KUWAIT CITY, Jul 29: There’s a particular kind of silence that envelops a guest room at Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait at ‎Burj Alshaya just before check-in, a poised hush, like the moment before a symphony begins. But ‎what seems effortless is, in truth, the culmination of a choreography that begins long before the ‎guest ever steps inside. It’s a ritual of intention, detail, and above all, care.‎

Luxury in today’s world isn’t just about thread count or polished silver. It’s about anticipation, ‎knowing what a guest needs before they do, and shaping their experience not through ‎extravagance, but through thoughtfulness.‎

Step into this behind-the-scenes ballet, and you’ll find more than a team, you’ll find artisans of ‎hospitality.‎

The journey begins with something as deceptively simple as a sheet. Each one is steamed and ‎stretched by hand to achieve that signature Four Seasons silkiness, the kind that invites you to ‎sink in and forget time. Pillows are plumped not just for appearance but for ergonomics, aligned ‎to match your sleeping preferences if they’re on file, and if not, ready to be adjusted at a ‎moment’s notice.‎

Then come the amenities. These aren’t just placed, they’re composed. A honey jar might be ‎nestled next to a herbal tea blend if our records show you like to wind down naturally. A ‎particular chocolate brand might grace your table if it was once mentioned in passing to a ‎concierge. Cables are untangled and aligned, device chargers pre-connected, because the real ‎luxury is never needing to ask.‎

Every corner is checked not for perfection alone, but for personality. The team scans each room ‎with the eyes of a returning guest. Would he notice that the curtain gap lets in the morning sun ‎too soon? Would she prefer the temperature at 21 instead of 22? No assumption is too small; no ‎detail is too trivial.‎

At Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait, this philosophy is carried further with a revolutionary concept: ‎the 24-hour stay. Guests are invited to check in at their leisure, 11 a.m., 7 p.m., or even 3 a.m., ‎and enjoy a full 24 hours of personalized luxury. It’s an invitation to live on your own rhythm, ‎not the hotel’s. To truly settle in, unpack, and exhale.‎

And in the heart of a Kuwaiti summer, where the desert sun lingers until twilight, there’s no ‎better way to savor your stay than poolside. The hotel’s serene outdoor pool becomes a cool oasis ‎suspended above the city, shaded by modern design and serviced with refreshments that flow ‎like time here: effortlessly.‎

Whether it’s a solo escape or a shared getaway, your time at Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait isn’t just ‎a stay, it’s a curated journey of comfort, nuance, and quiet luxury.‎

KUWAIT CITY, Jul 29: Warba Bank has announced that it has received the approval of the Central Bank of Kuwait ‎to appoint a group of specialized advisory firms to conduct a feasibility study and due ‎diligence review for the potential merger with Gulf Bank. This approval marks a key ‎milestone in progressing the preparatory procedures for a possible merger between the two ‎leading financial institutions.‎

The approval follows Warba Bank’s previous disclosure dated June 15, 2025, regarding the ‎signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Gulf Bank to explore the feasibility ‎of a merger. The step represents a pivotal moment in the path toward forming a fully ‎integrated Islamic banking entity with the potential to compete on a regional and global scale.‎

The list of appointed advisors includesinternationally and locally recognized institutions such ‎as Bain & Company as Management Consultant, J.P. Morgan as Lead Financial Advisor, Al ‎Shall Consulting as Local Investment Advisor, Clifford Chance as Lead Legal Advisor and Al ‎Tamimi & Company as Local Legal Advisor. ‎

Commenting on the development, Mr. Hamad Musaed Al-Sayer, Chairman of Warba Bank, ‎said:”We welcome the Central Bank of Kuwait’s approval to appoint advisors for the merger ‎study, which is a significant step in realizing our strategic vision to establish a leading Islamic ‎financial institution with regional and global competitiveness. The appointment of such ‎reputable advisory firms underscores our commitment to executing this process according to ‎the highest professional and regulatory standards, ensuring maximum value creation for our ‎shareholders, customers and the national economy.”‎

On his part, Mr. Shaheen Hamad Al-Ghanem, Chief Executive Officer of Warba Bank, ‎affirmed the Bank’s full adherence to all relevant legal and regulatory requirements, including ‎securing all necessary approvals from regulatory authorities. He stated that the Bank will ‎continue to disclose any material developments related to the merger in a timely manner.‎

He added:“This step comes as part of our growth and expansion strategy and our aim to ‎enhance our competitive edge in the local and regional banking sector. We are confident that ‎the potential merger with Gulf Bank will result in a strong financial entity with a solid capital ‎base and outstanding operational capabilities. This will enable us to deliver comprehensive ‎and innovative banking services that meet our customers’ evolving needs and support ‎economic development in Kuwait and the wider region.”‎

Warba Bank has achieved remarkable success in a short span of time, earning a leading ‎position in the Islamic digital banking sector in Kuwait. With one of the largest shareholder ‎bases among local banks, Warba Bank continues to be a trusted partner that brings together ‎innovation and social responsibility to deliver best-in-class Sharia-compliant products and ‎services.‎

KUWAIT CITY, Jul 29: Burgan Bank announced its inclusionas a constituent in the FTSE4Good Index Series, an ‎affirmation of its unwavering commitment to ESG best practices. Developed by global index ‎and data provider FTSE Russell, the FTSE4Good Index Series is a globally recognized ‎benchmark that measures the performance of companies demonstrating strong Environmental, ‎Social, and Governance (ESG) practices.These indices are widely used by investors and asset ‎managers to incorporate ESG factors into their investment decisions, as well as to create and ‎evaluate responsible investment funds and related financial products.‎

Built on transparent management standards and rigorous assessment criteria, FTSE Russell’s ‎evaluations consider performance in areas such as corporate governance, health &safety, anti-‎corruption,and climate change.  Companies included in the FTSE4Good Index Series ‎demonstrate compliance with a variety of stringent ESG criteria.‎

Commenting on this accomplishment, Mr. Fadel Abdullah, Chief Executive Officer – Kuwait at ‎Burgan Bank, stated: “We are honored to beone of the five organizations in Kuwait recognized ‎by globally renowned FTSE Russell for our unwavering efforts to adopt the best ESG practices ‎in the banking sector and embed them into our operations, culture, and stakeholder engagement. ‎Burgan’s inclusion in the FTSE4Good Index Series is a testament to our consistent and ‎measurable progress in sustainability practices.Thisrecognition affirms our strategic commitment ‎to sustainable business growth, designedto create a positive impacton our community, industry, ‎and natural environmentwhile supporting a resilient and equitable futurefor all stakeholders.”‎

The inclusion in the FTSE4Good Index Series provides external validation of Burgan Bank’s ‎efforts to align with global sustainability standards and frameworks such as UN Sustainable ‎Development Goals (SDGs), Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Sustainability Accounting ‎Standards Board (SASB), and Kuwait Vision 2035. This recognition reflects Burgan’s strong ‎ESG agenda, driven by a comprehensive framework and strategic roadmap, under which the ‎Bank has achieved significant progress across its four ESG pillarsof Good ‎Governance,Responsible Banking, Community Betterment, and Environmental Impact ‎Reduction.‎

On the environmental front, Burgan Bank was awarded the LEED Gold certification (O&M v4.1) ‎for its head office, recognizing its exceptionalenergy-efficient design and sustainable operations. ‎The Bank continues to advance its Green House Gas (GHG) mapping and reduction efforts to ‎design a long-term decarbonization strategy.The Bankhas installed electric vehicle (EV) charging ‎stations at its head office and select branches, and motion-sensor lighting to optimize energy ‎efficiencyas well as installed rooftop solar panels for clean renewable energy. Furthermore, the ‎Bank has made concerted efforts for climate risk integration in its credit portfolio.‎

On the social sustainability front, Burgan Bank reaffirmed its recognition as a certified Great ‎Place to Work® and continued to champion diversity and inclusion within its workforce. The Bank ‎surpassed the mandated Kuwaitization target with 86% national representation, while women ‎comprised 45% of its total staff, including strong representation in senior leadership roles. The ‎Bank’s efforts for social sustainability were also evident in its learning and development ‎programs, tailored to address diverse needs and interests. In its pursuit of establishing a culture ‎of healthy work-life balance, Burgan Bank currenly offers five days of fully paid paternity leave, ‎one day of birthday leave, and four self-care days, in addition to the standard annual leave days. ‎The Bank also offers numerous programs, benefits, events, and sporting initiatives for the ‎comprehensive development of its employees. Moreoever, Burgan Bank has launched several ‎initiatives and programs to empower women in the workplace and support their professional ‎development – such as the “Lean In Circle” program and the “Empower Her” initiative. It is worth ‎noting that the Bank is also major supporter of the “Partners for Hire” campaign, which aims to ‎sustainably empower people with disabilities and provide them with job opportunities across ‎various departments. Along the same lines and to cater to this community, Burgan Bank has also ‎allocated six branches to serve customers with disabilities to promote equal access to banking ‎services.‎

As part of its social impact agenda, the Bank maintained its long-standing support for the Kuwait ‎Association for Care of Children in Hospital (KACCH) and Bayt Abdullah Children’s Hospice ‎‎(BACCH), helping ensure access to vital palliative care services. In 2024, Burgan Bank also ‎partnered with the Kuwait Olympic Committee (KOC) as a sponsor of the national delegation to ‎the Paris 2024 Olympics, reinforcing its commitment to community development and national ‎pride.‎

Burgan Bank remains committed to fostering a strong compliance culture across the ‎organization, focused on preventing financial crime, including money laundering, terrorism ‎financing, fraud, corruption, and bribery. This commitment is underpinned by a robust ‎governance framework that reflects the Bank’s dedication to ethical conduct, responsible ‎leadership, and maintaining the highest standards of security in the banking sector.‎

The Bank’s comprehensive ESG strategy also delivered notableadvancements in digital ‎transformation, particularly in cybersecurity, with the implementation of cutting-edge ‎technologies, AI-driven threat detection, and proactive incident response measures to ensure ‎maximum data protection for all stakeholders.‎

Moreover, Burgan Bank has consistently led the way in transparency and sustainability,reporting ‎its sustainability related efforts and achievements consecutively for thelast six years since 2019. ‎This reinforcesthe Bank’s committedadherence to transparent governance and proactive ‎sustainability leadership,demonstratingits year-on-year improvements in the sustainability and ‎ESG performance.‎

As a trusted financial partner and a bank that is “Driven by You”, Burgan Bank remains ‎dedicated to upholding its responsibility toward its customers, community, and investors, by ‎adopting the highest standards of ESG practices and ensuring that its business success reflects ‎positively on its stakeholders.‎