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Kuwait Finance House appoints International brand consultancy Wolff Olins for strategic branding initiative

Wolff Olins recently won the competitive pitch for Kuwait Finance House ( KFH ). Early in the millennium, Wolff Olins worked as advisors for KFH on naming and brand architecture and are now taking the brand building strategy to new heights. After working with Wataniya, KFH is the second Islamic Bank win for Wolff Olins in the region this year.

Mr. Abed Bibi, Managing Partner, Wolff Olins, said, "We are very glad that KFH has come onboard and chosen Wolff Olins due to our long standing branding business in the region. Wolff Olins will help achieve new goals, businesses, experiences and relationships through revitalizing its brand image creating a spectacular new growth for KFH ". He added, "Wolff Olins has worked in Kuwait in each of the last few decades. In the 1980's Wolff Olins created the Q8 brand for Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) ."

To name a few, Wolff Olins has worked in the UAE with Emarat in the 90's, Etisalat in 2009, and Aldar in November 2010. In Qatar, the Qatar Financial Centre, Mathaf which is the Arab Modern Museum of Art (AMOMA) launched recently, Omran in Oman this year and Mobily in KSA this year.

Mr. Ziad Salameh, Brand Manager, Kuwait Finance House , said, "Building on solid brand fundamentals, top management at KFH are fully committed to the strategic value of the brand as a springboard and platform for regional and global expansion thus spreading across all that KFH stands for and believes in. In order to have the experts undertake this project, we recruited Wolff Olins, the International brand consultancy and have the utmost confidence in them to undertake this project to new heights."

Mr. Charles Wright, Wolff Olins lead strategist on Islamic banking said, "During the recent economic turmoil, Islamic finance has shown itself as resilient and has come of age. With shari'a compliant finance you have one less thing to worry about, giving a person peace of mind."

Conventional banks form a large part of Wolff Olins client portfolio while Kuwait Finance House fills in a gap in the very close but fundamentally unique field of Islamic Banking. Islamic banking refers to a system of banking that is consistent with the principles of Islamic law (Sharia) and its practical application through the development of Islamic economics. Islamic banks take on a partnership mode in sharing risks and returns when involved in any transaction. The most often cited difference between conventional and Islamic finance is the prohibition of paying or receiving interest.

Islamic Banking is emerging in the past five years as a major trend on the global financial scene. Although Islamic finance began solely on the retail level offering deposit accounts and home and auto finance, today Islamic Banking also includes corporate and government finance, investing and insurance.

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WOLFF OLINS
Wolff Olins is a brand business based in Dubai, London, and New York.

Wolff Olins use brand to help clients do new things. New businesses. New experiences. New relationships. New ways. New things that challenge, provoke, reinvent. And create spectacular new growth.

They help clients achieve new ambitions through brand-led strategy. They help them capture their brand idea, devise the best brand architecture, and manage their brand for maximum impact. Recent strategy clients include Etisalat, GE, Skype, Sony and Omran.

They help clients create new businesses and services through brand-led innovation. And they help create the best possible customer experience, in store and online. Recent innovation clients include PepsiCo, Mercedes-Benz and Tata.

They help clients reach new levels of performance through brand-led transformation. They use the power of brand to engage, excite and embolden their employees. Recent transformation clients include PricewaterhouseCoopers, Unilever, Airtel and Wataniya.

And Wolff Olins help clients carve out a new presence in the world through brand communication. They help them create brand names, visual and verbal identities, and communication strategies - online and offline. Recent communication clients include AOL, Amnesty International, Solidere and Qatar Financial Centre.

Wolff Olins is made up of 140 people that are ambitious for clients and optimistic for the world.

For further information please visit www.wolffolins.com

Kuwait Finance House ( KFH )
Kuwait Finance House ( KFH ) is a pioneer of the banking phenomenon known as Islamic Finance or Shari'a compliant banking. They were the first Islamic bank established in the State of Kuwait and today they are one of the foremost Islamic Financial Institutions in the world.

From its inception in 1977, KFH has grown into a robust banking and financial institution, as well as a leader in the Islamic financial industry. KFH is now a market leader not only in the Islamic banking industry, but also in the banking sector as a whole, providing a wide range of Shari'a compliant products and services covering banking, real estate, trade finance, investment portfolios and corporate, commercial and retail financial markets.

KFH is operating in more than 20 countries with 200 branches around the world, which prompted many countries to ask KFH to operate on their lands. KFH uses its subsidiaries in Turkey, Bahrain, Malaysia, Jordan, Germany, and Australia as means for further cooperation between Kuwait, the GCC, Middle East region, Far East, and Europe.

For further information on the press activities, please contact:
Shenoy
ekadaa PR
Dubai, UAE
Tel: +9714-3912100
Fax: +9714-390 4740
Email: shenoy@ekadaa.com

© Press Release 2011