The BIBF to launch the first-ever Halal Economy Think Tank in Europe

• BIBF’s Director to be first GCC national to hold this high-level Board position
• The Halal Economy Think Tank will present a series of policy papers on Islamic Finance issues

Wednesday, 7 April, 2021

The Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF) has announced its collaboration with the San Telmo Business School in Seville, Spain and Burj Group, to launch the first-ever Halal Think Tank in Europe, with the mandate of facilitating the growth of the Halal Economy in Europe.

San Telmo Business School (STBS), one of the most renowned Business Schools in Spain, which is under the patronage of Spain’s King Philip VI – is the only Business School in the world that specialises in executive education for the global food industry, having an alumni base of more than 5,000.

Burj Group – a global Corporate Diplomacy firm – will also coordinate the Halal Economy Think Tank, which will be based in Seville and Malaga (Spain).

The BIBF’s Director, Dr. Ahmed AbdulHameed Al Shaikh will join the Advisory Board of the prestigious San Telmo Business School, as the first GCC national to hold this high-level Board position. In his statement, he stated, “Europe has seen a considerable increase in its Muslim population and by 2050, it is projected that almost 15% of the EU zone’s population will be Muslim – more than a 50% jump compared to the current demographic. This presents a great untapped opportunity in Europe to launch this first-of-its-kind initiative.”

Also, BIBF’s Head of Islamic Finance Centre, Mr. Mujtaba Khalid and Mr. Luis Romero – Burj Group will jointly run The Halal Economy Think Tank as Executive Directors.

The Halal Economy has multiple facets including food, finance, tourism, fashion, and more. However, the focus of this Think Tank will be Halal Food and Business sector, particularly Islamic finance.

The first initiative the Halal Economy Think Tank will undertake would be aimed at food companies as well as entrepreneurs who want to tap into the ever-growing Halal food market in Europe, through an Executive Programme to be launched by the end of 2021.

The Halal Economy Think Tank will also provide a series of policy papers on these issues, which will be issued by the BIBF Islamic Finance Centre given its considerable experience in this space, as the oldest Islamic finance professional qualifications provider in the world.