate investments to Shariah compliant investments
• The advantages and disadvantages of REIT’s in the Middle East
• How to take advantage of the available liquidity in the Middle East

Masterclass Agenda

• Understanding the various Islamic finance products and the importance of being Shariah compliant 
• Demand for Shariah compliant real estate funds
• Growth and opportunities of real estate business in the Middle East 
• Structuring a Shariah compliant Real Estate fund 
• Identifying the obstacles for structuring an Islamic real estate fund
• Islamic fund returns vs. conventional funds returns
• Performance of Islamic real estate funds in the stock market
• REIT’s advantages and disadvantages within Shariah compliant investment

Workshop Leader:
Dr Aly Khorshid is an Islamic Finance Scholar & Shariah Consultant based in the U.K.

• Reviewing the political stability and sovereign risk in the MENA region and the impact on real estate investment decisions.
• Is population really the biggest threat to stability? Looking at the widespread demographic needs vs supply throughout the Middle East region
• How will globalisation shape the future landscape of Middle East real estate and what are the projections for local and foreign players moving forward?
• Projecting Middle East micro and macro economic performances in the next 5 years

• Evaluating the key drivers and growth regions for global real estate investment – sector and geo analysis
• Where is the global money going to?
• Comparing Middle East investment potential against an equally hot Asian market – how does the astute global investor view these two diverse market regions?
• Investors with an appetite for risk – looking beyond the volatility of the region - where is the potential?      
• Trends in asset allocation for 2008 – the risks and opportunities of real estate investment strategies across the globe

• Looking at the factors contributing to the rapid growth of private equity market in the region. How easy is it for international investors to pursue Islamic real estate investments in the flourishing Middle East real estate market place?
• Learning the importance of regulation in encouraging a profitable private equity market
• Acquisition finance – what are the options when structuring transactions?
• Examining corporate governance and the need for transparency 
• The increase in partnering with global as well as local players – benefits & pitfalls 
• What yield attracts private equity investors and what decisions lie behind direct vs. indirect investments? 
• How to gain access to quality investments

• Transparency - How can regulations be made more transparent to attract institutional investors?  
• Can MENA follow its Asian, Europe and US counterparts and capitalize on the vast REIT market potential? How are the various regulatory and Shariah compliance requirements in Islamic real estate influencing foreign investors’ interest? 
• What are the challenges faced by Islamic investors in non-Islamic investments and how can regulators help to overcome such cultural and religious hurdles in the business world? 
  

• The constraints and impediments of Shariah compliances on real estate investment 
• How should foreign investors familiarise themselves with Islamic rules of real estate investment and how can they better tap on the abundant opportunities in the Middle East region
• Demystifying the complex nature of the financial structure of Islamic Investments
• Discovering the benefits of investing in the following product classes; Shariah-compliant REITs, Sukuk and Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities ( CMBS)    
• Bridging the gap across borders and cultures – the integration of Islamic Finance with the conventional fund manager 

• Overview of China’s leisure and entertainment real estate and the potential yield on investment
• China’s demographic analysis, changing consumer preferences and demand for leisure and entertainment activities in the next decade
• Working on a JV partnership to tap into China’s growing real estate market – what are the pitfalls to avoid?
  

• Snapshot of the economic status of each of the seven states and their role in the real estate boom
• The economic powerhouses of the UAE - Dubai & Abu Dhabi 
• Which sectors hold the investors interest more than others?

• Looking at the reasons behind the phenomenal growth of the Kingdom
• Allocate Arabia: important deregulation creating opportunities for investors 
• The development of Riyadh – set to become a vibrant financial city? 
• Discussing the development of Saudi Arabia and the impact on the rest of the Middle East.

• Looking at the political situation and the active promotion of tourism by the government  
• The bigger picture: where is development currently being concentrated? Who are the investors?
• Is the Kuwaiti economy strong enough to compete with Dubai and & Abu Dhabi?
• The impact of the new Direct Foreign Capital Investment Law which is set to revolutionise certain sectors including real estate

 A hit with singles across the world, now you can meet the key players in your industry in a brief but fun environment! Through a rotating cocktail table format you will get the opportunity to meet all your fellow attendees face-to-face in just 30 minutes. Bring plenty of business cards along for a fast and furious interactive session.  

• Overview of the Qatar real estate market – tracking growth and development in the past 5 years 
• Government initiatives and support measures towards real estate development and investment in Qatar – how does it affect local and foreign investors / developers?
• Reviewing the success of real estate development to date - what kind of investors are being attracted to Qatar and why?

• Overview of the up-and-coming market and influences affecting investment into Jordan
• The changing face of Jordanian tax and law 
• Population and tourism, discussing the impact and factors affecting real estate with these variables 
• Where to invest, which sectors?

• The current real estate landscape in North Africa – what makes this region an investment hotspot now?
• Country focus, Morocco, Hottest growing market, what is immediately available and what is in the longer
• How is the market likely to evolve in the next 5 – 10 years and what are the opportunities and expected returns for foreign investors in the years ahead?

• Comparing the structures and investment instruments currently on offer in Western Europe, the US as well as Asia
• Accessing property investments in emerging markets such as India, China and the rest of Asia  
• What are the key objectives and assessment criteria for investing in the Middle East? 
• How much of the global real estate portfolio allocation is Middle East dedicated? 
• High risk or high returns? What are the factors discouraging foreign investors from entering the at present? 
• Investors with an appetite for risk? Should we still be wary of the region’s volatitility and geopolitical risk?

• How will demand for real estate products and services change in the years ahead and what is the value add services in the eyes of the occupier?
• How and why does a conventional fund manager add value to the majority of market participants in the gulf? 
• What strategies and innovations are necessary for developers and landlords to stay ahead of competition?
• What roles do the tenant, landlord, investor and property manager play in value creation for Middle East real estate sector? 
• How can joint ventures be explored to further enhance value creation in the industry?

• The REIT market place – looking at the international exposure and understanding what is behind the strong performance of REITs globally over the last 2 years  
• Focusing on the advantages and disadvantages of REIT structures and requirements in the UAE. what is the rational for creating a REIT in the first place?
• Identifying the obstacles that could impede REITs investment & possible solutions
• Comparison between Islamic and non Islamic REITS. What countries are creating REITS and how are these markets developing? 
• The future of the REIT in the Middle East

• Overview of the residential, commercial, industrial, hospitality, retail & leisure sectors: What are the key market indicators for investments into each sector? 
• Focusing too much on luxury? Looking at the rising demand for low cost affordable housing – a key emerging area?
• Assessing the short and long term supply and demand – are any sectors progressing towards an inevitable over-supply? 
• Key predictions on developments and investment trends in the next few years

• Focusing on the current hot markets in the region and opportunities for growth
• Investment trends & influences in the hospitality market 
• Attracting further foreign investment, what needs to be done?
• Analysing the risks associated with large scale hotel and resort developments
• Discussing the impact of the rising impact of construction costs across the region
• Leisure investments and developments across borders both regionally and internationally

• The impact of demographic and economic trends on property prices
  Infrastructure and property - how will the changing demographics and institutional reforms impact infrastructure demands? 
• Comparing investment opportunities in retail, hospitality, residential & commercial sectors across the region. Which Indian cities have the fastest growing investor demand and offer the strongest and highest ROI? 
• What investment and acquisition strategies work well in India and what do not?
• India’s regulatory policies and legislative framework

Guest speaker:
Nancy Marsh
Partner, Tax Services National Tax Leader of Real Estate Industry Practice
Deloitte

• Being aware of the possible frustrations of language & cultural differences, the not-so transparent laws and regulations, bureaucratic agencies and seemingly complicated taxation systems 
• Looking at China’s demographic composition and how it impacts on China’s real estate development
• Foreign investment to date, where are people attracted to and what are the factors that hinder investment? Which are the emerging tier 2 cities, how to invest and what to invest? How do you successfully structure your asset allocation portfolio across these cities?
• How does the Chinese real estate market appeal to the Middle Eastern investor?
• Understanding the Chinese Legal and Regulatory Systems: Latest Developments

•     Demographic trends and economic trends in European vs. North America Real Estate 
• Which sectors, countries & cities in Europe are hot? How is Germany, UK and Sweden fairing? 
• Update on the status pf emerging European markets notably Russia, the Baltic States & Turkey  
• Top 10 investment predictions in both markets