In recognition of his significant impact and leadership in driving sustainability efforts across Kuwait Finance House (KFH) Group, Forbes Middle East has named KFH Group CEO Khaled Yousef Alshamlan as the top leader in Kuwait`s banking sector and the seventh in the Middle East on its Sustainability Leaders list for 2026.

The announcement was made during the Sustainability Leaders Awards ceremony held in Abu Dhabi under the patronage of H.E. Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment. The summit brought together leaders in sustainability, technology, and finance to promote green practices and advance sustainable initiatives. KFH Head of Group Compliance and Governance, Meshal Alshayee received the award on behalf of Alshamlan.

The 2026 Sustainability Leaders list highlights executives who are advancing the sustainability agenda and influencing the strategic direction of leading companies across the region. The list includes 145 entries across 17 sectors, including banking, energy and utilities, family businesses, financial services, food and agriculture, free zones, healthcare, investment and holding companies, industry, oil and gas, real estate and construction, renewable energy, technology and telecommunications, transportation and logistics, development funds, and others.

Forbes Middle East said that KFH Group's ESG sukuk investment portfolio grew to $2.38 billion in 2025, reflecting its leadership role in sustainable finance within Islamic financial markets.

The magazine added that KFH’s investments in sustainable and green sukuk grew to around $1.2 billion in 2025, marking an annual growth of 30.7% compared to 2024. These investments were distributed as 44% sustainable sukuk and 56% green sukuk.

The magazine highlighted KFH’s establishment of an Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) sustainability program in 2025. The initiative aims to achieve carbon neutrality across its operations by 2060, guided by an executive roadmap for 2025–2030.

Leadership in Sustainability

KFH continues to support sustainability through its successful investments in green and sustainable sukuk, its commitment to integrating sustainable practices across operations, and its proactive adoption of ESG principles as a core pillar of its corporate strategy, aligned with Kuwait Vision 2035 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Bank has earned an “A” rating on the MSCI ESG Index issued by Morgan Stanley and has been listed on the FTSE4Good Global Sustainability Index, reflecting its exceptional ESG performance and commitment to sustainable finance.

Moreover, KFH achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certifications for several of its branches, bringing the total number of LEED Gold-certified branches to five from early 2026. In addition, KFH Auto showroom was awarded the Gold Level Sustainability Assessment Certificate (GSAS), making KFH the first bank in Kuwait to attain this distinction.

KFH continues its sustainability efforts in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and maintains its pioneering “Business Sustainability Program” for SMEs, designed to provide competitive advantages and reinforce the Group’s vision for sustainable development and entrepreneurship.

KFH also maintains its "Keep It Green" initiative, which promotes environmental protection and reduces carbon emissions to foster a more sustainable future.

It is worth mentioning that KFH is the first institution to issue impact measurement reports. KFH is also the first bank to release annual Sustainability Report as well as Carbon Footprint Report, which include valuable insights, and detailed plans that outline the efforts to reduce carbon emissions. The report also sheds light on minimizing the negative environmental impact of activities that are not aligned with environment protection efforts in the coming years, in accordance with global initiatives for combating climate change.