'Global Finance' names NBK the 'Best Trade Finance Bank in Kuwait and the Middle East' for 2004

The awards were announced in Global Finance's issue commending the world's best banks.

Ms. Shaikha Al-Bahar, General Manager Corporate Banking Group at NBK Said that wining the awards is another challenge for NBK and it reassures the Bank's strong financial and Banking ability in trade finance locally and regionally. She added, NBK the only Arabic Bank that has been selected within a consortium of more than a dozen international banks to facilitate the trading needs of Iraq at this stage mainly import and export operations indicates the international challenging ability of NBK.

Global Finance attributes this achievement to NBK's trade finance services and LC's and LG's, indicated, "the size of these operations distinguished NBK's to be the best choice for the largest companies in Kuwait for its local and international coverage for these services".

Other banks that won the title are Citigroup in the Americas region, ABN AMRO in Europe, RZB in Central and Eastern Europe and HSBC Holdings in Asia.

NBK has long been distinguished by having the highest credit rating given to any Bank in the region by international rating agencies including Moody's, FitchRating, S&P and Capital Intelligence. "Such recognition from international institutions only deepen our commitment to maintain our record of earnings stability, growth and profitability.