Forbes Names Khaled Al-Shamlan Top Kuwaiti in Banking on Sustainability Leaders List

Forbes Middle East named Khalid Youssef Al-Shamlan, Chief Executive Officer of Kuwait Finance House (KFH), as the top executive in Kuwait’s banking sector and seventh across the Middle East on its 2026 “Sustainability Leaders in the Middle East” list, recognizing his role in leading the group’s sustainability initiatives.

The honor was presented at the Sustainability Leaders Awards ceremony held in Abu Dhabi, under the patronage of UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, Dr. Amina bint Abdullah Al-Dhaheri. Meshal Al-Shaikh, Head of Compliance and Governance at KFH, accepted the award on behalf of Al-Shamlan.

The 2026 Forbes list includes approximately 145 participants distributed across 17 sectors, including banking, energy, financial services, investment, industry, real estate, technology, and telecommunications, among others. It aims to highlight executive leaders who contribute to advancing sustainability efforts in the region.

According to the magazine, KFH’s investments in sustainable and green sukuk rose to approximately $1.2 billion in 2025, representing a year-on-year growth of 30.7 percent compared to 2024. These investments were allocated as 44 percent in sustainable sukuk and 56 percent in green sukuk.

The magazine noted that the group expanded its investments in sustainability sukuk to around $2.38 billion in 2025, reinforcing its role in sustainable financing within Islamic finance markets.

In the area of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices, the bank introduced a sustainability plan in 2025 targeting carbon neutrality for its operational activities by 2060, supported by an implementation roadmap covering the period from 2025 to 2030.

Kuwait Finance House is integrating sustainability principles into its operations and investments, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals and Kuwait Vision 2035, through investments in green and sustainable sukuk, development of environmental initiatives, and enhancement of governance practices.

The bank received an “A” rating on the MSCI ESG Ratings for environmental, social, and governance standards, and was also included in the global FTSE4Good Sustainability Index, according to the bank’s disclosures regarding its performance in these areas.