Abdullah M. AlSharekh, Managing Director of Markets and Investment Banking, and Omar Zaineddine, Executive Director of Debt Capital Markets, received the award on behalf of Kamco Invest at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2025 ceremony held in Dubai. The prestigious recognition was a result of a competitive evaluation process that included a detailed submission on the Company’s achievements, followed by an in-depth interview with Euromoney’s judging panel.
The “Kuwait’s Best Investment Bank – DCM” award recognizes Kamco Invest’s performance in successfully closing transactions for local and regional clients. Throughout 2024, the Debt Capital Markets (DCM) team managed nine bonds and sukuk issuances for financial institutions and corporates in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the UAE worth USD4.2bn. These included acting as Joint Lead Manager (JLM) for three Kuwaiti issuers worth USD1.09bn. These issuances include the first Perpetual Additional Tier 1 Capital Bond issuance denominated in Kuwaiti Dinar by a bank, which is also considered to be amongst the largest Kuwaiti Dinar issuances in the sector and a landmark achievement for the local debt market. Leveraging on its strong regional presence and wide network of investors, the team also managed six regional issuances, three in UAE worth USD1.4bn, two in Saudi Arabia worth USD1.25bn, and one in Bahrain worth USD500mn.
Commenting on this recognition, AlSharekh said, “We are proud to be recognized for our successful track record in managing several local and regional debt capital market transactions. This achievement reflects the trust and confidence our clients place in our expertise, further strengthening our position as a leader in managing DCM transactions, not only in Kuwait, but across the GCC. As part of the commitment that we uphold to our clients and partners, we will continue to focus on providing bespoke financial solutions coupled with our deep market expertise to empower client growth strategies, while supporting the development of regional capital markets.”
Kamco Invest has consistently ranked amongst the top Joint Lead Managers for USD-denominated issuances in the GCC. The Company has also built a reputation of being the first in introducing various funding solutions to clients. In 2024, Kamco Invest structured and launched the first KWD perpetual capital instrument, introducing flexible funding solutions for issuers and diversified investment options for investors.
Zaineddine commented, “2024 marked another landmark year for our DCM team, underpinning our continued commitment to delivering innovative financial solutions across the Kuwaiti and regional debt capital markets. By collaborating closely with clients, we successfully executed strategic deals and achieved impactful results. Over the past five years, we have successfully led and executed 35 local and regional DCM deals worth USD13.7bn, with full focus on growing further our regional footprint. With increasing interest from issuers and investors alike, our DCM team remains dedicated to identifying market opportunities and structuring tailored debt solutions that address our clients’ evolving financing needs.”
Kamco Invest’s Investment Banking division has managed mandates amounting to over USD41.8bn since inception, which include USD11.1bn managed and co-managed equity capital market transactions, USD20.7 Islamic and conventional debt capital market deals, and USD9.9bn merger & acquisition mandates, as of 31 March 2025.