KUALA LUMPUR: Bank Negara Malaysia and the Securities Commission have announced that the Royal Award for Islamic Finance 2018 will be conferred on October 3.
The award recognises and honours an Islamic finance visionary whose achievements and innovation contribute significantly to the growth of Islamic finance, global economy and social progress of communities around the world.
Bank Negara and SC said a global call for nominations was made in January 2018, following which 53 submissions were received for 30 candidates, the highest ever since the biennial award was introduced in 2010.
World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) Foundation chairman Tun Musa Hitam continues to head the seven-member jury which comprises outstanding Islamic finance scholars and industry leaders.
They include Malaysia Debt Ventures Bhd chairman Tan Sri Zarinah Anwar, Securities Commission Shariah Advisory Council member Datuk Ahmad Tajudin bin Abdul Rahman, Islamic Banker editor Mushtak Parker and PT Bank Mandiri Syariah president commissioner Dr Mulya Effendi Siregar.
Others include Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration chief executive officer Dr Hamed Hassan Merah and the Former Adjunct Professorof International Centre of Education in Islamic Finance (INCEIF) EmeritusProfessor Rodney Wilson.
Musa said this year sees a particularly exceptional pool of candidates for the Jury to consider.
“The pool of candidates is geographically diverse and covers a wide spectrum of stakeholder groups in Islamic finance, including Shariah, academia, market practitioners, research institutions, government agencies and multilateral organisations.
“It is this inspiring and exceptional leadership seen from all corners of the world that is key to further advancing the world of Islamic finance forward,” he said.