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Distinguished regional and global industry professionals from around the world attended the 4th Annual Islamic Business and Finance Awards 2009 at a prestigious ceremony in Dubai with the Kingdom of Bahrain scooping nine of the 27 awards.
Gulf-based institutions and individuals bagged 10 of the awards, while the other winners were drawn from Malaysia, Pakistan, United Kingdom, USA, Australia and Luxembourg.
The Bahraini winners included: Khaleeji Commercial Bank for 'Best Islamic Commercial Bank,' Centre for Islamic Finance (BIBF) was named the 'Best Islamic Training Institution,' Al Baraka Banking Group was recognised for 'Best Islamic Globalisation Effort,' Unicorn Investment Bank received an award for 'Best Islamic Investment House,' and Kuwait Finance House won the 'Best Islamic Wealth Management Campaign Award.'
The awards were designed to encourage, inspire and reward excellence within the global Islamic business and finance community, and they have indeed become the yardstick by which Islamic finance institutions and practitioners across the globe measure themselves.
The top prize of 'Best Islamic Bank' went to Dubai Islamic Bank for the second time. The bank had previously won this award in 2007. In addition, individual prizes were awarded to finance professionals whose outstanding contributions have led to the phenomenal growth of this sector, even during one of the most challenging periods in the history of banking and finance.
Tan Sri Dato' Azman Hashim, chairman of AmBank Group, was honoured with the 'Lifetime Achievement Award,' while the 'Outstanding Contribution Award' was given to Dr Abdulaziz bin Naif Al Orayer, chairman of t'azur. Mohammed Sulaiman Al Omar, CEO of Kuwait Finance House was named the 'Islamic Banker of the Year.'
List of winners
Lifetime Achievement Award - Tan Sri Dato' Azman Hashim, Malaysia; Outstanding Contribution to Islamic Finance - Dr Abdulaziz bin Naif Al Orayer, Bahrain; Islamic Banker of the Year - Mohammed Sulaiman Al-Omar, Kuwait; Best Islamic Bank - Dubai Islamic Bank, UAE; Best Domestic Islamic Bank - Doha Islamic, Qatar; Best International Islamic Bank - HSBC Amanah, UK; Best Islamic Private Bank - Citi Islamic Investment Bank, Bahrain; Best Islamic Commercial Bank - Khaleeji Commercial Bank, Bahrain; Best Islamic Fund Manager - Global Investment House, Kuwait; Best Islamic Globalisation Effort - Al Baraka Banking Group, Bahrain; Best Islamic Index Provider - Dow Jones Islamic Market Indexes, USA; Best Islamic Training Institution - Centre for Islamic Finance, BIBF, Bahrain; Best Use of Technology - Pak-Qatar Family & General Takaful, Pakistan; Best Technology Provider - International Turnkey Systems, Kuwait; Best Islamic Corporate Finance House - Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, UAE; Best Law Firm - Clifford Chance, UAE office of UK firm; Best BancaTakaful Operator - FWU Group, Luxembourg; Best Islamic Home Finance Provider - Kuwait Finance House, Kuwait; Best Islamic Investment Bank - CIMB Islamic, Malaysia; Best Islamic Retail Bank - CIMB Islamic, Malaysia; Best Islamic Investment House - Unicorn Investment Bank, Bahrain; Best Islamic Advisory Firm - Islamic Financial Services Group, Ernst & Young, Bahrain; Best ReTakaful Operator - Hannover ReTakaful, Bahrain; Best Islamic Wealth Management Institution - KFH-Bahrain, Bahrain; Best Takaful Operator - Noor Takaful, UAE; Best New Islamic Product - LM Investment Management, Australia; Best Islamic Advertising/Marketing Campaign - Dubai Bank, UAE.
