Successfully securing funding in times of crisis: Sovereign, corporate and FI perspectives

Bashar Al Natoor is Fitch Rating’s Global Head Islamic Finance. Mr Al Natoor is responsible for coordinating all Islamic Finance activities across Fitch’s Sovereign, Financial Institutions, Corporate, Structured Finance, Infrastructure and Insurance teams, bringing together dedicated analytical and industry expertise into a centralised and focused Islamic finance group.

Mr Al Natoor has more than 16 years' experience in the Islamic Finance market. Since joining Fitch in 2007, he has overseen Fitch's Sukuk criteria and Islamic Finance practices, undertaken research and written numerous published articles on Islamic Finance. Mr Al Natoor Joined Fitch as a director in the EMEA Corporates group based in Dubai. He was responsible for analysing EMEA issuers, with focus on Middle East and Turkish issuers in the construction, property and Telecommunication sectors. Prior to joining Fitch, Mr. Al Natoor spent seven years at the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) in key roles including Investment Officer in the Treasury Department, a Senior Credit Analyst in Risk Management and Senior Technical Assistant to the Vice President of Finance & Administration. Before working with IDB, Mr Al Natoor was a senior auditor for four years in Arthur Andersen.

Mr Al Natoor graduated with an MSc in banking and financial studies from the Arab Academy for Finance and Banking Science and a BS in finance and banking from Amman University. Bashar is also a Certified Bank Auditor (CBA), a Certified Risk Professional (CRP), a Chartered Market Analyst (FAD-CMA), and a Certified Risk Analyst (CRA).

Patrick (‘Paddy’) is Head of Investor Relations and Managing Director for Emirates NBD’s Group Funding and Principal Investment Unit. The Investor Relations team updates the Analyst & Investor community on the Bank’s performance and outlook. The Global Funding team manages the strategic funding needs of the Bank. The Principal Investment team manages an investment portfolio containing hedge funds, credit funds and private equity.

Paddy has been with Emirates NBD since 2007. Prior to that he worked in London as co-head of the global operating-company rating team at Fitch Ratings. Before this he was part of the structured investment group at JP Morgan where Paddy looked after capital modelling and risk management.

Paddy has a B.Sc. (First Class) in Actuarial Mathematics and Statistics from Heriot-Watt University and a M.Sc. in Mathematical Finance from the University of Oxford.

Hitesh joined Emirates NBD Capital in 2008 and has been instrumental in the development of the investment banking franchise of the Emirates NBD Group. Hitesh is responsible for a dedicated DCM desk and the origination and syndication of debt capital markets, liability management and structured finance mandates.

Hitesh worked on the first Sukuk issuance in 2005 and since then he has advised various governments, financial institutions, blue chip and mid-cap corporates on their Islamic and conventional financing strategies and access to debt capital markets. He has successfully raised over USD 60 billion for Middle East, Asian and Turkish issuers

Hitesh holds a BCom in Accounting and Economics from Sydenham College, India and a postgraduate management degree from HEC Paris (Grande École), France

• Richard joined Tabreed in March 2015
• Over 30 years of diversified finance experience in the UK, Europe and UAE.
• Before joining Tabreed, he was the Head of Financial Governance for Mubadala, where he developed a group wide financial governance framework
• Prior to joining Mubadala, Richard spent over 10 years working in various senior finance roles, at British Midland Airways, a UK based airline operating routes in the UK, Europe, North America and the Middle East

Andrew Paulson joined GIP in 2018 as Principal focusing on Capital Markets and Debt Financing activity. He joined from RBS where he was Head of the Infrastructure Finance team. Prior to RBS, Andrew spent seven years as a Policy Adviser in the UK Government at HM Treasury.

Andrew has worked extensively across the infrastructure sector. In 2020 Andrew has been closely involved in the GIP-led Consortium’s strategic JV with ADNOC, through the acquisition of a 49% stake in ADNOC Gas Pipelines and its inaugural $4bn bond issuance in October.

Roderick Gordon has over 16 years’ Investment Banking and Debt Capital Markets experience and has advised on, arranged, placed and financed over US$50 billion of internationally syndicated debt capital markets issuances and syndicated loans for major international companies and GCC sovereigns, supranationals and corporates.

Rod joined GIB to establish the DCM business in 2010. Prior to joining GIB he worked in Bahrain at Arab Banking Corporation in Debt Capital Markets and Acquisition Finance and Unicorn Investment Bank in Islamic Debt Capital Markets.

Prior to moving to Bahrain in 2007, he worked at Dresdner Kleinwort Benson, London, for over 5 years as Vice President covering Capital Markets Origination, Acquisition Finance and Structured Finance. He also worked for KPMG, London, in the Corporate Finance Debt Advisory team.

Rod has a Masters Degree in Quantum and Solid State Physics from the University of Durham, UK.

GIB, the Gulf’s international bank, helps its clients thrive by working together to realise ambitions. It brings and activates insightful ideas that enable progress. GIB aims to be the preferred financial services partner, delivering bespoke banking solutions to a wide customer base in the region and beyond. This includes corporate banking, asset management, debt and equity capital market services, financial advisory services, mergers and acquisitions, and the world’s first Shariah compliant digital retail banking service, meem by GIB.

In addition to its main subsidiaries, London-based GIB (UK) Ltd., and Riyadh-based GIB Capital LLC, it has branches in London, New York, Abu Dhabi, Dhahran, Riyadh and Jeddah with a representative office in Dubai.