To this end, policymakers, financial centre leaders, regulators, and financial services providers need to work together to create the bridges for collaborative action. Additionally, IFCs play vital leadership roles in pushing innovation, regulation standards and benchmarking.
At this webinar, we will share research findings from a report jointly issued by Labuan IBFC and Z/Yen Group entitled “International Financial Centres: Facilitating Financial Inclusion via Digitalisation”, and discuss the opportunities and challenges for financial players as IFCs move cohesively towards financial inclusion.
Register now and join us at this webinar on Thursday, 15 July 2021 at 4.00PM (GMT +8).
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Farah Jaafar
Farah is the Chief Executive Officer of Labuan IBFC Incorporated, a wholly owned subsidiary of Labuan Financial Services Authority, the statutory Regulatory Authority for Labuan International Business and Financial Centre, operating under the purview of Ministry of Finance, Malaysia. Labuan IBFC Incorporated serves as the jurisdiction’s official market development agency.
A seasoned strategic communication, market development and financial services professional, she brings with her experience spanning more than 25 years in wholesale financial services, putting her in good stead to develop Labuan IBFC as Asia’s go-to mid-shore wholesale financial intermediation centre.
Formerly attached to the Asian Institute of Finance and Bursa Malaysia (Malaysia’s national stock exchange), Farah has served in numerous senior market development and strategic communications roles.
She has also represented the Association of Stock Broking Companies Malaysia, a nationwide industry led lobby group representing Malaysian stockbrokers during the demutualisation exercise of the national exchange, allowing her a unique hands-on experience surrounding high strategic level issues relating to multiple stakeholder management, eco-system curation and long-term strategic business strategy.
Passionate about equality, financial inclusion and win-win partnerships, she strongly believes that “a rising tide lifts all boats”. Farah has an LLB (Hons) from Sheffield University, United Kingdom. -
Professor Michael Mainelli
Professor Michael Mainelli FCCA Chartered FCSI(Hon) FBCS co-founded Z/Yen, the City of London's leading commercial think-tank and venture firm, in 1994 to promote societal advance through better finance and technology. Z/Yen boasts a core team of respected professionals as well as numerous associates, and is well-capitalised due to successful spin-outs and ventures. A qualified accountant, securities professional, computer specialist, and management consultant, educated at Harvard University and Trinity College Dublin, Michael gained his PhD at London School of Economics where he was also a Visiting Professor. His research in aerospace (rocket science) and computing (architecture & mapping), led to him starting Swiss companies in seismology, cartography and energy information. He became a senior partner with accountants BDO Binder Hamlyn directing global consulting, and Corporate Development Director for Europe’s largest R&D firm, the Ministry of Defence’s 14,000 strong Defence Evaluation & Research Agency, leading to two privatisations.
Michael's career summary is a decade of technology research, followed by a decade in finance, then two decades at Z/Yen combining research and finance. His thematic focus is increasing certainty applied to technology, economics, and finance. He is a recognised expert on strategy, R&D, financial risk, and global competitiveness, particularly of cities. -
Simon Mills
Simon Mills began his career by working as a field botanist on Cloud and Elfin rainforest in Northern Costa Rica. His subsequent career encompassed minerals and highways planning, environmental management systems and sustainable development. In 2000 he became environmental co-ordinator for the City of London, where he established the National Sustainable City Awards and worked on carbon trading, socially responsible investment and climate risk. Following a secondment to Defra in 2010, where he was responsible for establishing the Local and Regional Adaptation Partnership for England, he returned to the City of London as Corporate Policy Manager and Head of Sustainable Development.
Since joining as a Z/Yen Associate, Simon has worked on mutual distributed ledgers, standards, sustainable business, and policy performance bonds.
