Speakers

Dr. Toby Birch

Toby Birch is Managing Director of Birch Assets Limited in Guernsey and has established a bullion dealing and storage service called Guernsey Gold. Once his company's investment license has been approved he aims to manage money based on ethical, Islamic principles and to provide sustainable investment choices to both Muslim and conventional investors alike.

Toby made his name as an author by writing one of the most prescient forecasts of the credit crisis. His book - The Final Crash - was published in May 2007 by Pendula Press, just months before the markets peaked. He has appeared on CNBC Europe, BBC Television, BBC Radio and PressTV and was voted Guernsey Investment Professional of the Year in 2007 by Citywealth magazine.

He is a prolific writer of financial articles and has spoken at conferences in the UK, Europe and Middle East. In August 2009 he was keynote speaker at the Albaraka annual conference on Islamic Economics held in Saudi Arabia. He presented his research paper on 'The role of derivatives in causing the financial crisis.'

Toby was previously the CEO of a single Family Office in Guernsey and senior investment manager at Bank Julius Baer, the largest independent wealth manager in Switzerland. He has also been chairman of the fixed income committee at the Dutch private bank MeesPierson and fund manager for global balanced mandates at Old Mutual International.

He was educated at Rugby School and the City University London where he studied Chemistry, graduating in 1989. He was made a Fellow of the Securities and Investment Institute in 2000 and is one of a small number of investment professionals to hold the Institute's Islamic Finance Qualification.