Kuwait Investment Authority

State of Kuwait
Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA)
الهيئة العامة للإستثمار
Agency overview
Headquarters Al Asimah
Coordinates: 29°21′52″N 47°58′36″E / 29.36444°N 47.97667°E / 29.36444; 47.97667
Agency executive
Parent agency Ministry of Finance
Child agency
  • Kuwait Health Assurance Company
Website Official Website

The Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) is Kuwait's sovereign wealth fund, managing body, specializing in local and foreign investment. It is the 5th largest sovereign wealth fund in the world with assets exceeding $592 billion.[1] It is a member of the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds[2] and has signed up to the Santiago Principles on best practice in managing sovereign wealth funds.

History and profile

KIA was founded on 23 February 1953[3] to manage the funds of the Kuwaiti Government in light of financial surpluses after the discovery of oil. KIA is the world's first and oldest sovereign wealth fund.[4]

KIA manages the Kuwait General Reserve Fund, the Kuwait Future Generations Fund, as well as any other assets committed by the Ministry of Finance. To put KIA's size into perspective, the Kuwait Future Generations Fund has 15% of annual oil revenues added to it.

KIA's board of directors is headed by the minister of finance[5] with other seats allocated to the Energy Minister, Governor of the Central Bank of Kuwait, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance, and 5 other nationals who are experts in the field, 3 of which should not hold any other public office.

KIA is estimated to have more than $592 billion in assets, and is one of the largest Sovereign Wealth Funds in the world.[6] The Chinese regulator awarded Kuwait Investment Authority an additional $700 million quota on top of $300 million awarded in March 2012. The quota is the highest to be granted by China to foreign investment entities.[7]

Grupo Torras

In 1986, the KIA's London based subsidiary, the Kuwait Investment Office (KIO), bought control of Torras Hostench, a Spanish paper maker. Torras subsequently took over a number of other companies to become Grupo Torras in June 1988. KIO invested about $2.5 billion in building up the company and another $1.8 billion to shore it up after the end of Spain's 1980s economic boom and the annexation of Kuwait by Iraq. However, in December 1992 Grupo Torras entered receivership among accusations of fraud, and Kuwait's investment was a total loss. One of its projects was the Gate of Europe twin towers in Madrid, which was still incomplete when the company collapsed.[8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Fund rankings". SWF Institute.
  2. ↑ International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds. "IFSWF Our members". Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  3. ↑ "Kuwait Investment Authority". SWF Institute. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
  4. ↑ "Timeline Kuwait". Timelines. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  5. ↑ "The Finance Ministry, KIA & KIO". APS Review Gas Market Trends. 3 June 1991. Retrieved 21 December 2013. – via HighBeam (subscription required)
  6. ↑ "Fund rankings". SWF Institute.
  7. ↑ "China grants Kuwait highest investment quota". Investvine. 21 January 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  8. ↑ "Missing Millions -- Kuwait's Bad Bet -- A special report.; Big Wallets and Little Supervision". New York Times. 28 September 1993.
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