This week, more than 1,000 investors from more than 100 countries and 15 heads of government are gathering for the ninth World Islamic Economic Forum.
The forum is not in Dubai, Jakarta or Islamabad, however, but in London. For the first time, it is being held in a non-Islamic country – and Britain is honoured to play host. This is an example of the UK’s position as the centre for global finance. And we intend to keep it that way.
That is why I have already set out to ensure the City of London is the home to fast-growing new markets, from Indian infrastructure funds to offshore Chinese renminbi. Now we have set ourselves this ambition: to be the unrivalled western centre for Islamic finance.