.kfh New gTLD Application
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New gTLD Application Submitted to ICANN by: Kuwait Finance House
Application Downloaded On: 28 Jul 2014
String: kfh
Application ID: 1-2099-6189
Applicant Information
- Full legal name
Kuwait Finance House
- Address of the principal place of business
Abdullah Almubarak Street - Murqab - Kuwait 24989 Safat 13110 Kuwait Kuwait - 13110 KW
- Phone number
+96522445050
- Fax number
+96524966403
- If applicable, website or URL
http://www.kfh.com
Primary Contact
6(a). Name
Benjamin Crawford
6(b). Title
CEO
6(c). Address
6(d). Phone Number
+44 7540 723 115
6(e). Fax Number
6(f). Email Address
Secondary Contact
7(a). Name
Wael Shawareb
7(b). Title
Senior Information Security Officer
7(c). Address
7(d). Phone Number
+96597147474
7(e). Fax Number
7(f). Email Address
Proof of Legal Establishment
8(a). Legal form of the Applicant
Kuwaiti Shareholding Company (K.S.C)
8(b). State the specific national or other jurisdiction that defines the type of entity identified in 8(a).
Virtue Commercial Law No.2 of 1961 and Companies LAW NO.15 of 1961 and the LAW of commercial license NO 32 of 1969
8(c). Attach evidence of the applicant's establishment.
Attachments are not displayed on this form.
9(a). If applying company is publicly traded, provide the exchange and symbol.
KFIN / KFIN / KFIN / KFIN
9(b). If the applying entity is a subsidiary, provide the parent company.
9(c). If the applying entity is a joint venture, list all joint venture partners.
Applicant Background
11(a). Name(s) and position(s) of all directors
Name
Position
Abdul Aziz Yaqoub Al Nafisi Vice Chairman
Abdul Mohsen Abdullah Al Kharafi Board Member
Ahmed Abdullah Al-Omar Board Member
Ali Mohammed Al-Elaimi Board Member
Anwar Bader Al-Ghaith Chief Operations Officer (COO) & Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Fahad Ali Al Ghanim Board member
Hamad Abdul Mohsen Al Marzouq Chairman
Khaled Abdulaziz Al-Hasson Board Member
Khaled Salem Al Nisf Board Member
Mohamed Said Abdelwahab Elsaka Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Mohammad N. A. Alfouzan Chief Retail Banking Officer (CRBO)
Muad Saud Al Osaimi Board Member
Noorur Rahman Abid Board member
Paul Quigley Chief Risk Officer
Ruben Omar Fernandez Chief Treasury Officer
11(b). Name(s) and position(s) of all officers and partners
Name
Position
Abd Al-Naser-Alsubeih Assistant General Manager
Abdul Aziz Al-Jaber Assistant General Manager
Ahmed Mohammed Al-Khalid Assistant General Manager
Anwar Alghaith Deputy Assistant General Manager
Mohammed N. Al-Fozan Assistant General Manager
Mohammed Sulaiman Al-Omar Chief Executive
Muhammad Said Abdel Wahab Assistant General Manager
Sami Mohammed Al-Dakhil Deputy Assistant General Manager
Shaheen Hamed Al Ghanem Deputy Assistant General Manager
11(c). Name(s) and position(s) of all shareholders holding at least 15% of shares
Name
Position
Public Authority Of Investment Not Applicable
11(d). For an applying entity that does not have directors, officers, partners, or shareholders: Name(s) and position(s) of all individuals having legal or executive responsibility
Name
Position
Mansour Bo Obaid Legal Department Manager
Applied-for gTLD string
- Provide the applied-for gTLD string. If an IDN, provide the U-label.
kfh
14A. If applying for an IDN, provide the A-label (beginning with "xn--").
14B. If an IDN, provide the meaning, or restatement of the string in English, that is, a description of the literal meaning of the string in the opinion of the applicant.
14C1. If an IDN, provide the language of the label (in English).
14C2. If an IDN, provide the language of the label (as referenced by ISO-639-1).
14D1. If an IDN, provide the script of the label (in English).
14D2. If an IDN, provide the script of the label (as referenced by ISO 15924).
14E. If an IDN, list all code points contained in the U-label according to Unicode form.
15A. If an IDN, upload IDN tables for the proposed registry. An IDN table must include:
the applied-for gTLD string relevant to the tables,
the script or language designator (as defined in BCP 47),
table version number,
effective date (DD Month YYYY), and
contact name, email address, and phone number.
Submission of IDN tables in a standards-based format is encouraged.
15B. Describe the process used for development of the IDN tables submitted, including consultations and sources used.
15C. List any variants to the applied-for gTLD string according to the relevant IDN tables.
- Describe the applicant's efforts to ensure that there are no known operational or rendering problems concerning the applied-for gTLD string. If such issues are known, describe steps that will be taken to mitigate these issues in software and other applications.
The string ʺKFHʺ consists of three ASCII characters, each one of which currently occurs as part of existing and operational TLD strings. We are not aware of any possible rendering problems concerning the string ʺKFHʺ.
We are aware of the issue of universal acceptability and accept that some incorrectly configured third-party software may consider ʺKFHʺ to be an invalid string, in the same way that other TLDs such as ʺ.INFOʺ and “.MUSEUMʺ are also at times considered ʺinvalid.ʺ Applicant will work to raise awareness of the issue of universal acceptance of KFH and other new gTLDs. CentralNic has previously contributed to these efforts, such as by publication of TLD Verification code for the PHP programming language.
We are aware that a significant fraction of queries sent to the DNS root servers are for invalid TLDs such as ʺ.LOCALʺ or ʺ.LANʺ, and that the delegation of these TLDs could cause previously undiscovered configuration errors to result in operational problems for other operators. We have reviewed the research in this area, including the SAC 045 report from ICANNʹs Security and Stability Advisory Committee, data from the Day In The Life of the Internet project, and other sources, and are not aware of any significant volume of invalid root server queries related to KFH. Therefore we feel confident that the delegation of this string will not result in any operation problems for Internet users.
- OPTIONAL.
Provide a representation of the label according to the International Phonetic Alphabet (http://www.langsci.ucl.ac.uk/ipa/).
18A. Describe the mission/purpose of your proposed gTLD.
Kuwait Finance House (“KFH” or “Applicant”) has chosen to apply for the TLD to promote awareness of KFH’s services and products and facilitate the digital growth and physical expansion of KFH. The TLD will control and protect KFH and its Trademarks by providing an official digital hub for consumers worldwide as well as fostering consumer trust by creating a secure and technically stable zone. KFH is confident that the TLD will allow the company not only to achieve its own goals of expansion, risk reduction, improved performance and efficiency, and technological development, but also contribute to ICANNʹs commitment to innovation, consumer protection, security, and stability across new markets.
Headquartered in Kuwait City, Kuwait, KFH provides Islamic Finance or Shari’a compliant services covering banking, real estate, trade finance, investment portfolios, and corporate, commercial, and retail financial markets. KFH was the first Islamic bank established in the State of Kuwait and is today one of the foremost Islamic financial institutions in the world. From its inception in 1977, KFH has grown into a robust banking and financial institution that is a market leader not only in the Islamic banking industry but also in the banking sector as a whole (both in terms of profitability and total assets). KFH has strong affiliations with leading international institutions and in the past has successfully launched a number of products in alliance with other major global banks such as Citi, Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan, Chase, BNP Paribas, ABN Amro, and HSBC.
Although KFH’s core market remains Kuwait (where it holds a 30% retail market share and the largest customer and retail base of any bank in Kuwait), the bank also cultivates a strong and growing international presence. KFH has established fully owned, independently functioning banks in Turkey (1989), Bahrain (2002), and Malaysia (2005, extended into Australia in 2008) while establishing significant stakes in other Islamic banks regionally and worldwide. As at December 2011, KFH also held subsidiaries in the Cayman Islands, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia. KFH actively seeks to expand its customer base both in Kuwait and internationally, quantitatively and qualitatively, by increasing the number of branches, developing communications channels with customers, developing innovative new products to meet evolving requirements, and continuously improving customer service to achieve the highest standards of quality and efficiency (as benchmarked against international standards). In its constant pursuit of excellence and bringing quality, secure banking products to new markets, KFH’s expansion program directly mirrors ICANN’s commitment to the extension of choice and the promotion of secure and stable technology across new and emerging markets.
KFH is a multi-award winning organization, and it has received recognition and accolades from industry organizations and counterparts in every field – from Banking to Real Estate and Technology. In 2010, KFH won Global Finance’s award for Best Islamic Finance Bank in the GCC and was selected among the same organization’s Safest Banks in the Middle East. It is rated A+ by Fitch and Capital Intelligence, Aa3 by Moody’s, and A- by Standard and Poor’s. Its excellent ratings reflect the bank’s high degree of flexibility and resistance to market shocks. But perhaps the best gauge of the bank’s success and reliability is the trust consumers have placed in it: KFH ranks first in the banking deposit segment in Kuwait.
KFH was rated Best Consumer Internet Bank in Kuwait by Global Finance in 2010. The bank has an active internet presence, with the most-followed Twitter account (@KFHGroup) of any bank in the region (allowing for real-time customer feedback and service) as well as a Facebook page (www.facebook.com⁄KuwaitFinanceHouse). Most significantly, however, KFH’s website allows for the execution of 140 different banking services; KFH Online was the top rated application among customer testimonies. Throughout the past few years, KFH has targeted the best solutions and banking applications, matching the best international practices and standards in order to upgrade business efficiency and achieve the highest standards of quality. The establishment of quality control measures and increasing the capacity of equipment, systems, and network throughout KFH’s digital infrastructure further ensure KFH has the resources necessary to match the service requirements of the future. The decision to launch the TLD thus falls squarely within KFH’s digital strategy by providing access to unprecedented levels of technical security and innovation.
In addition to its commitment to stability, security, and its consumers, KFH takes its mission of corporate social responsibility very seriously. The bank supports various initiatives in the fields of education, healthcare, youth empowerment and development, special needs assistance, and caring for needy families. In 2011, KFH donated significant funds toward the elimination of famine and the provision of drought relief in the Horn of Africa as well as contributed to local efforts to combat diabetes.
The TLD will provide a digital home for information about all the previously-mentioned services as well as facilitate the future expansion of KFH’s web and market presence while simultaneously contributing to the bank’s technical improvement and innovation. As KFH actively expands into new markets and service categories, the TLD will serve as a platform for innovation as well as technical security and stability. It will provide a digital hub for all entities and subsidiaries within the KFH aegis and will provide a badge of authenticity, stability, and security designed specifically to protect KFH’s customers and infrastructure.
The term “KFH” is associated with a vast array of products and services related to Kuwait Finance House. As a result, millions of internet users and consumers associate the term “KFH” with Kuwait Finance House, and this number is only projected to increase with the forecast expansion of KFH. KFH holds Trademarks for the brand, ensuring not only the protection of the brand but also its public recognition. KFH will retain domains for internal use, educating consumers about KFH’s diverse service offerings as the bank expands internationally and within Kuwait. The expansion of KFH itself will simultaneously extend the outreach of the TLD – ensuring not only the promotion of KFH but also the effective organization of its domain name structure and the technical security and stability of its internet presence. The TLD will allow KFH to continue innovating and bringing new products to an emerging consumer base without compromise – thereby exceeding customer expectations and reaching new horizons.
18B. How do you expect that your proposed gTLD will benefit registrants, Internet users, and others?
- The TLD has been specifically designed to meet KFH’s requirements and facilitate its corporate mission. Mirroring ICANNʹs own goals of promoting consumer protection, security, stability, innovation, and rights protection, KFH’s application for and desire to operate the TLD affirms its commitment to these areas and will ensure their execution. The domain will allow authorized parties within KFH to register the shortest, most intuitive, and most descriptive domain names possible. Consumers will be aware that corporate communications and websites are authorized by KFH - promoting their confidence in the brands and their protection from potentially harmful third parties (particularly important for financial institutions).
- The TLD will be the first TLD specifically designed to serve the needs of a financial institution as well as KFH’s brand, business, and consumers - allowing all to grow and prosper unhindered in the digital landscape without the limitations of generic or ccTLD endings and confident in the knowledge that the TLD is operating at unprecedented levels of technical security. It will provide ICANN-mandated levels of technical service and serve as a platform for the expansion of KFH’s services and product offerings as previously described. Additionally, the TLD will promote ICANN’s goals of promoting competition, consumer trust, consumer choice, security, and rights protection by:
diversifying the ownership and control of gTLD registries
introducing a gTLD registry owned and operated in the Middle East (an unprecedented evolution)
introducing a gTLD registry with operations in a number of territories where the domain industry is heretofore undeveloped
establishing the first TLD registry owned and operated by a financial institution
providing a zone where the significant number of brand users and affiliates can receive accurate information about KFH’s product offerings and services
operating at the levels of technical security and stability required by ICANNʹs new gTLD program
protecting KFH as a rights holder, creating a dedicated zone wherein complete brand protection and control is guaranteed
- The TLD will allow web users to easily identify the KFH brand worldwide – unimpeded by artificial boundaries (such as generic or ccTLD endings) and secure in the knowledge that the communications and information uncompromisingly originate directly from KFH. The TLD will assist with the dissemination of information about KFH product offerings, allowing internet users to become more familiar with the services offered and the various business units within the KFH aegis. It will be a trusted zone functioning at the highest standards of technical and operational utility and security and serve as a platform for KFH’s already significant online banking operation.
- The TLD is open to registrations by authorized parties and business units within KFH for assigning domains related to KFH and its subsidiaries and affiliates. Although individual business units within KFH may wish to adopt their own strategies corresponding specifically with their unique requirements or market preferences, the common denominator will be employing the TLD to unite KFH sites and services under an uncompromised, secure, stable, and innovative digital hub. The marketing and branding activities undertaken by KFH internationally will reinforce this goal.
As further detailed in the responses to questions 28 and 29, KFH will implement all rights protection mechanisms required by ICANN (including but not limited to the URS and the UDRP) and will additionally operate a Sunrise period for Trademark holders prior to General Availability (again, in accordance with all ICANN rules).
A complete copy of the intended registration policy is found in Question 29.
- KFH in its capacity as a TLD registry operator will not be providing any special services for protecting the privacy or confidential information of registrants or end-users apart from those required by applicable laws, policies, agreements or technical standards. Some registry services intrinsically support the protection of usersʹ confidential information. Examples of such services are:
SRS (protecting confidentiality of the EPP transfer authorisation codes)
Dissemination of TLD zone files (protecting confidentiality of zone file FTP accounts credentials)
All registry services, including those described above, will be provided in accordance with the ICANN requirements and specifications to the Registry Agreement. The data security measures adopted by KFH are described in detail in the answer to question 30 ʺSecurity Policyʺ.
- KFH will incorporate the use of the TLD in its existing marketing campaigns and materials in order to encourage user understanding, protection, and uptake. These communications and outreach efforts will ensure internet users, KFH customers, and the wider public are aware that the information disseminated on the TLD will provide content directly originating from KFH.
18C. What operating rules will you adopt to eliminate or minimize social costs (e.g., time or financial resource costs, as well as various types of consumer vulnerabilities)? What other steps will you take to minimize negative consequences/costs imposed upon consumers?
The TLD has been designed to provide a trusted zone free from security breaches and technical problems. The extensive security measures embedded into the heart of the zone ensure the minimization of social costs and negative consumer consequences.
- KFH has taken great care to develop the most fair registration policy possible. It will offer a phased launch consistent with ICANN requirements to ensure the protection of Trademark holders and the satisfaction of potential registrants. Phase 1 will be the ICANN-mandated Sunrise period open to TM holders eligible for registering domains in the TLD. The Sunrise rules and regulations are described in full in section 29.
The Sunrise phase will be followed by General Availability, during which time domain names will be become available for eligible entities on a first-come, first-served basis (the limited initial pool of authorized registrants negates the possibility of any registration collisions). All domain name registrations in the TLD will be registered to and maintained by the Registry Operator for its own and its affiliates’ exclusive use within the first three years of delegation.
Depending on various factors including the up-take and usage of new TLDs, KFH may extend the client base in the future, though in not less than three years from delegation. The initially proposed Eligibility Policy provides for such expansion, and amendments to the Eligibility Policy to make it less restrictive are also feasible.
Any significant expansion of the potential registrant base will be prepended by an intermediate Sunrise period to allow new entrants to register their trademarks as domains under the TLD. Standard first-come, first-served policy will take over thereafter. The Applicant firmly believes this tiered policy will satisfy all potential registrants both now and in the future.
- KFH will not implement any promotions or registrant discounts.
- Domain names will be available for registration on a one-year to ten-year basis in compliance with ICANN requirements. Interim takedowns of non-compliant domains are possible to protect the integrity of the zone.
At this time KFH does not foresee a need to increase the registry fees, but the registry will certainly give ample notice of any change in fees as required by the Registry Agreement and ICANN regulations.