WIBC was convened under the Patronage of HRH Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and the awards were presented by H.E. Rasheed Al Maraj, the Governor of the Central Bank of Bahrain. Presented each year of the past 16 years to industry leaders who have distinguished themselves in the field of Islamic Finance, the World Islamic Banking Conference (WIBC) Awards are among the oldest and most prestigious in the world.
The Islamic Banker of the Year was awarded to Adnan Ahmed Yousif, President & Chief Executive Officer of Al Baraka Banking Group. In addition to this role leading the Group through the challenges of the global financial crisis, Yousif has also dedicated himself to several other key strategic initiatives in the broader interests of the Islamic finance industry. Furthermore, in his capacity as a Chairman of the Union of Arab Banks, Yousif has offered new proposals and espoused strong support for the future health of the banking industry. The recipient of this prestigious award is voted by his peers in the industry with the results audited by Ernst & Young. Yousif is the first person to win the Islamic Banker of the Year a second time; having first won it back in 2004.
The ceremony was attracted international and regional industry leaders. More than 1,200 delegates from over 50 countries attended the 16th annual WIBC, the World’s largest and most influential gathering of Islamic Finance leaders.
