Gulf International Bank

Designing a book of history to celebrate 40 years

Curating a collection of previously unpublished historic images of the then heads of state from across Bahrain and Saudi Arabia

Gulf International Bank celebrated its 40th anniversary and, to mark this milestone, we designed a coffee table book containing historical photos of the then heads of state from across Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.  We researched and created a catalogue of images spanning over four decades of growth, featuring royalty and dignitaries of past years, bearing witness to the changing times that have led to the present day. These photos date back to the turn of the century and many were previously unpublished. 

Along the journey, key milestones of GIB are interwoven with selected, precious moments of time to create a compelling - and lasting - commemorative gift for GIB’s corporate celebrations. One that transcends the ordinary. A collector’s edition that will assume pride of place as a valued, historical snapshot of time. 

Designed as oversize A3 landscape and printed on Rives uncoated paper stocks, the case-bound book was met with accolade from recipients as a truly unique corporate gift, launched at the Bank's celebrations in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

Client: Gulf International Bank

Discipline: Book Design

Sector: Financial Services

An open page of a corporate landscape brochure features an elegant dark gray background with white text detailing the region's historical transformation and the discovery of oil in 1932 and 1938, accented by a solid yellow geometric slash. The open corporate landscape brochure spread displays an old, narrow alleyway with traditional stone arches and weathered facades on the left page. The right page features a historic, sepia-toned aerial photograph of a coastal town or settlement, creating a stark visual contrast that emphasizes heritage and historical development. Historical archival black-and-white film footage showing a handshake between two prominent Arab leaders in traditional attire, surrounded by attendants. A large black-and-white historical portrait of a smiling Arab leader wearing a traditional ghutra and a decorative jambiya dagger tucked into his belt, displayed across an open corporate landscape brochure. An open corporate landscape brochure spread featuring a historical black-and-white photograph of industrial laborers at a drilling site on the left page, paired with bilingual English and Arabic text blocks and a yellow accent on a dark gray right page. An animated mockup of a corporate landscape brochure, rapidly flipping through its pages to display a mix of bilingual text blocks, yellow accents, architectural photography, and historical black-and-white imagery.

Client: Gulf International Bank

Discipline: Book Design

Sector: Financial Services

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