Kuwait Finance House (KFH) made a deal, which is the first of its kind for an Islamic Bank, where it buys and sells a new product, which is electrical power, according to a legitimate contract with a creative reframing. It consists of Murabaha and selling of Salam. The $50 million deal, which was made with the cooperation of Merryl Lynch Bank and The British Electric Company, is expected to open wide gates for the Islamic banks in this vital field, after (KFH) laid the foundation for applying it anywhere and on any type of energy.
The Manager of The International Investment Dept. Youssef Al-Menayyea, stated in a press release that the 4 year deal includes (KFH) buying $50 million worth of electrical power, which the British Company produces, then selling it to Merryl Lynch Bank. The British Company is the biggest electricity producing company in The United Kingdom. Thus, (KFH) plays the role of the supplier. It buys electricity produced by the company and gives it to the main buyer, Merryl Lynch Bank.
Al-Menayyea considered this deal, whether in its new frame or in its business field, which is trading energy, the first of its kind in the field of Islamic banking business. It is also an initiative from (KFH) as a pioneer that opens new markets for the Islamic banks, especially that energy, in all its forms, is highly demanded and extremely important all over the world, especially the industrial countries. Moreover, the amount of energy excess, which differs from one country to the other, according to its abilities and production rates, can create a new market after providing financial resources to transfer this energy to the countries that need it the most. The success in applying this deal paves the way for a repeat in other locations and with other companies, which produce other forms of energy. He added that the leading role which (KFH) played in Equate, reframing and participating in it with traditional financial institutions, is the method that the Islamic financial institutions have followed later on. After (KFH) laid the legal and legislation foundation in Equate, it has become familiar to see Islamic and traditional financial institutions working together on one project, without this interfering with work, whether legitimate or traditional, which the observers render as a new historical achievement in the Islamic financial business. (KFH) gets the credit for achieving that. Al-Menayyea noted that the deal includes many unique advantages that reflect the creative way of thinking which (KFH) relies on in most of its businesses. The deal was framed well and was approved by the Sharia Authority at (KFH). Our partners have a good financial and operating performance, plus the business field, which is considered the first of its kind, because an Islamic financial bank provided power to consumers after buying it from the producer. It also opens many new fields for (KFH) in the markets of United Kingdom, where (KFH) can deal with companies that have the same products or different ones, in the same deal frame or in any other way. If we look to the creative side, its expected rewarding return, and the high credit rate for the deal, we are, beyond any doubt, before an important, unprecedented qualitative achievement from an Islamic bank in the region and the world.
(KFH) participation in Equate was a major starting point in its contributions in major development projects, like financing power stations, communications, infrastructu