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Thursday, November 26 - 2009

Thales supports 'Bank of Kuwait and the Middle East' in implementing instant EMV card issuance

Thales, a leader in information systems and communications security, today announces that it is providing BKME with an instant EMV card issuance system which allows banks' branches to provide customers with a new Chip and PIN card within ten minutes.

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The system, which Thales has demonstrated with its partners in the region over the past four years, allows customers to apply for a card and to choose their own PIN number in the branch.

The EMV Instant Issuance implementation enables BKME to lead the way not only in the Middle East but on a global scale in issuing Chip cards. The bank is able to provide its customers with a fully personalised EMV card in the branch, reducing the cost of mailing cards and PINs to customers and eliminating the risk of cards being stolen or lost in transit. It is estimated that between 20-30% of mailed credit and debit cards are never activated or rejected, incurring unnecessary costs in terms of materials, production and delivery.

The complete system brings together the technology and expertise of Thales, Verisoft, and the local Thales partner Al Nawasi. Paul Meadowcroft, head of transaction security for the Information Systems Security activities of Thales says: "The successful introduction of the instant issuance system at BKME is the result of 12 months of planning, testing and implementing appropriate processes. We believe that we will now see other banks worldwide follow suit, especially in Saudi Arabia, where an increase in demand is evident with the SPAN domestic Debit application."

He adds:
"The implementation of instant EMV cards at BKME not only provides cost and time-saving benefits but also offers the possibility of secure instant issuance of ID and store cards in the future."


The system has been rolled out at all 22 BKME branches in Kuwait and has been live since August 2007, working seamlessly with Thales P3 crypto modules and existing Thales HSMs purchased by the bank. The project was implemented in conjunction with Al-Nawasi, a General Trading & Contracting Company and Thales partner in Kuwait, and Verisoft, a provider of integrated software, hardware and consulting services and a Thales partner in Turkey. The solution is based on the Microsoft.net Framework comprising web-based interactive software and uses a secure PINPAD/POS terminal for branch PIN entry.
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About Thales
Thales is a leading international group, addressing Defence, Aerospace and Security markets worldwide. Thales's expertise in its core markets spans the entire value chain, providing all the capabilities its customers require, from equipment and systems to comprehensive support services, and including prime contracting on large-scale programmes. Thales's leading-edge technology is supported by 22 000 R&D engineers who offer a capability unmatched in Europe to develop and deploy field-proven mission-critical information systems. To this end, the group's civil and military businesses develop in parallel and share a common base of technologies to serve a single objective: the security of people, property and nations. The group builds its growth on its unique multi-domestic strategy based on trusted partnerships with national customers and market players, while leveraging its global expertise to support local technology and industrial development. Thales employs 68 000 people in 50 countries with revenues in 2007 of €12.3bn

Thales is one of the world leaders in the provision of Information and Communication Systems Security solutions for government, defence, critical infrastructure operators, enterprises and the finance industry. Thales's unique position in the market is due to its end-to-end security offering spanning the entire value chain in the security domain. Offers range from consulting through architecture design, security and encryption product development, evaluation and certification preparation to through-life management services.

Thales has forty years of unrivalled track record in protecting information from Sensitive But Unclassified up to Top Secret and a comprehensive portfolio of security products and services, which includes network security products, application security products and secured telephony products. In the financial world, Thales secures value bearing transactions, data preparation for card and PIN issuing, and provides advanced user and message authentication solutions supported by secure identity management and token issuing.

Press contacts
Alexia Ward
Hotwire, press agency
+44 (0) 20 760 8468

Nicola Truman
Hotwire, press agency
+44 (0) 20 7608 4673

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