• The bank won 6 local, 5 regional awards, and 2 awards in Financial Innovation Labs
  • NBK named “Best Consumer Digital Bank” in the Middle East
  • Al-Kharafi:Developing our digital capabilities is a top priority and we inject huge investments to reinforce our digital excellence
  • We commenced a new phase of digital transformation focusing on Automation and AI
  • We engage high-grade talent to deliver our commitment to continuously enhance our digital services
  • We strike a balance between accelerating the development process to maintain our digital excellence, and ensuring the security of all services provided
  • Al-Nusif: The recognition puts us under greater responsibility to maintain the excellence and provide more
  • We have a huge technological infrastructure and high-caliber talent enabling us to provide world-class services
  • At the present time, there is no service that customers cannot obtain through our digital channels
  • NBK Mobile Banking App is a key example of our digital excellence and success to maintain our leadership
  • We are leading the development, and our products have changed the payment solutions landscape in Kuwait

National bank of Kuwait (NBK) is accelerating the steps of its digital journey, making more progress as seen in its introduction of innovative services, products and advanced payment solutions day after day, which is highly recognized by the most prestigious local and international institutions. In this context, NBK was recently recognized with 13 awards on Kuwait and the Middle East levels, within Global Finance’s World’s Best Consumer Digital Banks Awards for 2022, in appreciation of its endeavors in this regard and the outstanding digital banking products and services offered throughout the year.

The awards were received on behalf of the bank by Mr. Mohammed Al-Kharafi, GM – Head of Group Operations and Mr. Hisham Al-Nusif, Deputy GM of Consumer Banking Group at National Bank of Kuwait during the annual ceremony held by the magazine in Dubai.

At Kuwait level, the bank won 6 awards, and excelled in 5 of them to become the best across the entire Middle East region:

  • Best Consumer Digital Bank (Kuwait and Middle East)
  • Best Mobile Banking App (Kuwait and Middle East)
  • Most Innovative Digital Bank (Kuwait and Middle East)
  • Best Online Deposit, Card and Investment Product Offerings (Kuwait and Middle East)
  • Best Bill Payment and Presentment (Kuwait)
  • Best in Lending (Kuwait and Middle East)

In addition, Global Finance 2022 – Financial Innovation Lab has also recognized NBK for two awards:

  • Outstanding Innovation in Mobile Banking
  • Financial Services Company Lab

The cutting-edge digital products and services streaming into the market is supported by huge back-end operations, infrastructure, and a highly professional team that managed to maintain a noticeable edge for NBK over competitors and reinforce its digital excellence.

In this regard, Mr. Mohammed Al-Kharafi, GM – Head of Group Operations at National Bank of Kuwait commented on winning this distinguished set of awards saying: “NBK gives top priority to developing its digital capabilities. To this end, it injects more investments and attracts high-grade talent to reinforce its digital excellence and leading market position in providing the latest top-of-the-line digital products and services, and cutting-edge payment solutions.”

Al-Kharafi noted the pivotal role of Group Operations in this regard, saying: “Group Operations is the key driver of digital transformation which witnesses a new phase focusing on using cutting-edge technologies and advanced solutions including Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Automation and Artificial Intelligence (AI).”

Group Operations recently commenced a new phase of digital transformation, during which it succeeded in transforming dozens of operations processes from the traditional to fully automated systems, which effectively contributed to significant reduction in working hours, he mentioned.

Al-Kharafi added: “We always strive to introduce continuous enhancements to all our digital services and payment solutions. In this, we strike a balance between accelerating the development process to maintain our digital excellence, and ensuring the security and safety of all services provided to preserve our reputation and strong banking brand.”

On this occasion, Mr. Hisham Al-Nusif, Deputy General Manager of Consumer Banking Group, National Bank of Kuwait, said: “These awards make us feel proud and happy as they represent a recognition of our efforts over the course of a whole year. However, this puts under greater responsibility to maintain the excellence we have achieved and to continue to provide more.”

“NBK Brand means to our customers a firm trust in the bank’s ability to maintain its leadership in providing top-notch banking services that meet their needs. With the tremendous technological development witnessed in the industry and the escalating competition with other banks and financial institutions, the task becomes more difficult, so, we strive to do more to maintain our leadership,” he added.

Al-Nusif noted that NBK was proactive as it started its digital transformation journey early, which led to accumulating a huge technological infrastructure and building a team of high-caliber talent and expertise. This contributed to enriching the digital products and services offered to customers to be on par with the international standards and carefully meet their needs, as well as the cutting-edge payment solutions often introduced for the first time in Kuwait.

On how far digital channels succeeded in meeting customers’ needs, he said that at the present time, there is no service that customers cannot obtain through our digital channels, including applying for a loan, or opening an account or deposit.

Al-Nusif added: “NBK Mobile Banking App is a key example of our digital excellence and continued acceptance of the challenge to maintain our leadership, as we are always working to enhance it with the latest services that meet our customers’ needs. By this we succeeded to grow the number of its users, which increased by 20% last year, as well as the number of transaction that increased by 30%, making it our largest branch, which accounts for more than 90% of transactions.”

On customers’ demand and the high level of satisfaction with NBK’s products and services, he mentioned that the key word to attract customers is the accurate knowledge of their needs, thanks to our constant communication with them to identify their expectations. This enhances the ability to provide innovative products, services, and payment solutions that suit their different daily lifestyles and segments.

Regarding introducing the best-in-class payment solutions, Al-Nusif said: “As usual, NBK is leading the development, especially in the field of payment solutions whose landscape in Kuwait has changed over the recent past period, thanks to our offerings in the digital payment solutions market which stand on par with the latest technologies in the international banking industry.”

Founded in 1987, Global Finance is one of the most reputable magazines specialized in finance and economics. It has a circulation of 50,000 readers in 193 countries, including senior corporate and financial officers responsible for making investment and strategic decisions at multinational companies and financial institutions.

The magazine conducts various surveys annually about innovation and profitability for banks and financial institutions all over the world, based on which it selects top performers on the regional and international levels.

Global Finance recognizes leading financial services companies and banks, globally and regionally, for their outstanding innovations in finance and digital banking, and also honors the best global financial innovation labs.

The selection of winning financial innovations from the submissions is made by the editorial board of Global Finance, based on specific criteria, with the input of a number of reporters from around the world who are experts on the functions being served by these innovators.

For more information about Global Finance’s World’s Best Consumer Digital Banks Awards for 2022, please visit their website:

https://www.gfmag.com/media/press-releases/global-finance-names-worlds-best-digital-banks-2021-round-1

Weyay.. A digital bank with a modern character serving the needs of the youth

Weyay Bank embodies NBK’s vision to provide superior digital services to the youth segment who depend on technology in all the details of their daily lives. By Launching Weyay, Kuwait’s very first digital bank, NBK consolidated its position as a trailblazer of digital transformation and a banking leader. This is reflected in Weyay’s success in offering an integrated modern vision that meets the needs of the young generation.

Weyay Bank was awarded “Outstanding Innovation in Mobile Banking” in Global Finance’s Annual Innovators Awards for 2022.

Weyay introduced innovative banking services for the youth that are offered for the first time in the Kuwaiti market, and will continue to provide more of the banking products and solutions that are most relevant to their expectations. Since it was first launched, Weyay captured the interest of GenZ-ers to open bank accounts, in a way that exceeded all expectations, especially by enabling account opening in just a few minutes, totally paper-free.

The Weyay app was launched on Google play and Apple Appstore, enabling customers to download the app and sign up at their own convenience from wherever they are, and securely verify their identities using Kuwait Mobile ID or scanning their Civil ID in the Weyay app.

The work team is the key word for the remarkable achievements

NBK’s team, which is full of high-caliber talent doing their best all year round, is the key driver of the remarkable achievements made, as it is the key word for progress and excellence at all levels.

The vital role of NBK’s work team is leveraged by their exquisite skills and expertise, sense of responsibility, initiative-taking and determination to excel, making them the cornerstone of all the bank’s leading achievements, innovations and initiatives.

NBK’s employees managed to work day and night under exceptional circumstances over two years due to the pandemic. During this period, they even succeeded to add further achievements, as they placed NBK’s interests as a top priority and exhibited teamwork to maintain its leadership, locally and regionally.

NBK gives paramount attention to its professional cadre, relying on their efforts to sustain its success towards a prosperous future for the bank.

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