Burgan Bank - Turkey is a natural extension of the already existing strong regional brand platform Burgan Bank Group enjoys

Kuwait - 28 January, 2013: Burgan Bank Group today announced that it has extended its regional brand platform to Turkey. Following its recent acquisition, Eurobank Tekfen will now be operating under the name of Burgan Bank - Turkey, where its subsidiaries EFG Istanbul Equities and EFG Leasing will be branded as Burgan Securities and Burgan Leasing respectively.

Burgan Bank- Turkey is a continuation of the current strong branding platform that Burgan Bank enjoys, and one which echoes its values of trust as well as partnership to deliver international best practices throughout its operations.

Eduardo Eguren, Chief Executive Officer of Burgan Bank Group said: "Expanding our brand into Turkey marks a key milestone in Burgan Bank's continued efforts to building a strong regional banking franchise and, to ultimately be able to provide customers with sound financial solutions across our network of subsidiaries in the Middle East and North Africa. The Burgan Bank brand is an award winning one, and extending it is only a natural part of our expansion strategy which aims at building and acquiring scale, capabilities and footprint."

On his part, Mehmet Somnez, Chief Executive Officer of Burgan Bank - Turkey said: "Burgan Bank - Turkey is now a fully owned subsidiary of Kuwait based Burgan Bank Group. The bank is backed by a clear cut strategy that focuses on the upside geo-economic growth potential Turkey provides, along with the benefits of the bank's wider group synergies across Jordan, Iraq, Tunisia, Algeria and Lebanon."

Burgan Bank has four majority owned subsidiaries, which include Gulf Bank Algeria - AGB (Algeria), Bank of Baghdad - BOB (Iraq & Lebanon), Jordan Kuwait Bank - JKB (Jordan) Tunis International Bank - TIB (Tunisia), and fully owned subsidiary recently acquired Burgan Bank - Turkey, (collectively known as the "Burgan Bank Group").

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About Burgan Bank
Established in 1977, Burgan Bank is the youngest commercial Bank and third largest by assets in Kuwait, with a significant focus on the corporate and financial institutions sectors, as well as having a growing retail and private bank customer base.

Burgan Bank has five majority owned subsidiaries, which include Gulf Bank Algeria - AGB (Algeria), Bank of Baghdad - BOB (Iraq & Lebanon), Jordan Kuwait Bank - JKB (Jordan) Tunis International Bank - TIB (Tunisia), and fully owned Burgan Bank - Turkey, (collectively known as the "Burgan Bank Group").

The Bank has continuously improved its performance over the years through an expanded revenue structure, diversified funding sources, and a strong capital base. The adoption of state-of-the-art services and technology has positioned it as a trendsetter in the domestic market and within the MENA region.

Burgan Bank's 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 its products and services are developed. Earlier this year, 'Brand Finance' - the international brand valuation company- rated Burgan Bank brand as AA with positive outlook.  The rating places Burgan Bank Brand at 2nd amongst the most valuable banking brands in Kuwait.

Excellence is one of the Bank's four key values and Burgan Bank continually strives to maintain the highest standards in the industry. The Bank was re-certified in 2010 with the ISO 9001:2008 certification in all its banking businesses, making it the first bank in the GCC, and the only bank in Kuwait to receive such accreditation. The Bank also has to its credit the distinction of being the only Bank in Kuwait to have won the JP Morgan Chase Quality Recognition Award for twelve consecutive years.

Burgan Bank won the prestigious "Banking Web Awards" prize in the commercial and corporate Category for Kuwait. In 2010 Burgan Bank was awarded with the "Best Internet Banking Service award" from Banker Middle East Awards. Burgan Bank was recognized in 2011 as Kuwait's "Best Private Bank", by World Finance. The bank also won, in 2011, the coveted "International Platinum Star for Quality" award from Business Initiative Directions, and "The Best Technical Award" from Banking Web Awards. In 2012, Global Banking and Finance Review online magazine recognized Burgan Bank as the "Best Banking Group in the MENA" as well as the "Best Corporate Bank in Kuwait". The bank also won the coveted "Best Bank Branding" award by the Banker Middle East. For the second consecutive year in 2012, Burgan Bank also won World Finance's "Best Private Bank" award, as well as the "Best Private Bank in Kuwait 2012" award from Capital Finance International. The bank recently won the "Best Bank in Kuwait" award from EMEA Finance.

Burgan Bank, a subsidiary of KIPCO (Kuwait Projects Company), is a strongly positioned regional Bank in the MENA region.

© Press Release 2013