One of the major rating agencies in the Middle East, Capital Intelligence, has stepped up the financial power of Kuwait Finance House (KFH) to reach A+. This reflects the fine quality of credit, the great ability to meet the financial commitments on time, in addition to possessing numerous positive credit characteristics. This comes hand in hand with KFH's upgrade from A to A+, and raising the ratings of foreign currencies for the long term from A to A+, compared to A1 for the short-term rating of foreign currencies. The Risk Management Department Manager Abdul Aziz Al Bader stated that stepping up the rating reveals the true strength of KFH in comparison with its counterparts that are equally rated. It is to be noted that this is the second time that KFH's rating has increased during the past two years. The agencies report announced that KFH cemented its status as the most important and the most prominent Islamic institutions in the world, where it has managed to achieve a recorded net profit in 2007. This was followed by an unprecedented figure for its quarterly net profit during the first half of 2008. KFH reaps the rewards of existing in a stable, domestic area, in addition to its increased presence globally in the markets that are known for their increasing demand for Islamic financial products and services. KFH is rendered one of the largest banking firms in Kuwait and the Gulf region, where it possesses big shares of the market, whether in its volume of finance, deposits, or assets. It is also known for its high returns, quality assets, and sufficient liquidity. According to Dow Jones "Gulf Giants" indicator, which consists of the biggest 40 listed corporations in the Gulf stock exchange markets, KFH took first place, in addition to winning numerous recent awards from global, prestigious agencies like The Banker, which granted KFH "Best Bank in Kuwait" Award. KFH also won "The Best Islamic Bank" for its financial services for individuals, in addition to other awards in Kuwait and abroad that were granted for its performance in the technical field, advanced services and project financing. Al Bader announced that the agency's report praised KFH's management and its high professional ability in successfully organizing and coordinating the expansion process. This shows the bank's great ability and unsurpassed success in its efforts to expand its field of resources, which is done by seeking global expansion. The report also noted the vital role played by the Risk Management Department and the privacy of its work, in addition to its strong, integrated internal procedures. Furthermore, Al Bader said that albeit KFH domestically faces increased competition from new corporations that entered the market, the agency's report stressed the fact that KFH enjoys operating on solid grounds that allow him to maintain its pioneer role. The report also highly praised the current work strategy specifically, which was described in the report as having precise goals to face the increasing domestic competition in the Islamic finance sector that is a result of the existing domestic financial institutions. Such institutions have switched to Islamic banking, or are still in the process of switching from conventional banks to Islamic ones, in addition to having foreign financial institutions. Moreover, Al Bader stressed the success of the external expansion policy that KFH has adhered to, which is seen in establishing banks that are s