TAG-Org and CIMA to launch first global Arabic Certificate in Islamic Finance from a professional chartered accountancy body

The launch of the Arabic certificate, which counts HSBC Amanah as its global supporting partner, marks a major step forward for the Islamic Finance industry ? it is the first global qualification of its kind to be offered by a professional chartered accountancy body

DUBAI, 4 October 2009 --- The Talal Abu-Ghazaleh CIMA Academy will host the global launch of the CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) Certificate in Islamic Finance in Arabic in Dubai on October 12th at the Emirates Towers at 6.30pm.

The launch of the Arabic certificate, which counts HSBC Amanah as its global supporting partner, marks a major step forward for the Islamic Finance industry ? it is the first global qualification of its kind to be offered by a professional chartered accountancy body.

Robert Jelly, Director of Education at CIMA, will explain how the certificate has been developed to help meet a global shortfall of skilled Islamic finance professionals, by offering an internationally recognised qualification as an alternative to regional qualifications available in isolated geographies. He will stress how the move to offer the certificate in Arabic - the language of one of most important Islamic Finance regions in the world ? the Middle East, is core to CIMA?s strategy to ensure this global qualification is accessible to all.

Dr Mohd Daud Bakar, international Shari?ah expert from the IIIF (International Institute of Islamic Finance Inc) and consultant on the Certificate syllabus, will then take to the stage to outline the impressive growth of Islamic Finance around the world, against the backdrop of a global economic crisis. He will discuss the important role Islamic Finance has to play in the modern world, and touch on Dubai?s crucial role in the industry.

Salah Abu-Osbeh, Regional Director at Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Academies, will go on to outline the need for an Arabic translation of the CIMA Certificate in Islamic Finance. Mr. Abu-Osbeh will tackle the importance of this cooperation to create the opportunity for Arab professionals to be specialised and internationally qualified in Islamic finance; the fastest growing financial services sector, in order to diminish the shortage of qualified professionals in this field in the Middle East.

The event will close with a speech from Ammar Shamsuddin, HSBC?s Head of Human Resources for the UAE, who will outline HSBC Amanah?s collaboration with CIMA to promote the Certificate in Islamic Finance. He will also explain how HSBC staff have already benefited from undertaking this global Certificate as HSBC Amanah?s Islamic Finance qualification of choice.

There will be interview opportunities with all spokespeople from 6.30pm and an opportunity for photographs. To register for a press pass, please contact: Katie.Scott-Kurti@cimaglobal.com.

The event will be followed by networking over refreshments. For more information, or to attend, interested parties should email Middle.East@cimaglobal.com at their earliest convenience.

For more information on the CIMA Certificate in Islamic Finance, please log on to www.cimaglobal.com/islamicfinance.

-Ends-

For press enquiries or to request an interview, please contact:
Roufan Nahhas
Media Executive Director, Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organisation
+962 6560 9000 Ext: 3620
RNahhas@tagi.com

Katie Scott-Kurti
PR Manager, CIMA
+44 (0) 20 8849 2347
Katie.Scott-Kurti@cimaglobal.com

Lucy Kelly
Communications Manager, HSBC Amanah
+971-4-4235201
lucykelly@hsbc.com


Notes to Editors

1. The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, founded in 1919, is the world?s leading and largest professional body of Management Accountants, with 171,000 members and students operating in 165 countries, working at the heart of business. CIMA members and students work in industry, commerce and not-for-profit organisations. CIMA works closely with employers and sponsors leading-edge research, constantly updating its qualification, professional experience requirements and continuing professional development to ensure it remains the employers? choice when recruiting financially-trained business leaders.

CIMA is committed to upholding the highest ethical and professional standards of members and students, and to maintaining public confidence in management accountancy. CIMA is proud to be the first professional accounting body to offer a truly global product in the fast-moving area of Islamic Finance.

According to independent research conducted by the University of Bath School of Management, CIMA?s syllabus and examination structure are the most relevant to the needs of business of all the accountancy bodies assessed. See the CIMA Difference report for further information at www.cimaglobal.com/thecimadifference. CIMA has been awarded Superbrand status in the UK for a third year in a row this year and for the first time in Sri Lanka.

For more information about CIMA, please visit www.cimaglobal.com.
Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CIMA_News

2. TAGORG.com Your global partner in 70 offices and 180 correspondents, for all your business needs: auditing, valuation, management consulting, ICT development, business advisory, training, educational consultancy, capital services, human resources development, real estate consulting, translation, legal service, intellectual property rights protection and domain name registration.

3. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Academies (www.tag-academies.com): A group of professional academies specialized in offering training programs, projects and consultancies. The group of thirteen academies provides its services through thirty-two offices in the Arab World in the following fields of Professional training, Banking and finance, Information Technology, Human Resources Management, English Language, Chinese Language, Developing Education Institutes, training of trainers, Teachers and Managers, Training Consultancies, Project management, Media, Islamic banking and Qualifying Translators.

4. HSBC Amanah is the global Islamic financial services division of the HSBC Group. It was established in 1998 with the aim of making HSBC the leading provider of Islamic financial services worldwide. HSBC Amanah meets the Shariah-compliant finance needs of all customer groups in the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, Europe and the Americas. HSBC Amanah represents the largest Islamic financial services team of any international bank.
With the global resources of the HSBC Group at its disposal and the largest Islamic finance team of any international bank, HSBC Amanah is uniquely positioned to understand, structure, and distribute financial services that are compatible with the requirements of Shariah (Islamic Law).