Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity surged to more than $5tn in 2021, the biggest year in M&A history due to such factors as easy access to capital, low interest rates, and a recovering global economy. Mergers and acquisitions involve consolidating companies or assets with the aim of boosting growth, gaining competitive advantages, increasing market share, or influencing supply chains.
The question that arises is: Would M&A in Islamic finance lead to a more diversified and effective financial sector that would support the development of the national economy, diversify its sources of income, and stimulate savings, finances, and investments, or would it lead to a more concentrated market (less competition) with consequences for banks' stability, profitability, and efficiency?
In general, M&A happens regularly in the business world, and when executed well, it can promote competition among businesses, empower entrepreneurship, and protect consumers while allowing for increased freedom.
In this context, IIFC2023 gathers corporate leaders, private equity investors, academic scholars, and regulators to discuss different aspects of complex M&A transactions, such as types of asset pooling, capital concentration, the impact of technology advancements on deal structuring of mergers and acquisitions and finally the role of M&A in affecting the structure of domestic and global competition.
Furthermore, IIFC2023 addresses the questions related to the viability, sustainability, and future of Islamic Finance in the presence of global economic turbulence. This is due to the financial evolution that is taking place via the digitization of financial sectors and markets. While presenting challenges, these market developments are also opportunities for growth. By offering creative, viable, and socially responsible solutions, Islamic finance tools, and models can contribute to the future development of Saudi Arabia and the region. This can be done through the successful integration, promotion, and implementation of Saudi Vision 2030.
Join us and explore upcoming collaboration opportunities, cultivate your social and knowledge networks, and complement your core experience!
Confernce Topics
The 8th International Finance Conference (IFC 2023) themes may include, but are not limited to the following:
- M&A trends and Islamic Finance
- M&A and Islamic Capital Markets
- M&A and its impact on the financial structure
- Bank concentration/competition as a result of M&A
- Debt Re-Structuring and Islamic Finance
- Monopolistic markets from the Islamic perspective
- M&A within the Islamic Finance Industry: Historical perspective
- M&A in the digitization era
- Innovation Driven acquisitions
- Islamic Corporate Governance
- Fintech & Sustainability in Islamic finance
- The future of Islamic finance (Shari'ah issues, standardization, ethics, & digitization era)
- Islamic finance alternatives in the era of crises
