Kuwait – November 24, 2025, The Kuwait Institute of Banking Studies (KIBS) organized a specialized session within its Banking Leadership Forum titled “Governance and Oversight of Anti-Money Laundering in the Banking Sector.” The session, designed exclusively for chairpersons and board members of Kuwaiti banks, garnered substantial participation and focused on the latest global and regional developments in governance, compliance, and anti-money laundering (AML) practices.
In her opening remarks, delivered at the Four Seasons Hotel, Ms. Rana A. Al-Nibari, Director General of KIBS, emphasized that the session aligns with the institute’s mandate to respond proactively to the evolving needs of the banking sector and to strengthen the resilience of financial institutions across Kuwait. She noted that over the past decades, Kuwait’s banking system has played a pivotal role in navigating economic shifts, anchored by the Central Bank of Kuwait’s continuous efforts in maintaining financial stability and elevating transparency and trust. These efforts, she added, have reinforced Kuwait’s standing regionally and internationally.
Ms. Al-Nibari highlighted that Kuwait today continues to fortify its national framework for combating money laundering and financing of terrorism, further solidifying the country’s resilience and supporting sustainable economic growth. She described these advancements as “a source of inspiration that reinforces values of responsibility, commitment, and innovation across institutions.”
She also reaffirmed KIBS’ commitment to leveraging more than five decades of sector expertise to ensure its programs and services remain closely aligned with regulatory priorities and market transformations.
Al-Nibari underscored the institute’s continuous drive toward a qualitative leap in learning and development particularly in areas such as compliance systems, digital transformation, artificial intelligence applications, risk management, and cybersecurity. She noted that these efforts have resulted in a significant expansion of training output for the banking sector and strong growth in programs for non-banking professionals, bringing total annual trainees to several thousand.
She further highlighted that in critical domains such as governance, AML, and digital transformation, KIBS has delivered numerous specialized programs, graduated hundreds of professionals, and contributing to the development of research and innovation. This includes the preparation of specialized studies and supporting graduates in enrolling in renowned international universities, while also enhancing institutional readiness for emerging cybersecurity challenges.
For more than fifty years, KIBS has remained at the forefront of developing the banking and financial sector in Kuwait, offering specialized training programs, professional certifications, and capacity-building initiatives to prepare and empower national talent across the industry.
