UK - Islamic Bank of Brotain launches ‘new banking experience’

www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk - The Islamic Bank of Britain has launched its first high street outlet in West Yorkshire with a new agency serving the Bradford district.

The move follows the recent appointment of Sohaib Hamid as business development manager for the region. The IBB agency, located within Reeds Rains Estate Agents on Northgate, Dewsbury, is one of six agencies being opened by the bank this year.

It will serve customers across the West Yorkshire region including Bradford, Leeds and Wakefield.

The opening will help IBB to meet a growing local demand for Sharia-compliant retail financial products of which it has the largest range in the UK, including a Sharia-compliant mortgage alternative, home purchase plans, savings accounts, personal and business banking, as well as pensions and investment products, in conjunction with partners. (source)

TATARISTAN - Tatarstan is a good proposition for Muslim investors

telegraph.co.uk - The Muslim-majority region of Tatarstan has proved to be an attractive investment destination for funds – for both Russian Muslims and foreign investors based in Muslim countries.

Worshipped: the Kul Sharif Mosque stands in the grounds of Kazan's Kremlin
 

Tatarstan’s mosques now stand harmoniously side-by-side with Orthodox churches, but it is traditionally a Muslim region and it still has a Muslim majority. This, coupled with Tatarstan’s huge development potential, makes it a good proposition for Muslim investors.

Two Islamic funds have recently launched operations in Tatarstan. The first is the Malaysian private equity firm AmanahRaya Capital Group, which has already launched several projects in the republic. “We bypassed Moscow and came to Kazan, as it offers the most attractive investment climate,” says managing director Dato Ahmad Rodzi Pawanteh. (source)