Gulf Bank in 2021: Leaders in Employment, Training and Kuwaitization

• Hajjaj: We invest generously in our human capital to enhance employee skills and competencies
• Gulf Bank appointed 302 Kuwaitis, including 133 women, and provided 29 part-time opportunities for local youth
• Gender equality in employment benefits was one of the most important achievements of the past year
• Employee training is a cornerstone of Gulf Bank’s endeavors to implement sustainability principles
• Gulf Bank launched AJYAL Tech, the first local program of its kind for training opportunities and continuing education
• Gulf Bank designed "Data Ambassadors," the first Kuwaiti stand-alone program for data and analytics
• Gulf Bank collaborated with Euromoney to provide accessible training programs
• Gulf Bank’s partnership with "Fitch" and "PwC" assisted in training relationship and wealth managers
• Gulf Bank organized extensive in-house training on Capital Market Authority requirements to enhance regulatory compliance
• Gulf Bank held its first career fair after the pandemic, providing viable job opportunities for local youth

Kuwait, 01 February 2022: As part of its role in implementing Gulf Bank’s 2025 strategy, Gulf Bank’s Human Resources department year 2021 spearheaded various initiatives designed to consolidate the Bank’s position as the leading Kuwaiti Bank of the Future. This year, Gulf Bank is wrapping up yet another successful year, highlighted by record growth in training, employment, upskilling, and Kuwaitization.

Gulf Bank’s General Manager of Human Resources, Ms. Salma Al-Hajjaj, commented: "From the very start of the recruitment process, Gulf Bank is known for setting only the highest standards for our employees, a convention we adhere to throughout all stages of our employees’ career progression. By continuously promoting training, development and continuing education opportunities, we aim to keep exceeding the levels of excellence that our clients desire and expect from Gulf Bank."

She added: “With the banking sector heading towards a new era of digitization, Gulf Bank has shown great dynamism in responding quickly to the requirements of technological development, aimed at transforming Gulf Bank into an integrated digital bank that rises to the level of the aspirations of future generations, and will even exceed them with the implementation of our slogan ‘With you for the next 60 years.’”

She continued: "We are proud that Gulf Bank is one of the leading banks that continues to invest generously in our human capital, enhancing the competencies of our employees, who make up the foundation of our strategic goals. By providing our employees with ongoing opportunities to enhance their expertise and skills, Gulf Bank is keeping pace with major banking developments and global banking requirements.”

She stated that in 2021, the Bank appointed 302 recent Kuwaiti graduates, including 133 women, and offered 29 part-time opportunities for local youth as part of the Bank’s endeavor to creating a sustainable Kuwaiti workforce.

Al-Hajjaj noted that employee training and development represents a cornerstone of the Bank's commitment to implementing sustainability principles, culminating in the Bank’s issuance of its first Sustainability Report for the year 2020. The report highlights a multitude of Gulf Bank’s achievements, including programs and courses organized by the Human Resources department in 2021.

Gender Equality in Employment Benefits

One of Gulf Bank’s most important achievements in 2021 has been affirming its commitment to abolishing all kinds of gender discrimination between its employees, with the promise of full gender equality between female and male employees in terms of employment benefits, thereby consolidating the Bank’s position as a leading institution in Kuwait. As the first bank in Kuwait to implement this decision, Gulf Bank’s announcement come as part of the Bank’s commitment to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and as part of Gulf Bank’s 2025 Strategy, of which a primary pillar focuses on achieving social sustainability at the internal and external levels.

Female empowerment in the workplace also increases the caliber of talent and expertise within the Bank, including those of their male colleagues. Female empowerment also helps all employees build on ideas and create positive competition in pursuit of leadership positions. In turn, all of these efforts support the Bank's ability to make decisions that contribute to achieving its strategic plans and desired goals.

AJYAL Tech

Gulf Bank launched its new AJYAL Tech program in partnership with CODED, the first coding bootcamp in the Middle East. The program is a comprehensive coding and digital technology learning journey for Kuwaiti youth who have a passion for technology.

This new program is part of Gulf Bank’s strategy for the year 2025, which aims to provide customers with an unprecedented banking experience based on digital transformation. The launch of the new program marks yet another milestone by the Bank to train local youth in the latest technology trends and to ensure future employees remain at the forefront of digitization.

Gulf Bank’s AJYAL Tech, is the first training program for local youth, recent graduates and new Bank employees who specialize in technology and information technology.

This program is an extension to the "AJYAL" initiative which was launched by Gulf Bank in 2014. Through AJYAL, Gulf Bank has been relentlessly developing young Kuwaiti talents, with the aim of advancing the local banking sector. These initiatives have helped Gulf Bank prepare local youth to become future Kuwaiti leaders, help trainees to develop basic banking skills, and also assist in upskilling people who have demonstrated growth potential both personally and professionally.

Data Doc

Gulf Bank hosted a training session for its employees led by Dr. Thomas Redman, a world-renowned expert in data quality and data analytics who is also known world-wide as the “Data Doc.” The training session was held as part of Gulf Bank’s recently launched Data Ambassadors program, which will train 142 employees across various departments in key data quality and analytics. The new program aims to upskill and empower employees to use advanced data science in order to enhance the Bank’s offerings and services.

It is worth noting that the Data Ambassadors curriculum was developed completely in-house by Gulf Bank’s Data and Analytics office, and is the first stand-alone Data & Analytics program in the country. The new curriculum, which was developed primarily by Kuwaiti talent, has also been endorsed by Dr. Redman, whose books and articles have been featured in respected periodicals including MIT Sloan and Harvard Business Review.

Euromoney Learning

Gulf Bank has partnered with Euromoney Learning to offer its employees access to industry-leading learning programs spanning various topics in the banking and finance sectors. Over the last five years, Euromoney has provided training programs for the world’s top 10 largest banks, reaching over 25,000 professionals residing in over 80 countries. Access to Euromoney Learning’s on-demand platform will encourage Gulf Bank employees to take ownership of their training with a simple-to-use, financial e-learning platform which encourages learning autonomy, and provides on-demand education that is accessible anytime, anywhere.

Fitch Education

In collaboration with Fitch Education and in line with Gulf Bank’s strategic objectives, 35 Gulf Bank Priority and Wealth Relationship Managers received the Fitch Wealth Management Certificate, after passing a two-month program aimed at enhancing services for the high wealth client segment.

Partnership with PwC

In partnership with PwC, Gulf Bank also organized a six-month “Beyond Generations” program for middle management. The program aimed to empower 20 Kuwaiti employees in leadership positions, in line with Gulf Bank’s objective of developing leadership across the Bank, and at all levels.

The program enables skilled Kuwaiti employees to overcome the extremely complex challenges that arise through greater leadership positions, by exploring the pros and cons of diverse leadership styles and strategies. Through the program, participants learn to strengthen their team building skills, lead change, confront crises, and create a high performance culture.

Regulatory Training

As part of its commitment to employee upskilling, Gulf Bank held an intensive in-house training on the latest Capital Market Authority requirements for all employees to ensure they are kept up to date. All employees, including members from various departments, took part in this training to promote a culture of compliance and continuous learning.

Employees, along with staff members from the Investments, Board Affairs, Internal Audit, and Legal departments, all participated in the initiative as part of the Bank's keenness to train employees on the latest regulatory requirements, and provide them with the necessary expertise to perform their role effectively and efficiently.

Gulf Bank values continuous learning to ensure that its teams are staying up to date with the global benchmark of certifications. By doing so, Gulf Bank will continue to provide innovative services and guarantee sustainable growth.

Student Training

This year, Gulf Bank’s Human Resources team numerous two events in collaboration with various universities in Kuwait, to support local youth and assist them in honing their professional skills. This latest initiative is part of the Bank’s ongoing social sustainability program, in which the Bank continues to lead various educational initiatives designed to leave a positive impact on students and society.

As part of their commitment to social sustainability, Gulf Bank also supported INJAZ during their job shadowing initiative. During this event, 10 university students shadowed five employees in the HR department to learn more about employees’ day-to-day tasks.

Gulf Bank also supported INJAZ’s “Head Start” session, a virtual workshop held for 80 undergraduate students that demonstrates the various ways students can prepare for future job interviews. The event also included a step-by-step tutorial of professional CV writing.

Gulf Bank's General Manager of Human Resources, Ms. Salma Al-Hajjaj, also hosted an event titled, “How To Elevate Your Career,” at the College of Engineering and Petroleum in Kuwait University. The lecturer, Ms. Alhajjaj, discussed the different ways students can elevate their careers once they graduate and the importance of flexibility in the student’s life as well as the work environment.

Gulf Bank also hosted another event with INJAZ Kuwait and its HR department at the Education College in Kuwait University. The event, which was attended by more than 100 students, covered the importance of job interviews and how best to prepare for interviews.

Collaboration with NUKS

This year, and as part of its ongoing corporate social responsibility commitment to support and empower Kuwaiti youth, Gulf Bank sponsored the annual National Union of Kuwaiti Students (NUKS) conference.

During the event, the National Union of Kuwaiti Students expressed their appreciation for Gulf Bank’s sponsorship of this year’s new student orientation for high school graduates who are planning to study in the United States. This year, Gulf Bank’s Training & Development department offered all student attendees (including those who are majoring in relevant majors) the opportunity to receive a paid internship opportunity in the fields of data science and cyber security.

40 Field Trainees

Gulf Bank also hosted a celebratory event for 40 field trainees who successfully completed their internship program across various departments in the Bank. This event was held in celebration of the employees’ successful completion of Gulf Bank’s integrated training program, which wrapped up in August 2021. The training program encompasses the basics of banking, and prepares trainees for their future banking careers, highlighting the different functions of the Bank’s various departments. The program also serves to bridge the gap between trainees’ theoretical university training and the practical, hands-on work experience that the modern day workplace requires.

INJAZ Partnership

Gulf Bank sponsored INJAZ Kuwait’s annual "Company Program" competition for the 16th year in a row, as part of the Bank’s long-standing partnership with the non-profit organization. In light of the ongoing pandemic, this year’s competition was held virtually over Zoom.

Gulf Bank also participated in the JAHEZ career forum, which was launched by INJAZ Kuwait for high school and university students, in addition to recent graduates. The program showcases local and international community leaders’ work experiences to the local youth, with the aim of educating them on the requirements for the modern day workforce.

INJAZ Kuwait’s JAHEZ Forum

The JAHEZ forum aims to increase the youth’s awareness regarding future jobs and the modern workplace, especially in light of recent and future developments across various industries and artificial intelligence. Through the program, participants will get a chance to discuss the various skills needed to boost workforce readiness and increase their added value when joining today’s job market.

The bank also participated in the "Head Start" training program launched by INJAZ Kuwait for undergraduate students, which aims to help students learn how to build their CVs and prepare for job interviews.

The program comes in response to the needs of the current job market, and provides participants with the social and personal skills needed to start a career. The training program includes instruction on basic concepts which allow participants to explore various career interests and opportunities, as well as develop key job skills and field training.

Youth Employment

As part of its commitment to social sustainability, Gulf Bank also hosted its first career fair since the pandemic. The event took place last week in the Manpower and Government Restructuring Program (MGRP) building, and came as part of Gulf Bank’s commitment to offering employment opportunities to local youth.

Gulf Bank’s participation in the virtual career fair is part of its long-term strategic partnership with MGRP, while reflecting the Bank’s ongoing commitment to the national development plan, Kuwait Vision 2035 “New Kuwait.”

This year, Gulf Bank also successfully wrapped up the American University of the Middle East’s first virtual career fair. As a gold sponsor of the AUM career fair which was launched last week for university students, Gulf Bank is affirming its commitment to creating job opportunities for Kuwaiti youth in an effort to realize the national development plan, Kuwait Vision 2035 “New Kuwait.”

Gulf Bank also held an educational webinar during the exhibition on how to map your career and structure your professional life, which was attended by more than 200 participants. During the course of the career fair, more than 1,000 AUM students and alumni visited the Gulf Bank booth, with over 170 people applying for jobs at Gulf Bank.

Honoring 800+ Employees

Towards the end of 2021, Gulf Bank also held an award ceremony in honor of over 800 employees. The award ceremony was held as part of Gulf Bank’s commitment to recognizing outstanding performance, and included staff from the Bank’s various departments. The event was also attended by members of Gulf Bank’s executive management, who offered certificates of appreciation to the employees.

The Bank honored its employees for their efforts and achievements in terms of job performance, outstanding customer service, adherence to high standards, and job integrity.

Staff Vaccination Campaign

In light of public health and safety and in cooperation with local mitigation efforts, Gulf Bank ensured the highest safety standards for its employees and their families, leading an internal staff vaccination campaign in early April 2021.

Last year, 22 recent graduates successfully completed the seventh annual AJYAL program, joining various departments within the Bank.

Seventh Edition of AJYAL Program

AJYAL is Gulf Bank’s flagship development program that targets Kuwaiti professionals. The program aims to help candidates develop key banking skills, cultivating holistic bankers and preparing participants for future leadership positions. The program falls under the Bank’s commitment to providing job opportunities for local youth, and building a large cadre of Kuwaiti bankers for the benefit of both the Bank and Kuwait.