Gulf International Bank (GIB) was established in 1976 during the first oil boom and is incorporated in the Kingdom of Bahrain as a conventional wholesale bank.[2] It is licensed by the Central Bank of Bahrain and is headquartered in Manama in Bahrain. Gulf International Bank B.S.C. (GIB) was established in the Kingdom of Bahrain in 1975, and commenced operations in 1976. GIB opened its first representative office in London in 1978, upgrading it to full branch status in 1979. In 1980, it opened a New York office – the first US branch of any Arab bank. During the 1980s, GIB increased its GCC focus, attracting capital to the region by financing major infrastructure deals in association with leading international institutions.