ICD wants IFTDP program to be 'gold standard'

The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), a member of Islamic Development Bank Group, has celebrated the completion of the First Cohort of its Islamic Finance Talent Development Program (IFTDP) last week at Intercontinental Jeddah.
The IFTDP has been designed for mid-career professionals who possess prodigious leadership competencies. Moreover, as shortage of qualified human capital is one of the most serious challenges facing the Islamic finance industry today, the ICD, while embracing its developmental mandate, developed the IFTDP in 2011 as a means of addressing this shortfall.
Its sole objective is to build up a pool of highly talented Islamic finance executives who are capable of leading the industry in the future.
During the event, the opening remarks were made by the CEO and general manager of the ICD, Khalid Al-Aboodi and Abdelaziz Mustafa, the director corporate support on the success of the program, along with the keynote speaker, Simon Eedle.
The IFTDP for experience professional has a world-class rotational program that includes three high-impact eight-month assignments in an IDB Group sub-business and a comprehensive in-residence global training curriculum over the course of two years. The classroom training will lead to the Certified Islamic Finance Professional (CIFP) qualification, awarded by INCEIF.
“Since IFTDP is first of a kind, the focus of IDBG was to generate competent executives to the office and to help shape various opportunities for the institution” said Al-Aboodi. “The achievement of this program was beyond the expectations. ICD aspires that the IFTDP program will become the “gold standard” in developing the Islamic finance human capital" he added.
The talent strategy of IDB Group based on the difficulties faced by Islamic financial institutions in finding talents and realizing the importance of human capital development, together with the belief that attracting and retaining talent is the most powerful factor behind the success and excellence of organizations, the IDBG established the Young Professional Program (YPP) as well as the IFTDP.