Kuwait PM oversees Q8’s local debut

KUWAIT CITY, July 1: Under the patronage and in the presence of His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al- Sabah, the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) on Tuesday launched the operational opening of a flagship Q8 fuel station in the Al-Riqqa area of Ahmadi Governorate, marking the brand’s debut as part of a five-station rollout in the local market.

In a press statement following the launch, His Highness the Prime Minister reaffirmed the state’s unwavering commitment to backing the national oil sector. He noted that the vital industry continues to achieve its strategic milestones steadily despite challenging regional circumstances, driven by a long-standing legacy of corporate excellence and professionalism. His Highness praised the rapid execution and coordinated planning that led to the completion of five new Q8 fuel stations within a short timeframe. He emphasized that expanding the renowned international Q8 brand into the local market will drastically elevate consumer service standards, upgrade logistics infrastructure, and stimulate downstream commercial activities. Furthermore, the expansion aims to attract high-quality investments, diversify public revenues, and advance the state’s broader sustainable economic development goals. In a separate statement by KPC, Minister of Oil Tariq Al-Roumi expressed pride of the domestic launch of the global Q8 retail brand, highlighting it as a major milestone in restructuring the national oil sector and fostering institutional integration among the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) subsidiaries. Al-Roumi emphasized that debuting Q8 service stations locally aligns with the political leadership’s directives to diversify downstream services, elevate standards for citizens, and optimize added value for the national economy.

For his part, KPC Vice Chairman and CEO Sheikh Nawaf Saud Al- Sabah affirmed that introducing the international brand locally unifies the corporation’s retail identity and sharpens its global competitiveness. He noted that the transition will elevate the local consumer experience to match the world-class benchmarks established by Q8 networks across Europe and Asia. Sheikh Nawaf highly commended the historical legacy of KNPC, which has successfully managed the country’s fuel distribution network since 1961, and reasserted its ongoing pivotal role in securing domestic energy needs. He added that the new Al-Riqa station serves as an advanced, integrated service model, featuring unprecedented collaborations with established local retail brands to provide diversified, high-quality shopping and consumer services.

The high-profile inauguration ceremony was also attended by top state and energy officials, including Minister of State for Economic Affairs and Investment Abdulaziz Al- Marzouq, Managing Director of the Kuwait Investment Authority Sheikh Saud Salem Al-Sabah, Chief of the Kuwait Fire Force Major General Talal Al-Roumi, Director General of Kuwait Municipality Manal Al-Asfour, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance Aseel Al-Munaifi, CEO of Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) Wadha Al-Khatib, and CEO of Kuwait Petroleum International (KPI) ShafiAl-Ajmi. (KUNA)