LONDON: KPMG firms were named Best Islamic Assurance and Advisory Services Provider for the second year in a row at the 2009 Euromoney Islamic Finance Awards ceremony in London.

Now in its seventh year, the awards are regarded by many in the sector as the benchmark awards for the global Islamic finance industry.

"In 2008, KPMG pushed the boundaries of Islamic finance as it took the practice into new countries," the magazine said.

"In the past year the accountancy and professional services organisation provided assurance and advisory services to more than 60 Islamic financial institutions from the UK, Spain and the Netherlands, through to Bahrain, Malaysia and Sri Lanka."

Following the successful launch of the first Islamic bank in the UK and Western Europe, the Islamic Bank of Britain, KPMG member firms are now also involved in setting up the first Islamic banks in new markets as diverse as France, Nigeria, Canada and the Maldives.