KUWAIT: The Ministry of Interior announced Tuesday it had foiled an attempt to smuggle a quantity of imported liquor into the country and arrested two Asian nationals involved in the case. The operation was carried out in coordination with the General Administration of Customs as part of ongoing efforts to combat the smuggling of prohibited substances.

In a press statement, the ministry said the incident began when customs officers at Shuaiba Port became suspicious of a container arriving from a Gulf country. Although the container was declared as empty, a meticulous inspection uncovered hidden compartments in the floor containing professionally packaged bottles of liquor. Following the discovery, coordination was made with the General Department for Drug Control (GDDC), which monitored the case closely.

The container was allowed to proceed under strict surveillance until it reached a warehouse in the Ahmadi area, where two Asian nationals were arrested as they attempted to receive the shipment. Initial investigations revealed that the suspects had received instructions from an individual residing in an Asian country to receive and distribute the smuggled alcohol. The Ministry of Interior, represented by the GDDC and in cooperation with customs authorities, affirmed that efforts are ongoing to thwart all forms of smuggling in order to safeguard the nation’s security and social fabric. — KUNA

KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait celebrated the graduation of NBK Tech Academy Wave 2, which is the first of its kind in Kuwait that aims to upskill and qualify national young talents in the banking sector by equipping them with the necessary skills in digital technology and data analysis. The graduation ceremony was attended by Shaikha Al-Bahar, Deputy Group CEO at NBK, Mohammed Al-Othman, CEO of the Consumer and Digital Banking Group at NBK, Emad Al-Ablani, Group Chief Human Resources Officer at NBK, and Mark Diamond, Chief Technology and Transformation Officer at NBK.

The intensive training program of the academy extended for seven months, with 10 trainees following advanced curricula covering the latest developments in banking technology. The curricula included essential technical skills such as financial technology (FinTech), data analysis, technology ethics, cybersecurity, fundamentals of digital payments, digital innovation, AI, programming, blogging basics, and finance for non-specialists.

The program went beyond technical aspects and covered personal and leadership skills, including teamwork, team building, business planning and analysis, result achievement, writing skills, focusing on customers and meeting their expectations, presentation skills, productivity in the workplace, work ethics and values, continued research and learning, project management and change, and enhancing customer experiences. During the program, the trainees were divided into teams though which they collaborated with experts from the bank to produce innovative ideas and solutions. Towards the end of the program a winning team was selected in appreciation of their efforts and creativity.

On this occasion, Najla Al-Sager, SVP – Head of Talent Management & Learning at NBK said: “We are proud to graduate the second wave of NBK Tech Academy, which embodies our commitment to enhancing digital talents and increasing technology-field experiences. This academy plays a pivotal role in developing digital competencies, as it contributed to qualifying the recent graduates and equipping them with the necessary technical and professional skills, further providing for them opportunities to work at the bank’s digital and data departments.”

Al-Sager added: “The success of this wave reflects the program’s efficiency in preparing a generation of digital leaders. The program has been designed to encompass inclusiveness and innovation and provide exceptional opportunities for the trainees to delve into a wide range of recent tech-related developments through orientation and role alternation, which contributes to aiding them with strategic visions about working at the bank and qualifying them to operate in real workplaces with remarkable efficiency.”

She further commented: “We will continue to develop young professionals by equipping them with the necessary skills to cope with the accelerating digital developments to prepare a highly efficient generation of banker from different backgrounds and fields. This consequently will ensure a continued flow of distinguished competencies that contribute to the growth of digital transformation.”

Al-Sager emphasized that the NBK Tech Academy reflects the bank’s insightful vision and keen interest in the accelerating requirements of the digital age, and its awareness of the importance of developing and nurturing highly skilled talents in vital fields such as information systems and security, data science and computer science.

Al-Sager also pointed out that not only is NBK investing in enhancing its future capabilities, but it’s also contributing to shaping the future of banking services in Kuwait. NBK is striving to maintain its leadership among private sector institutions that consistently attracts, upskills, and qualifies national talents for the banking sector. Moreover, NBK has the highest employee retention rates and it’s the workplace of choice for Kuwaiti talents and competencies, in addition to being the largest national employer among private sector institutions in Kuwait.

It’s worth noting that NBK Tech Academy is an integral part of the broader NBK Academy, which was established in 2008 lasting for over 15 years. To date, the academy has graduated 29 waves, many of whom have become key members of the bank’s workforce, with the academy having paved the way for them to join the banking sector.

KUWAIT: The new board of directors of Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) held its first meeting on Tuesday and unanimously elected new member Sheikh Saud Salem Al-Sabah as the new managing director for the country’s agency that runs hundreds of billions of surpluses. Sheikh Saud was among five new members appointed to the board of directors by an Amiri decree on Monday.

The meeting was chaired by KIA chairman, Minister of Electricity and Water and acting minister of finance Sabeeh Al-Mukhaizeem. Mukhaizeem said in a statement that the KIA board of directors will continue its policy to develop the Authority, strengthen governance and manage state funds at a high degree of competence. This, he added, will boost KIA’s strategic role in supporting the national economy and enhance Kuwait’s position at the map of global investments.

Mukhaizeem was appointed acting finance minister following the resignation of Noura Al-Fassam as finance minister after one year of office. No reason was given for the resignation of Fassam, an experienced economist and banker. Kuwait does not officially announce the size of its assets run by KIA, but unofficial reports put the investments at around $1 trillion. In the meantime, a three-day donation campaign to raise funds for the Gaza relief collected over KD 5 million on its third and final day, the ministry of social affairs said on Tuesday.