KFH: World's Best Islamic Bank for 2025

19/10/2025 04:02 AST

Kuwait Finance House (KFH) Group has been recognized with nine prestigious awards in the 18th Global Finance annual awards for the Best Islamic Financial Institutions in 2025. The awards acknowledge the Group's leadership in the Islamic finance industry, its success in implementing a sustainable growth strategy, and the strengthening of its global position.

The awards are:
World's Best Islamic Bank
World's Best Islamic Retail Bank
World's Best Islamic SME Bank
World's Best Takaful Provider
World's Best Islamic Project Finance Provider
Best Islamic Bank in the Middle East
Best Islamic Bank in Turkiye (Kuveyt Turk)
Best Islamic Bank in Kingdom of Bahrain (KFH Bahrain)
Best Bank in Kingdom of Bahrain (KFH Bahrain)

The awards were presented at a special ceremony held alongside the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Group (WBG) meetings in Washington DC, USA. The event was attended by KFH Group Chief Executive Officer, Khaled Yousef Al-Shamlan, and a delegation of senior executives, including the CEO of KFH-Bahrain, Shadi Zahran, CEO of KFH-Turkey, Ufuk Uyan, KFH Group Chief International Banking Officer, Abdullah Al-Haddad, the CEO of KFH Capital, Abdulaziz Almarzooq, and the Head of Public Relations and Media at KFH Group, Yousef Abdullah Al-Ruwaieh.

KFH Group CEO Khaled Yousef Al-Shamlan, said upon receiving the awards that their acquisition reflects KFH's distinctive position and the success of its strategy in driving sustainable growth and establishing its global presence as a leading Islamic banking group. He added: "These awards represent a new achievement for KFH, validating the Bank's unwavering commitment to providing customers with innovative banking solutions that meet the highest international standards in Islamic finance. The awards also reflect the confidence of our customers and partners, which serves as a motivation to further develop our business and enhance the Bank's standing both locally and globally."

Al-Shamlan pointed out that the World's Best Islamic Bank award underscores the Group's successful strategy in building a giant banking entity that tops all listed banks and companies on Boursa Kuwait in terms of market capitalization, supported by strong financial solvency and competitive performance. "With a significant international footprint spanning 10 countries and over 600 branches, KFH is steadily advancing its strategic ambition to be counted among the world's top 100 banks", he added.

Speaking about the World's Best Islamic Retail Bank award, Al-Shamlan explained that this recognition highlights KFH's excellence in delivering innovative, customer centric banking solutions that enhance their experience and reaffirm the Bank's commitment to meeting its clientele needs with the highest levels of convenience and security.

He further noted: "As KFH advances in adopting technology and digital transformation, it remains committed to investing in its digital infrastructure and providing smart banking solutions in line with global developments. These efforts enhance the Bank's resilience to the evolving market changes and customer needs." As for the World's Best Islamic SME Bank award, Al-Shamlan noted that KFH holds the leading position in the SME sector. "KFH is a strategic partner in the growth of this segment. The Bank has financed numerous successful businesses, recognizing the sector's vital role in generating employment opportunities and promoting national economic development" said Al-Shamlan.

Talking about the World's Best Takaful Provider award, Al-Shamlan mentioned that KFH was the first in Kuwait to establish a Takaful insurance company, expanding coverage options for individuals and businesses. The Bank also reinforced its leadership by signing the first-of-its-kind Global Takaful Alliance agreement with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

He went on to say that the World's Best Islamic Project Finance Provider award reflects how KFH places great importance to major projects emphasizing their role in economic development. He said that KFH contributed to financing strategic sectors across Kuwait and the region including petrochemicals, oil and gas, power and water, renewable energy, infrastructure, services and many more. Al-Shamlan further emphasized that winning the Best Islamic Bank in Turkey, Best Islamic Bank in the Kingdom of Bahrain and Best Bank in the Kingdom of Bahrain awards, reflect the Group's synergy and its outstanding performance in the markets where it operates, guided by a unified flexible strategy tailored to the nature of each market.

Awards criteria
It is worth noting that Global Finance magazine grants its awards to financial institutions that lead the expansion of the Islamic finance industry through innovative and Sharia-compliant financial solutions. KFH was selected following a meticulous assessment by the magazine's editorial, in consultation with bankers and analysts worldwide. The criteria for selecting top firms include growth in assets, profitability, geographic reach, strategic relationships, new business development and innovation in products and digital solutions, in addition to reputation and customer satisfaction.

Founded in 1987, Global Finance is one of the well-established specialized publications in finance and economics, with a readership exceeding 50,000 ranging from senior executives to decision makers at financial institutions across 193 countries around the world.

Kuwait Times