Brunei Institute of Leadership & Islamic Finance (BILIF), with the support of Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB), officially launched the “Brunei Islamic Sustainable Finance Forum (BISFF) 2025” on 28 May 2025. The two-day forum, held at Mulia Hotel, Bandar Seri Begawan, is part of the Brunei Mid-Year Conference and Exhibition (MYCE) 2025, organised by the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT). This year marks BILIF’s fifth consecutive participation since 2021.
The forum, themed “Islamic Finance: Catalyst for Sustainability”, reiterates the role of Islamic finance in addressing global sustainability challenges. It also seeks to reinforce Islamic finance as a key driver of sustainable development through collaboration, innovation, and dialogue among stakeholders, including regulators, policymakers, government agencies, financial institutions and academics. The forum also aims to position Brunei Darussalam as a thought leader in Islamic finance.
The event commenced with welcoming remarks by Yang Mulia Afero Eswandy Mohamad, Acting Chief Executive Officer, BILIF. In his remarks, Afero underscored the importance of meaningful grassroots engagement and active participation from the financial industry and private sector in advancing sustainability through Islamic finance. He added that he hoped the BISFF 2025 served as a timely platform for industry practitioners, regulators, and policymakers to explore the synergies between Islamic finance and the global sustainability agenda.
The event continued with a keynote address by the Guest of Honour, Yang Mulia Hajah Rashidah binti Haji Sabtu, Managing Director, BDCB, as the Chairperson of BILIF. During her keynote, she emphasised that amidst an increasingly complex global and economic landscape, there is a pressing need for innovative and practical solutions to advance sustainability goals. She underscored the importance of platforms such as BISFF in fostering meaningful dialogue on key topics including blended finance, sustainable takaful, waqf revitalisation, and governance which can drive impactful collaborations and generate actionable insights. She further highlighted that Islamic finance is not merely a vehicle for economic gain, but a sacred trust, or amanah, to uplift communities and safeguard the planet.
The first day of the forum featured engaging panel discussions and presentations focused on advancing Islamic finance as a catalyst for sustainable development. Key themes included Asia’s leadership in the Islamic sustainability agenda, strengthening the foundations of Islamic finance, leveraging blended finance for greater impact, and revitalising waqf as a tool for long-term development. The sessions were enriched by insights from esteemed experts, including representatives from regulatory bodies, financial institutions, and academia from Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
The second day continued with insightful discussions on aligning Islamic finance with climate resilience and risk, balancing regulation with growth in sustainable finance, and fostering innovation to drive sustainable practices. Distinguished speakers from takaful, banking, asset management, and academic sectors shared their perspectives, contributing to meaningful dialogue on the evolving landscape of Islamic sustainable finance.
BILIF, as the Centre of Excellence for the finance industry in Brunei Darussalam, continues to pursue its mission to shape future leaders, experts, and innovators, particularly in the areas of Islamic finance and leadership through immersive programmes and world-class events. For more information on BILIF, please visit the BILIF website at bilif.com.bn or BILIF’s Instagram @BILIF.bn.