New HSBC brand presence welcomes visitors at Kuwait Airport Arrivals

Kuwait City, 2 November 2011: HSBC Kuwait today launched the roll-out of the Bank's new long term global trade campaign in the Middle East.  To mark the launch, visitors flying in to Kuwait Airport will now be greeted with new branding, highlighting HSBC's commitment to trade flows and helping businesses grow.

Simon Vaughan Johnson, Chief Executive Officer, HSBC Kuwait said:  "The new trade campaign, which is being gradually rolled out across our international markets, supports a major initiative announced by HSBC earlier this year to focus on  further expanding our trade activities.  HSBC's strong trade heritage, global knowledge and local expertise makes it uniquely placed to support companies in extending their international trading links. 

"In Kuwait, the campaign reinforces HSBC's position as the world's leading trade bank and supports our focus on growing our core commercial banking services and assisting in the development of Kuwait's economy into a major regional trading hub."

HSBC also launched HSBC Trade Connections as part of the broader global campaign.  HSBC Trade Connections is the first comprehensive exploration of the future opportunities for businesses operating internationally.  The new quarterly forecast combines trade data from around the world with leading indicators of world trade and macro-economic trend information.

The report predicts that Middle East and North Africa trade volumes will grow by 84.7% by 2025, greater than the world trade average of 73%.  Globally, it states that despite the current economic climate, international trade activity will grow, on average, by just under US$1trillion a year between now and 2015.  Results of future HSBC Trade Connections surveys will be published and updated on HSBC Kuwait's website (www.hsbc.com.kw), as they become available.

The trade campaign further strengthens HSBC's position as a leading international bank and a leading global provider of trade services.  Re-enforcing this, HSBC has committed to facilitate US$750billion of world trade by 2013.  The campaign signifies HSBC's commitment to best serve the needs of its business customers through connectivity between its global network and the local markets in which it operates.

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HSBC in the MENA Region
HSBC is the largest and most widely represented international banking organisation in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), with operations in 14 countries.  HSBC has branches and offices in the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Algeria and the Palestinian Autonomous Area. In Saudi Arabia, HSBC is a 40% shareholder of Saudi British Bank (SABB), and a 49% shareholder of HSBC Saudi Arabia for investment banking in the Kingdom. In Iraq, HSBC holds a majority shareholding in Dar Es Salaam Investment Bank. HSBC also maintains a representative office in Libya.

Jeanette Sleiman FARAH
Phone: +965 2223 0701/ +965 2223 0722
Fax: +965 22230744
Email: jeanettefarah@hsbc.com
Web site: www.kuwait.hsbc.com

© Press Release 2011