• Markaz’s Ordinary Annual General Assembly approves the Board of Directors’ recommendation to distribute cash dividends of 8% of the nominal share value

Kuwait: Kuwait Financial Centre “Markaz” held its Ordinary Annual General Assembly meeting on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, with an attendance rate of 72.7%. The assembly approved all items on the agenda, including the Board of Directors’ recommendation to distribute cash dividends of 8% of the nominal share value, or 8 fils per share.

In 2025, Markaz recorded total revenues of KD 28.59 million, representing an increase of 41%, compared to KD 20.31 million in 2024. Net profit attributable to shareholders reached KD 10.82 million in 2025, compared to KD 4.46 million in the previous year. Assets under management increased by 8% to reach KD 1.52 billion as of December 31, 2025.

Mr. Diraar Yusuf Alghanim, Chairman, said: “2025 presented both challenges and opportunities, and was a good year for Markaz in terms of performance. This was driven by Markaz’s long-standing investment philosophy, deep institutional experience, and enduring commitment to creating sustainable value for investors. In 2025, Markaz received five awards from prestigious institutions, including EMEA Finance, Euromoney, and MEED, in recognition of its leadership in asset management, investment banking, and advisory services. These awards reflect Markaz’s position as a trusted regional institution, recognized for delivering integrated investment solutions and institutional strength in a competitive financial services environment.”

The Chairman added: “During 2025, the Kuwait equity market emerged as one of the strongest performers in the GCC, ranking second after Oman and delivering a return of 21%. This performance was supported by positive earnings, particularly in the banking sector, future growth expectations resulting from newly enacted laws, including the real estate development and mortgage laws, as well as rising foreign investor participation. Interest rate cuts by the Central Bank of Kuwait, progress in reforms, and the implementation of Kuwait Vision 2035 also supported market sentiment throughout the year.”

Strategic Initiatives

The Chairman stated: “Drawing on more than five decades of experience and innovation, Markaz continues to strengthen its core business lines across asset management, investment banking, and real estate as part of its growth strategy. Markaz also continues to broaden its investment product offering, enabling investors to access global opportunities across public and private asset classes. Among these initiatives is the launch of the Private Real Assets Strategy for qualified and professional investors. During 2025, Markaz continued to enhance its digital platforms, improving operational quality, efficiency, and client experience. Furthermore, sustainability principles remain integral to Markaz values and during the year, Markaz further strengthened its corporate social responsibility initiatives, reinforcing its commitment to lasting community impact in Kuwait and beyond.”

Outlook

Mr. Alghanim commented: “Before the current geopolitical conflict in the Middle East, the IMF expected the GCC economies’ real GDP to grow by 4.3% in 2026, driven by a 5.9% expansion in oil GDP and 3.6% growth in non-oil sectors. However, the escalation of geopolitical risks since the 28th of February has introduced significant uncertainty. Brent crude oil prices have surged. Regional stock markets witnessed mixed performance. Earnings growth forecasts are moderating. Although GCC banks remain resilient with stable asset quality and limited funding outflows, S&P Global anticipates some weakening in financial performance as conflict‑related impacts deepen.

Overall, while the GCC region has sufficient capital buffers and is supported by sovereign wealth funds, the duration and intensity of geopolitical tensions will ultimately determine the scale of the impact on GCC economies and markets. Easing geopolitical tensions in the region will be important for restoring investor confidence and, therefore, potentially having a positive impact on the market outlook. Government initiatives by GCC central banks infuse support to the banking system and help stabilize the negative impact of the conflict on key financial institutions.

Markaz maintains a cautiously optimistic outlook on GCC equity markets in the near term, with a bias toward hedging strategies amid elevated geopolitical uncertainty and heightened market volatility. Over the medium term, the outlook turns more constructive and selective, underpinned by strong macroeconomic fundamentals, sustained strength in oil prices, and continued investment-driven growth across the region. A diversified portfolio with prudent risk management should be the goal to navigate the uncertainty.

Markaz remains committed to disciplined investing to support clients in achieving their long-term goals. Looking ahead, Markaz is well positioned to capitalize on rapidly evolving investment opportunities in private credit and other alternative assets, while integrating digital applications and artificial intelligence to enhance client experience and operational efficiency. Markaz will also continue expanding its international real estate activities with a focus on high-quality assets in the United States and Europe through prudent structuring and active asset management. Markaz will continue to build on its well-established leadership position in regional wealth creation and strengthen its role as a trusted adviser to institutional and corporate clients.”

Business Strategy

Mr. Ali Khalil, Chief Executive Officer, stated that Markaz’s strategy is centered on high- quality of client engagement, expanding its range of investment solutions, exploring selected regional expansion opportunities, and continuously streamlining and digitizing its internal operations. One of the major milestones in 2025 was expanding Markaz’s presence in the Saudi Arabian market from real estate investments to licensed activities, where the Company received initial regulatory approvals. This presence will enhance Markaz’s origination capabilities and broaden its regional distribution reach. With established presence in the United States and Europe, its growing international footprint strengthens its ability to scale differentiated real estate opportunities and alternative investment solutions while maintaining the disciplined execution that defines Markaz.

He added: “The wealth management platform continued to evolve to meet the needs of institutional clients, high-net-worth individuals, and family offices, with a focus on long-term capital growth. By expanding collaborations with international investment managers, Markaz enhanced client access to a wide range of investment strategies. Continued product innovation reflects Markaz’s commitment to offering investment solutions that balance risk and return in line with anticipated market developments.”

Mr. Khalil mentioned: “Markaz’s investment banking platform continues to serve corporate clients across debt and equity capital markets, as well as advising on balance sheet restructuring, mergers and acquisitions. Markaz reinforces its position as a creative advisor for executing complex investment banking mandates. A key strategic initiative for Markaz is to lead and invest in build-operate-transfer (BOT) projects in Kuwait. In 2025, Markaz was awarded its first regional BOT real estate project involving the development and operation of a commercial property in Kuwait. Markaz also strengthened its commitment to digital transformation as technology continues to reshape the financial services sector. Key initiatives implemented during the year included integrating existing systems, developing and expanding the data warehouse, and streamlining operations to enhance collaboration and accelerate decision-making. Markaz’s state-of-the-art CRM system will further elevate client experience and engagement.”

He explained: “Markaz remains committed to investing in its people to sustain leadership in a changing business environment. The company continues to foster a supportive workplace through initiatives that promote employee well-being, professional development, and flexible work practices. A strong focus on diversity and inclusion also encourages broader perspectives and supports innovation. These efforts strengthen the company’s talent base and support sustainable institutional performance through ongoing learning, leadership development, and capability-building initiatives.”

Mr. Khalil concluded: “Markaz will continue to strengthen resilience and respond to changing market conditions while deploying capital with discipline across economic cycles. Innovation, operational excellence in execution, and prudent risk-adjusted decision-making remain at the core of Markaz’s business strategy. By maintaining a client-first approach and investing in capabilities that deepen insight and improve efficiency, Markaz aims to create sustainable value and support balanced long-term growth for all investors.”

About Kuwait Financial Centre “Markaz”

Established in 1974, Kuwait Financial Centre K.P.S.C “Markaz” is one of the leading asset management and investment banking institutions in the MENA region with total assets under management of over KD 1.52 billion (USD 4.98 billion) as of 31 December 2025.  Markaz was listed on the Boursa Kuwait in 1997. Over the years, Markaz has pioneered innovation by creating new investment channels. These channels enjoy unique characteristics and helped Markaz widen investors’ horizons. Examples include Mumtaz (the first domestic mutual fund), MREF (the first real estate investment fund in Kuwait), Forsa Financial Fund (the first options market maker in the GCC since 2005), and the GCC Momentum Fund (the first passive fund of its kind in Kuwait and across GCC that follows the momentum methodology), all conceptualized, established and managed by Markaz.

For further information, please contact:
Sondos S. Saad
Corporate Communications Department
Kuwait Financial Centre K.P.S.C. "Markaz"
Email: ssaad@markaz.com