Al-Kharafi:

  • We have successfully embedded technology into the fabric of our daily operations, transforming it into sustainable value that directly serves our customers
  • At NBK, technology is not merely a tool; it is integral to our mindset, operating model, and value-creation approach
  • A total of 561 million transactions were processed up to October, delivering an 11% improvement in productivity compared with 2024
  • 95% of wire transfers were executed with SMS tracking enabled, ensuring end-to-end visibility through to beneficiary receipt
  • A 20% reduction in fraud incidents and a 40% decline in their value, driven by proactive analytics and continuous monitoring frameworks
  • Processing and settling more than 1.2 million card payment transactions daily through highly efficient and trusted payment platforms
  • Instant issuance of over 60 card types, tailored to meet the diverse needs of customers across all branches
  • Expansion of the card delivery network to 167 locations across Kuwait and 11 international branches, supported by real-time tracking capabilities and stringent security protocols
  • The launch of Microsoft Copilot marked a qualitative leap in advancing the deployment of artificial intelligence across the Group
  • Robotic Process Automation (RPA) delivered efficiency gains equivalent to 473,898 working hours, reducing transaction turnaround times by 91.9%
  • A total of 124 traditional processes were digitized through the deployment of 137 digital workers, achieving a success rate of 98%
  • Digital workers were successfully deployed across four international branches, including Bahrain, the UAE, Singapore, and Egypt
  • The Group Chief Data Office continues to transform raw data into a strategic asset, supporting innovation, regulatory compliance, and customer-centric growth
  • NBK’s recognition with the AI Excellence Award at the Microsoft Summit underscores its pioneering role in deploying artificial intelligence to optimize workflows and drive superior operational outcomes

In 2025, the Group Operations, Technology, and Data at National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) did not merely strengthen its position as the intellectual engine and driving force behind digital transformation within Kuwait’s largest financial institution; its role expanded further to enable the Bank to play a pivotal and strategic role in strengthening the national financial infrastructure, while delivering sustainable, long-term value for clients and the national economy as a whole.

Guided by a clear vision and well-defined strategy, the Group achieved a broad range of accomplishments over the course of the year. This progress enabled NBK to move beyond the boundaries of digital transformation for traditional services toward a fundamental redefinition of the relationship between digital banking and people’s daily lives, embracing a robust strategic approach that places the customer at its core, treats data as a strategic asset, and continuously enhances operational efficiency to ensure the highest standards of business continuity and transaction security.

In this context, NBK Group Chief Operating Officer, Group Operations, Technology and Data, Mr. Mohammad Yousef Al-Kharafi, said: “Group Operations, Technology and Data stands as the backbone of NBK and the cornerstone of its competitive strength. It is not merely an operational support function, but a strategic enabler of rapid innovation, sustained operational efficiency, and institutional resilience across the Bank’s diverse business segments”.

Al-Kharafi emphasized that the Group’s core mandate is to deliver operational excellence that fundamentally enhances the customer experience while maximizing value creation for the Bank’s shareholders. He noted that the Group’s success is not measured by the scale of its technology investments alone, but rather by its ability to seamlessly embed technology into the fabric of daily operations and translate it into sustainable value that serves NBK’s customers.

“Technology at NBK is not merely a tool; it is embedded in our mindset, operating model, and value-creation approach. The Bank adopts a proactive stance that goes beyond keeping pace with developments to actively contributing to shaping them,” he added.

Main Settlement Bank in Kuwait

Among the most significant achievements delivered by the Group Operations, Technology and Data in 2025 was the selection of NBK, in May, as the Main Settlement Bank in Kuwait within the framework of the Central Counterparty (CCP) project, qualifying the Bank to play a pivotal role in strengthening the national financial infrastructure.

This strategic designation followed a rigorous and comprehensive evaluation process that began in 2020 and involved stringent testing across multiple phases, during which NBK achieved the highest overall rating in the final assessment among all participating banks.

This achievement reflects the Bank’s exceptional operational readiness and the effectiveness of its proactive investments in technology infrastructure, operational governance, and risk management. It also enables NBK to play a direct and vital role in supporting liquidity, reducing settlement risks in the Kuwaiti capital market, and reinforcing investor confidence, thereby advancing the national agenda to position Kuwait as a leading and attractive regional financial hub.

In a related development, NBK signed a strategic memorandum of understanding with Kuwait Clearing Company (KCC) to enhance electronic services and automate clearing and settlement processes, paving the way for future initiatives aimed at streamlining operations and elevating service delivery to clients.

Data-Driven Operational Efficiency

On the operational efficiency front, the Operations Group at NBK successfully processed 561 million transactions through October 2025, delivering a 2.9% increase in productivity and an overall improvement of 11% compared with 2024, figures that underscore the effectiveness of sustained investment in robust and reliable systems.

In the area of financial transfers, 95% of wire transfers were completed with SMS tracking enabled through to beneficiary receipt, reinforcing transparency and trust.

As part of its financial security and fraud prevention efforts, the Bank delivered a tangible 20% reduction in fraud incidents and a 40% decline in associated values, driven by advanced proactive analytics and continuous monitoring. Operational processes were further optimized through the automation of customer application templates in full alignment with the guidelines of the Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK), accelerating execution while simultaneously reinforcing regulatory compliance. At the regional and international levels, the Operations Group worked closely with NBK Group’s overseas branches to deploy advanced solutions, capitalizing on the technological capabilities of the Head Office to further embed advanced digital capabilities across the Group’s network, while reinforcing its regional and global footprint.

Cards and Payments: Operational Readiness with Global Reach

NBK delivered notable achievements across the cards and payments domain, including the instant issuance of more than 60 card types tailored to meet the diverse needs of customers across all branches. The Bank also processed and settled over 1.2 million transactions daily through highly efficient and reliable payment platforms, while ensuring comprehensive global acceptance of NBK cards worldwide. This capability is further reinforced through full support for leading digital payment solutions, including Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Pay, and Garmin Pay.

2025 also marked a significant expansion of the Bank’s card delivery network, extending coverage to 167 locations across Kuwait and 11 international branches, supported by real-time tracking and stringent security protocols. Card efficiency was further enhanced through advanced technologies such as Visa Stop Payment Service (VSPS) and Token Life Cycle Management (TLCM), ensuring the highest standards of security and convenience.

Harnessing AI to Enhance Performance

In 2025, NBK recorded a qualitative leap in the integration of generative artificial intelligence across its operations, as the Group Operations, Technology and Data successfully launched Microsoft Copilot and rolled it out to all Bank employees across departments. This milestone marked a transformative step within the Group’s strategy to deepen the adoption of artificial intelligence at an enterprise-wide level.

To ensure the responsible and secure use of AI technologies, NBK established dedicated working groups and governance teams to oversee disciplined deployment in line with the highest standards of transparency and accountability. From a security perspective, priority was given to leveraging AI for proactive fraud detection and enhancing transaction reliability through advanced monitoring and analytics models. These efforts were crowned by NBK’s receipt of the AI Excellence Award at the Microsoft Summit in October 2025, underscoring the Bank’s leadership in harnessing artificial intelligence to streamline workflows and elevate institutional performance.

Intelligent Automation: Unlocking Resources and Creating Environmental Value

Intelligent automation emerged as a central pillar of the digital transformation journey led by the Group Operations, Technology and Data, aimed at freeing employees from repetitive tasks and enabling them to focus on relationship-building and higher-value activities.

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) capabilities were expanded to convert 124 traditional processes into digital workflows through the deployment of 137 digital workers, with these capabilities extended across four international branches in Bahrain, the UAE, Singapore, and Egypt.

This program achieved a 98% success rate, delivering substantial efficiency gains, including the saving of 473,898 working hours and a 91.9% reduction in transaction processing time. It also generated a clear and measurable sustainability impact, contributing to the saving of 7.2 million sheets of paper (equivalent to 720 trees), reducing 55 tons of carbon emissions, and conserving 1.6 million kilowatt-hours of energy.

NBK’s digital transformation strategy through RPA is executed across three core pillars: continuous learning, exploration, and development and monitoring.

Transforming Data into a Strategic Asset

The Group Chief Data Office serves as NBK’s compass for trusted information, embedding a data-driven culture and discipline across the Bank by setting rigorous standards for integrity, governance, and accessibility. This ensures that leadership decisions are grounded in accurate, secure, and efficiently managed data.

Through the coordination of policies, frameworks, and advanced analytics, the Office aims to convert raw information into a strategic asset that underpins innovation, strengthens regulatory compliance, and enables customer-centric growth.

Key achievements of the Chief Data Office in 2025 were anchored around three core pillars:

First: Enhancing the user experience for relationship managers across corporate, retail, and business banking through the development of customized dashboards that enable more personalized client service.

Second: Strengthening data quality through the establishment of an enterprise data warehouse, elevating data integrity and enhancing system-wide integration.

Third: Future readiness through the development of strategic roadmaps to support digital innovation across open banking, artificial intelligence, and data science, positioning the Bank at the forefront of adopting intelligent, data-driven models that deliver proactive and personalized client experiences.

Shaping Technology Leaders in the Banking Sector

Driven by its conviction that its people are its greatest asset and the true engine of its digital transformation journey, NBK continued to invest in national talent throughout 2025. In February 2025, NBK welcomed the second cohort of the NBK Tech Academy, the first academy of its kind in Kuwait dedicated to advanced digital technologies and data systems. The six-month program delivered intensive, hands-on training across fintech, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and programming.

The Bank also launched the Full Stack Developer Program, in collaboration with CODED, which was completed by 19 trainees. The program aimed to strengthen the technical capabilities of Kuwaiti youth within the banking industry and enhance their proficiency in technology and programming.

Reaffirming NBK’s commitment to the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), the Group Operations, Technology and Data continues to prioritize the attraction and empowerment of female talent in the technology sector, while increasing their representation in leadership positions.