Doha, 14 October 2008 - Qatar National Bank (QNB) is offering its Private Banking customers a unique Credit Card, offering a host of benefits for QNB's Private Banking customers, including greater spending power, superior customer service and enhanced rewards. This exclusive credit card will be offered to QNB Private Banking customers.

The QNB Private Banking credit card features a design as exquisite as its features. The black card, fringed with a metallic gold border and encrusted with a real diamond, is pre-approved and comes with no pre-set spending limit. The card will be personally delivered by the bank in a special presentation pack.

The QNB Private Banking credit card is the key to exclusive premium services, including 24 Hours Global Concierge Services and many forms of travel assistance such as Vacation Planning & Reservations, Hotel Reservation, Air Ticketing, Car rental & Chauffeur driven Car Service, Golf & Yacht reservation, Business Services reservation amongst many others.

QNB Private Banking offers international specialist expertise uniquely coupled with a local bank relationship. From every day local banking needs, to investment advice and solutions, to planning for the inheritance of wealth for future generations, Private Banking offers a full range of innovative products and services.

QNB Private Banking offers a full range of offshore and onshore banking services designed to simplify day-to-day transactions, help secure competitive interest rates and give customers ready access to their funds. It also provides access to a variety of local, regional and global investment opportunities, carefully structuring the customers' portfolios to help them achieve their financial goals.

Through QNB Private Banking, customers can be provided specialist loans for the acquisition, construction or refurbishment of luxury yachts in collaboration with world renowned providers of yacht registration and administration services.

QNB's Private Banking service places great emphasis on building relationships. Each customer is considered a new avenue for creating relationships in the most confidential banking environment. Prioritizing utmost confidentiality, the bank guarantees a very secure and elaborate relationship between the most discerning customer and the bank, as personal financial counselor.

Very soon, the bank will have a state of the art plush lounge reserved exclusively for Private Banking clients. A specially designated banking professional will be always at the customers' service, making sure that all the Bank's products and services come to them, in the process bringing the best available solutions in the minimum possible time.

In this regard, QNB is constantly on the lookout for opportunities to add value to the relationship it holds with its Private Banking clients. QNB's product mix is quite expansive and its services are tailored to suit all its customers' personal needs. QNB creates, innovates and updates all its products and services by employing the latest information technology in order to establish, build and maintain a solid financial basis for its Private Banking customers.

QNB was named the "Best Local Private Bank in Qatar" in the Euromoney Private Banking & Wealth Management Survey 2008 held by Euromoney, an expert source of information on the global capital markets.

-Ends-

About QNB
Qatar National Bank (QNB) was established in 1964 as the country's first Qatari-owned commercial bank, with an ownership structure split between Qatar Investment Authority (50%) and the private sector (50%). 

QNB has steadily grown to be among the largest banks in the region and is by far the leading financial institution in the country with a market share approaching 40% of banking sector assets. QNB has the largest distribution network of 41 branches and offices (including 3 mobile branches), in addition to 11 Islamic branches and offices, and more than 145 Automated Teller Machines (ATMs).

QNB's international presence is rapidly expanding to include new locations around the world to supplement existing branches in London and Paris and the Representative Office in Iran. In 2007, QNB opened new branches in Yemen, Oman & Kuwait and a Representative Office in Libya. The Bank's Representative Office in Singapore received a new wholesale banking licence making it a full fledged Branch of QNB. Recently, QNB also obtained licenses to operate in Sudan and Mauritania.

As part of the same expansion plan, QNB has acquired 33.2% of the shares of the Jordan based, The Housing Bank for Trade and Finance (HBTF) which also operates in Palestine, Bahrain, Algeria, Syria, UAE, Libya and Iraq. QNB also signed an agreement to establish the Qatar National Bank-Syria jointly with other Syrian private and public sectors institutions with a 49% stake for QNB. The Bank also acquired 23.8% of the shares of Commercial Bank International (CBI) based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), thus making its first entry into the UAE financial market.

In 2008, QNB entered the Tunisian market through acquiring 50% of the Tunisian-Qatari bank.  QNB has also taken a 30% stake in "The Kuwaiti-Qatari Company for Ijara and Investment, which will offer Islamic financing services within the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and has acquired a 20% stake in the Doha-based Al Jazeera Islamic Company.  The bank recently received approval from Qatar Financial Center to establish a new investment company; QNB Capital, which will be providing investment banking services.

QNB offers a full range of retail, corporate, investment, treasury, wealth management, and Islamic banking products and services for individuals, corporate institutions and government entities. QNB is constantly striving to provide intelligent banking solutions and its range of products and services, and delivery channels across all disciplines continues to be unrivalled.

QNB was the first conventional bank in Qatar to offer Islamic Banking products and services through QNB Al Islami and the first Qatari bank to launch equity funds for companies listed in the Doha Securities Market.

The London-based Ansbacher, QNB's Wealth Management and Private Banking subsidiary, operates in Switzerland, Channel Islands, the Bahamas, Dubai International Financial Center and Qatar Financial Center. Ansbacher was the first financial institution to be granted a license to operate at Qatar Financial Centre providing a wide range of wealth management services in Qatar and the region.

QNB has the highest credit rating among regional banks from leading rating agencies including Standard & Poor's, Moody's, Fitch, and Capital Intelligence. The Bank has also been the recipient of many awards for its innovative products, services and remarkable performance from leading international specialized financial publications.

QNB has an active community support program and sponsors various social, educational, and sports events.

For further information, please contact
QNB's Public Relations Department
(974) 4252591, Fax (974) 4252589,
email: PR@qnb.com.qa
QNB's website www.qnb.com.qa

© Press Release 2008