Zain's corporate website ranked first among listed companies in Kuwait

The ranking comes as part of the fourth annual '2012 M:Communications / KWDigital Middle East Webranking'survey of the largest listed companies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region by market capitalization, based on the requirements of the investment community.

MohamadAbdal, Zain Group's Investor Relations and Corporate Communications Director represented the Group at the event that was held in Doha, Qatar. The survey was conducted by King Worldwide Digital (KWD), the leading online corporate communications agency that specializes in such rankings around the world.

The key conclusion of the Middle East's Webranking was that the region's publicly listed companies are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of online transparency as part of their strategy to implement best practice investor relations. The survey shows that more companies are turning to online channels to communicate with shareholders, and disclosing more on their websites including financials, corporate governance guidelines, CSR initiatives, and company news.

For an unprecedented third consecutive year, Zain's corporate website in Kuwait was identified as the 'Best Corporate Website' in the country. Significantly, Kuwait is the country in which Zain was founded and where it is listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange.

Hisham Akbar, Zain Group's Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer said the identification of the company's corporate websites in key markets such as Kuwait and Saudi Arabia was an important endorsement of Zain Group's value proposition and brand value. "Recognition in King Worldwide Digital's latest digital rankings is a rewarding experience for us. We are true believers in the benefits of building a vibrant, trustworthy and viable corporate brand, and place a great deal of effort into doing so. This recognition helps re-affirm our strong corporate culture and brand value, which extends to exceeding the expectations of our customers; adhering to the highest corporate governance guidelines; and to being a good corporate citizen in all the markets in which we operate."

Akbar continued: "Being ranked the leading corporate website in Kuwait for three years running is extremely satisfying for numerous reasons. The fact that this is Zain Group's home market is significant, as is the fact we have been awarded the accolade for three straight years - reflecting the consistency of our high standards and our tirelessdrive to always give of our best."

Saud Al Bawardi, Zain KSA Chief Commercial Officer said:"We are proud for our corporate website to have been rankedthird amongst all listed companies in Saudi Arabia; and first within the telecom sector, given that we operate in one of the most competitive telecom and financial markets in the MENA region. We spenta considerable amount of time and resources this year to revamp our website and online communication channels, including our social media outlets on Twitter, Facebook and You Tube."

Phil Marchant, Managing Director (UK) of King Worldwide Digital said:"The top ten best performing Middle Eastern companies this year are increasingly making use of more advanced methods to engage with key audiences, many of which are actively using social media outlets."

In its assessment of Zain's corporate websites in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, KWD stated that the companieshad continued to demonstrate that they understood the importance of a strong online presence for the media, analyst and investor community as a key aspect of any successful investor relations strategy. The Zain operating companies were also commended for having recognized the necessity of social media in catering for all ages in today's increasingly online era with dynamic and appealing Facebook, Twitter and YouTube content.