Bubiyan signs strategic partnership with CODED under the Unicode program
As part of its ongoing efforts to enhance the value offered by its PRIME account to young people, Boubyan Bank announced a strategic partnership with CODED Academy, the first specialized academy in artificial intelligence and programming in the Arab world, within the sixth edition of the Unicode program. This step reflects the evolving role of the PRIME account, which now provides, alongside banking solutions and benefits, unique opportunities for young people to acquire digital and programming skills that enhance their readiness for future demands.
The partnership was signed at the Kuwait Stock Exchange headquarters, attended by Boubyan Bank’s Managing Director Saleh Al-Mansour, CODED Academy’s Co-founder and CEO Ahmed Maaref, Kuwait Stock Exchange’s Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications Nasser Al-Sanousi, and Kuwait Financial Centre (Markaz) Managing Director for Banking and Investment Services Ahmed Al-Falah, along with several leaders and representatives of participating entities.
The partnership runs from August to December 2026, allowing PRIME account holders aged 15 to 25 to join the Unicode program, which includes intensive training tracks in programming and digital skills. The initiative aims to equip them with the knowledge and tools needed to keep pace with the demands of the digital economy and strengthen their competitiveness in the job market.
Implemented in collaboration with CODED Academy, and with the Kuwait Stock Exchange and Kuwait Financial Centre (Markaz) as strategic partners, the initiative sees the Kuwait Stock Exchange hosting the training program and organizing several workshops at Boubyan Bank’s new headquarters. This provides participants with an educational experience that blends academic learning with practical application, reflecting the commitment of all partners to preparing a generation better equipped for future challenges.
Commenting on the occasion, Al-Mansour expressed his delight at this strategic partnership with CODED Academy under the Unicode initiative, noting that it is the first of its kind between a bank and a specialized academy in programming and digital skills targeting young people. He emphasized that it aligns with Boubyan Bank’s vision of investing in young people’s potential and delivering value that goes beyond the traditional concept of youth banking accounts.
He added, “At Boubyan, we believe our role no longer extends merely to developing banking products and solutions or offering a distinguished banking experience for young people. It now includes being partners in their journey toward building their future, through initiatives that open up opportunities for learning and acquiring the skills required by the digital economy, contributing to their academic and professional careers. Today, we measure our success by what we add to our customers’ futures, not just by the products and services we provide them.”
He clarified that this vision is gaining increasing importance amid the rapid transformations driven by technology and artificial intelligence, which are reshaping the nature of jobs and required skills. Investing in building young people’s digital capabilities and empowering them has thus become a genuine necessity. This has prompted the bank to enhance the value offered by the PRIME account, extending its role from meeting banking needs to contributing to preparing young people with the skills required by the future economy.
Al-Mansour pointed out that the choice of CODED Academy was based on its leading position in preparing and qualifying young people in programming and digital skills, making it an ideal partner to achieve the goals of this initiative and enable PRIME customers to master the tools of the digital economy and enhance their readiness for competition in the job market.
He emphasized that the success of these flagship initiatives hinges on the integration of roles among various institutions, adding, “When the efforts of educational institutions, the private sector, and the financial sector converge, learning outcomes become more closely aligned with labor market needs. This enables us to prepare a generation equipped with the skills and capabilities necessary to drive the Kuwaiti economy forward—a goal we strive to achieve through this partnership.”
For his part, Ahmed Maaref, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Code Academy, stated, “We are living through a pivotal moment in the history of the labor market. Artificial intelligence is no longer a subject taught in classrooms; it is a reality reshaping every profession and sector. Consequently, the expectations placed on every university graduate have risen. Kuwaiti universities graduate minds that are no less capable than any in the world. However, the real challenge is no longer academic achievement, but rather the gap between what is taught and what is practiced.”
Maaref continued, “This is why we created UniCODE, a program designed to serve as the final step in a university student’s academic journey and the first step in their professional career. It ensures that graduates transform their knowledge into tangible production and their theories into projects that speak for them before they even do.” He added, “At Code Academy, we do not treat our university students merely as trainees, but as a generation that will carry the future Kuwaiti economy on its shoulders. Everything we do is aimed at equipping them with the right tools and clearing the path for their success.”
He noted that “what amplifies the impact of this launch is our partnership with Boubyan Bank, an institution that has made proximity to youth its identity and innovation its approach. When those who believe in this generation’s capabilities join forces with those who invest in it, the outcome transcends a mere training program; it becomes a program that molds a ready-made generation to elevate the name of our country, Kuwait. We thank Boubyan Bank for this faith, and we look forward to seeing our graduates’ projects materialize in reality.”
