January 27, 2016

The Middle East is a hub for global ag investments, but a keen understanding of the audience and participants driving demand in the area is critical. Saif Shawqi will present a compelling case for asset managers at this month’s Global AgInvesting conference here to seriously consider Islamic investors as part of their capital raising endeavors, stressing the benefits of making those offerings Sariah-compliant.

Shawqi, who leads the Shariyah Review Bureau’s Gulf Cooperation Council Shari’a compliant Agricultural & Food practice initiative covering all aspects of the mid- and downstream farmland and food sectors, is just one of the speakers at the Dubai event, 29 February – 2 March at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers.

In his opening day presentation, Shawqi will address:
1.     Why are Islamic investors showing interest in ag?

2.     Which Islamic finance institutions are investing in ag?

3.     What are the challenges to overcome in dealing with Islamic investors?

The conference will also spark discussions about the Middle East’s sovereign wealth funds (SWF) and government-linked institutions, as well as Family Offices, all of which have a strong influence on global ag investments. As Shawqi said recently in a blog for GAI News, “family offices generally are conservative, risk-averse and they maintain a relatively long-term ‘macro’ perspective; perfect fit for this asset class.”

Tarek El Sherbini, GAI Middle East Advisory Board member, cautioned that the difficulties of investments in ag – lack of scale, synergies and consolidation among indigenous players – makes it hard to compete with imports and multinationals.

But, said El Sherbini, the head of Food & Agribusiness, Southern & Eastern Mediterranean for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, “the Middle East and North Africa will remain attractive markets for ag investing for the long-term due to the combination of large and growing populations, low levels of competition in most sectors, and optimal geographical locations for trade, despite the usual short-term volatilities that affect emerging markets.”

Over 50 international thought leaders will speak at GAI Middle East 2016 and continue these discussions and present strategies for diversified agriculture portfolios, such as regional variation and opportunities in dairy, livestock and value-added food products. Registration is available exclusively at www.globalaginvesting.com/GAIME16.