Mohammad Al-Hashel, governor of the Central Bank of Kuwait, tells James King how a focus on shoring up capital adequacy has enabled Kuwaiti banks to withstand the pressures of the low oil price environment.

Kuwait is positioning itself as a future regional financial, cultural and institutional hub, forging ahead with infrastructure mega-projects and developing private sector investment – apparently unbowed by disputes at home and between its Gulf neighbours. James King reports.

Kuwaiti banks are in ebullient mood, reporting both decent profits and healthy capital adequacy levels. But while government spending promises further growth opportunities, competition for customers is heating up in a crowded market, as James King reports.

JPMorgan has long been committed to diversity in its workforce and its approach is yielding results. Joy Macknight talks to the women heading the US bank’s Europe, the Middle East and Africa treasury services business lines to gain insight into the drivers of change in the region. 

With one of the oldest Islamic banking sectors in the world, Kuwait continues to show impressive growth and adaptability in the industry. Now authorities in the country are looking to become big hitters on a regional and global level. Kit Gillet and James King report.

The Banker’s merger and acquisition figures for 2017 show the end of the Gulf’s buying spree and a sharp increase in activity from Africa and the Levant. James King reports.

While 2017 was not the banner year for M&A in the Middle East and Africa that 2016 had been, headline-grabbing deals were still being struck, notably FirstRand Limited’s acquisition of Aldermore. James King reports.

Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair, chairman of the UAE Banks Federation, talks to James King about the importance of sharing information to combat cybercrime and the power of artificial intelligence. 

SMEs seeking bank financing have traditionally had a tough task on their hands in the UAE. However, small steps are being taken to resolve this issue, and optimism is widespread that the situation will improve in line with the country's Vision 2021 national agenda. James King reports.