Kuwait - June 26, 2011: Gulf Bank today announced that it has won the coveted 'Best Employee Development Award' by Banker Middle East, the region's leading banking industry magazine. Gulf Bank received the accolade at the Banker Middle East Awards Ceremony, held at the Ritz Carlton in Dubai on the 22nd June 2011. Winners were chosen by a judging panel of international industry experts drawn from international rating agencies and the region's leading financial centers. Omar Al-Bassam, Assistant General Manager Human Resources at Gulf Bank said: 'We are extremely proud to accept this prestigious award from The Banker Middle East, and the value the international recognition it represents. This is a great accomplishment for us and endorses our long-term strategy of recruiting, developing and investing in the very best people. 'At Gulf Bank, excellence in customer service and a commitment to developing innovative and relevant banking solutions have long been amongst our core values. Our staff are the backbone of our organization, and we recognize that investment in their skills and wellbeing has a direct bearing on how well we are able to carry out our commitments and services to our customers.

'This award reflects the efforts of a lot of people over a long period of time. I am very proud of the progress Gulf Bank has been able to make through listening to its staff and providing the training and the motivation needed to create the strong and dynamic organization the Bank has become today.' The 'Best Employee Development Award' is a measure of the success of Gulf Bank's long term strategy of enhancing the skills, capabilities and knowledge of its employees. The Bank strongly believes in strengthening its human capital through listening to employees' needs, addressing concerns and continually providing training and encouragement. The more its employees are satisfied and secure in their jobs, the greater their motivation and more they contribute to organizational success. Employee training has been of the utmost importance for the Bank and it is continuously seeking new ways to develop their capabilities. In addition to today's announcement, Gulf Bank has won many prestigious HR awards signifying the successful strategy it has in place. At the end of 2010, Gulf Bank achieved an unprecedented accomplishment by winning the coveted Localization Award for the sixth consecutive year from the GCC Council of Ministers of Labour and Social Affairs. Gulf Bank also won the coveted 'Employer of the Year' award at the 2nd GCC Human Resource Excellence Awards 2010 held in conjunction with the 5th Human Assets Middle East Congress. In 2010, the Bank officially launched a new human resources development program, 'Mentoring For Success'. This innovative program aims to enhance and develop the Bank's existing and prospective talent. 'Mentoring For Success' is a structured, expert led and project managed mentorship program where mentors and mentees are identified, selected, developed and retained. Gulf Bank also offers specialized training courses for its employees to enhance their capabilities within their respective departments. For high achievers at the Bank, it has created STAR Awards, a form of employee award that is used to recognize individual staff, or teams, whose achievements are considered to be role models to others or where initiative is displayed beyond the call of duty. The Banker Middle East Awards, which are held each year, recognize businesses in the region that have excelled in providing exceptional levels of customer service and innovation across a range of sectors, from basic banking products to high-end investment services. They were established to set the highest benchmarks for the industry. The award's panel of judges nominates banks and financial organizations that have shown outstanding improvement and success over the past 12 months.