We - Burgan Bank S.A.K. - are a public shareholding company incorporated in the State of Kuwait by law decree dated 27 December 1975, making us one of the youngest commercial banks in the State of Kuwait. Originally a government-owned Bank, in 1997 our share ownership was dramatically changed through privatization, which reduced government ownership from 61% to a current stake of under 10%. Kuwait Investment Projects Company (KIPCO), a leading investment institution in Kuwait, now represents the largest single ownership. This change in the ownership structure has paved the way for further growth and expansion of product ranges and services.

We pride in being a leading retail and commercial banking institution. Our retail banking offers include accounts, loans, cards, remittances and other related services, while our corporate unit offers banking solutions to local markets and small businesses including letters of credit, letters of guarantee, overdrafts and business loans, industrial activity financing, project financing, supply contract financing and civil contract financing. Our investment unit provides investments and new issues services, and we also provide treasury services that cover foreign exchange, money markets and corporate sales, in addition to online banking and international banking services.

Through innovative product offers and technologically advanced delivery channels, we have continuously improved our performance over the years by applying an expanded revenue structure, good asset quality, diversified funding sources and a strong capital base. The adoption of state-of-the-art services and ground-breaking technology has positioned us as a trendsetter in the domestic market. At present we enjoy a wide reach through our network of 20 branches and close to 100 ATMs giving us one of the widest ATM networks in the GCC.

Today, we at Burgan Bank are committed to developing activities with diversified and innovative investment and financial products, enhancing treasury operations, increasing syndication activities and expanding our retail network throughout Kuwait and to the wider region. With the introduction of innovative technology systems within the Bank and all branches, we are able to offer a full range of streamlined and advanced banking services. We are dedicated to a programme of continual improvement that places the needs of you, the customer, first and foremost.

Having recently unveiled our new corporate identity which reflects our commitment towards customer centricity, our brand has been created on a foundation of real values – of trust, commitment, excellence and progression to remind us of the high standards to which we aspire. ‘People come first’ is the foundation on which products and services are developed and are further augmented by our three pillars of innovative technology, staff competency and customer service. We seek to offer an enhanced banking experience at every stage of life, as we endeavor to realize our motto of being ‘driven by you’.

The Bank was recertified and is still the only bank in the GCC with ISO 9001:2000 certification in all its banking businesses. It also has to its credit the distinction of being the only bank in Kuwait to have won the JP Morgan Chase Quality Recognition Award, 10th year in succession and was also acknowledged as the ‘Best Local Private Bank’ in Kuwait in the Fourth Annual Euromoney Private Banking Survey 2007. Further, for two consecutive years, it was conferred the COMMERZBANK Recognition Award, for maintaining high standards of quality, efficiency and reliability while processing Euro currency transactions as well. The Bank’s commitment to uphold best practices was recognized when it won the region’s first Hawkamah-UAB Bank Corporate Governance Award 2007 while its marketing excellence was recognized as amongst the best in the region by the Middle East Business Achievement Awards 2007.

Our steadily improving financial performance was acknowledged by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services which revised its outlook on the Bank from stable to positive in addition to affirming its 'BBB+' long-term and 'A-2' short-term counterparty credit ratings on the Bank. Further, Moody’s Investor Services also upgraded our FSR rating from D+ to C- earlier this year. Capital Intelligence also have acknowledged our improved financial profile and upgraded our Financial Strength Ratings from BBB to A-, the Foreign Currency Short Term rating as A2 and the Foreign Currency Long Term rating from BBB to A-.