Citigroup in Kuwait - 2006
When Kuwait’s National Assembly passed a bill
allowing foreign-owned banks to operate in Kuwait,
Citigroup was one of the first institutions to submit
their application to the Central Bank and enter the
market. This important step required locating suitable
premises that would serve Citigroup’s demanding
standards and present a professional image to the new
market. More importantly – they required that the
space be available now.
Citigroup’s need for a suitable immediate location
with all the modern furnishings and facilities fit for
such a bank prompted it to select IO Centers as its first
location in Kuwait. Some of its many requirements
included the following:
Flexible
Offices
– As and when they needed it, IO Centers enabled
Citigroup to increase their business space as their team
grew from a small team to becoming fully operational.
Security
– The sensitive nature of information associated
with a bank meant that there had to be very high security
levels that was provided by IO Centers and in compliance
with international security norms.
IT
& Communications
– Citigroup required special IT and communications
facilities that IO Centers set up for them. This included
modification of an existing IO Centers office to
facilitate their high–tech communications room.
Speed
– IO Centers offered the fastest and most flexible
office solution for Citigroup in Kuwait. As they needed
to enter the market immediately, IO Centers was prepared
and fully equipped to handle all their requirements as
and when needed.
Prime
Location
– Being a bank necessitates a location in the heart
of the central business district and, since IO
Centers’ two locations are both in Kuwait City,
this was an easy choice for Citigroup.
Citigroup also required all the other necessary
facilities to be found in any modern business space, and
that IO Centers provided, in addition to everything
needed to make them feel at home in their own
offices.
“Taking up offices at IO Centers helped facilitate
our move to Kuwait,” said Raj Dvivedi, Citigroup
Country Officer and General Manager. “Everything
ran smoothly and all our needs were carefully attended to
by the IO Centers team who were very professional,
friendly and helpful at all times.”
Citigroup is one of many multinational businesses that
have trusted IO Centers with their business needs and
that include
HP,
Nokia,
BNP Paribas,
National Bank of Abu Dhabi,
Microsoft
and
Etihad Airways.
Citigroup
(NYSE: C), the leading global financial services company
has some 200 million customer accounts and does business
in more than 100 countries, providing consumers,
corporations, governments and institutions with a broad
range of financial products and services, including
consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment
banking, securities brokerage, and wealth
management. Major brand names under Citigroup's
trademark red umbrella include Citibank, CitiFinancial,
Primerica, Smith Barney and Banamex. Additional
information may be found at
www.citigroup.com
About IO Centers:
IO Centers is the leading serviced and furnished business
space provider in Kuwait. Its offices come complete with
modern furnishings, CISCO IP phones with direct lines in
every office, receptionist services, hospitality
services, IT support, daily office cleaning, local
business facilitation and licensing, and the Centers are
located in the prestigious Arraya Centre and Dar Al Awadi
Complex in Sharq, Kuwait City
Downloadable PDF:
Citigroup Case
Study