Majlis & Markets
Majlis & Markets brings you insightful conversations with leaders in Islamic and global markets. 🌐💬 Join us as we explore the landscape of Islamic finance, delve into the intricacies of Middle Eastern and global financial markets as well as enter the realms of venture capital and much more!
Email us: hassan@majlisandmarkets.com
Episodes
36 episodes since 2021
Episode 36-Crypto Currents: Fintech and Digital Assets in the Gulf
The digitalisation of finance is reshaping the industry, with new asset classes like cryptocurrency gaining traction. Dubai and the UAE have become key hubs for fintech and crypto, driven by new frameworks and initiatives to attrac...
September 16, 2024
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37:41
Episode 35-Egypt’s Fintech Focus: Growth and Challenges
Egypt is quickly becoming a major tech and fintech hub in MENA and Africa. With over 100 million people, many of them young and tech-savvy, and a strategic location connecting continents, the country is set for impressive growth.But the ...
September 12, 2024
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38:36
Episode 34-Feeling the Heat: Gulf States and Climate Shifts
Across the MENA region, environmental challenges are rising, but the six Gulf Arab states—Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Bahrain—are feeling the impact the most. With economies built on oil and gas, they’re now on the frontline...
September 06, 2024
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53:40
Episode 33-Islamic Finance: Kazakhstan's Next Frontier
Since 2009, Kazakhstan has been integrating Islamic finance into its economy to attract foreign investment and diversify its financial sector. Leading this effort is the Astana International Financial Centre, or A...
September 02, 2024
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40:03
Episode 32-Building Trends: UAE & Saudi Real Estate Insights
Dubai's real estate has surged in the past decade, driven by its strategic location and luxury demand. Abu Dhabi is advancing, and even smaller emirates like Ras Al Khaimah are attracting attention with new projects.Saudi Arabia is the m...
August 20, 2024
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52:18
Episode 31-Pyramids of Pressure: Egypt's Economic Balance
Egypt's economy is under intense pressure, with a currency crisis, soaring debt, rampant inflation, and a struggling private sector. But a major UAE investment in February 2024 and a recent IMF bailout offers hope. Plus, Egypt’s en...
August 13, 2024
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57:53
Episode 30- Inside the Gulf bonds bonanza
According to Fitch, the GCC debt capital market has soared to nearly $1 trillion. In 1H24, GCC p...
August 09, 2024
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45:38
Episode 29-Exploring the GCC Private Credit Boom
According to the IMF, private credit assets grew to $2.1 trillion globally in 2023. With banks less willing to lend to riskier firms in the US and Eur...
July 28, 2024
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51:48
Episode 28-MENA VC Insights: Saudi surge and regional trends
The Middle East, Pakistan and Turkey secured $665 million in funding in the first half of 2024, equating to an 18% drop from last year,...
July 21, 2024
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38:51
Episode 27-Profit Over Principles? The Ethical Dilemma in Islamic Finance
The modern Islamic finance industry has grown since the 1970s into a $5 trillion industry. Critics argue that despite its ethical roots, it often prioritizes shareholder returns over impact investing. Whilst Islamic finance shares ...
July 15, 2024
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1:04:21
Episode 26-Central Asia's Fintech Revolution
Despite a young, tech-savvy, and predominantly Muslim population, Islamic finance in Central Asia remains small and underdeveloped. The region's financial services and fintech sectors also lag behind their global counterparts.In our 26th...
July 10, 2024
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1:05:51
Episode 25-Qatar's Next Play: From the World Cup to Future Growth
Following the successful 2022 World Cup, Qatar is now focusing on diversifying its economy beyond hydrocarbons.In our 25th episode, we spoke to Akber Khan, Acting CEO of
July 03, 2024
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57:58
Episode 24-Bricks and Bytes: Iraq's Real Estate Tech Boom
Real estate is becoming a major sector in Iraq's economy. According to Statista, a Germany-based market research and data company, it's the fourth largest among Arab countries and is expected to g...
June 17, 2024
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1:06:36
Episode 23-Islamic Fintech: Navigating the Landscape and Challenges
Over the past decade, digitalisation and technology have transformed financial services, including payments and interactions between customers and businesses. Islamic fintech aims to do the same but in a Sharia-compliant way.So, what mak...
June 12, 2024
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48:49
Episode 22-Redefining Islamic Finance: The Tech Disruption
Emerging technologies like cryptocurrency and blockchain are rapidly growing in financial services, including Islamic finance. These technologies promise to democratize and improve services, but some argue that Islamic finance still mirrors con...
May 30, 2024
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59:38
Episode 21-Gulf investment boom: Inside the rise of private capital
In recent years, private capital and institutional finance in the Gulf have surged, with investors venturing into infrastructure and emerging areas like private credit and equity. This has attracted attention from major players like BlackRock, ...
May 27, 2024
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1:13:23
Episode 20-Turkey’s Economic Shift: Crisis or Comeback?
Since the May 2023 Presidential elections, Turkey's economic policy has changed significantly. Mehmet Şimşek, now the finance minister, signals a return to orthodox economic policymaking. This includes raising interest rates and implementing ke...
May 20, 2024
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59:04
Episode 19-Rising Down Under: Australia's Islamic Finance Landscape
In recent years, Islamic finance has gained traction in Australia. With Muslims comprising 3.2% of the population and a median age of 27, their financial needs align closely with their religious beliefs. Moreover, Australia's trade with...
May 10, 2024
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56:26
Episode 18-Libya Uncovered: Post-2011 Dive into Politics & Economics
Since the 2011 revolution ousted long-time leader Muammar al Gaddafi, Libya has been in turmoil, with rival factions fighting for control amidst vast oil reserves. However, conflicts intensified notably after 2014, worsening the nation's instab...
May 02, 2024
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1:10:44
Episode 17-Charting Gulf Sovereign Wealth Funds
Over the last two decades, sovereign wealth funds (SWFs), particularly those from the Gulf, have emerged as significant economic players.With Gulf SWFs holding nearly $4 trillion in assets, they wield considerable influence on both loca...
April 29, 2024
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49:30
Episode 16-Venturing Forward: Unlocking the OIC's Venture Capital Potential
In recent decades, the global venture capital industry has experienced a significant surge, propelling ground-breaking start-ups like Uber and Airbnb into mainstream recognition.Despite the promising emergence of venture capital hubs in ...
April 25, 2024
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54:05
Episode 15-Shifting Tides: Exploring de-dollarization and the rise of BRICS
The shift from the US dollar to non-dollar currencies in trade, known as de-dollarization, impacts capital markets, global trade, and geopolitics.Moreover, the influence of BRICS, a coalition of major emerging economies, is reshaping the...
April 22, 2024
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1:13:56
Episode 14-Gulf Monarchies Unveiled: Power, Wealth and Global Influence
The Arab monarchies of the Arabian Peninsula have become key players globally in politics, economics, and security, largely due to their extensive oil and gas reserves. With their substantial wealth, these Gulf states exert signifi...
April 17, 2024
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1:07:47
Episode 13-Unpacking Egypt's Economy
Since 2011, Egypt has faced political and economic challenges, worsened by a surge in foreign debt and unfavourable policies. COVID-19 in 2020 and the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022 hit hard, especially as Egypt is the world's largest wheat im...
April 12, 2024
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1:02:44
Episode 12-FDI Insight: OIC Economies
Foreign direct investment or FDI is a vital driver of economic growth for many nations. This can be through job creation, tax revenue, and technology exchange.FDI also faces challenges including data collection accuracy, regulatory hurd...
April 06, 2024
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47:48