Mohammed Louhab

Tunis International Bank was incorporated in June 1982 and was the first bank established in Tunisia as a fully licensed banking corporation under the Tunisian Law of 12th July 1976 replaced on 6th December 1985 related to the offshore banking regime. TIB operates under the supervision of the Central Bank of Tunisia. It is a member of Tunisia's Clearing House Association. TIB is a private commercial bank, its main shareholder being United Gulf Bank E.C Bahrain, itself the investment banking arm of the Kuwait Projects Company (Holding) K.S.C., 'KIPCO'. The Bank enjoys a widespread reputation as a local provider of the highest quality products and services. TIB provides a comprehensive range of international financial services for corporations, financial institutions, governments & individuals both in Tunisia and abroad including Foreign Exchange & Money Market operations in all convertible currencies including Tunisian dinars, International Trade Financing, Private Banking Facilities, Loan Syndications & Forfeiting, Commercial Banking, Investments, Visa Card and American Express Card. The company's product range is constantly reviewed to ensure that they are able, within the company's credit and procedural policies, to meet the range of needs in the company's local market base. This includes maximizing the quality of the products & services they offer as a result of the synergies they have, and continue to develop, with co-members of the KIPCO group. The Bank continues to be an innovative institution both internationally and domestically, dedicated to banking services of the highest standards. As a Tunisian bank based in Tunis, TIB's traditional and natural marketplace has been the Maghreb countries. These countries will remain TIB's primary target market where the Bank will fully develop the opportunities available to it through working with its group's subsidiary Algeria Gulf Bank in Algeria and also through the Bank's representative office in Tripoli, Libya. Looking towards the future, TIB aims to play a key role in promoting business and partnerships between Gulf investors and the Maghreb. In addition to this area, business has also been developed involving Western European and other Mediterranean countries. The Bank's traditional and natural customer base in Tunisia has been the offshore companies usually majority owned by foreigners, exporting most if not all of their manufactured products, and able to deal freely in foreign currencies. Numbering approximately 2,500 companies, TIB's share of the business in that market has been estimated to be in the region of 25%. The Bank recorded the tenth year in a row of historic results and its best ever performance in 2008, with consolidated net income increased by 19 % to USD 19.6 million and total assets of almost USD 500 million.