• Understanding the global Islamic finance climate: Hurdles, threats, challenges and trends facing the Islamic finance industry as a whole
• Riba, gharar, possession and ownership of real estate – defining the constraints in relation to product structuring for shariah compliant real estate funds
• Structuring a real estate Islamic financial product – what are the key techniques and fund design strategies to meet shariah requirements
• Innovation and development: Market acceptance of new products and practical considerations for rolling out new products - identifying target segments and value propositions
• Focusing on the product structure, transactions, risk management as well as further managerial and practical issues involved with establishing and offering each product.
• Understanding the key operational issues of structuring Islamic financial products - Developing appropriate business models and strategies
• Capital provider and its shariah compliance – what are the significance and implications?
• Case studies and industry best practices examined

• Macro and micro economic factors for cross border real estate investing -  current trends in key global real estate markets
• Establishment of cross-border joint venture partnerships
• Routing foreign investment from a suitable jurisdiction
• How to enforce good corporate governance
• Structuring a deal with multi-country taxation regimes
• Sourcing local or international debt
• Dealing with exchange controls and currency risk
• Updates on guidelines and regulatory issues governing in-bound real estate investments into Middle East, Europe, China and India
• Analysing foreign currency strategies and hedging foreign currency risk

• The challenges of high growth, inflation, pressure on the exchange rate and current credit market dislocation on Middle East real estate industry – what are the implications and opportunities?
• The boom of mega projects construction and development: how sustainable and how long-lasting?
• Where is the capital flowing from, and what possible sources are developing going forward?
• How does Middle East compare to other emerging markets? What are investors’ returns expectations?
   

• Against today’s backdrop of soaring fuel costs, heightened inflation and US recession threats, how are global funds likely to respond in terms of portfolio allocations
• Impact on fund raising - how are investors reacting?
• Core, core plus, value-add, and opportunistic investments - Evaluating their acquisition strategies and orientation of PERE globally
• What roles do global private equity funds have in shaping the Middle East real estate market?
   

• Raising capital - the advantages of MENA liquidity and puttng it to work
• What's attractive for private equity and investors in the Middle East market?
• Origination, execution, transformation and exit: challenges faced by PERE managers in the Middle East and how they can be overcome?  

• Role of private equity in taking well-run privately owned businesses from private ownership to private equity to public listing – how important is this for family own property businesses in the Middle East
• Mapping strategic targets - investments, mergers and acquisitions
• Optimal structures: Family offices and future IPO strategies
• How will the potential rewards outweigh risks involved in such business models
• What private equity can—and can't do—for family businesses
   

Public vs. Private equity: What is the most viable source of capital for your capital-intensive property developments in the Middle East?

• Accessing capital markets – Options for Middle Eastern property players
• Fuelling your capital needs to drive your capital intensive developments – Should you go domestic or international?
• Optimising capital structures and maximising share value through funding strategies – the pros and cons of CMBS, IPOs, REITs, securitisation
   

• Addressing the role of developers and its value-adds to the engineering sophistication and construction expertises in Middle East property market
• Mitigating the growing execution risks driven by the frenetic pace of developments - How can cost escalation be contained with rising construction and building materials costs?
• Benefiting from the ongoing infrastructure developments within the Middle East
   

• Examining the growing influence of Islamic finance in real estate investments – what is the driving force  behind the strong demand regionally and globally?
• Creating an enabling framework for the rapid development of Islamic finance instruments as real alternatives to conventional products
• Applications and advantages of Shariah compliant real estate as a value added investment product in the    Middle East
   

Capital raising trends and strategies for Shariah compliant real estate funds 

• Analysing the growth in the use of Islamic finance techniques in raising capital that complies with the  requirements of Shariah law
• Development in the Islamic finance regulatory and supervisory architecture and infrastructure in the Middle East - legal and tax issues to be considered
   
• Identifying the key obstacles when structuring and managing Islamic private equity real estate funds
• Examining the major Shariah compliance requirements investors look for in a real estate fund
• What are the expected returns on investments under the Shariah Laws?
• Islamic REITs – Structure and compliance: Are Islamic REITs under-utilised?

Property market performance update and outlook in the MENA region: Identifying high yielding real estate sectors for investment opportunities

• Evaluating the investment climate in key Middle East markets: UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt, Qatar
• Affordable housing – a necessity in the region, but how attractive is this to investors? What are the yields and returns compared to luxury housing?
• Appreciation of the offices and commercial spaces in Qatar and Kuwait – will the trend continue in 2009?
• Construction of mega malls and mall extensions – Examining how generating high level of rental returns can  attract significant investment interest in retail spaces
• The multi-faceted future of hospitality sector in the Middle East – is Shariah compliant hotels an emerging trend?
   

• Understanding tax planning strategies for cross border investments and transactions
• Formulating appropriate entry strategies – preparation of business plans, applications for government  licenses, and legal compliance issues
• Addressing the risks associated with onshore and offshore establishment

• Understanding the reasons behind the weak flow of Middle East funds into India and how that interests can be strengthened
• Spotting the right joint venture partnership and devising the right entry and exit strategies into the India market - when is the best time to separate?
• Tightening liquidity and slow down in India real estate - opportunities or challenge?

Seeking investment and development opportunities in Chine real estate amidst the credit crunch

• Which sectors/regions are most suitable for a short to medium term investment strategy? For a long term investment strategy?
• Playing with China rules: Corruption, market uncertainty or regulatory impositions - what are the most suitable ways to avoid or mitigate these investment risks? 
• Capitalising on the recent property market slow down and resulting supply of distressed real estate
• Exit strategies and getting your profits out of China – what are the optimum investment structures and financing options?
• Leveraging Middle Eastern expertise in Asian real estate: Successful case studies