BizBahrain Magazine (May-June 2019)

May-June 2019 

1

CONTENTS May - June 2019 

10 | Exploring Disruption for Next-Generation 

Technology 

Digital transformation has a vital role to play in the future of the 

region’s economy - whether that is creating new roles such as 

data analysts or new types of companies in areas such as IoT and 

cloud computing. 

FEATURES 

12 | Huawei Rewriting the Rules of Innovation 

Interview with Ian Li 

President-HUAWEI Consumer Business Group Middle East Multi-Countries 

18 | 20 Years of Dynamic Growth and Service 

Interview with Yousif Ali Mirza 

CE, CrediMax 

22 | Creating an Infrastructure of Virtual Support Systems 

for Businesses 

Interview with Raj Sablok 

President, ManageEngine and ZOHO.com 

26 | Building the Startup Ecosystem 

Interview with Mohamed Isa 

Speaker & Author 

2 May-June 2019

CONTENTS 

May - June 2019 

28 | Bahrain’s Only Tri-Service International Defence Exhibition 

Spotlight | BIDEC 2019 

30 | Bahrain in Pole Position 

Economic Strategy | Kingdom of Bahrain 

32 | Bahrain Real Estate Market Trends 

Property Finder | Real Estate Analysis 

36 | What you need to know about Bahrain’s Fiscal Overhaul 

Business Report | OBG 

38 | What is Robotic Process Automation? 

Expert Opinion | Information Technology 

40 | 2 Factor Authentication: Activate it Everywhere 

Cybersecurity Solution I CTM360 


3

SECTORS 

MORE IN THIS ISSUE 

42 | Government: 

2 iGA 2018 Foreign Investment Survey 

2 Bahrain records 4.6% Economic growth in 4Q 2018 

2 Bahrain and France sign $2 billion worth of agreements 

2 First Proptech concept Estater 

2 Registeration for VAT workshops 

2 Export Bahrain launch new “Trade Map” online platform 

46 | Banking & Finance: 

2 CBB issue draft Rules on Insurance Aggregators 

2 BBK enters new Phase of Innovation with Tailored Service 

2 NBB Personal Loan Promotion 

2 Bahrain’s first Digital Payroll System 

2 BDB and CrediMax POS Assignment on Card Receivables 

2 Ithmaar Bank instant Debit Cards issuance 

70 | Biz Dashboard 

50 | Telecom: 

2 Online Registration launch for Domain Names .bh 

2 5G to Transform the Digital Lives of People across Bahrain 

2 Smart Home WiFi Solution 

2 Batelco launch Manama-IX 

2 VIVA introduce Jawwy TV HOME in Bahrain 

2 Khameesna Zain 

54 | Real Estate: 

2 Era Projects to start new developments at Diyar Al Muharraq 

2 Boutique Retail and Restaurant complex, Ain 520 

2 Bin Faqeeh signs first Staybridge Suites Hotel in Bahrain 

2 Entertainment Concepts that will bring Families together 

2 Manara start construction of Wadi Al Riffa 

2 Golden Gate project embodiment of uniqueness 

58 | Technology: 

2 Wonder News launch ITS Regional HQ in Bahrain 

2 SADAD launch ‘Gift Vouchers’ and ‘Save Your Card’ features 

2 YKA partner with Samsung 

2 Intelligence-driven 24/7 security operations centre in Bahrain 

2 TechoSmart to provide HR Solutions in Bahrain 

2 Huawei P30 series 

72 | Tender Board Bahrain 

62 | Automotive: 

2 Ferrari F8 Tributo 

2 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupé 

2 Porsche Macan 

2 Jaguar I-PACE 

2 McLaren Bahrain Tower 

2 The All-New RAV4 

66 | Other Business: 

2 A.I Academy launch at Bahrain Polytechnic 

2 Special Discounts on Cargo Exports 

2 Alba Expands Production & Sales Volume 

2 ‘Startup Factory’ to guide and support local Startups 

2 CIOCCOLATITALIANI open in Bahrain 

2 Shakespeare & Co. opens in Bahrain 


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5

CHAIRMAN'S MESSAGE 

It is that time of the year again. The month when we looked deeper within and 

the collective mood of spirituality and oneness encourage a state of mind that 

transcends the distinctions and demarcations that otherwise divide us. Whether 

it is within our family and social circles or around our business activities, the 

Ramadan effect is truly an elevating one. 

We have many interesting articles and interviews in this issue, with a special 

focus on an international icon of business and industry that has in recent years 

become an important part of Bahrain’s business story. We are indeed honoured to 

feature on our cover story a profile of the fast growing and exciting new kid on the 

block, Huawei, and to interview Ian Li, President - HUAWEI Consumer Business 

Group Middle East Multi-Countries. 

In another fascinating interview, Raj Sabhlok, President of Silicon Valley based 

ManageEngine and ZOHO.com talked to us on a recent visit to Bahrain about IT 

management software and its power to change the fortunes of a business when 

implemented effectively. 

We also feature a Bahrain veteran of banking industry, Yousif Ali Mirza 

CE of Credimax talking about the 20 years of history of dynamic growth and service 

for the Bahrain market. 

Ramadan is all about sharing. It is the month of generosity and charity, as 

fasting allows us to realize how much we have and how grateful we ought to be. It 

helps us understand the suffering and the pains of others and gives us a greater 

sense of responsibility towards our fellowmen. 

Tell us what you think, and let us know what you want to see in bizbahrain and 

on bizbahrain.com. 

We wish you a blessed Ramadan! 

Adel Al Safar 

Chairman 

Write to the Publisher: info@bizbahrain.com 


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DISCOVER NOW AT LEMERIDIENCITYCENTREBAHRAIN.COM

THE TEAM 

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Manager 

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Social Media 

Editorial Contributors 

Production and Layout 

Printed at 

In Association with 

Reena Abraham 

reena@bizbahrain.com 

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sameer@bizbahrain.com 

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+973 3383 6777 bizbahrain 

Mohamed Isa, Dr. Jassim Haji, Heather Longden, 

Arafat Tehsin, J. Tate, Dr. Alex R. Suchy von Weissenfeld, 

Jose Paul Martin, Ali Al Aradi 

Dar Akhbar Al Khaleej, Kingdom of Bahrain 

info@bizbahrain.com 

www.bizbahrain.com 

Read more on: www.bizbahrain.com 

The opinions and views contained in this publication by the journalists, writers and the interviewee are not necessarily those of the publishers. All efforts have been 

made to ensure accuracy of the information contained in this publication. However bizbahrain cannot accept legal responsibility for any error or omission. 


Main Feature | ICT Sector 

EXPLORING DISRUPTION FOR 

NEXT-GENERATION TECHNOLOGY 

by Reena Abraham 

Digital transformation has a 

vital role to play in the future 

of the region’s economy - 

whether that is creating new 

roles such as data analysts or new types 

of companies in areas such as IoT and 

cloud computing. The transformation to 

a digital economy will have a positive 

influence as it creates more opportunities 

by enabling entrepreneurship and 

innovation to disrupt all current 

industries as well as creating new sectors 

like industry 4.0 and FinTech, ”said Dr 

Simon Galpin, Managing Director, of 

the Bahrain Economic Development 

Board (EDB) during one of last year’s 

big events in Bahrain Tech - a unique 

and diverse programme of high-profile 

events hosted by some of the world’s 

foremost technology experts. More than 

6,600 people participated in the weeklong 

series of events, a 47% increase on 

the inaugural event in 2017, to explore 

tech-driven disruption across different 

industries and sectors. 

Just last month a delegation led by 

H.E. Khalid Al Rumaihi, Chief Executive 

of the Bahrain Economic Development 

Board (EDB), on the side-lines of His 

Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s 

visit to France, signed a joint cooperation 

agreement with French FinTech 

incubator, Le Swave, to increase support 

for and foster the growth of global 

FinTech. This agreement was part of the 

Kingdom’s economic diversification plan 

to expand the non-oil sector through 

the development of the financial sector, 

particularly FinTech. It also aims to 

promote the adoption of international 

best practices in this field. The incubator 

provides technical and material support 

to emerging FinTech businesses, offering 

them easy access to relevant entities 

to assist in their business development 

while also allowing them to test their 

services and apply new models to their 

clients in the financial sector. 

In the last couple of years, Bahrain 

has seen a significant shift in the 

prominence of tech-driven industries, 

with the growth of the Bahrain FinTech 

ecosystem, the establishment of a $100m 

Fund of Funds to help fund start-ups 

across the Middle East; and a growing 

number of companies using the Central 

Bank of Bahrain’s regulatory sandbox 

to develop new products and services. 

These advances were reflected in 

the Global Startup Ecosystem Report 

released late last year, by the Global 

Entrepreneurship Network and Startup 

Genome, which featured Bahrain as 

the only Arab country in their global 

‘ecosystems to watch’ in both fintech and 

gaming. 

As one of the leading FinTech hubs 

in the Middle East and Africa, Bahrain is 

fast becoming a focal point for innovation 

in the GCC and the region and a direct 

result is that it is attracting ideas and 

companies engaged in innovation and 

encouraging the growth of a supportive 

and pioneering environment. Recent 

laws issued encourage innovation, 

allowing Bahrain to become the 

preferred destination for next-generation 

technology companies. 

Not surprisingly, the Kingdom of 

Bahrain ranks first in global ICT indices, 

being ranked first in the Arab region in 


Main Feature | ICT Sector 

the UN ITU’s ICT Development Index 

(IDI), and ranked 4th globally in the UN’s 

Telecommunications Infrastructure 

Index (TII) of the E-Government 

Development Index (EGDI) in 2018. 

Reports also show that it’s not only 

better in Bahrain for ICT businesses, but 

also cheaper - ICT businesses enjoy a 15% 

to 20% cost advantage in terms of annual 

operating costs when compared to other 

GCC countries. There are a number of 

important factors at play - primarily, cost 

and talent. Startups with international 

aspirations find significant savings and 

a deep pool of talent by basing their 

operations in Bahrain as opposed to 

neighbouring countries. Commercial 

office space rentals are nearly half 

the average for the Gulf region, and 

businesses in Bahrain benefit from the 

lowest operating costs and the second 

lowest cost of living in the region. 

Accommodation costs, utilities and 

transportation costs consistently rank 

among the lowest in the region. 

Leading Emerging Markets 

Internet investor, Rise Capital, recently 

discussed its confidence in the GCC 

entrepreneurship scene and its goal 

to invest in early stage technology 

businesses here, through its newlyannounced 

global fund. Rise Capital 

cites Bahrain as an example of a market 

where the entrepreneurial ecosystem 

has the potential to flourish far faster 

than expected. Nazar Yasin, Founder 

& Managing Partner at Rise Capital 

and a 15-year veteran of emerging 

markets technology investing points 

to the fact that Bahrain has already 

attracted large global technology 

companies to establish a presence in 

the market. “Huawei already has over 

1,000 employees in Bahrain and Amazon 

Web Services has already sponsored an 

accelerator here. Now that the region 

has started to see large exits like Uber’s 

acquisition of Careem and Amazon’s 

acquisition of Souq, we will only see the 

entrepreneurial talent pool accelerate.” 

Ready for 5G Capabilities 

H.E. the Minister of Transportation 

and Telecommunications in Bahrain, 

Engineer Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed 

announced that preparations for the 

rollout of 5G networks in the Kingdom 

of Bahrain are complete, anticipating 

that Bahrain will be one of the first 

countries globally to provide commercial 

5G services to consumers by June 

2019, pending availability of consumer 

handsets. 

Preparations for the 

rollout of 5G networks 

in the Kingdom of 

Bahrain are complete, 

anticipating that 

Bahrain will be one 

of the first countries 

globally to provide 

commercial 5G services 

to consumers by 

June 2019, pending 

availability of consumer 

handsets. 

This announcement positions 

Bahrain as one of the world’s leading 

5G-ready countries, increasing its 

appeal as a destination for companies 

trialing next-generation technologies 

such as autonomous vehicles and 

virtual/augmented reality goods, 

as the Kingdom continues to 

encourage investment in world-class 

telecommunications infrastructure and 

services. These products and services 

will also be ably supported by the 

National Broadband Network (NBN), 

Mobile penetration rate, 2013-18 (%) 

2013 

2014 

2015 

2016 

2017 

2018 

which will offer ubiquitous high-speed 

fibre-based products to operators and 

consumers throughout the Kingdom. 

Successful commercial trials for 5G 

technology in the Kingdom of Bahrain 

were held in June 2018 and all licensed 

operators are preparing to provide 

commercial 5G services which will be 

ready to go when consumer handsets 

become available. The products and 

services will be in line with the 3GPP 

standards issued in 2018 and will 

predominantly utilise bandwidth in 

the C-Band spectrum (3GHz) and will 

allow Bahraini companies to tap into 

the global 5G services market, which is 

anticipated to grow from an estimated 

60 billion USD in 2020 to an estimated 

125 billion USD in 2025. 

One major benefit of 5G technology 

is enabling higher volume of data 

transmission at higher speeds (lower 

latencies). This in turn enables the 

development and implementation 

of technologies such as autonomous 

driving vehicles, which can require up 

to 100Gb of data per second to operate. 

Research and development into other 

technologies such as AI open up a 

massive potential market for Bahrain. 

Furthermore, 5G can potentially support 

interactive technologies like virtual 

reality which need high bandwidth to 

send and receive large amounts of data 

with very low latency, helping enable 

the growth of some IoT applications and 

delivering improved video streaming 

and high-end gaming. 

0 50 100 150 200 250 

Source: TRA 


11

Interview | Huawei 

Ian Li 

President-HUAWEI Consumer Business Group 

Middle East Multi-Countries 


HUAWEI 

REWRITING 

THE RULES OF 

INNOVATION 

When Huawei announced its business results 

for the first quarter of 2019, notching up 

CNY179.7 billion (USD 26.81 billion) generated 

revenue and an astounding 39 per cent 

increase in its first quarter revenue, it was no surprise to 

anyone who has been watching the meteoric rise of the 

Chinese powerhouse. In the past eight years, Huawei Consumer 

BG has pushed ahead with its "consumer-centric" 

approach, taking the lead in a number of the industry's 

most popular, innovative, and competitive technological 

fi e l d s , s u c h a s p h o t o g r a p h y, b a t t e r y l i f e , c o m m u n i c a t i o n , 

and AI. In the global smartphone market, Huawei has gone 

from being dismissed as a statistical "Other" to ranking 

among the top 2 players in the world. Again, not a surprise 

when it was recently announced in the first quarter of 2019, 

that Huawei became the world's second largest smartphone 

manufacturer, with a 17% global market share with 

50% growth year-on-year. HUAWEI reached its highest level 

of market share in Q1 2019, according to the recent report by 

International Data Corporation (IDC). 


13


Showing its growing confidence 

in the region and globally, Huawei 

Consumer Business Group (CBG) 

unveiled the much-anticipated HUAWEI 

P30 Series to consumers in the Middle 

East and Africa region during a launch 

event that took place in Burj Park, 

Dubai where the audience was treated a 

mesmerizing animation and lightshow 

projection on the Burj Khalifa. This 

came after an equally spectacular global 

launch in Paris a week earlier. 

Continuing to maintain its focus on 

ICT infrastructure and smart devices, 

Huawei has continued to boost the 

efficiency and quality of its operations, 

which has helped contribute to its solid 

performance in Q1 2019. The company 

says that 2019 will be a year of largescale 

deployment of 5G around the 

world, denoting that it is preparing for 

unprecedented opportunities for growth. 

By the end of March 2019, Huawei had 

signed 40 commercial contracts for 

5G with leading global carriers and 

had shipped more than 70,000 5G base 

stations to markets around the world. 

Huawei's Enterprise Business Group also 

deployed the world's first 5G-enabled 

Wi-Fi 6 access point. At of the end of Q1 

2019, Huawei had shipped more Wi-Fi 

6 products than any other company 

worldwide. 

Also, in Q1 2019, Huawei's Enterprise 

Business Group launched its Digital 

Platform and its new "Huawei Inside" 

strategy, committing to building the 

foundations of a digital China and the 

core of a digital world by delivering the 

Digital Platform along with ubiquitous 

connectivity and pervasive intelligence. 

Ian Li, President of Huawei’s 

Consumer Business Group for Middle 

East Multi-Countries talked to Reena 

Abraham in an exclusive interview 

during a recent visit to the company’s 

headquarters in the Kingdom. 

Tell us how the breakthrough in 

digital camera technology that Huawei 

has achieved with the launch of the 

HUAWEI P30 and HUAWEI P30 Pro, is 

going to impact the next generation of 

smartphones? 

Through our many years of 

dedication to research, innovation and 

development, I believe we have made a 

huge breakthrough in the area of smart 

phone photography. Starting from our 

P series, we began collaboration with 

one of the best camera brands, Leica, 

bringing them into the digital world. The 

HUAWEI P30 series has rewritten the 

rules of photography with innovative 

features like the SuperSpectrum 

Sensor and SuperZoom Lens, and we 

were able to reshape the perception of 

consumers by delivering pioneering 

technologies that will not only offer new 

photography experiences, but will also 

take smartphone videography to another 

level. 

We have introduced the SuperZoom 

Lens which takes smartphone zooming 

capabilities to much higher levels than 

the human eye and a never-before seen 

50x digital zoom, bringing the farthest 

objects closer to the user’s eyes. We 

have found through our consumer 

interactions that you can literally use 

your Huawei phone to shoot even as far 

as the moon, and this without support of 

any extra equipment. 

We also have for the first time in 

the industry introduced RYYB 9(Red, 

Yellow, Yellow, Blue) sensors, a change 

from the RGGB (Red, Green, Green, Blue) 

used for the last 40 years. This allows 

more light to come into your sensor 

and gives you brighter colours. So the 

phone now allows you to shoot in even 

very dark environments with very little 

light. For example, imagine yourself in 

a scenario where you are celebrating a 

birthday, where the background is dark 

and the only light is from the candles. 

With the Huawei P30 Pro there is no 

need for extra lights and its internal 

processes enable an exposure of 3-8 

seconds to produce the most stunning 

images in low-light settings. The “night 

vision” capability lets the HUAWEI P30 

Pro capture videos even in the poorest of 

lighting conditions. 

We are still investing in this 

smartphone camera domain and we 

will push the boundary even further, 

rewriting the rules of photography. 

It was recently 

announced in the 

first quarter of 2019, 

that Huawei became 

the world's second 

largest smartphone 

manufacturer, with a 17% 

global market share. 

Would you say that the camera is one 

of the most important features that 

consumers look for in a smart phone 

today? 

I think so. Photography has become 

a hobby and a passion and people like 



to share their 

photos and 

selfies with 

their friends 

and family. 

There are 

also many 

applications, 

like Snapchat 

and Instagram, 

which is based 

on photos and 

images, so we 

are looking 

at a customer 

base that is 

constantly 

looking for the perfect picture. From 

the very beginning of designing this 

phone, we have worked in collaboration 

with Snapchat to provide an optimised 

experience. 

What are some of the new features in 

this line that a user would most enjoy 

and find useful? 

The HUAWEI P30 has a Dual 

View video feature with 4 cameras, 

which allows you to take a video, with 

simultaneously a close view and a 

distant view making it easier to edit. 

While shooting, the screen splits into 

two halves: the lower half shows the 

wide-angle capture, while the half 

that’s closer to the front camera shows 

a close-up shot. This mode, with its 

capability to capture dual perspectives, 

lends itself to capturing large-scale 

events such as sporting matches 

and concerts where users can adjust 

magnification levels as well. Basically 

we are talking about one video that 

gives you two different views. So later 

when you try to combine your footage 

you have better choices. 

The HUAWEI P30 Pro also houses 

a new and improved In-Screen 

Fingerprint sensor. Fingerprint 

recognition is improved by taking 

advantage of the ultra-wide 3p lens and 

a large aperture, which works in tandem 

to the pixel photosensitivity enhancing 

the Micro-lens. Unlock speed is also 

improved by 30 percent thanks to the 

industry-leading multithreaded dualmatching 

algorithm, which also uses 

a fluid unlock animation and hover 

sensing to improve user experience. 

What is the essential difference between 

the P and Mate series? 

For the P series we have a focus on 

the stylish, fashion design aspects along 

with the colours options. The innovation 

on the cameras is another important 

thing. When we talk about new colours, 

for our last generation P 20 PRO series 

we were the industry first to introduce 

the gradient colour. On the P30 PRO we 

have the Breathing Crystal, the world’s 

first. It’s very difficult to achieve that 

finish and behind it is the world’s first 

7-nanometre technology (the Kirin 980). 

The Mate series is basically for 

businessmen. It is a balance between 

all the specifications and the long 

lasting battery technology that we have. 

However, we will keep adding features, 

and we are constantly innovating and 

changing because expectations are 

constantly changing. 

Starting from our 

P series, we began 

collaboration with one 

of the best camera 

brands, Leica, bringing 

them into the digital 

world. The HUAWEI P30 

series has rewritten the 

rules of photography. 

Tell us about the design and aesthetics 

of the new Huawei products? How 

important is this in your R&D process? 

As a leading technology company, 

Huawei invests a significant amount of 

its annual sales revenue to research and 

development efforts, and has established 

14 research centers around the world. 

Among these facilities is the Huawei 

Aesthetics Research Center in Paris. 

Huawei’s newest R&D center is the 

Max Berek Innovation Lab in Wetzler, 

Germany, where Huawei and Leica 

are jointly researching technologies 

to improve mobile device camera and 

image quality. 

For the P30 PRO we introduced an 

inspired gradient in colours. In fact the 

colours that we offered this time are 

quite unique. The very special Breathing 

Crystal is in huge demand in the market 

and we have nearly gone out of stock! It 

also features the in-screen fingerprint 

sensor, which gives more space, on 

both, the front and the back. We also 

have a double curved glass screen with 

both sides curved, which makes it very 

comfortable to hold in your hand. 

Do you think that the new Huawei 

products can take on the iPhone and 

Samsung - your two closest competitors 

- in the design aspect? 

Yes, I think we are on the way to be 

Number 1 in the smartphone market. It 

doesn’t matter whether it’s the iPhone or 

some other competitor - the brand that 

is going to keep innovating and offering 

what the consumer expects is the one 

that is going to be on top. If you look 

back at the figures through the year 2011, 

when we started the smartphone series, 

by series I mean not the ODM (original 

design manufacturer) or OEM (original 

equipment manufacturer) brands for the 

operators, but Huawei as its own brand. 

Our sales figures have seen continuous 

growth. Last year alone we have shipped 

206 million units of smartphones and 

our market share globally shifted from 

number three to the world’s number two 

during Q1 2019, while the gap between 

Huawei and next player is very little. 

This year in Q1 we have shipped 59 

million units already. 

The most important figures I want to 

share are the latest figures for the first 

quarter of this year - we have shipped 

59 million units smartphones. If you 

simply multiply by 4, you will see there 

is going to be an increase of more than 

40 percent. That is the fact that if you 

compare with Q1 from last year, by 

shipment we have increased by more 

than 40 percent. It is a very promising 

year for us. We think it’s a match point. 

Also in the high-end smartphone 

segment, and by high-end we mean 

pricing is more than 600USD, by 

December 2018 our market share globally 

was 14.7%. And with the launch of P30 

we already have a huge increase to 17%. 

So overall facts show that globally 

the consumer is welcoming Huawei 

and they have liked what we have been 

dedicating on R&D and innovation and 

they are willing to invest on a Huawei 

phone. Of course from our side we have 


15


been dedicating ourselves for R&D for 

the past 30 years, and we are committed 

to continue investing in it. 

Can you tell us a little about the idea 

and strategy employed by the company 

to create a perfect synergy between 

hardware and software? 

You know Huawei comes from a 

background where we started out as a 

telecommunication company that in 

the past serviced the communication 

infrastructures for nearly all the 

operators in the world. So far Huawei is 

operating in more than 170 countries and 

regions all around the world. We know 

very well how telecommunication is 

important to our consumers and through 

the network, through cloud and the 

device we can provide a better synergy 

than anyone else in the industry. 

I think there is no doubt that we 

have been proving ourselves. In terms 

of hardware-software synergies we 

have taken steps such as fintechlevel 

security delivered through with 

the leading mobile security platform 

solution, Hi Security Executive 

Environment (HiSEE), which is offered 

on Kirin chips. As for the operational 

software used by the company, the EMUI 

system fully complies with Google's 

security framework, building on native 

Android capabilities to further enhance 

the security of the system, data, and 

applications. 

Explain Huawei's approach as 

consumer-centric innovator and how has 

this worked to create products that touch 

a nerve with your customer base? 

It’s a very good question because this 

is what we do. We like to hear the voice 

of consumers. Before we design the 

products or after we sell the products we 

are always open to listen to the voice of 

our consumers. Also we know very well 

our competitors. We look at what is the 

point that the consumer is not satisfied 

with in our competitor’s phones, and 

every time we are keen to provide a 

solution or at least a better option for our 

consumers. This is how we designed the 

camera technologies and also the faster 

charging battery technologies as well as 

the reverse charging. Basically you need 

to keep your ears open. Always listen to 

the consumers at any stage. It doesn’t 

matter if you are at the starting point 

in this industry or if you have attained 

a certain position already, you need to 

keep listening. 

We talked about this earlier, but to focus 

on it a little more, what is your market 

share in the mobile phone space in the 

GCC? 

Globally we are number two and 

in GCC we are doing even better. When 

you talk about the global market, you 

have the US market and some of the US 

related countries. We are not selling in 

those countries, which means we have 

to do better in other countries. Here 

in the GCC, our market status is much 

better than in the global. In our territory 

we are doing especially well in KSA, UAE 

and Kuwait. 

As a leading technology 

company, Huawei 

invests a significant 

amount of its annual 

sales revenue 

to research and 

development efforts, 

and has established 14 

research centers around 

the world. 

You have also been going on a pretty 

aggressive marketing strategy in the 

region. Is your marketing approach 

working? 

Yes. So basically today we have 

solved the issue of brand awareness. 

Our brand awareness around the globe 

is at 86. Our focus now is to make people 

know that our products can be found 

at any place. That is why we have the 

aggressive marketing. 

What about other markets like India and 

Far East Asia? 

We are doing very well in the Far 

East and we are number one in some of 

those countries. India is a very different 

market and has a different market 

structure, and it also has strong local 

brands as well. But we believe that 

as long as we are providing the best 

products to the people who want it, we 

are going to be successful and we are 

going to get everywhere. 

What are your plans for Bahrain and the 

ME region in the next years? 

In Bahrain specifically we are very 

confident. Our market share in Bahrain 

has been consistently increasing for the 

past 18 months at a non-stop upward 

pace. This year we are going to be more 

aggressive. Basically we want our 

consumers to find our products, so we 

want to increase further the availability 

of our products to our consumers. We 

are going to open our first brand store 

in Manama Centre. It will be the first 

brand store for Huawei in Bahrain, and 

after that we are planning to open 3-5 

more such brand stores in the coming 

year. These are dedicated Huawei stores 

with all our products, smartphones, 

accessories, tablets, PCs, and even the 

IOT products. 

Cyber security has become an important 

area of concern in the Gulf region as 

elsewhere. How is Huawei addressing 

this and what are the steps being taken 

to ensure that data protection and 

security are effectively managed? 

Cyber security is a top priority for 

Huawei. We are operating in more than 

170 countries in the world, and so far 

there have been no security issues that 

have been found, which only means 

that we are putting a lot of focus on it. I 

think the strictest cyber security laws 

are those set by the EU GDPR (European 

Union General Data Protection 

Regulation), and all of our products have 

successfully passed its requirements. 

From the design level, or supplier 

level, or our partner level in different 

countries, it is integrated into the system 

itself in every layer. 

How has the P30 PRO been received in 

the market here? 

It is out of stock everywhere! The 

Breathing Crystal is out of stock. It is 

around double of what we had on the 

P20 series. The P20 is doing quite well 

and sold 17 million units in its life. P30 

is nearly double that in Europe! In East 

Asia, and in nearly all countries we have 

long queues on first sales days. What 

you used to see at Apple stores in the 



US is now seen in Malaysia and Eastern 

countries and the GCC with Huawei! 

What was the reason for your launch in 

Paris? Why did you pick Paris for the 

launch of the P30? 

Good question. Really because 

the design element fitted with Paris, 

so famous for its style and design. 

This P30 PRO is a stylish phone with 

a great fashion design. The Amber 

sunrise colour that we have introduced 

matched with the quality of the phone 

and the city. 

Always listen to the 

consumers at any stage. 

It doesn’t matter if you 

are at the starting point 

in this industry or if you 

have attained a certain 

position already, you 

need to keep listening. 

Yes, it was a spectacular launch. What 

is the next big thing that we can look 

forward to? 

A lot of exciting things are going 

to happen in the coming months. First 

one is going to be the 5G phones. As 

you know that Huawei is one of the best 

5G-network supplier. That will depend 

on the 5G status in different countries 

because the operator needs to build the 

network first before the 5G phones can 

be compatible on this network. 

Also something to look out for is 

our first foldable phone, which we have 

already showcased in the FWC this year. 

It is being commercialised in the second 

half of this year. And then look out also 

in Q4 this year for the upcoming Mate 

series launch. 

So a lot of things to look forward to! 

Yes, a lot of things to celebrate! 


17

Interview | CrediMax 

20 YEARS OF DYNAMIC 

GROWTH AND SERVICE 

When it started out in April of 1999, as 

a separate, independent subsidiary 

of BBK, no one but its founders 

anticipated that in twenty years 

CrediMax would transform from a simple card 

operator to become one of Bahrain’s foremost 

indigenous brands and market leaders. A no-frills 

card unit within BBK issuing the first Credit Card 

in July, 1991, it has ever since been marked by 

a focused leadership and a carefully planned 

business strategy that saw the implementation 

of a series of wide-sweeping efforts including 

organizational restructuring, implementation of 

various control and risk policies and tools and 

improvement of card operational knowledge 

and skills development as well as recruitment 

of human resources - all of which has resulted 

in a phenomenal growth of the business, both in 

strength and stature. 

In an exclusive interview with bizbahrain, 

Yousif Ali Mirza, Chief Executive of CrediMax 

talks about the twenty years of achievement that 

CrediMax celebrates this year, its plans and its 

continued endeavor to stay at the top. “CrediMax 

is passionate about its customers and providing 

service excellence will always be our key 

differentiator." 

Can you tell us some of the high points of the 20- 

year journey? 

CrediMax continuously aims to develop its 

strength through offering best-in-class card 

payment products and services and protect its 

Merchant card acceptance business. We listen 

to our customers’ needs and develop and launch 

a range of innovative products and features 

and present a strong drive to deliver superior 

customer service. Looking at the business 

in totality and over the years, CrediMax has 

gradually transformed itself from a simple card 

operations center to a robust “indigenous” credit 

card brand poised to be the leader in its market. 

This transformation has entailed organizational 

restructuring, implementation of various control 


Yousif Ali Mirza 

CE, CrediMax 


19

Interview | CrediMax 

and credit risk policies, improvement of 

card operational skills and development 

and recruitment of resources to manage a 

fast growing card business. 

Looking at the business 

in totality and over the 

years, CrediMax has 

gradually transformed 

itself from a simple card 

operations center to 

a robust “indigenous” 

credit card brand poised 

to be the leader in its 

market. 

Last September you launched your new 

loyalty program - Thameen Reward 

Program - How is it doing and what 

has been the experience with this new 

scheme? 

Providing quality products and 

services and excellent customer care 

distinguishes CrediMax in the market. 

When creating any product or service, 

CrediMax ensures the optimization of 

the highest international standards 

of measures and security. By enabling 

customers to take control of their rewards 

program & have a real say & choice 

has always been one of our key factors 

to make CrediMax’s Card Products & 

Services the “preferred Card of Choice”. 

The introduction of Thameen reward 

program comes In line with the shift of 

technology and customer engagement on 

the digital platform as cardholders have 

the ability to engage and immediately 

redeem their points as seen suitable 

to their needs. This increased our user 

engagement as they are able to perform 

requests with real time results. They 

can control the point’s utilization and 

redeem them partially or fully for the 

reward they like and pay the balance by 

card. We provide incentives and rewards 

to make our customers get used to and 

opt for making secured card payments 

over cash payments. “Thameen” reward 

program is available for Infinite, World 

Elite, Signature, World, Platinum, Gold 

and Classic cardholders with a variety of 

reward that includes: 

• Cash back 

• Gift cards 

• Prepaid Mobile TopUp 

• Points Exchange 

• Gulf Air Miles 

• British Airways Miles 

• Turkish Airlines Miles 

• Etihad Airline Miles 

• Malaysian Airlines 

• Ethiopian Airlines 

• Jet Airways 

• Shukran Points 

• Accor Hotels points 

• Carlson Hotel Points 

• Rotana Hotels Points 

• Travel 

• Air Tickets 

• Hotel Bookings 

• Car Rental 

Tell us about your 2019 Grand campaign. 

Who is it targeted towards and what are 

the benefits that one can expect? 

Our 2019 grand marketing campaign 

titled ‘Win the Max with CrediMax’ gives 

our cardholders the opportunity to win 

luxurious prizes - 4 BMW X2 model 2019 

and a total of $60,000 cash. The campaign 

which began on 1st of January 2019 

will run until the 31st of December 2019, 

introducing new valuable rewards where 

cardholders will have the opportunity to 

win monthly $ 5,000 and quarterly a BMW 

X2 model 2019. To be eligible to enter the 

raffle draw, our cardholders are required 

to utilize an accumulated amount of 

BD100 monthly to enter one and can 

double their chances when the same 

accumulated amount is used abroad. This 

is just one of the many campaigns we 

will be offering our valuable customers 

throughout the year. CrediMax has 

built a strong relationship with its 

customers over the years and is always 

committed to offering them differentiated 

innovative and truly tangible rewards 

with significantly enhanced added value 

products & services. 

In the 20 years since CrediMax was 

formed, what has changed in terms of 

outlook and focus? 

The velocity of change we have been 

witnessing in the payment industry, 

going digital and transforming the 

way we pay, is regarded by many as 

the biggest opportunity since the 

introduction of plastic cards many 

years ago. More payments are shifting 

from cash to electronic due to greater 

connectivity, availability of multiple 

channels and devices providing 

opportunities for digital convergence 

helping customers and merchants 

experience enhanced simplicity and 

security in payments. We pride ourselves 

in being the leaders in the market, in 

providing high-end products and services 

to our loyal customers and creating 

memorable payment experience. 

What can your customers look forward 

to in 2019? 

We are currently working on several 

innovative projects, both product and 

service, that we will be announcing 

in due time. We firmly believe that 

these new additions to CrediMax 

portfolio will enrich our cardholders 

shopping experience every time they 

use our cards. We will also be launching 

seasonal campaigns giving the 

cardholders the chance to win valuable 

prizes. 

What are the short-term and long-term 

plans for the next decade? 

As the payment landscape is 

continuously transforming and new 

players entering the market, CrediMax 

is focused on digital transformation and 

is committed to introduce innovative 

cashless mobile payment options to 

match the lifestyles of our cardholders. 

With the excessive usage of smart 

phones and shift towards the digital era, 

it is essential that we stay ahead of the 

curve in adding cutting-edge technology, 

such as our digital wallet - MaxWallet, 

Mobile App and more to follow, making 

credit card e-service experience easy, 

enjoyable and memorable moments for 

all our customers. 

I would also like to sincerely thank 

our Board for their continuous support 

and all of CrediMax staff for their 

dedication and commitment towards 

building and maintaining CrediMax’s 

brand, underpinning our mission to 

provide convenient secure cashless 

means of payment. We are also grateful 

to our business partners and customers 

for their trust, loyalty and support 

and look forward to continue creating 

innovative appealing product with 

unique features and benefits. 



21

Interview | Zoho Corp 

Raj Sablok 

President, ManageEngine and ZOHO.com 


CREATING AN 

INFRASTRUCTURE 

OF VIRTUAL 

SUPPORT SYSTEMS 

FOR BUSINESSES 

Raj Sabhlok considers himself 

fortunate positioned as he is 

in a ringside seat where he can 

watch and also work closely 

with some of the most innovative technology 

companies in the world. Living 

in Silicon Valley, the mecca of all things 

high-tech as he calls it, he has for over 

20 years been an integral part of the enterprise 

software industry in a number 

of roles across the spectrum. 

“These days as the President of ManageEngine 

and Zoho.com, divisions of 

Zoho Corp, enterprise software genuinely 

excites and intrigues me because 

when implemented effectively, it can 

change the fortunes of a business. We 

offer business apps to help our customers 

succeed and enable IT organizations 

to deploy and manage the latest technologies 

to make their companies more 

competitive.” 

Raj Sabhlok was speaking to Reena 

Abraham on a recent visit to Bahrain. 

President of ManageEngine and Zoho. 

com, both divisions of Zoho Corp, he has 

particular interest in IT management 

software and its power to change the fortunes 

of a business when implemented 

effectively. 

For the uninitiated, a quick introduction: 

ManageEngine is the enterprise IT 

management division of US-based Zoho 

Corporation. Established and emerging 

enterprises - including more than 60 

percent of the Fortune 500 - rely on its 

real-time IT management tools to ensure 

optimal performance of their IT infrastructure, 

including networks, servers, 

applications, desktops and more. With 

offices worldwide, including the United 

States, the Netherlands, India, Singapore, 

Japan, China, and Australia as well 

as a network of 200+ global partners, the 

company is well positioned to help organizations 

tightly align their businesses 

and IT. 

“It is interesting because business 

today from our perspective is synonymous 

with technology. Most businesses 

are leveraging technology or building a 

business based on technology, so it is 

exciting times for us as well. Many of 

our historical customers within the organisation 

have been IT, but they have 

also been elevated to be in the business, 

and are part of boardroom discussions. 

Technology is an absolutely critical part 

of growing our business. So these traditional 

CIOs and IT Executives are now 

becoming well versed in business as 

well. 

Also from a growth perspective 

many organisations are leveraging technology 

to grow new business models but 

there is also the cautionary side as it relates 

to things like security. And that is 

also a boardroom discussion.” 


23


Shall we go back to how it all started? 

Tell us about ManageEngine and how 

you became a part of it? 

It’s a great story. We started in ’96, 

so we’ve been around for a while. Many 

people look at us, they look at our logo, 

specially the ZOHO logo and they will 

think, ‘Oh, start-up type company!’ But 

we are probably the oldest start-up in 

the world at this point. We originally 

started the business out of Silicon 

Valley and at that point in time we 

were focussed on developing what we 

call IoT solutions. Basically, we had 

a set of technologies that companies 

would use, usually telecommunication 

technologies used by the largest 

telecommunication companies like 

AT&T, Sony Ericsson, NTT. They would 

license our technology and they would 

use it to instrument their products and 

services for monitoring. 

We would provide something called 

a Network Element Management 

System, for example. They would 

implement agents’ technology - let’s call 

it a router or a modem or something like 

that – for a user, who you can now think 

about as a consumer - if you have a 

high-speed broadband network at home, 

you usually have a modem or some 

device that comes into the home. When 

those go down as they do sometimes, 

you have to call the company and 

they will resolve that through agent 

technology. 

And that was our original business, 

providing that technology, very, very 

early on. Today that business still 

exists and it’s called WEB NMS and it is 

another division of ours and it really is 

positioned today as our IoT offering. A 

lot of the government and commercial 

entities throughout the GCC are in fact 

leveraging that technology to develop 

their smart city strategies where they 

can instrument things, like lights, 

throughout the city to ensure that they 

are working. Light brightness delivered 

at the right time, ATM instrumentation 

and so on - things like that. 

So that’s how we started the 

company in ‘96. Around 2000 - 2002, we 

said we want to expand our business 

like most businesses and we looked 

at our core competencies and we said, 

we really understand management. 

How do you manage different devices 

and elements in your network, we 

understood that. And, so the very 

logical extension for us was to take 

that core technology and start building 

management tools, IT management 

tools, that we would sell directly to the 

IT organisation. And that was the start 

of ManageEngine. 

We started out with a networkmonitoring 

tool because that is 

fundamental for every organisation. If 

you don’t have a network, you don’t have 

access to the Internet, you don’t have 

access to your applications. Companies 

had to make sure that their networks 

were up and running and they were 

performing well, and we gave them the 

software solution to do that. 

We are probably the 

oldest start-up in the 

world at this point. We 

originally started the 

business out of Silicon 

Valley and at that 

point in time we were 

focussed on developing 

what we call IoT 

solutions. 

At this time were you primarily 

servicing the American market? 

Yes we were. Though it has 

changed more recently, technology was 

historically adopted in the US first, and 

then it would go to Europe and then 

some of the other regions would start 

picking it up. So yes, US was definitely 

a big market for us, and then, Europe. 

These days it is the emerging markets 

that are really exciting. The Middle 

East, for example, is a huge market for 

us these days. We came here early - we 

have been selling in Bahrain since 2005 

- because we saw the opportunity for 

companies that had limited technology 

that needed to get to a point that is 

world class. 

Today, what I think is exciting 

about the Middle East is that they have 

bypassed a lot of the mistakes and old 

technology and went straight to fresh 

technology. In many cases Dubai is 

a great example of really leveraging 

technology, of being leading edge. They 

are going to be probably one of the first 

country, or city-states that is going to 

have 5G technology. So all that is pretty 

exciting. 

So we started with network 

monitoring, then we came out with 

what ManageEngine is best known 

for - our ServiceDesk help desk, which 

is the main communication hub for 

IT organisations. Many projects are 

managed through the ServiceDesk. 

What it does is track all the incidents 

that are happening in IT and also 

communicates to the end-users. So if 

you have a problem with your phone or 

your laptop, you talk to the IT helpdesk, 

either through email or chat or voice – 

and that is all logged in the ServiceDesk 

and in many cases, certainly here in the 

Middle East, at ServiceDesk Plus from 

ManageEngine. 

Can you tell us about the Zoho’s 

integration with ManageEngine? What 

was the idea behind it? 

From ServiceDesk, it just kept on 

growing. We started in around the 2001 

timeframe when there were really big 

competitors, like IBM, HP, BMC software 

and CA (Computer Associates). Today 

all of those are pretty much gone, and 

we are really one of those companies 

that emerged as a leader in this space. 

We have got the broadest product 

portfolio, the deepest product portfolio. 

We have also democratised the software 

in terms of reducing the complexity 

of how difficult it is to deploy and 

take advantage of it, but also make 

it affordable. So another reason why 

emerging markets are really drawn 

to ManageEngine! They think it is a 

great option for them; it is fresh new 

affordable technology that they can 

leverage very quickly. 

Did your history then also inspire and 

propel you in different directions? 

As we were growing as a company - 

the first hundred people, next hundred, 

next hundred, we noticed that a lot 

of this software - the ManageEngine 

kind of software, the ZOHO Business 

applications, these were all very cost 

prohibitive for companies of our size. 

And we questioned why does it have to 



be that way? So every time we saw the 

situation we said that we can do it and 

we can do it in a better way and we can 

make it much more affordable. So that 

has always been the inspiration for us 

to continue to build these products. 

And now we probably compete with 

certainly every IT management 

software company. 

The ultimate investment 

will be a data centre. We 

don’t have a schedule 

for it yet, but we are 

working towards that. 

We know that most 

countries are sensitive 

to where their data lies 

and who has access to 

it and the Middle East is 

no different. 

Can you tell us a little more about the 

ZOHO side of the business? 

The ZOHO side of the business 

is selling to the other part of 

the organisation, which is sales 

organisation, the marketing 

organisation, finance, HR. These are 

all software that they use to run their 

functional areas. And again the same 

type of concept kicked in where as 

we were growing we had about 3-4 

hundred people and we had to license 

Microsoft Exchange for email. It was 

really expensive for all the inboxes that 

you needed - for a few hundred people 

came to tens of thousands of dollars a 

year. We said it doesn’t have to be that 

expensive. And so we came out with our 

own email, our own office suite that is 

every bit is good if not better and it is 

well-integrated. 

Salesforce was another thing that 

we were using, the CRM, but it was 150 

dollars all the way up to 300 dollars per 

user per month. And we said for our size 

company, and we are going to grow, that 

is just too much. So then we build our 

own CRM and we started to sell that at 

a third the cost, and today it is probably 

one of the most popular in the world. 

We are much past our early days. Now 

we have close to 7000 people in our 

company. We are global. We are very 

healthy and profitable. But we continue 

to follow that same model 

A good part of your operations are based 

in Chennai. Is India an integral part of 

the company’s future? 

ManageEngine has a workforce of 

over 2,500 members in Chennai (India) 

and offices in the US, Europe, China and 

Japan. We also opened an R&D centre 

near Chennai recently with about 500 

engineers. A lot of our software is in the 

cloud as well and we run our own data 

centres. There are eight of them around 

the world serving 45 million users 

How do you think the operation can 

support SMEs 

It has been a game-changer for 

SMEs. They can appear much larger if 

they leverage technology. Fortunately, 

with companies like ManageEngine, 

the price points are at a place that 

SMEs can also enjoy the benefits of 

its sophisticated software. What is 

interesting about SMEs is that they 

have been a major beneficiary of the 

whole positive tidal wave of technology. 

It has created more opportunities for 

them to absorb technology much easier. 

As technology is a great equalizer, 

leveraging technology allows them 

to compete with bigger competitors, 

expand their market. 

Tell us about some of your newest 

innovations? 

We recently introduced Zia, Zoho's 

AI assistant and virtual IT support 

agent, supported by the cloud version 

of ServiceDesk Plus, our flagship IT 

service management solution. Zia can 

answer simple questions, perform 

service desk operations, and interact 

with third-party apps, reducing 

response times and boosting technician 

efficiency. End users and technicians 

can chat with Zia in a conversational 

interface, or converse with Zia Voice to 

access more than a dozen out-of-thebox 

Zia actions, as well as any custom 

Zia actions created by service desk 

teams. 

Apart from the out-of-the-box Zia 

actions available, service desk teams 

can script custom Zia actions to answer 

questions, perform activities in external 

tools that integrate with ServiceDesk 

Plus, and more. The serverless Zia 

developer console offers development 

and production modes, making it easier 

for service desk teams to script and 

save custom Zia actions for immediate 

use in ServiceDesk Plus. Each custom 

Zia action can be built with multiple 

conversations, and IT staff can add 

provisions for Zia to collect appropriate 

inputs at every stage of an interaction. 

We started with network 

monitoring, then we 

came out with what 

ManageEngine is 

best known for - our 

ServiceDesk help desk, 

which is the main 

communication hub for 

IT organisations. 

How do you see yourself becoming a 

part of and contributing to the Middle 

East ecosystem? 

The demand for technology at 

the moment is huge and any time 

technology is deployed, ManageEngine 

is going to be deployed to support that 

effort. We achieved a 35pc growth in 

Bahrain last year, which for a company 

in business for 20 years is very 

significant. I think we can grow even 

faster. That’s the kind of environment 

we are in right now. We anticipate major, 

double-digit growth in these markets 

partly because of the fact that we got 

into this region, including Dubai early 

and we have big partners. It’s easy to 

do business from India in Dubai and we 

got an early start on that too and still 

growing well. 

The ultimate investment will be a 

data centre. We don’t have a schedule 

for it yet, but we are working towards 

that. We know that most countries are 

sensitive to where their data lies and 

who has access to it and the Middle East 

is no different. 


25

Interview | Mohamed Isa 

BUILDING 

THE STARTUP 

ECOSYSTEM 

Bahrain built an admirable 

Startups Ecosystem”, says 

Mohamed Isa. “The Economic 

Development Board, Tamkeen, 

Bahrain Development Bank are putting 

their full weight behind Bahraini 

startups. I have been working with 

startups since 2015, and it is such a joy 

to see startups flourish. They bring 

innovation, create jobs and attract 

investments. This book is a gift from us 

to all the promising startups in Bahrain 

and beyond.” 

bizbahrain met with the Award- 

Winning Bahraini Speaker & Bestselling 

Author, to talk about his latest writing 

venture - On Startups, uniquely 

positioned as a platform to support and 

encourage more initiatives and start ups. 

What is the story of the book? 

It all started with a phone call on 29 

October 2018. Before then, I did not know 

Raoof Hujairi. He called me. Introduced 

himself and said: “We should meet to 

explore mutual opportunities.” I retorted: 

“Why not! I’m open for business.” On 4 

November 2018, we met over coffee, and 

the book idea was born. We were on fire 

to publish the first collaborative book on 

startups in the MENA region. We expect 

to release it in early May 2019. 

Why another book on this subject - 

startups? 

I agree that there are hundreds of 

books on this subject. However, I believe 

our book is different in several ways. 

One distinct feature of our book is that it 

provides readers with a local perspective. 

For example, we have a veteran legal 

advisor who wrote a chapter titled: 

“Avoiding the 10 Common Legal Pitfalls 

in Startups.” His advice can save startup 

founders time, money & hassle! 

Furthermore, 70% of the 

contributing authors are Bahraini. This 

makes it easier for readers to reach 

out to the authors to meet with them 

to discuss their insights shared in 

the book and to consult with them in 

person rather than on email or video 

conferencing. Just reach out! 

Why is the book planned to be issued at 

this time? 

Bahrain built an admirable Startups 

Ecosystem. The Economic Development 

Board, Tamkeen, Bahrain Development 

Bank are putting their full weight 

behind Bahraini startups. I have been 

working with startups since 2015, and 

it is such a joy to see startups flourish. 

They bring innovation, create jobs and 

attract investments. This book is a gift 

from us to all the promising startups in 

Bahrain and beyond. 

How did you secure all these 

professionals to write this collaborative 

book? 

We have 42 contributing authors in 

the book from four continents: Europe, 

Africa, Asia & Australia. Ten authors 

worked with me before in another 

book - The DNA of Development. As for 

the rest, we had a recruitment drive 

between me and Raoof. That involved 

a social media campaign, networking 

in events and direct headhunting for 

specific subject matter experts. For 

example, a friend of mine posted on his 

LinkedIn account that he conducted a 

workshop on Accounting & Finance for 

Startups. I immediately invited him to 

turn his talk to a chapter in our book. 

This is a critical area, yet neglected by 

many startups! 

How can 

entrepreneurs 

use this book? 

Our book is 

massive. We have 

40 chapters, and 

our word count is 

more than 80,000 

words. That’s 

an equivalent 

of four MBA’s 

dissertations! 

Startup founders 

could either 

read the book 

from cover to 

cover or engage 

in selective 

reading. For 

example, if you 

are a new startup, 

I would highly 

recommend 

reading the “Top 

20 Common 

Mistakes of 

Startups” 

and “The Psychological Mindset 

of Successful Entrepreneurs.” Or if 

you are an established startup and 

seeking to raise capital, you could read 

“Crowdfunding for Startups: Power 

in Numbers” or “10 Tips for Creating a 

Persuasive Pitch for Potential Investors!” 

Are you going to make a series of 

books similar to this that will help 

entrepreneurs? 

We are on a roll. Our motto is: “It’s 

more than a book.” We view our book as a 

platform for more future initiatives. We 

already held a successful Meet-Up and 

Startup Simulation Game. We will soon 

have our own Startups Summit Series. 


Mohamed Isa 

Speaker & Author 

And to answer your question, yes we plan 

to publish more books in the domain of 

startups. I already started working on 

a new book called: Startups Express. 

The book will give the readers 365 quick 

bites on startups to inspire them to 

accomplish more with their businesses. 

Describe your experience to us being the 

Editor-in-Chief? 

It is always an honor and privilege 

overseeing collaborative books projects. 

It is a joy to bring different minds 

together in one book. I learn a lot from 

each contributing author. My ultimate 

reward is seeing the sense of pride and 

accomplishment of the contributing 

authors when the books are published. 

Recently, I announced the “1000 

Authors Mission.” I want to graduate 

1000 authors. It is a humongous task. 

This means I should publish 28 more 

collaborative books with an average of 

36 contributing authors. To facilitate 

this, I created an exclusive LinkedIn 

Group for past and current authors 

where I will share insights on the art 

of writing, editing and publishing. The 

Group will serve as a great professional 

networking platform too. 

Do you think this book will sell well on 

the Amazon.com? 

We plan to make this a Bestselling 

Book on Amazon. To accomplish that, 

we will create a solid marketing plan 

to ensure this dream becomes a reality. 

We will put Bahrain on the World Map 

with this achievement. This is where the 

power of numbers comes in handy. With 

42 authors promoting the book on their 

social media network and engaging in 

direct email campaigns, we will make it a 

Bestseller Inshallah! 

What is next for Mohamed Isa? 

I am working on a very ambitious 

and audacious online portal for startups. 

I already chose the name of it, booked 

its website domains and social media 

accounts. I am in the process of creating 

its logo and branding. It will be the place 

to be for startups. It will add significant 

value to startups in Bahrain and beyond! 


27


BIDEC 2019 

BAHRAIN’S ONLY 

TRI-SERVICE 

INTERNATIONAL 

DEFENCE 

EXHIBITION 

Preparations have begun for BIDEC 2019, one of the region’s key International defence 

exhibitions with key partners confirming participation. 



Following the 

outstanding 

success 

of the first 

Bahrain International 

Defence Exhibition & 

Conference (BIDEC) 

in 2017, keen interest 

for the next edition 

scheduled for 28-30 

October 2019 has 

begun to build as 

major international 

defence and security 

organisations join 

forces to support what 

has been hailed as one 

of the most strategic 

events of its kind in 

the region. 

Held under the 

patronage of His 

Majesty King Hamad 

bin Isa Al Khalifa, 

HH Brigadier Shaikh 

Nasser bin Hamad Al 

Khalifa, Commander 

of Bahrain Royal 

Guard and Chairman 

of BIDEC 2019 has 

been the force 

behind the success 

of the event. Fully 

supported by Bahrain 

Defence Force, 

BIDEC 2019 will have 

continued government support from 

all functions, including specially 

selected committees within the BDF, 

Naval Force, Air Force, Royal Guard, 

National Guard and other government 

divisions. 

Lockheed Martin, the well-known 

global aerospace, defense, security and 

advanced technologies company, have 

confirmed their participation as Gold 

Sponsor for the show, indicating their 

continued support to the Kingdom of 

Bahrain. 

His Highness Shaikh Nasser 

expressed his support and enthusiasm 

saying, "We are proud to host one of 

the most comprehensive defence 

exhibitions in the region. We are 

especially proud that Lockheed Martin 

continue to demonstrate their support 

to the Kingdom of Bahrain by becoming 

a main sponsor of the event. A global 

HH Brigadier Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa 

Commander of Bahrain Royal Guard and Chairman of BIDEC 

event of this stature is not easy to pull 

together but we look forward to not 

just replicating the success of 2017 

but taking it several steps further to 

make it an un-missable event. We also 

look forward to initiating important 

partnerships and the transfer of ideas, 

technology and developments in this 

vital area at BIDEC 2019." 

“Lockheed Martin is very proud of 

more than 40 years of partnership with 

the Kingdom of Bahrain, which began 

with the delivery of the L-1011 TriStar 

commercial airliner,” said Robert S. 

Harward, Chief Executive for Lockheed 

Martin in the Middle East. 

“BIDEC provides the perfect platform 

for us to engage with both our Bahraini 

and regional partners to discuss ways 

we can strengthen regional security 

and build a stronger relationship for 

decades to come,” he added. 

BIDEC 2019 will 

once again be organised 

by Clarion Events, the 

largest organiser of 

defence and security 

events in the world 

and Faalyat, a Bahrainbased 

events agency. 

BIDEC 2019 offers 

exhibiting companies 

the opportunity to 

demonstrate hardware 

and equipment, and 

to be seen on a high 

profile, international 

stage. The high level 

conference on the 

sidelines of BIDEC 

has proven to be a 

powerful platform 

to hear key decision 

makers from the 

government, military 

and defence sectors, 

giving unprecedented 

opportunities to 

discuss innovations, 

solutions and areas of 

collaboration. 

Thomas Gaunt 

of Clarion Defence 

& Security said, “We 

are extremely happy 

to be organizing this 

important exhibition in 

the Kingdom of Bahrain 

once again. The last experience we had 

with BIDEC 2017 was a fabulous one, 

and we are confident that we will be 

building on that experience to bring 

an even better show this time. We have 

in place some great partners who have 

displayed understanding of what is 

required. Visitors can look forward to 

many new exhibiting companies and 

watch some spectacular displays in the 

off-site activities throughout Bahrain.” 

Over 200 exhibiting companies are 

expected to attend in the 2019 show and 

over 10,000 guests are expected to visit 

over the course of the three-day event. 

Off-Site Activities are planned across 

Bahrain, including Shooting Displays, 

Military Vehicle Demonstrations, 

Parachute Demonstrations and 

Warship Displays. All will be available 

to attend via shuttle buses from the 

exhibition centre. 


29


BAHRAIN IN POLE POSITION 

It’s obvious that our beloved nation 

is undergoing an unprecedented 

phase of development. Thanks to 

tremendous efforts made by our 

leadership, we are starting to notice 

massive infrastructure and strategic 

economic progress that is beginning to 

reshape the Kingdom’s position in the 

region in many aspects. In this piece, 

we will be looking at how development 

in certain sectors of a country can 

make a massive impact on it’s standing 

as a formidable force regionally and 

globally. These sectors covered are my 

personal favorite: real estate, tourism 

and transportation. 

Let’s begin with the last sector 

listed; transportation. I believe 

we are all aware by now how 

transformational the expansion of 

the Bahrain International Airport will 

be after witnessing first hand what 

our visionary Crown Prince His Royal 

Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad 

Al Khalifa has presented to us all how 

the progress is looking on this colossal 

project. 

As it nears its completion date, 

we all can’t help but wonder how our 

experience will be like when we travel 

to and from our favorite touristic 

destination. But can you imagine 

reversing this equation and asking 

yourself what will happen with our 

country after the airport expansion 

is ready? We are increasing travel to 

Bahrain to 14 million passengers a year. 

That’s over a million potential guests a 

month. It will also be a formidable hub 

for transit action which generates more 

income for the country overall. 

Concurrently, with the numbers of 

vehicles crossing at the King Fahad 

Causeway growing to a stunning 25 

million last year, we are now looking 

at over 37 million visitors (well over 

100,000 tourists a day). This is way 

higher than a destination like Venice 

has in terms of tourists annually. What’s 

also peculiar is the fact that these 

figures are over 20 times larger than 

the population of the country. And this 

is all happening before the King Fahad 

Causeway completes its one-point 

procedure system, which is expected 

to drastically increase the number of 

passengers to and from the Kingdom. 

With my eagerness to unveil all 

these record breaking stats, it’s pretty 

clear that we have hastily dove into the 

second sector we are covering in this 

paper; Tourism. A dreamy and almost 

fairytale-like mandate to develop 

attractions and host an unprecedented 

level of events making Bahrain the 

center of focus in this part of the world. 

Just imagine how much impact our 

small island nation will have if (or I 

should say, when) the vision of our 



leadership has in defining the Kingdom 

of Bahrain as the premium destination 

for weddings in the region. Multiple 

international weddings have already 

been successfully hosted which have 

each lasted for days and took up most 

major 5 star hotel accommodation and 

banqueting services. Some of which 

achieved these hotels’ annual revenue 

targets during a single wedding. 

This success story is accredited 

to His Excellency Shaikh Khaled Bin 

Humood Al Khalifa, CEO, Bahrain 

Tourism and Exhibitions Authority 

(BTEA). In a recent interview with 

Oxford Business Review, His Excellence 

Shaikh Khaled stressed on the 

strategy he has designed called the 

“Four As”: accessibility, attractions, 

accommodation and awareness. So 

basically, transportation is accessibility. 

And the plans set forth to expand the 

Bahrain International Airport along 

with the King Fahad Causeway are 

exactly what are needed to accomplish 

such a feat. The attraction is focusing 

on what type of event we are looking 

to focus our attention on “such as the 

wedding arena”. 

The next “A” takes us to the 

final focal point of this paper; 

accommodation or in a more macromanner, 

Real Estate. We have never 

seen these many cranes visible in our 

Kingdom’s skyline. This is due to a 

combination of factors present today 

in Bahrain. One of which is clearly 

known as the vision of our leadership 

coming to reality. What is making all 

this possible is the presence of a long 

Bilaj Al Jazayer 

era in security, economic prosperity, 

and bilateral relations, under the wise 

leadership of His Majesty, our beloved 

King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, His 

Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin 

Salman Al Khalifa, and His Royal 

Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad 

Al Khalifa, Deputy King, Crown Prince, 

First Deputy Prime Minister of the 

Kingdom of Bahrain and deputy 

Supreme Commander of the Bahrain 

Defence Force. 

And so we see major infrastructure 

projects and master developments 

being constructing with fast turnover. 

Bringing to the stage tremendous 

opportunity for the Kingdom to host 

tourists and guests from all over 

the world. One main player in this 

mammoth undertaking is Bahrain’s 

Real Estate Investment arm; Edamah. 

Striving to transform the Kingdom’s 

Sa’ada 

diverse and dynamic property sector, 

Edamah’s portfolio includes projects 

in the leisure and entertainment and 

industrial sectors. As it has already 

announced plans to deliver mega 

projects such as Sa’ada (a project that 

will bring Muharraq back to the sea) 

and the breathtaking and historic Bilaj 

Al Jazayer, Edamah is a major player in 

Bahrain future. 

This is all but a drop in the 

Kingdom’s ocean of plans to make 

Bahrain an oasis of wonder to the 

lucky citizens and to the pleasure of 

the outside world to come and witness 

our beloved nation take its rightful 

place in “Pole Position” as the number 

1 destination in the world to live and 

work according to expats surveyed for a 

study analysing the top destinations for 

quality of life. 

Ahmed Khalifa Khalfan is a published 

Fulbright Scholar holding an MBA from 

Seattle G. University, Washington, USA as 

well as a Bachelor of Science in Information 

Systems Management from University of 

Bahrain. 

He previously worked with Batelco, Kuwait 

Finance House, Al Safar Group Holding and 

most recently with Bin Faqeeh Real Estate 

Investment Company. 


31


BAHRAIN REAL ESTATE 

MARKET TRENDS 

by Property Finder 

Property Trends 

The real estate market has 

witnessed a number of changes in 2018 

in Bahrain. With more and more 

development projects taking 

shape, the implementation of RERA 

and regulation in the market, as well 

as the changing geopolitical nature 

of the region, there has been a shift in 

prices. However, the market has seen 

increased activity, and a number of 

transactions continue to take place. 

While new and emerging areas are 

starting to gain more popularity in 

Bahrain, the top searched areas in the 

country remain somewhat unchanged, 

with Al Juffair being the top searched 

area when it comes to apartment 

rentals. Saar remains the number one 

area for villas for rent. Al Juffair once 

again, topped the list for top searched 

areas for apartments for sale, while 

Amwaj Islands tops the list as the 

number one searched area for villas for 

sale. 

Prices recorded across all four 

Governorates show some fluctuations, 

with some more drastic than others in 

the various segments of the market. 

Prices for apartments for rent in the 

Northern Governorate showed the most 

stability, with only a 0.8% drop in prices 

recorded when comparing January 

- June 2018 and July-December 2018. 

The highest difference in price was 

recorded for apartment rentals in the 

Southern Governorate, at 12.7% during 

the same time frame. 

The sale market, however, 

witnessed major price variations 

across all four Governorates, with the 

Southern Governorate once again, 

recording an 4% change in price 

between January-June 2018 and 

July-December 2018 for apartments 

for sale. Villas for sale in the Capital 

Governorate also experienced steep 

price changes, increasing 6.8% during 

the same period. 

The general trend for prices in both 

the Bahrain rental and sale markets 

have seen an overall decline across 

all four main governorates, with the 

exception of the Capital Governorate, 

which recorded an increase in the villa 

sale market only. 



PROPERTIES FOR RENT: 

Apartments: 

When it comes to apartment rentals, 

prices in all four Governorates have 

declined, with Al Muharraq 

Governorate and the Southern 

Governorate affected the most, at 2.4% 

and 12.7% respectively, when comparing 

January-June 2018 and July-December 

2018, as affordable units become more 

appealing to tenants. 

Villas: 

Demand for affordable properties 

is on the rise, and prices for villas for 

rent across all four Governorates have 

continued to decline, with the most 

significant drop taking place in the 

Capital Governorate, at 4.2%. Prices in the 

Southern Governorate remained the most 

stable, with only a 0.5% change, when 

comparing January-June 2018 and July- 

December 2018. 

Villas: 

There has been increased interest in 

areas within the Capital Governorate when 

it comes to finding villas 

for sale, with locations such as Reef 

Island and Seef offering a number of 

high end homes for sale. And with the 

exception of the Capital Governorate, 

which recorded a price increase of 6.8% 

for villas for sale between January-June 

2018 and July-December, the three other 

Governorates recorded a decrease in price, 

with the Northern Governorate decreasing 

3.2% in price, which is the most significant 

drop in price for that time period. 

PROPERTIES FOR SALE: 

Apartments: 

Once again, we can see a declining price trajectory recorded for the 

four Governorates, with the most significant decrease recorded in the 

Southern Governorate at 4%, when comparing January-June 2018 and 

July-December 2018. The Capital, Muharraq and Northern Governorates all 

recorded minor decreases which are under 2% for the same time period, as 

prices remain on the same trend. This is a good start for price regulation 

and transparency in the market, which RERA will be implementing. 

Bahrain Bay is credited with rejuvenating the sale market in Bahrain, 

as it is offering a number of luxurious high-end properties in one of the 

countries newest freehold areas, which has prompted both local and 

regional investment. Bahrain Bay was one of the few areas to record an 

increase in average price per square metre during that period, with prices 

increasing from BHD 1,312 to BHD 1,377 which is mainly due to the high 

number of development projects that are nearing completion in the area. 


33


MOST POPULAR AREAS 

APARTMENTS FOR RENT: 

APARTMENTS FOR SALE: 

Al Juffair 

Amwaj Islands 

Seef 

Saar 

Manama 

Reef Island 

Janabiya 

Al Hidd 

Al Busaiteen 

Dilmunia Island 

27.9% 

27.6% 

13.2% 

15.0% 

18.2% 

10.4% 

12.9% 

14.1% 

7.7% 

4.8% 

4.7% 

6.6% 

11.7% 

8.3% 

5.8% 

4.3% 

6.7% 

5.0% 

2.2% 

1.9% 

3.7% 

5.4% 

3.2% 

2.8% 

3.6% 

2.2% 

2.7% 

1.0% 

1.6% 

1.5% 

% Total Leads 

% Total Listings 

% Searches 

Al Juffair 

Amwaj Islands 

Seef 

Reef Island 

Manama 

Al Hidd 

Dilmunia Island 

Saar 

Bahrain Bay 

Al Busaiteen 

32.6% 

26.8% 

17.4% 

12.7% 

16.1% 

13.3% 

15.6% 

13.8% 

12.6% 

4.9% 

7.2% 

5.9% 

4.5% 

3.9% 

4.9% 

7.7% 

5.4% 

4.5% 

5.5% 

5.1% 

4.1% 

1.4% 

0.9% 

3.7% 

3.0% 

3.0% 

2.7% 

3.3% 

2.1% 

2.7% 

% Total Leads 


% Searches 

VILLAS FOR RENT: 

VILLAS FOR SALE: 

Saar 

Amwaj Islands 

Al Janabiya 

Al Juffair 

Al Hamala 

Al Riffa 

Al Jasra 

AL Hidd 

Manama 

Barbar 

25.8% 

31.0% 

16.9% 

9.1% 

8.5% 

10.9% 

12.5% 

12.6% 

8.1% 

2.9% 

3.2% 

6.1% 

7.4% 

12.4% 

6.0% 

4.1% 

2.1% 

4.9% 

4.8% 

3.3% 

3.0% 

2.2% 

1.6% 

2.2% 

5.2% 

4.5% 

2.0% 

5.4% 

3.2% 

1.4% 

% Total Leads 


% Searches 

Amwaj Islands 

Saar 

Al Riffa 

Al Muharraq 

Al Janabiya 

Al Hamala 

Durrat Al Bahrain 

Bu Quwah 

Sanad 

Hamad Town 

9.8% 

11.3% 

11.7% 

21.5% 

16.4% 

11.4% 

11.3% 

11.7% 

9.0% 

3.1% 

7.7% 

6.3% 

3.8% 

3.6% 

4.9% 

5.2% 

4.6% 

3.9% 

3.8% 

6.1% 

3.6% 

3.3% 

4.8% 

2.6% 

2.5% 

3.5% 

2.5% 

3.0% 

2.2% 

1.5% 

% Total Leads 


% Searches 

AFFORDABLE SNIPPETS 

APARTMENTS FOR RENT: 

Top 10 most affordable areas for residential apartment rentals in Bahrain: 

VILLAS FOR RENT: 

Top 5 most affordable areas for residential villa 

rentals in Bahrain: 

West Riffa Riffa Al 

North Riffa Tubli 

Exhibition 

Diyar Al West Riffa Salmaniya 

1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 

Sharqi 

Road 

Muharraq 

Average price: 

BHD 306 


BHD 315 


BHD 328 


BHD 384 


BHD 391 


BHD 756 


BHD 762 


BHD 775 

6 

Manama 

Downtown 

7 

Al 

Burhama 

8 

Sugaya 

9 

Adliya 

10 

Janabiya 

4 

Wahat Al 

Muharraq 

5 

North Riffa 


BHD 392 


BHD 400 


BHD 420 


BHD 450 


BHD 450 


BHD 800 


BHD 885 



35


What you need to know about 

Bahrain’s Fiscal Overhaul 

A 

mixture of spending cuts, 

revenue-raising measures and 

financial support from regional 

neighbours will form the core of 

Bahrain’s newly unveiled programme 

designed to reduce its deficit and 

return to surplus by 2022. 

On February 25 the Cabinet 

approved a draft budget for the 

next two years, outlining spending 

of BD3.25bn ($8.6bn) for this year 

and BD3.28bn ($8.7bn) for 2020, and 

foreseeing revenue shortfalls of 

BD708m ($1.9bn) and BD613m ($1.6bn), 

respectively. 

This represents a significant 

reduction on last year’s fiscal deficit 

of BD1.2bn ($3.2bn), as outlined in the 

2018 draft budget, which was made 

up of projected revenue of BD2.3bn 

($6.1bn) and outlays of BD3.5bn 

($9.3bn). 

According to IMF data issued in 

March, Bahrain narrowed its budget 

deficit from 14.2% of GDP in 2017 to 11.7% 

last year. 

One area of spending that was 

maintained over the two-year budgetary 

cycle was outlays for investment 

projects, designed to support economic 



save some BD800m ($2.1bn) annually 

through a variety of initiatives, 

including tightening public 

spending, streamlining subsidies and 

implementing a voluntary retirement 

scheme for state employees. 

Following the ratification of the 

draft budget, Rasheed Mohammed Al 

Maraj, the governor of the central bank, 

said significant progress had been 

made in curbing the deficit, and that 

efforts to address debt and the revenue 

gap would continue. 

“I think we have come a long way 

now with the FBP,” he said. “It has put 

out a clear plan to the market about 

how we are going to deal with our 

budget deficit and public debt.” 

The IMF also referenced continued 

progress in reducing the deficit in a 

report issued on March 5. 

The fund said the FBP, underpinned 

by the 2019 and 2020 budgets, had 

provided a framework to halt the 

decline in fiscal and external buffers 

that have worsened since 2014. 

While the measures under the FBP 

are expected to further reduce the 

fiscal deficit over the medium term, 

the IMF also sounded a note of caution, 

warning that already high public debt 

levels - which increased from 87% of 

GDP in June last year to 93% at year’s 

end - are expected to rise further. 

As a result, additional reform 

efforts, anchored in a more transparent 

medium-term agenda, will be needed to 

ensure fiscal sustainability, the report 

said. 

investment-grade, and both Moody’s 

and Standard & Poor’s take a similar 

position. 

The Fitch assessment said that 

while increased savings, further gains 

from the voluntary retirement scheme 

and revenue from the newly introduced 

VAT would contribute to narrowing the 

deficit, Bahrain’s continued success 

will depend in part on a favourable oil 

pricing environment moving forward. 

How energy prices could affect 

recovery 

A fall in energy prices or output, 

as occurred last year, could renew 

pressure on Bahrain’s budget and slow 

the progress of the FBP, potentially 

pushing back the 2022 target for 

delivering a surplus. 

By contrast, continued success in 

reining in the deficit and sustaining 

fiscal reforms should support investor 

confidence in the economy. 

On February 19 Al Maraj said the 

support fund established by Gulf states 

last year had led to an improvement in 

investor sentiment towards Bahrain, 

helping to bring down borrowing costs. 

“The FBP has had a tremendous 

impact on the level of confidence and 

it has sent a very positive signal to 

the markets,” he told local media. “Our 

bond prices [have] tightened 50 to 60 

basis points.” 

growth, with allocations set at $1.8bn for 

both 2019 and 2020. 

The ability to maintain this 

spending will be supported by the new 

5% value-added tax (VAT), which came 

into effect on January 1. 

Regional fund and spending cuts 

support fiscal outlook 

Efforts to close the budgetary gap 

have been boosted by neighbours Saudi 

Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE, which 

in October pledged a $10bn fund to 

support Bahraini spending. 

In return for the funding, Bahrain 

committed to a Fiscal Balance 

Programme (FBP), which aims to 

Ratings agencies foresee stable outlook 

Ratings agency Fitch noted that 

much of Bahrain’s progress in scaling 

back its deficit was the result of 

higher oil prices across the first three 

quarters of 2018, which the agency says 

accounted for 75% of last year’s budget 

deficit reduction. 

In a statement issued on February 

28, Fitch said the country was making 

progress in reforming its economy and 

closing the budget deficit, with the gap 

forecast to narrow to 6.1% of GDP this 

year and 5.3% next. 

The agency affirmed Bahrain’s 

“BB-” credit rating while maintaining 

its outlook as stable. Despite this, the 

kingdom’s sovereign rating is below 

Oxford Business Group (OBG) is a global 

publishing, research and consultancy 

firm which publishes economic intelligence 

on the markets of the Middle 

East, Africa, Asia and Latin America. In 

print and online, the critically acclaimed 

economic and business reports have 

become the leading source of business 

intelligence on developing countries in 

the regions they cover. OBG's monthly 

economic updates provide up-to-date, 

in-depth analysis on the issues that matter 

for tens of thousands of subscribers 

worldwide. OBG has been in Bahrain for 

13 years and has recently published The 

Report: Bahrain 2019. 

For more information, visit www.oxfordbusinessgroup.com 

or call us in Bahrain 

at 1715 1582. 


37

Expert Opinion | Information Technology 

one server, then read and consolidate 

the needed information for the store’s 

closing reports. 

What is Robotic Process 

Automation? 

by Dr. Jassim Haji 

Robotic Process Automation is the 

technology that allows anyone today 

to configure computer software, or a 

“robot” to emulate and integrate the actions 

of a human interacting within digital 

systems to execute a business process. 

RPA robots utilize the user interface to 

capture data and manipulate applications 

just like humans do. They interpret, 

trigger responses and communicate 

with other systems in order to perform 

on a vast variety of repetitive tasks. Only 

substantially better: an RPA software robot 

never sleeps, makes zero mistakes and 

costs a lot less than an employee. 

How is RPA different from other 

enterprise automation tools? 

In contrast to other, traditional IT 

solutions, RPA allows organizations to 

automate at a fraction of the cost and 

time previously encountered. RPA is also 

non-intrusive in nature and leverages the 

existing infrastructure without causing 

disruption to underlying systems, which 

would be difficult and costly to replace. 

With RPA, cost efficiency and compliance 

are no longer an operating cost but a 

byproduct of the automation. 

How does Robotic Process Automation 

work? 

RPA robots are capable of mimicking 

many-if not most-human user actions. 

They log into applications, move files 

and folders, copy and paste data, fill in 

forms, extract structured and semistructured 

data from documents, scrape 

browsers, and more. 

Implement fast, achieve ROI fast 

An HR service provider from 

Europe was processing 2,500 sick leave 

certificates per month with an average 

handling time of four minutes per item. 

Within three weeks they implemented 

an RPA solution and achieved 90% 

process automation. The RPA robot 

extracts data from a transaction in 

SAP, inserts the information into the 

customer’s systems, and prints it. The 

HR service provider achieved a returnon-investment 

within six months, with 

error rates reduced to 0%, manual effort 

reduced to 5%, and processing time 

reduced by 80%. 

Reduce effort in the back office 

A global retailer was using its store 

closing reports to validate closing 

information for each of its registers 

across hundreds of stores. The store’s 

employees used a manual and sluggish 

process to pull up these reports. By 

automating the process the store freed 

up its employees to now focus on more 

customer-centric activities. The RPA 

robots now move the closing reports to 

Improve customer service in the front 

office 

A trade credit insurance company 

with over 50,000 clients worldwide 

automated the credit limit request 

underwriting process. Underwriters 

were previously gathering information 

manually, from internal (Risk & Policy) 

to external (Customer Site, Google 

News) sources. With RPA, they saved 

2,440 hours of human work a month. 

Employees now use that time to work 

directly with customers. 

What are the business benefits of RPA? 

Robots are here to stay. The 

faster you harvest their potential, the 

faster you create a competitive edge 

for your business. Robotic Process 

Automation delivers direct profitability 

while improving accuracy across 

organizations and industries. Enabling 

RPA to handle any processes will not 

only transform and streamline your 

organization’s workflow. It will allow for 

superior scalability and flexibility within 

the enterprise, doubled by fast, tailored 

response to specific needs. Software 

robots are easy to train and they 

integrate seamlessly into any system. 

Multiply them, and instantly deploy 

more as you go. They constantly report 

on their progress so you can go even 

bigger and better by using operational 

and business predictability, while 

improving strategically. 

By 2021, Forrester estimates there 

will be more than 4 million robots doing 

office and administrative work as well 

as sales and related tasks. If adoption 

continues at this pace, how soon do you 

think RPA will achieve near-universal 

adoption? Time to act is now. 

Dr. Jassim Haji 

Technology Executive & 

Researcher 

www.facebook.com/DrJassimHaji 

bh.linkedin.com/in/dr-jassimhaji-7b5885125 



39

Cybersecurity Solution | CTM360 

2 Factor Authentication: 

Activate it Everywhere 

Most services nowadays require 

signup and login procedures 

that are based on usernames 

and passwords. Unfortunately, singlefactor 

authentication is not enough to 

protect accounts especially at the rate 

at which technologies are evolving, as 

hackers become more sophisticated 

and are able to compromise accounts 

in a matter of seconds. To top it all off, 

every year billions of usernames and 

passwords are stolen and sold on dark 

web markets, and as a result, many users 

become victims to identity theft and 

data loss. 

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) 

requires the user to enter a password 

and then another verification code 

before he is given access to the account. 

This method keeps the account safe 

even after the first password has been 

obtained by an unauthorized person. 

Once an account is compromised, 

attackers can cause a lot of damage, 

especially to accounts used in the 

workplace. This is why we strongly 

suggest that all accounts that support 

2FA should have it enabled as soon as 

possible. 

Worrying facts about traditional security 

measures: 

• 90% of passwords can be cracked 

within 6 hours. 

• 63% of people are using the same 

password for multiple accounts 

• Billions of passwords are tested 

every second by hackers. 

There has been a recent surge in 

Whatsapp account hijacking in the 

region. In most cases, this occurs 

through social engineering where the 

victim receives a Whatsapp or IMO 

call and is asked to provide an SMS 

code which they received in order to 

claim a prize. The code in the SMS is a 

WhatsApp phone number verification 

code. When acquired, this gives the 

hijacker control of the account. 

How organizations and individuals can 

protect themselves 

Using multi-factor authentication 

(MFA) mechanisms, organizations, 

as well as individuals, are able to 

get better security and protect their 

environments, providing defense 

from 80% of stolen credential security 

breaches. 

This can be accomplished by 

using technical controls (enforcing 

two-factor authentication wherever 

centralized management is possible), 

as well as via administrative controls 

(by creating and enforcing a policy for 

accounts created using business email 

addresses). 

Enabling 2FA on popular accounts: 

To enable two-factor authentication 

on your accounts, you can follow the 

steps listed below, which are for the 

main platforms that are commonly used 

and targeted. We recommend that you 

enable 2FA on all of your accounts so 

that you can enhance your personal and 

professional account security. 

1 - WhatsApp - Settings - Account - 

Two - Step Verification 

2 - Twitter - Profile and Settings - 

Account - Security - Set up Login 

Verification 

3 - Facebook - Settings - Security - 

Login Approvals 

4 - Google - Google Account - 

My Account - Sign-In & Security - 

Signing in to Google - 2-Step 

Verification 

5 - Instagram - Account - Settings - 

Privacy and Security - Two-Factor 

Authentication 

6 - Microsoft - Security Settings Page - 

Overview - Security Info - Set Up 

Two-Step Verification 

7 - LinkedIn - Account - Login and 

Security - Add a Phone Number 

CTM360® a leading Cyber Security 

startup headquartered in Bahrain, 

specializes in offensive defense to 

identify and manage cyber blind spots 

outside your network(surface, deep & 

dark web) 



41

Highlights | Government 

iGA 2018 Foreign 

Investment 

survey 

The Information and 

eGovernment Authority 

(iGA) released last month the 

initial Foreign Investment 

Survey results for the 

financial year 2018 conducted 

in collaboration with the 

Central Bank of Bahrain 

(CBB) and the Economic 

Development Board (EDB). 

The survey measured 

the volume of the foreign 

investment of key entities in 

various economic sectors to 

provide updated statistical 

data of the volume and 

flows of these investments 

in an initiative that aims at 

assisting decision-makers 

to set appropriate policies 

to attract more investments 

Bahrain records 

4.6% Economic 

growth in 4Q 2018 

Bahrain economy records 

a real growth of 4.6% 

and 6.5% in current prices 

compared to the same period 

of 2017, as per the report of the 

national accounts provisional 

results for the fourth quarter 

of 2018, issued by Information 

and eGovernment Authority 

(iGA). 

According to the report, 

the GCC Development 

Programme has been 

significantly reflected 

to contribute in advancing 

development wheel witnessed 

by Bahrain. 

Initial statistics indicated 

an increase of 5.5 per cent in 

the volume of direct foreign 

investment in Bahrain during 

2018 in comparison to 2017 

with a value exceeding BD 

11 billion during the end of 

2018. The growth reflects 

Bahrain’s efforts in attracting 

more foreign investment 

and increasing in the capital 

flows. 

The report indicated 

that the volume of the direct 

foreign investment flow to 

Bahrain in 2018’s financial 

year reaches nearly BD 570 

million in the top two sectors 

which are banking and 

manufacturing. 

Direct investments from 

Kuwait accounted for the 

highest rate of BD3.1 billion, 

followed by Saudi Arabia 

which came in second with 

a value that reached BD 2.8 

billion. Libyan Arab Republic 

positioned as the third with 

approximately BD 1.3 billion 

during 2018, raising GCC 

investments by 65 per cent 

from the total direct foreign 

investments. 

in Bahrain’s economic 

infrastructure projects, 

with initial estimates of the 

economy during the fourth 

quarter of 2018, recording a 

real growth of 4.6/5 and 6.5% in 

current prices compared to the 

same period of the previous 

year. It contributed to the 

expansion of the construction 

sector, the increasing 

performance of which has not 

only strengthened itself but 

has also given a motivation to 

other non-oil activities such 

as real-estates, financial and 

trade sectors. 

The non-oil sector 

registered a real growth of 3.2% 

when compared to the same 

quarter of the previous year 

and the oil sector growing at a 

rate of 11.3% in real terms due 

to increase in the quantities 

produced. 

According to the issued 

report, the growing results - 

compared to the fourth quarter 

of 2017 rates in the oil sector 

have increased by nearly 24.7% 

at current prices and 11.3% at 

constant prices. 

The non-oil GDP grew by 

3.2% in real terms and had a 

comparable growth rate of 4%, 

at current prices. Meanwhile, 

the financial corporations 

witnessed an increase of 

nearly 2.7% in constant prices 

and 2.1% in current prices. 

The manufacturing 

industry has grown by 1% 

at constant prices and 1% in 

current prices. Construction 

sector grew by 4% at constant 

prices and 8.5% at current 

prices. 

Real-estate and business 

activities grew by 1.5% at 

constant prices and by 2.8% at 

current prices. 

The transportation and 

communications sector 

increased by 0.3% at constant 

prices and by 2.2% at current 

prices. 

Social and personal 

services decreased by 0.7% at 

constant prices and had grown 

by 0.2% at current prices. 

Electricity and water 

activities grew by 5.2% at 

constant prices and 5.8% at 


Private educational 

services rose by 4% at constant 

prices and 5% at current 

prices. 

Health private services 



prices. 

When comparing the 4th 

quarter with the 3rd of 2018, 

the economic growth seems 

to be slightly grown which 

resulted from the relative 

decline in the oil produced 

quantities accompanied by 

reduction in crude oil prices 

that has resulted in also 

reducing the oil GDP by 3.4% 

and 11.3% at constant and 

current prices, respectively. 

The real non-oil GDP 

recorded a positive growth by 

2.3% while achieving a growth 

of 2.5% in current prices. 

The financial corporations 

witnessed a slight increase of 

nearly 0.7% in constant prices 

and 0.4% in current prices. 

The construction sector 

grew by 0.8% at constant 


prices; real-estate and 

business service sectors 

demonstrated that these 

sectors had improved by 

0.4% at constant prices and 

decreased by 0.02% at current 

prices. 

Results display 

transportation and 

communication sectors to 

have slightly increased by 0.2% 

growth in constant prices and 

0.1% in current prices. 

Manufacturing industry 

achieved growth of 0.2% in 

constant prices and decreased 

by 0.7% in current prices. 

Government services 


prices and 16% at current 

prices. 

Other social and personal 

services increased by 0.3% at 

constant prices and 0.6% at 


Electricity and water 

activities witnessed a decrease 

of 5.4% in constant prices and 

5.3% in current prices, the 

report said. 


Government 

Bahrain and 

France sign $2 

billion worth of 

agreements 

As part of His Majesty King 

Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa's 

visit to the French Republic, the 

Bahraini business delegation 

accompanying HM the King 

signed twelve agreements and 

memorandam of understanding 

with French companies and 

institutions worth $2 billion, 

with the aim of strengthening 

bilateral economic relations 

between the two countries 

and increasing investment 

cooperation in various fields. 

This brings the total value of 

the agreements with France up 

to $4.63 billion. 

The agreements signed 

by the Bahraini business 

delegation include: 

• An agreement signed 

between Tatweer 

petroleum and TOTAL S.A. 

around cooperation for the 

new oil field exploration. 

First Proptech 

concept Estater 

Bahrain has marked a new 

milestone with the entry 

of its first property technology 

(proptech) company, Estater. 

A revolutionary real 

estate technology concept, 

the Estater app offers an 

intuitive platform for listing, 

sharing, finding or managing 

a property. The app operates 

as an extension to Estater’s 

real estate advisory offering, 

utilising sophisticated GIS 

• Five agreements signed 

by Gulf Air with EPCOR, 

Thales Inc., Michelin, CFM 

and SAFRAN Landing 

Systems. 

• Two agreements 

were signed by Osool 

with Amundi Asset 

Management and 

Tikehau. The first 

agreement is linked to 

the capital market, while 

the second one targets 

alternative investments. 

• An agreement was 

signed by Yousef Bin 

Ahmed Kanoo with AXA 

Insurance Company 

around the construction 

of AXA’s headquarters in 

Bahrain. 

• Three agreements signed 

by Bahrain Airport 

Company with Thales, 

who will be implementing 

an ICT package under the 

Airport Modernisation 

Programme. An 

agreement was also 

signed with ADPI which 

will provide the design 

mapping to provide market 

intelligence for developers, 

investors and financiers. 

Owing to its extensive 

regional database, the 

company boasts a 20% market 

share in Kuwait and Bahrain, 

in addition to its flagship 

operations in India. 

Estater’s launch in 

Bahrain demonstrates the 

growing opportunity for 

real estate investment in 

the country. In 2018 alone, 

Bahrain received a record of 

12 million visitors, according 

to BTEA, contributing 

indirectly to growth in 

the real estate demand. In 

addition, Bahrain offers the 

region’s lowest operating 

costs, at up to 30% less than 

other GCC markets, while 

also guaranteeing 100% 

ownership in real estate 

and supervision of 

the Bahrain Airport 

Modernisation 

Programme. Finally, an 

agreement was signed 

with JCDecaux around 

a ten-year advertising 

concession. 

Bahraini-French economic 

and trade relations have 

witnessed remarkable 

development in recent years. 

The most important stemmed 

from the visit of HM the King 

to France in 2015, which 

resulted in the signing of 

several landmark agreements, 

including a framework 

agreement and three MoUs 

between both countries. 

Non-oil trade between 

Bahrain and France reached 

$507 million in 2018, which 

is a 105% increase over 2015. 

Bahrain is home to prominent 

French companies and banks, 

including BNP Paribas, AXA 

Insurance, Fives Group, Thales, 

Veolia and the French Chamber 

of Commerce and Industry. 

for GCC nationals and a 

large number of mixed-use 

free-hold developments 

offering opportunities to 

foreign investors. The launch 

of Bahrain’s Real Estate 

Regulatory Authority (RERA) 

in 2018 has also brought 

greater transparency and 

stability to the sector. 

On the technology front, 

companies such as Estater 

benefit from Bahrain’s vibrant 

startup ecosystem of over 

90 companies, supported by 

a network of government 

agencies dedicated to helping 

businesses succeed, including 

the Bahrain Economic 

Development Board (EDB), 

StartUp Bahrain, Tamkeen, 

and others. 

The global proptech 

industry is witnessing rapid 

expansion. Notably, funding 

Registeration for 

VAT workshops 

The National Bureau for 

Revenue (NBR) recently 

introduced a new electronic 

service to allow VAT payers to 

register their interest to attend 

upcoming VAT workshops 

by submitting a simple form 

at https://www.nbr.gov.bh/ 

workshop_registration. 

The workshops will 

introduce attendees to key 

VAT concepts, including 

invoicing and filing, as well 

as providing them with 

the opportunity to visit the 

interactive demo-center. The 

registration feature builds on 

Bahrain’s intensive efforts 

to increase all VAT payers’ 

solid understanding of key 

VAT concepts in addition 

to ensuring the smooth 

registration of companies 

with annual supplies between 

BHD 500,000 and BHD 

5,000,000 by June. 

For further information, 

please contact the VAT Call 

Center on 80008001 or vat@ 

nbr.gov.bh in addition to 

leveraging the information 

available on NBR’s website 

(www.nbr.gov.bh), Instagram 

and Twitter (@bahrainNBR). 

into the sector grew by a 

CAGR of 63% from 2012 to 

2017, according to Venture 

Scanner. In addition, a 2018 

KPMG global survey of the 

real estate industry reveals 

that 93% of respondents 

feel traditional real estate 

organisations must engage 

with proptech companies in 

order to adapt to the changing 

global environment. 


43

Government 

Export Bahrain 

launch new 

“Trade Map” 

online platform 

Export Bahrain, in 

partnership with 

the International Trade 

Centre, recently announced 

the launch of its new 

interactive online platform 

“Trade Map” at the Global 

Entrepreneurship Congress 

2019. 

The platform is accessible 

via Export Bahrain’s website 

export.bh and will provide 

Bahraini exporters with trade 

and market intelligence 

of over 220 countries and 

territories and 5,300 products 

in a relevant and efficient 

manner. The purpose of 

this is to allow Bahraini 

exporters to identify and 

capture international 

trade opportunities based 

on indicators on export 

performance, international 

demand, alternative markets 

and the role of competitors 

from both a product and 

country perspective. 

The platform stems 

from Export Bahrain’s 

aim to support and grow 

local exports, encourage 

international exporting 

and ensure that Bahraini 

companies keep pace with 

the international market’s 

products and services. The 

“Trade Map” platform aims 

to provide a comprehensive 

market data overview for 

exporters by providing 

monthly, quarterly and yearly 

trade statistics and figures, 

value of product units and 

competition in target markets 

amongst other features. 

Export Bahrain works 

with a variety of local and 

international partners to 

provide exporters with 

promising opportunities 

in international trade and 

actively reduce barriers to 

access world markets. Export 

Bahrain is one of the most 

prominent projects launched 

in November of 2018 that 

supports the private sector. 

Export Bahrain aims to 

promote Bahraini exports 

and support the Kingdom’s 

position as a global trading 

partner by providing 

value-add services for the 

development of the exports 

industry. 

Further 

enhancing 

Investor 

Relations in 

Bahrain 

Bahrain Bourse and the 

Middle East Investor 

Relations Association 

(MEIRA) has launched a new 

chapter in Bahrain, to further 

develop and enhance best 

practices in Investor Relations 

(IR) across the Kingdom of 

Bahrain. 

The MEIRA Bahrain 

Chapter was formally 

inaugurated at the signing 

ceremony of founding 

members who have 

recognised their commitment 

to develop the IR function 

in the local market. The 

founding members include 

ALBA, Bank ABC, Batelco, 

Ithmaar Holding, National 

Bank of Bahrain and SICO. 

Bahrain Bourse will also lead 

the Chapter represented by 

MEIRA Bahrain Chapter Head, 

Marwa AlMaskati. 

Shaikh Khalifa Bin 

Ebrahim Al Khalifa, CEO of 

Bahrain Bourse said, “The 

establishment of the Bahrain 

MEIRA Chapter sets the 

ground for establishing a solid 

network of IR professionals 

in Bahrain, and will certainly 

help in advancing the IR 

function and promoting 

international best practices 

among listed companies in 

the capital market.” 

“Bahrain Bourse will play 

a major role in this initiative 

to promote best practices in 

IR. Further, the roll-out of the 

chapter will also signal to 

the international investment 

community our commitment 

and enhance possibility 

of inclusion in emerging 

markets indices,” he added. 

Andrew Tarbuck, MEIRA 

Chairman said, “Since MEIRA 

signed the MOU with Bahrain 

Bourse in November, we have 

been working very closely 

with the exchange to develop 

a dynamic and committed 

Chapter in the Kingdom. This 

is a great milestone for MEIRA 

and the Bahraini capital 

markets and represents a 

unique opportunity to raise 

awareness of the importance 

of IR in the Kingdom. We look 

forward to collaborating with 

our Chapter Members and 

with Bahrain Bourse as the 

Chapter Head to increase the 

effectiveness and quality of 

the IR function among the 

organisations in the Kingdom 

through our wide range 

of activities and training 

programmes.” 

Members of the MEIRA 

Bahrain Chapter will now 

have access to a wealth of 

IR knowledge from global 

leaders in the form of specific 

educational initiatives and 

will be able to benefit from 

engaging local events aimed 

at uniting and advancing the 

IR community. 

Traffic 

Directorate 

to implement 

Blockchain 

Technology 

for registering 

Vehicles 

The General Directorate 

of Traffic last month 

offered companies a tender 

to implement the Blockchain 

project for the registration of 

vehicles in Bahrain. It calls 

concerned companies to offer 

their bids before the end of 

May 2019. 

Interested companies can 

get more details about the 

tender through the website 

of the Tender Board www. 

tenderboard.gov.bh. 

The Director-General 

of Traffic, Col. Shaikh 

Abdulrahman bin 

Abdulwahab Al Khalifa 

asserted the new registration 

project would reduce the 

cost, especially in protecting 

the primary data of vehicles, 

enhance the efficiency of 

information management 

and achieve a higher level of 

transparency in registering 

vehicles. 

He said that the 

Blockchain project was part 

of the government approach 

to offer high-quality services 

and the utilisation of global 

technology in regulating 

the registration of vehicles. 

The project is part of plans 

to benefit from modern 

technology in enhancing 

services and reinforce the role 

of the private sector. 


UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF HIS MAJESTY KING HAMAD BIN ISA AL KHALIFA, KING OF THE KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN 

Winner 

BEST TRADE SHOW OVER 

10,000SQM IN THE MIDDLE EAST 

MESE 2018 AWARDS 

معرض ومؤتمر البحرين الدولي للدفاع 

Bahrain International Defence 

Exhibition & Conference 

bahrain’s premier international 

tri-service defence show 

28 - 30 October 2019 

Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre 

Gold Sponsor 

Officially Supported by 

Bahrain Defence Force Royal Bahrain Air Force Royal Guard Royal Bahrain Naval Force National Guard Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ministry of Information Affairs 

Media Partner 

In Conjunction with 

Knowledge Partner 

Organised by 

Middle East Military 

Alliances & Coalitions

Highlights | Banking & Finance 

CBB issue 

draft Rules 

on Insurance 

Aggregators 

Abdul Rahman Mohammed 

Al Baker 

Executive Director of Financial 

Institutions Supervision, CBB 

The Central Bank 

of Bahrain (CBB) 

issued the draft rules on 

“insurance aggregators”. 

Insurance aggregators are 

intermediaries with an 

insurance broker’s license 

who operate an online 

platform, whether hosted 

on an Internet website or 

available as a smart device 

application (app) which 

provides price comparisons 

and facilitates the purchase 

of insurance policies from 

several insurance licensees. 

With the introduction 

of insurance aggregators, a 

customer is able to find and 

choose insurance quotes 

from several insurance 

companies under a single 

electronic platform or mobile 

device application, instead of 

obtaining quotes individually 

and purchase insurance 

online from a single 

insurance company. 

Mr. Abdul Rahman Al 

Baker, Executive Director 

of Financial Institutions 

Supervision said, “the 

introduction of insurance 

aggregator rules is a first 

step for the CBB towards 

“Insuretech”, a technology 

led transformation of the 

insurance sector which is 

rapidly gathering momentum 

globally, especially due to 

demands from millennials. 

The CBB is one of few central 

banks to have introduced 

rules relating to insurance 

aggregators helping Bahrain 

to be a leading financial hub 

in the MENA region.” 

BBK enters 

new Phase of 

Innovation with 

Tailored Service 

to Preserve and 

Sustain Wealth 

BBK is writing the next 

chapter in its history of 

constant innovation with the 

launch of BBK Privé, a tailored 

service for our most affluent 

clients. 

BBK Privé is a private 

banking and wealth 

management initiative that 

offers a comprehensive range 

of banking and lifestyle 

solutions. Its birth marks 

the latest evolution of BBK’s 

commitment to customer 

service, a hallmark of our 

bank since its foundation in 

1971. Our customers, having 

built their wealth through 

decades of hard work, now 

require a service to preserve 

and sustain that wealth for 

generations to come. 

BBK Privé’s activities are 

not limited to Bahrain but 

extend to customers across 

the Gulf region, modelled on 

European private banking 

and the highest international 

standards. 

BBK Chief Executive 

Reyadh Yousif Sater said, 

“BBK Privé expresses the core 

values of BBK in a new and 

exciting way. BBK has become 

a world-class bank that uses 

next-generation technology to 

uphold and refine a tradition 

of service. Our goal is to go 

NBB Personal 

Loan promotion 

National Bank of Bahrain 

(NBB) exciting promotion 

for customers of the Bank’s 

personal loan facility, which 

aims to give customers’ 

greater financial flexibility 

and resources starting from 

April 2019 until the end of the 

year. 

The campaign provides 

several unique benefits and 

incentives for new loan 

customers or those wishing 

to increase their borrowings 

with the Bank. These features 

include: 

• Three lucky customers 

will win back their loan 

amount subject to a 

maximum of BD15,000 

• All customers will have 

that extra mile, and that 

means customer service 

of the highest quality, as 

well as tailored financial 

products and services that 

meet the long-term needs 

of individuals and families 

- growing, managing and 

protecting your money.” 

BBK Privé will give clients 

an integrated banking service 

that covers assets, liabilities, 

investment products and 

other features that suit their 

banking needs and lifestyle, 

the option to defer the 

first installment for up to 

four months 

• All customers will 

enjoy a 25% discount on 

processing charges 

Mahmood Al Aali, Acting 

Chief Executive - Retail, 

Commercial, and SMEs at NBB 

said, “Ensuring our customers 

have access to resources that 

help them meet their financial 

needs and aspirations 

remains at the heart of what 

NBB does. We’re pleased 

to announce this year’s 

promotion for our personal 

loan customers, rewarding 

them for continuing to select 

NBB as their bank of choice. 

It’s these rewards and our 

commitment to providing 

customers with one of the 

best products, services and 

incentives that continues to 

make NBB Bahrain’s leading 

retail bank and lender 

year after year, and we are 

especially happy to be able to 

continue in extending these 

offers through the year.” 

such as personalised advice 

on financial products as well 

as investments and portfolio 

management. BBK Privé will 

also incorporate the specialist 

knowledge of Aegila-our 

London-based investment 

and advisory associate that 

is focused on real estate 

opportunities in the UK 

and Europe - and share this 

expertise with clients in 

creating personal property 

portfolios. 

“BBK Privé will 

differentiate itself by 

providing an evolving 

range of products that 

respond to the needs of our 

wealthiest clients, delivering 

an exceptional calibre of 

service to meet their lifestyle 

expectations,” Mr Sater added. 


Banking & Finance 

Bahrain’s first 

Digital Payroll 

system 

Al Salam Bank-Bahrain 

(ASBB) and Arab Financial 

Services (AFS) officially 

launched the first digital 

payroll solution in Bahrain ‘Al 

Rateb’, enabling employers to 

pay wages digitally to those 

of their employees who do not 

have a bank account, in line 

with the recent Shura Council 

endorsement on the proposed 

law that mandates companies 

to pay workers through secure 

wage protection solutions. 

The service allows 

employers to securely upload 

wages and benefits onto payroll 

cards through an online portal 

which is configured with 

their own payroll system. 

Cardholders can withdraw 

funds at any ATM and can also 

use Point of Sale terminals 

locally or abroad. Cardholders 

can also access financial 

services including statements, 

interactive dashboards, 24/7 

Ithmaar Bank 

instant Debit 

Cards issuance 

Customers at Ithmaar Bank, 

can now instantly collect 

their debit cards from all 16 

branches in the Bank’s retail 

network. 

The service further 

reinforces Ithmaar Bank’s 

position as an innovative 

Islamic retail bank, is available 

to all customers including new 

customers when they open 

customer care and multilingual 

customer support. 

Employers will save 

significant time and money 

as Al Rateb helps to improve 

employers’ internal efficiencies 

and operations via innovative 

technology integrations that 

further streamline payroll 

calculation, administration 

and disbursement processes, 

making it easier, faster and 

more accurate. Additionally, 

cardholders can use their 

cards in all ASBB ATMs for 

free, and use their cards for 

cash withdrawal through the 

dedicated Al Rateb mobile ATM 

van which regularly moves 

between various locations 

or through the Benefit ATM 

network in the Kingdom. 

Al Rateb cards also offer 

a remittance solution at 

competitive FOREX rates to 

many destinations including 

but not limited to India, 

Pakistan, Philippines, Nepal, 

Bangladesh, Egypt and Sri 

Lanka. 

Thousands of workers 

already have their wages paid 

through Al Rateb and corporate 

enrolment in the solution is 

steadily increasing. With the 

new Decree every employer in 

Bahrain must now pay their 

workforce digitally and Al 

Rateb solution is available to all 

employers, regardless of their 

workforce size. 

a new account and request 

a Debit Card as well to those 

requesting card replacements. 

Customers can 

immediately collect their new 

Debit Card, with their name 

already printed, directly from 

the branch upon opening 

their accounts. They will then 

instantly receive their Personal 

Identification Number (PIN) 

by SMS on their registered 

mobile number. Customers 

will be required to change this 

PIN through any Ithmaar Bank 

ATM in order to start using 

BDB and 

CrediMax POS 

Assignment on 

card receivables 

Bahrain Development 

Bank (BDB) in a process 

to further support startup 

and SMEs in Bahrain, has 

launched ‘Point of Sale 

(POS) Assignment on card 

receivables’ in collaboration 

with CrediMax. 

The POS Assignment can 

be used by retailers and service 

providers, who accept debit 

and credit cards as a mode of 

payment, to enhance security 

package that is required for 

raising finance by simply 

assigning their point of sale 

proceeds to BDB. This would 

provide credit moderation 

and facilitate requirements 

of financing to SMEs who are 

unable to provide other forms 

of security. 

The sales collected from a 

debit and credit card machine 

will be deposited in the 

company’s account with BDB 

for the financing period. 

Sanjeev Paul, CEO of BDB 

mentioned that all the parties 

involved in the transaction 

Ahmed Abdul Rahim 

CEO, Ithmaar Bank 

their new card. They will also 

be able to receive instant PIN 

reissuance for their Debit Card 

from the branch. 

Ithmaar Bank Chief 

Executive Officer, Ahmed Abdul 

Rahim said, “We recognised, for 

example, the inconvenience of 

wins, with the launch of this 

POS assignment. “We are 

proud of our collaboration 

with CrediMax, which will 

benefit the startup and SME 

ecosystem of Bahrain. BDB 

supports the startup and 

SME industry, the customer 

receives the required funding, 

and CrediMax increases their 

client base.” 

Yousif Ali Mirza, Chief 

Executive of CrediMax said, 

“We are proud to play an 

active role in allowing our 

mutual clients to have the 

best financial solutions for 

their business and support 

the kingdom’s continuous 

drive towards development of 

the SMEs and its important 

role in the economy of 

Bahrain. This collaboration 

comes in line with CrediMax’s 

strategy to develop innovative 

financial tools for its clients 

while providing superior 

customer service.” 

opening a new account then 

having to wait a few days or 

even, for that matter, a single 

day for the debit card. We 

addressed this by bringing the 

process of physically issuing 

Debit Cards directly into 

branches.” 

Ithmaar Bank allows round 

the clock access to banking 

services both on the Bank’s 

network of 45 ATMs, the Benefit 

network in the Kingdom of 

Bahrain, the GCCNet network 

in the Gulf Cooperative 

Council (GCC) region and 

internationally through 

the Mastercard network. In 

addition, to advanced, state of 

the art eBanking services. 


47

Banking & Finance 

Citi continues to 

invest in Bahrain 

Citi launched its next 

generation Citi Mobile® 

App for Citi’s credit card 

customers and two new credit 

cards Citi® Premier and Citi® 

Rewards in Bahrain to enhance 

the banking experience. 

Usman Ahmed, Head of 

Citi for Bahrain, Kuwait and 

Qatar said, “Bahrain is a key 

market for Citi and we continue 

to invest in our consumer 

and institutional banking 

services to offer the best to our 

customers." 

The new Citi Mobile® App 

The new Citi Mobile® App 

will significantly change the 

way credit card customers 

manage their finances as 

Citi introduces a new and 

comprehensive set of mobile 

app features and experiences. 

It promises a new look and feel, 

more intuitive navigation and 

smart functionalities. 

Two new cards: Citi® Premier 

and Citi® Rewards 

This is the first category of 

Citi credit cards offered under 

the Mastercard platform in 

Bahrain. 

The new card products 

offer a wide range of benefits 

to meet customers’ travel and 

lifestyle needs and provide 

the freedom to redeem points 

through an enhanced loyalty 

program - Citi ThankYou® 

Rewards to which customers 

are automatically enrolled. 

Citi® Premier is one of the 

most flexible travel cards in 

the market, offering customers 

the ability to transfer their 

points to a choice of 13 airline 

partners including Gulf Air, 

Etihad. Customers can also use 

their points to directly book 

fl i g h t s o r h o t e l s f r o m C i t i ’s 

travel portal with no blackout 

dates and will benefit from 

unlimited complimentary 

lounge access to over 1,000+ 

airport lounges worldwide as 

well as complimentary travel 

inconvenience and medical 

insurance. Citi Premier 

customers can also enjoy 24/7 

access to a dedicated concierge 

desk for enhanced lifestyle 

experience from planning 

AUB launch 

AI-supported 

Chatbot service 

on WhatsApp 

In its efforts to ensure that 

the clients are served with 

the latest banking services, 

Ahli United Bank (AUB) launch 

their Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

supported Chatbot service via 

WhatsApp for Businesses. 

Being the first bank in 

Bahrain to integrate its system 

with an AI supported chatting 

service via WhatsApp, AUB’s 

current and prospective clients 

will be able to complete many 

of their banking inquiries 

through the chatting service. 

Banking inquiry topics include 

MyHassad program prize 

winner list, information about 

Current Accounts, Savings 

Accounts, Personal Loans, 

Car Loans, Money Transfers, 

Branches and many other 

banking services. 

This service is considered 

friendly, and secure with 24/7 

availability. Anyone can access 

travel to exclusive event 

bookings. 

Citi® Rewards is a card for 

shopping and lifestyle benefits 

where customers can redeem 

their points for shopping 

vouchers across various brands 

such as Marks & Spencer and 

Sharaf DG, or for merchandise 

from fashion to electronics 

via Citi’s ThankYou® points 

online platform. Customers 

can also benefit from Citi World 

Privileges portal providing 

discounts for dining and 

entertainment both locally 

and internationally across 95 

countries. 

the chatting service by simply 

adding the bank’s number 

34221999 to their Phone’s 

Contact List and then opening 

a chat with the saved contact, 

just like chatting with a friend 

on WhatsApp. 

Samih Abutaleb, Group 

Head Digital Transformation for 

AUB commented, “Following 

the successful launch of the 

fi r s t p h a s e f o r t h e c h a t s o l u t i o n 

via WhatsApp Business 

solution, we look forward to 

the upgrade and growth of 

the WhatsApp based chatting 

services in order to deliver 

a consolidated and unified 

digital client experience. Our 

integration with the WhatsApp 

Business solution builds on 

our commitment to further 

enhancing and facilitating 

AUB’s banking services. 

WhatsApp, being widely-used, 

is a simple, reliable and private 

way to converse with anyone 

in the world, which offers AUB 

clients with further simplicity 

and comfort. 

We are working on rapidly 

expanding the service to 

further enable continuous and 

interactive conversations with 

our clients, as all messages 

sent via a WhatsApp business 

account are secure and 

encrypted in a safe and secure 

manner,” he added. 

KFH-Bahrain 

enables GCC 

Nationals to 

open an account 

remotely in 

Bahrain 

Kuwait Finance House - 

Bahrain (KFH-Bahrain) 

mobile application ‘KFH 

Jazeel Banking’ is the first 

Fintech banking platform that 

enables GCC residents to open 

saving accounts from their 

own countries remotely and 

conveniently in Bahrain, thus 

eliminating the need to travel. 

The latest update allows 

GCC customers to conduct 

banking transactions and 

access financial services 

within Bahrain, in addition 

to opening and managing 

savings accounts, opening 

Wakala Investment accounts, 

issuing Credit Cards, 

alongside various other 

banking services. A primary 

feature of the platform is the 

eKYC (Electronic Know Your 

Customer) capability, which 

verifies individual customer 

information through an 

embedded video conferencing 

system fully integrated 

with the Bank's call center, 

eliminating the need to visit 

any of the branches in person. 

Abdulhakeem AlKhayyat, 

the Managing Director and 

CEO said, "We are committed 

to continuously develop the 

KFH Jazeel Banking platform 

by offering unique services 

and following through on our 

new concept of sustainable 

community banking.” 


Highlights | Telecom 

Online 

Registration 

launch for 

domain names 

البحرين.‏ & .bh 

Sh. Nasser Bin Mohamed Al 

Khalifa 

Acting General Director, TRA 

In an effort to promoting the 

Arabic electronic content, 

the Telecommunications 

Regulatory Authority (TRA), in 

cooperation with the Internet 

Corporation for Assigned 

Names and Numbers (ICANN), 

has worked to obtain the 

necessary permissions to 

manage the Internationalized 

Domain Name ‏.البحرين which 

5G to transform 

the digital lives 

of people across 

Bahrain 

Batelco signed milestone 

deal with Ericsson 

to commercially deploy 

5G to enhance the digital 

lives of people, enterprises 

and industries across 

Bahrain. The nationwide 5G 

deployment will commence in 

phases in key locations across 

the Kingdom, based on the 5G 

technology and eco-system, 

aligned with global 5G trends, 

over the next three years. 

The deal, the latest 

in a long and successful 

partnership between the 

companies, will see Ericsson 

commercial 5G equipmentincluding 

5G New Radio 

is the Arabic equivalent to the 

existing English domain (.bh). 

“The Arabic language 

is the fastest growing on 

the Internet in terms of 

content. Arabic is also the 

fifth language in the world 

in terms of the number 

of speakers which is very 

important and reflects 

TRA’s keenness to provide a 

national domain promoting 

the development of websites 

with Arabic content.” Said 

TRA Acting General Director 

Sh. Nasser Bin Mohamed Al 

Khalifa. 

“This initiative is 

the result of Ministerial 

Resolution No. 11 of 2018 

which was published in the 

Official Gazette on the 18th 

of October 2018, stating that 

TRA is the official authority 

responsible for managing 

domain name operations in 

the Kingdom, and also the 

recently issued Royal Decree 

No. 33 of 2019 stating that TRA 

is the government authority 

responsible for registering 

domain names and levying 

collectible fees.” Sh. Nasser 

added. 

The use of the national 

domain name also ensures 

the preservation of 

intellectual and commercial 

property rights for wellknown 

trade makers locally 

and internationally. In order 

to diversify distribution 

channels and spread domain 

names of the Kingdom of 

Bahrain, TRA has adopted 

the (registry /registrar) 

model which will result 

in competition between 

authorized registrars to 

provide the best services 

including smart applications 

and electronic registration. 

Consumers will also 

be able to register domain 

names (.bh & ‏(البحرين.‏ through 

several local and global online 

channels by Q3 2019 providing 

consumer choice and 

competition in the domain 

name market place. 

(NR), mobile transport, and 

core - being deployed in 

Batelco’s network. Ericsson’s 

high-speed and low-latency 

5G technology will help 

Batelco meet growing data 

traffic demands and deliver 

high-quality enhanced mobile 

broadband and fixed wireless 

access experiences. 

The shift to 5G will 

bring enhanced mobile 

broadband to data-hungry 

subscribers across Bahrain 

with huge speed and lowlatency 

changes in mobile 

user experiences such as 

streaming, downloading, 

gaming, infotainment, and 

interactivity. 5G will also 

enable Batelco to help 

open-up opportunities in the 

Internet of Things (IoT) and 

Industry 4.0 on a global scale 

to enterprises and industries 

in Bahrain. 

Batelco is focused 

on driving network 

leadership in Bahrain and 

providing customers with 

next-generation mobile 

technologies. It recently 

achieved Bahrain’s first 

3GPP-compliant 5G data call 

on a mobile network using 

a 5G pocket router. The call, 

which took place at Batelco’s 

Headquarters in Bahrain, 

used Ericsson Radio System 

solutions and 5G Cloud 

Packet Core. 

Batelco Chairman Shaikh 

Abdulla bin Khalifa Al Khalifa 

and Ericsson President & CEO 

Börje Ekholm have signed 

a milestone partnership to 

launch 5G in the Kingdom of 

Bahrain. 

Batelco’s Chairman 

Shaikh Abdulla bin Khalifa 

Al Khalifa said that he was 

delighted to sign the new 

agreement with Batelco’s 

long-time partner, Ericsson, to 

take forward the Company’s 

5G plans, designed to meet 

Bahrain’s growing data 

traffic demands and delivery 

of superior services for all 

sectors across the Kingdom of 

Bahrain. 

Rafiah Ibrahim, Head of 

Market Area Middle East & 

Africa at Ericsson said that 

5G promises to accelerate 

the digitization of industries, 

offering service providers 

with new opportunities and 

enabling them to launch the 

most advanced technologies 

while improving the end-user 

experience with higher data 

speeds and lower latency. 

Ericsson recently 

enhanced its 5G Platform 

with portfolio additions 

across core, radio access and 

transport areas, as well as 

service orchestration. The 

add-ons make the platform 

more dynamic and flexible, 

enabling service providers 

to smoothly evolve their 

networks and deploy 5G at 

scale. 

Providing the latest 

telecommunications 

technology in the Kingdom 

of Bahrain is Batelco’s top 

priority and one of the 

key pillars in enhancing 

the telecom sector in line 

with the Kingdom’s plans 

in improving the National 

telecom infrastructure and 

supporting the growth of 

the digital economy and the 

required ecosystem. 


Telecom 

Smart Home 

WiFi solution 

Batelco has launched a 

high quality managed 

WiFi solution for home users. 

This new service provide 

reliable, strong and secure 

Wi-Fi coverage and is the ideal 

solution for those who demand 

high quality Wi-Fi in every 

corner of their home. The new 

service boasts many features 

that includes but is not limited 

to, support for up to 500Mbps 

WiFi speeds, simple plug & 

play zero touch provisioning 

and parental control security 

features. 

Batelco’s Smart Home WiFi 

solution is based on mesh 

WiFi technology, which means 

customers will no longer need 

to have multiple WiFi networks 

to enjoy strong WiFi coverage 

at home. The solution will 

extend WiFi coverage to the 

whole house with only one 

WiFi network. Subscribers 

will enjoy uninterrupted 

connectivity in all areas of 

their home. 

Moreover, subscribers to 

Batelco’s Smart Home WiFi 

service will have access to 

the Batelco Smart Home WiFi 

mobile application giving them 

the facility to manage and 

control their WiFi networks 

while at home or on the 

go. The mobile application 

includes various features 

including viewing network 

status, website & device 

blocking, time based access 

control, configuring guest WiFi 

networks and running selfdiagnostics 

connectivity tests. 

The service comes with 

24/7 support from Batelco’s 

Contact Centre that has a full 

view of the customer’s home 

WiFi network and can run 

connectivity diagnosis and also 

push connectivity fixes. 

Batelco General Manager 

Consumer Division Maha 

Abdulrahman said that the 

new service is a strong boost 

to its portfolio of consumer 

services and supports Batelco’s 

efforts to deliver high quality 

and in-demand services for its 

customers. 

“Batelco believes in the 

importance of promoting 

the growth of the technology 

sector, with a particular 

focus on its contribution 

to the development of 

digitisation to support the 

changing requirements in 

the Kingdom of Bahrain. We 

continuously strive to offer 

the latest solutions to provide 

exceptional experience and 

elevate the level of service we 

provide for all users across the 

Kingdom,” she added. 

VIVA introduce 

Jawwy TV HOME 

in Bahrain 

VIVA Bahrain launched 

their state-of-the-art Set 

top box, Jawwy TV HOME in 

collaboration with Intigral. 

Jawwy TV HOME, started 

from this March offer exclusive 

content Premium Live TV 

including OSN along with 

the latest Arabic, English and 

Turkish Movies and TV Series 

to VIVA’s customers obtaining 

the new Wireless Fiber 

Broadband service for their 

home. 

Jawwy TV HOME is 

the MENA region powerful 

entertainment platform that 

Batelco launch 

Manama-IX 

Adel Al-Daylami 

Chief Global Business Officer, 

Batelco 

Batelco launched Manama- 

IX (Manama Internet 

Exchange) in partnership 

with AMS-IX, the world’s 

leading Internet Exchange. 

Manama-IX (mn-ix) will 

serve as a neutral internet 

traffic exchange platform 

interconnecting global 

networks within the region. 

delivers high quality video 

content to VIVA customers. 

Jawwy TV HOME comes as 

a complimentary product 

with every new VIVA Wireless 

Fiber Broadband subscription 

starting from BD14 per month 

on a promotional basis and 

offers access to the best 

selection of free and premium 

encrypted TV Channels in HD, 

inclusive of OSN in addition 

to a great library of exclusive 

content of Movies and TV 

series covering the latest 

Arabic, Western and Turkish 

channel groups including FOX, 

Starzplay, MBC and Rotana. 

On top of that, Jawwy TV 

Home offers unlimited video 

streaming without consuming 

the Broadband Wireless Fiber 

plan’s data allowance. Jawwy 

TV Home is an all in one, easy 

“plug-and-play” device offering 

advanced features including 

rewind, TV program guide 

(EPG) in addition parental 

control and much more. 

This partnership 

introduces AMS-IX expertise 

to support the operation 

of Manama-IX as it serves 

network operators and 

content providers from a 

comprehensive integrated 

platform located in Global 

Zone, the neutral transit zone. 

Manama-IX will contribute 

toward the development and 

enhancement of internet 

services across the region, 

interconnecting regional 

internet providers and 

operators, localizing and 

retaining regional traffic and 

ultimately enhancing user 

experience. Manama-IX can 

serve the GCC countries and 

beyond through Batelco’s 

Global Network. 

Batelco Chief Global 

Business Officer Adel Al- 

Daylami said that as part 

of its comprehensive plans, 

Batelco is continuously 

building on its national and 

international infrastructure. 

Our goal is to develop 

Manama-IX into a leading 

internet hub in the MENA 

region and this can be 

achieved through our 

partnership with a global 

experienced partner like 

AMS-IX, who will accelerate 

the delivery of our objective 

by deploying a scalable, 

managed Internet Exchange 

operated by them. 

CEO Peter van Burgel 

from AMS-IX mentioned that 

the AMS-IX will set-up and 

technically manage Manama 

Internet Exchange in Bahrain 

on behalf of Batelco to further 

improve internet connectivity 

throughout the region. 

Batelco continues 

to support the 

telecommunications sector 

through the introduction of 

the latest technologies and 

expertise, which aims to 

boost the digital economy 

in line with the vision of the 

Kingdom. 


51

Telecom 

VIVA Bahrain 

delivers 

a simpler 

connectivity 

experience 

Karim Tabbouche 

Chief Commercial Officer, VIVA 

Bahrain 

Gemalto has partnered 

with VIVA Bahrain, to 

supply them with a remote 

subscription management 

platform that enables 

customers to instantly 

activate a mobile connection 

for devices fitted with an 

eSIM. They will then be 

able to manage their mobile 

subscription throughout the 

product lifecycle, without ever 

needing to physically change 

a SIM card. 

In contrast to a 

conventional removable 

SIM, an eSIM is embedded 

in the device during 

manufacturing. As a result, it 

saves space, reduces weight, 

and makes it far easier 

for OEMs to supply users 

with innovative connected 

devices wherever they are. 

In particular, eSIM adoption 

is helping to fuel dramatic 

growth in the IoT (Internet 

of Things), supporting the 

development of exciting 

consumer products such as 

smartwatches, connected PCs 

and compelling concepts that 

include the connected car and 

smart home. In the wearables 

market alone, Frost and 

Sullivan predicts shipments 

in the Middle East and North 

Africa will reach 200 million 

units in 2020, up from 90 

million in 2016. 

Gemalto’s eSIM 

management platform 

provides VIVA Bahrain 

with seamless access to a 

cloud-based on-demand 

connectivity service that 

is fully compliant with the 

latest GSMA specifications. 

Customers will enjoy the 

best possible connected 

experience with eSIM-enabled 

devices, from the moment 

they are switched on for the 

first time. 

Karim Tabbouche, Chief 

Commercial Officer for VIVA 

Bahrain said, “We continue 

to adopt innovative and 

latest trends in technology 

to enhance our customers 

experiences. The adoption 

of Gemalto’s eSIM remote 


platform represents the 

latest stage of this ongoing 

strategy, and builds 

on our already successful 

partnership.” 

Sherry Zameer, SVP for 

IoT in CISMEA at Gemalto 

mentioned, “With billions 

of machines and people 

now requiring round-theclock 

connectivity, remote 


is key to an enhanced 

user experience. With the 

deployment of Gemalto’s 

proven solution, Viva Bahrain 

is reinforcing its position at 

the forefront of the industrial 

and consumer IoT market.” 

Khameesna Zain 

Zain Bahrain, a leading 


provider in the Kingdom, has 

confirmed its commitment 

to Bahrain's entrepreneurial 

sector with the continuation 

of its "Khameesna Zain" 

initiative. Since its first 

edition, "Khameesna Zain" 

has provided a solid platform 

for small businesses to 

increase their customer 

reach by providing them with 

opportunities to showcase their 

products to new audiences. 

Through "Khameesna 

Zain", small businesses are 

invited to participate in events 

at Zain Bahrain's headquarters 

in Seef, where members 

of the public are invited 

to experience the various 

offerings of the Kingdom's 

enterprising entrepreneurs. 

Zain Bahrain also promotes 

the event through its social 

media channels, @zainbahrain 

on Twitter, zainbahrain on 

Batelco Group signs SPA with Kuwait 

Telecommunications to sell 90% shares of QualityNet 

Batelco, the regional 


group with operations across 

14 countries, announced it 

has signed a Share Purchase 

Agreement (SPA) with 

Kuwait Telecommunications 

Company (VIVA) to sell its 90% 

Abdulla Al Khalifa 

Director, Communication 

& Investor Relations, Zain 

Bahrain 

shareholding of its Kuwait 

subsidiary, QualityNet General 

Trading and Contracting 

Company W.L.L (QualityNet). 

The price consideration 

will be determined upon 

completion of the full transfer 

of shares and fulfillment of 

Instagram, and www.facebook. 

com/ZainBahrain, providing 

participating businesses 

with further exposure to its 

substantial online following. 

The initiative falls in 

line with Zain Bahrain's 

commitment to supporting 

local businesses and meets 

the company's ambitions 

towards the realisation of the 

United Nation Development 

Programme's Sustainable 

Development Goals - 

particularly Goal 8, which 

promotes decent work and 

economic growth. 

Abdulla Al Khalifa, 

Director, Communication 

& Investor Relations, Zain 

Bahrain said, "We are part 

of the fabric of the Bahraini 

community, and we want to 

provide opportunities that 

enable success for businesses 

of all sizes. Small enterprises 

have a large role to play in the 

economic development and 

growth of the Kingdom, and we 

are committed to supporting 

them in meaningful ways 

that will help them to grow. 

"Khameesna Zain" is just one 

way in which we can provide 

small businesses with a boost, 

and we are pleased to continue 

this successful platform to help 

more entrepreneurial ventures." 

To find out more about 

"Khameesna Zain", including 

upcoming events and how 

to participate, follow Zain 

Bahrain's social media 

channels. 

the terms, conditions and 

covenants agreed between the 

parties in the SPA. 

Moreover, QualityNet’s 

shares will be transferred 

to VIVA after obtaining the 

necessary regulatory approvals 

in the State of Kuwait. 


Highlights | Real Estate 

Era Projects 

to start new 

developments 

at Diyar Al 

Muharraq 

ERA Projects will acquire a 

parcel of land to develop 

a residential community 

with Diyar Al Muharraq. The 

residential community will 

comprise of luxury units in 

line with Diyar Al Muharraq’s 

distinctive offerings. The 

freeholder properties will be 

launched in the second half of 

2019 for potential customers 

who are looking to explore 

a modern lifestyle in an 

integrated city. 

Dr. Maher al Shaer 

commented, “We are pleased 

to enter this partnership with 

Boutique Retail 

and Restaurant 

complex, Ain 520 

CBRE Bahrain have 

announced a new 

boutique retail, F&B and 

leisure development on 

Budaiya Highway which 

is set to become one of the 

country’s most popular lifestyle 

destinations. The global 

real estate firm have been 

appointed to lease and manage 

the property, which will offer 

over 5,000 sq.m across 14 

stand-alone units. 

This previously residential 

compound with generous 

gardens and common areas, 

is currently undergoing 

one of the most prominent 

real estate developers in 

the Kingdom, who will 

uplift Diyar Al Muharraq by 

adding a vibrant residential 

community. We look forward 

to adding a luxury project 

under Diyar Al Muharraq’s 

umbrella, and look forward to 

this fruitful partnership.” 

Abdulhussain Khudhur 

said, “Diyar Al Muharraq 

is one of the largest 

developments in the Kingdom 

of Bahrain with attractive 

residential, touristic and 

leisure elements and we are 

pleased to announce our 

partnership, which allows 

us to develop freehold units 

within the largest urban 

housing development in the 

Bahrain.” 

A unique master planned 

city for the people of Bahrain, 

Diyar Al Muharraq offers a 

range of housing options and 

quality lifestyle. Offering a 

cohesive mix of residential 

and commercial properties, 

Diyar Al Muharraq has a 

strong lineup of projects 

aimed at creating a long term 

and sophisticated township. 

conversion works to become 

Ain 520, a retail, F&B and 

leisure concept that offers an 

appealing, green environment 

for customers - inspired by art 

and nature. 

The property, which is well 

located on Budaiya Highway, 

near the Sar Avenue junction, 

provides good visibility and 

access, ample parking with 

over 200 spaces and attractive, 

colourful landscaping designed 

to ensure the project offers a 

unique experience for visitors. 

The project is currently preleasing 

and the first operators 

are expected to open later this 

year. Ain 520 provides space 

for dine in restaurants with 

outdoor seating, convenience 

focused drive throughs, 

Bin Faqeeh signs 

first Staybridge 

Suites Hotel in 

Bahrain 

Bin Faqeeh Real Estate 

Investment Company 

S.P.C. signed the first 

StayBridge® Suites Hotel 

in Bahrain in partnership 

with InterContinental Hotels 

Group (IHG). 

Located in the heart of 

the capital, Staybridge® 

Suites Manama Al Seef will 

benefit from its proximity to 

the popular shopping and 

commercial destination, the 

Seef District. Guests can also 

enjoy home-like surroundings 

and amenities throughout 

the hotel with a feeling of 

community including a fully 

equipped kitchen, spacious 

suites, large workspaces, 

complimentary WiFi, a 

business centre and fitness 

centre. 

retailers, and health and beauty 

centres amongst others. 

Richard Botham, CBRE’s 

Senior Director and General 

Manager, said: “We are very 

pleased to have been appointed 

to consult on, lease and 

manage Ain 520 - a project 

that we believe will stand out 

as a F&B destination, themed 

by local art and culture while 

providing a great platform for 

new trends. Local residents 

and other visitors will find Ain 

520 offers something for the 

whole family, day and night, 

with a varied mix of operators 

targeted to take up space in the 

development.’’ 

Faisal Faqeeh, Chairman 

of Bin Faqeeh Real Estate 

Investment Company S.P.C. 

said, “The fantastic location 

combined with the unique 

offering of Staybridge Suites 

Manama Al Seef, makes it 

the ideal choice for travelers 

looking for a home away from 

home experience.” 

Pascal Gauvin, Managing 

Director, India, Middle East & 

Africa, IHG said, “The tourism 

industry in Bahrain is gaining 

momentum with an increase in 

leisure and business travelers, 

especially from the GCC 

countries, that is resulting in 

a rising demand for long stay 

accommodation. Seef District 

is the commercial hub of 

Bahrain and boasts of some of 

the best shopping destinations 

in the city, which is why it 

makes perfect sense to develop 

the Kingdom of Bahrain’s first 

Staybridge Suites here. 

‘’Staybridge Suites Manama 

Al Seef marks our third hotel in 

the country, positioning us to 

cater to a wider-range of guest 

profiles, and we look forward 

to welcoming our guests to 

this newest addition to our 

portfolio, in 2020’’. 

Bin Faqeeh has a large 

portfolio of projects offering 

a wide range of real estate 

options that meets different 

needs and expectations of 

any investor. It aims to be the 

benchmark for generating 

innovative investment 

opportunities, merging 

global best practice and local 

expertise to deliver value 

adding projects. 

Staybridge® Suites is IHG’s 

extended-stay brand known 

for its warm welcome and 

well-designed, spacious suites, 

that put guests at ease from 

the start of their stay. There 

are currently five Staybridge 

Suites® hotels open across 

the Middle East, with a further 

eight due to open in in the next 

three to five years. 


Real Estate 

Entertainment concepts that will 

bring Families together 

Located on the island of 

Dilmunia in Muharraq, 

Mall of Dilmunia aims to 

differentiate itself from 

traditional malls, by offering 

entertainment concepts that 

will bring families together. 

The philosophy behind Mall of 

Dilmunia is that all members 

of the family can enjoy 

themselves with everything it 

has to offer, emphasizing the 

inclusivity factor. 

Funscape World, the 

new Bahraini entertainment 

company, has been awarded 

the responsibility to manage 

the exciting entertainment 

centre at Mall of Dilmunia. 

Funscape World will consist of 

four different zones, Funscape 

Play, Funscape Adventure, 

Funscape Sport and Funscape 

Ice, providing visitors with an 

array of choices to enjoy the 

amenities and facilities that 

the mall will offer. Funscape 

World will be open to the 

public later this year. 

The first zone, Funscape 

Play, will consist of engaging 

activities for children such as 

bumper cars, wheel rides and a 

soft play for toddlers, allowing 

both parents and children 

to enjoy their day together. 

The second zone, Funscape 

Adventure, will thrill seekers, 

with a range of activities such 

as ziplining, a four-storey rock 

climbing, video games and 

more that welcomes all age 

groups and physical abilities. 

Funscape Sports zone will 

offer visitors an indoor sports 

experience, with two football 

pitches, robo-keeper and a 

number of table sport games 

for a variety of athletic games, 

catering to the preferences 

of every individual. The last 

zone, Funscape Ice, will allow 

visitors to demonstrate their 

ice skating skills, alternatively 

one will be able to learn how 

to skate and enjoy a cool 

environment in the perfect 

square 26m ² ice rink, the 

biggest in Bahrain. 

That’s not all, Mall of 

Dilmunia will also boast the 

fi r s t a n d l a r g e s t c y l i n d r i c a l 

aquarium spanning 7 meters 

in width by 16 meters high, 

covering all floors of the 

mall. Visitors will be able to 

marvel at the array of sea 

life in this unique aquatic 

habitat. Visitors with diving 

certificates will be able to dive 

inside the aquarium and there 

will be a petting zoo where 

children can actually feed 

the fish. The aquarium will 

also become an immersive 

educational experience that 

will allow students from 

schools across the country to 

visit, explore and learn more 

about the different species 

and sea-life the aquarium will 

inhibit, through a first-hand 

encounter with them. Each 

level of the aquarium will 

exhibit different species of 

sea-life based on the depths of 

their ecosystem. 

Mall of Dilmunia sets 

the scene for an enjoyable, 

relaxing and fun-filled day 

out for families across the 

Kingdom. Filled with luxurious 

facilities and amenities, cafes 

and restaurants overlooking 

the 1.62 km canal, creating the 

ideal dining and overall mall 

experience. The tenant mix 

will showcase an exciting mix 

of regional and international 

retailers that are unique to the 

market and the region. 

Manara start 

construction of 

Wadi Al Riffa 

Manara Developments has 

started the construction 

works for one of its most 

recent projects, namely ‘Wadi 

Al Riffa’, a project aimed to 

bringing brilliance of design 

and quality of construction 

to Bahraini Families settling 

in safe and sustainable 

communities. The project’s 

construction works are 

expected to carry on for 10 

months and scheduled for 

delivery of units early 2020. 

Managing Director of 

Manara, Dr. Hasan Al Bastaki 

noted that the Company is 

on a continuous pursuit to 

refine its knowledge and 

understanding towards 

meeting the most recent 

developments in the 

residential real estate market 

with a particular focus on 

modern Bahraini Families as 

to match their requirements 

with the latest construction 

sector developments within 

affordable price ranges. 

Phase one - currently 

reaching the end of the land 

levelling and landfill stage - 

consists of 29 attached villas 

each occupying a plot ranges 

between 180 square meters 

and 233 square meters, and 

a built-up area of 235 square 

meters. Each unit consist of 

3 master bedrooms, Majlis, 

living room, dining area, 

external kitchen, a Maid room 

with a toilet, a laundry room 

and a garage accommodates 

2 cars. Each unit is carefully 

designed to fulfil modern 

Bahraini families’ needs. It 

also includes a shopping 

complex, a mosque, and a 

public park for residents. 

Insha Contracting WLL 

has been appointed as the 

main contractor for the 

development works of the 

project 

Tender for the 

infrastructure works of the 

entire development project 

has recently been issued 

to member of specialized 

contractors with the aim 

to receive and undergo 

evaluation of the bids and 

appoint a contractor by April. 

The infrastructure works 

scope will entail the internal 

road network and lighting 

lampposts, electricity and 

water networks in addition to 

underground sewage network. 

Total cost of the 

development of the entire 

projects including the 

infrastructure works valued 

at approximately BHD 17.6 

million (USD 47 million). Dr. 

Al Bastaki confirmed. 


55

Real Estate 

Edamah sign an 

agreement with 

KFH-Bahrain 

to finance 

its "Sa’ada" 

development 

Bahrain Real Estate 

Investment Company 

(Edamah) the real-estate arm 

of the sovereign wealth fund 

of the Kingdom of Bahrain, 

has signed an agreement with 

KFH–Bahrain, as a strategic 

partner to finance Edamah’s 

"Sa’ada" Project. 

The unique waterfront 

development is the first of 

its kind in the Kingdom; 

designed to cater to the needs 

of a diverse base of locals and 

tourists, as well as serving the 

requirements from an investor 

and business perspective, 

providing the tenants with a 

differentiated project. 

Sa’ada will feature a variety 

of public facilities, including 

restaurants, kiosks, and a 

promenade, alongside various 

other services, enabling the 

development to emerge as a 

value-adding project for the 

community at large. 

Abdulhakeem Alkhayyat, 

Managing Director and Chief 

Executive Officer (CEO) of 

KFH–Bahrain, revealed, "We 

are delighted to have been 

appointed as the official 

fi n a n c i n g p a r t n e r o f t h e 

waterfront development 

project. Through this initiative, 

we seek positively contribute to 

further diversify the economy, 

in line with the Economic 

Vision 2030. " 

Amin Alarrayed, CEO 

of Edamah, revealed, “The 

development phase of the 

“Sa’ada” project is expected to 

be completed during the year, 

whereas operational phase of 

the project will be completed 

in early 2020, in collaboration 

with a number of companies, 

retailers, restaurants, cafes and 

waterfront activities." 

The “Sa’ada” comes in 

line with Edamah’s long-term 

strategy focused on developing 

new projects and renovating 

existing ones in a sustainable 

manner, managing them all in 

accordance to international 

standards and utilizing best 

Golden 

Gate project 

embodiment of 

uniqueness and 

an architectural 

masterpiece 

Golden Gate, the 140,000 

square meter project, 

located in the heart of Bahrain 

Bay, consists of 746 apartments 

spread over two residential 

towers of 53 floors and 45 

fl o o r s . T h e p r o p e r t y i s f u r t h e r 

equipped with 7 floors of 

parking to accommodate 999 

parking spaces. 

Vice President of Golden 

Gate Marketing and Sales, 

Eman Al Mannai mentioned 

that the Golden Gate project is 

being implemented by a global 

partnership between India's 

Ajmera Mayfair Realty Group 

with Kooheji Golden Gate 

Property Bahrain. 

“We have been very 

satisfied with the interest of 

local and foreign investors in 

acquiring the opportunity to 

own one or more apartments 

in this project for the purpose 

of housing, leasing or resale,” 

she said. 

The Real Estate Regulatory 

Authority (RERA) has had a 

great impact in supporting the 

real estate sector by restoring 

industry practices while 

seeking to meet the market 

needs thereby contributing 

value to the entire community 

in a holistic manner. 

Since the commencement 

of construction works, which 

began on 3rd July 2018, the 

construction of all buildings, 

structures, and electrical and 

mechanical works are in the 

development phase, seven twostory 

buildings are currently at 

50% completion, and the project 

in its entirety is scheduled 

for full completion in the last 

quarter of 2019. 

Eman Al Mannai 

Vice President, Golden Gate 

Marketing and Sales 

confidence to investors. Issuing 

the Golden Gate project, a 

license approved by RERA has 

helped in giving reassurance 

and trust for investors towards 

the owners and the project. Ms. 

Al Mannai also thanked the 

Government of the Kingdom 

of Bahrain for its continuous 

efforts in decreeing laws 

and regulations that would 

create a healthy investment 

environment. 

“Our team has also 

effectively introduced visitors 

to the Kingdom to freehold 

projects which allow various 

nationalities to obtain 

residence in Bahrain when 

investing in the project,” added 

Ms. Al Mannai. 

“The Golden Gate project is 

the embodiment of uniqueness 

and is an architectural 

masterpiece, drawing 

inspiration from Bahrain with 

its sails and gold, and Indian 

jewels at the top and bottom of 

the towers,” she concluded. 

Savills to 

manage BWTC 

and Moda Mall 

Global real estate advisor, 

Savills take over the 

property management, 

leasing, facilities 

management and marketing, 

covering the entire retail 

and commercial portfolio of 

Bahrain’s premier landmark 

property, which includes 

Bahrain World Trade Center 

(BWTC) office towers and 

MODA Mall, Bahrain’s only 

luxury shopping and dining 

destination. 

Located prominently next 

to the King Faisal Highway, 

Bahrain World Trade Center 

is Bahrain’s iconic business 

and commercial property 

address, including MODA 

Mall, location of many of the 

worlds most famous fashion 

and retail brands, providing a 

unique customer experience 

all year round. The new 

partnership is announced at 

a time when international 

occupiers are increasingly 

looking for iconic buildings 

within the Central Business 

District of Bahrain. 

Paul Nathan, Head of 

Real Estate Management 

for Bahrain World Trade 

Center and MODA Mall said, 

“Savills has an experienced 

regional team backed up 

by global specialists. It’s 

important for us to work with 

a global market leader who 

can guide us on how to best 

position the asset to the latest 

international standards.” 

Savills’ Head of Northern 

Gulf, Harry Goodson-Wickes 

said, “Bahrain World Trade 

Center is one of the best 

commercial and retail spaces 

in the Middle East and we look 

forward to providing our best in 

class property services to local 

and international occupiers of 

BWTC and MODA Mall.’ 



57

Highlights | Technology 

Wonder News 

launch ITS 

regional HQ in 

Bahrain 

Chinese technology group 

WonderNews launched 

its regional headquarters in 

Bahrain which will offer its 

services to its GCC clients in 

the e-commerce and fintech 

solutions. WonderNews will 

invest USD50 million and it 

will offer 500 employment 

opportunities in the Kingdom 

over the next three years. 

WonderNews was 

established in 2015 by Fujian 

Wangle Technology Co., Ltd., 

a Chinese company which 

is committed to creating 

value-added solutions and 

applications on content 

platforms, e-commerce, 

games for its 100 million 

users globally. The company 

is headquartered in Fuzhou, 

China and has offices, UAE, 

Morocco, Egypt and Saudi 

Arabia among others. 

WonderNews CEO, Mr. 

Ou Zhenxing, stated that the 

company has over 10 years of 

experience in the operation of 

Middle East Internet products. 

“We have a highly-qualified 

research and development 

team and advanced 

technology which has led to 

the successful development 

and operation of numerous 

applications with over 100 

million users,” explained Mr. 

Zhenxing. 

He expressed his gratitude 

and appreciation for the 

EDB in the establishment 

of Wonder News in Bahrain 

“Our strategic cooperation 

with EDB have assisted us 

in seamlessly establishing a 

presence in Bahrain and using 

the Kingdom as a regional hub 

to cover the Middle East,” he 

said. 

John Kilmartin, the 

Executive Director of ICT at 

the EDB said: “Wondernews’ 

decision to establish its 

regional HQ in Bahrain is 

a testament to Bahrain’s 

growing tech ecosystem. 

Bahrain’s legal framework, low 

cost operating environment 

and talent pool offers an 

attractive location that 

supports and encourages 

investors to use Bahrain as 

a hub to reach the GCC and 

MENA markets.” 

SADAD launch 

‘Gift Vouchers’ 

and ‘Save Your 

Card’ features 

SADAD, the Kingdom’s 

most trusted payment 

platform, recognized as an 

innovator in the FinTech 

Industry introduces another 

revolutionary features to their 

mobile application. 

Gift Vouchers 

SADAD Bahrain becomes 

the first company in the 

Middle East region to 

launch Gift Vouchers on 

Blockchain. A distributed 

ledger technology is used to 

issue, transact and share Gift 

vouchers within SADAD’s 

private Blockchain network. 

Using this revolutionary 

technology, customers can 

purchase Gift Vouchers via 

both SADAD Mobile app 

and SADAD payment kiosk 

and then share it with their 

family and friends. This 

innovation is believed to bring 

a dynamic versatility towards 

the un-banked or underbanked 

consumers of the 

Kingdom. This development 

has positively impacted 

each step of the transaction 

pipeline: faster processing 

and settlement times, lower 

transaction costs, and perhaps 

most importantly, less fraud. 

Blockchain along 

with Distributed Ledger 

Technology is recognized 

worldwide as a standard for 

recording electronic financial 

transactions to ensure security 

and trust. All recorded data is 

securely signed by standard 

cryptography algorithms and 

distributed over different 

servers. 

Save Your Bank Cards 

The new feature is 

accomplished by tokenization, 

which is considered the 

safest way for storing 

fi n a n c i a l c a r d i n f o r m a t i o n . 

SADAD has recently attained 

the latest version of the 

Payment Card Industry Data 

Security Standards (PCI-DSS) 

certification, and with this 

certification, SADAD ensures 

that all confidential data is 

secure and is only shared 

towards payment processors 

with the consent of the 

customer. 

This feature will allow 

customers to pay bills and 

make various transactions but 

only having to save their card 

details once. Aligned with the 

PCI-DSS compliance, SADAD’s 

in-house R&D and RTD team 

have created a secure and 

advanced payment platform 

to ensure ultimate security of 

customer’s card details while 

allowing them to automate 

and control their bills and 

maintain complete visibility. 

In order to ensure security 

measures, customers will have 

to enter their PIN number to 

make a transaction. 

Credit card tokenization 

is used as a norm and techsavvy 

customers are aware of 

it. In addition to that, SADAD 

Bahrain for the first time 

in the history of payments 

introduced the option to save 

debit cards. 

YKA partner 

with Samsung 

Y 

.K. Almoayyed & Sons 

(YKA) parterned with 

Samsung Gulf Electronics 

to offer Samsung TV and 

AV portfolio in all four of its 

Electronic & Home Appliances 

showrooms - situated in 

Manama, Gudaibiya, Sehla 

and Sitra in the Kingdom of 

Bahrain. 

Through the partnership, 

YKA will be distributing 

Samsung’s QLED TV Series 

and Large Size TVs as well 

as a comprehensive range of 

audio products. With stores 

located throughout Bahrain, 

customers will be assured 

convenient and direct access 

to Samsung’s cutting edge 

innovations. 

“Our strategic alliance 

with Samsung will strengthen 

and elevate the position of 

both brands. As the demand 

for larger screen TVs is on 

the rise, adding pioneering 

brands such as Samsung to 

our portfolio of products will 

enhance our leadership and 

offerings in the electronics 

market,” said Alok Gupta, CEO 

at Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons. 

Pushing the boundaries 

to bring the most engaging 

viewing experience, Samsung’s 

fl a g s h i p Q L E D T V r a n g e 

combines legendary picture 

quality and awe-inspiring style 

to deliver the most spectacular 

viewing experience. 


Technology 

Intelligence-driven 24/7 security 

operations centre in Bahrain 

An international company 

that specializes in 

preventing cyberattacks, and 

NGN International, a Bahrainbased 

systems Integration 

company, opened the first 24/7 

intelligence-driven security 

operation center (SOC) in 

Bahrain. The new NGN SOC 

powered by Group-IB enables 

the local government, private 

companies and financial 

organizations to get expert 

assistance in proactive 

monitoring, detection 

and prevention of any 

cyberattacks at early stages 

for better defense of their 

internal networks. 

Yaqoob Al Awadhi, 

CEO of NGN International 

said, “The opening of NGN 

SOC powered by Group-IB 

comes at a time when we 

are witnessing an increased 

threat actors’ activity in the 

region and frequent data leaks 

and compromise of personal 

fi n a n c i a l i n f o r m a t i o n .” 

One of the primary 

benefits of working with the 

new SOC is that it is fueled by 

Group-IB’s intelligence-driven 

products, such as Threat 

Detection System (TDS), which 

does not require complex 

integration and at the same 

time allows to prevent 

incidents using network 

traffic monitoring and 

analysis of files (e.g. emails) 

in an isolated environment. 

On top of this, the new SOC’s 

clients will be regularly 

receiving notifications about 

those who are preparing 

attacks on them and about 

advanced threat actors’ 

activity in the region, along 

with recommendations on 

how to protect against most 

advanced threat actors. 

While traditional SOCs 

use signature-based detection 

methods, which allow to only 

deal with known threats, the 

new intelligence-driven NGN 

SOC powered by Group-IB 

allows to know what to expect 

and makes it possible to 

prepare for attacks in advance 

thanks to actionable threat 

intelligence. 

“The lack of knowledge 

about evolving cyber 

threats, shortage of qualified 

cybersecurity analysts and 

lack of cyber hygiene are 

one of the major risks for the 

Kingdom’s rapid economic 

growth,” says Nicholas 

Palmer, Vice President of 

International Business at 

Group-IB. “Jointly with 

NGN Training center we 

are planning to organize a 

number of cybersecurity 

trainings and workshops in 

order to build a cyber-savvy 

workforce in Bahrain which 

would drive the country’s 

digital transformation." 

TechoSmart 

to provide HR 

solutions in 

Bahrain 

TechoSmart for IT Services 

and MenaITech, the 

MENA Region’s largest and 

most advanced Human 

Capital Information Systems 

(HCIS) provider, are to explore 

deeper co-operation with 

developing HCIS and HR 

management solutions to 

corporate and public-sector 

clients across Bahrain. 

This agreement serves 

“The National Employment 

Programme” by supporting 

organizations participating 

in this programme to make 

smarter decisions about 

their human capital by 

offering them end-to-end 

human capital information 

technology solutions and 

services. 

Mohamed Al Hujairi, 

Managing Director of 

TechoSmart, pointed out that 

MenaITech solutions are 

offered to private and public 

sectors’ HR departments to 

help them best utilize their 

human capital with smart 

technology that empowers 

employees and managers to 

ultimately drive growth and 

efficiency. 

“This deal complements 

national efforts and 

programmes aimed at 

raising national calibers’ 

productivity, as well as 

coping with labor market’s 

changes following the 

adoption of early retirement 

programme. It also supports 

private-sector institutions to 

develop its HR departments 

thus to qualify and integrate 

early retirees.” 

Dr. Bashar Hawamdeh, 

Founder and CEO of 

MenaTech mentioned, 

“through this partnership, 

Menaitech will further 

enhance capabilities to 

provide innovative solutions 

to business development 

challenges. Delivering 

advanced and integrated 

ICT solutions aimed at 

cutting operating costs 

while increasing revenues 

by increasing productivity, 

introducing technology into 

business and establishing 

a sustainable information 

infrastructure for various 

public and private sector 

institutions” 

Dr. Hawamdeh further 

pointed out that for over 15 

years, MenaITech has led the 

way in developing HCIS and 

HR management solutions 

to organizations of all sizes. 

MenaITech’s comprehensive 

suite of solutions and 

services are covering every 

aspect of HR including 

payroll, recruitment, 

training and developments, 

succession planning with 

smart technology that 

empowers employees and 

managers to ultimately drive 

growth and efficiency. 


59

Technology 

Huawei P30 

series 

HUAWEI P30 Series are the 

company’s most advanced 

camera smartphones to 

date: Innovations such as 

the HUAWEI SuperSpectrum 

Sensor and SuperZoom 

Lens allow Huawei to push 

the envelope of not just 

photography, but videography 

as well. 

Huawei also announced 

that it has worked to optimize 

the Huawei P30 series camera 

for Snapchat, bringing more 

camera innovation to users, 

aiming for Snapchatters to 

soon be able to enjoy more 

experience using the Huawei 

P30 camera. 

HUAWEI P30 Pro 

Taking mobile 

photography to a brandnew 

level, HUAWEI P30 Pro 

carries a new Leica Quad 

Camera on the back of the 

device, including a massive 

40MP main camera with 

a revolutionary 1/1.7-inch 

SuperSpectrum sensor, a 20MP 

ultra-wide angle lens, 8MP 

telephoto camera and HUAWEI 

Time of Flight (ToF) Camera 

to unleash the imagination. 

Unique to the HUAWEI P30 Pro, 

HUAWEI ToF Camera captures 

depth-of-field information 

to deliver accurate image 

segmentation and uses precise 

distance measurement to 

allow for the simulation of 

multiple levels of bokeh. A 

32MP selfie camera mounts 

the device front and produces 

AI-beautified pictures. 

The SuperZoom Lens 

takes smartphone zooming 

capabilities to unprecedented 

territories. The innovative 

periscope design enables 

Huawei to incorporate the 

telephoto camera into an 

extremely slim device. The 

periscope design uses a prism 

element to bend light at a 

90-degree angle. By doing so, 

the sensor can be fitted in the 

chassis and support 5x optical 

zoom, 10x hybrid zoom and a 

never-before seen 50x digital 

zoom, bringing the farthest 

objects closer to the user’s eyes. 

HUAWEI Dual-View 

Video¹ uses multiple cameras 

simultaneously to capture 

videos. While shooting, the 

screen splits into two halves: 

the lower half shows the 

wide-angle capture, while the 

half that’s closer to the front 

camera shows a close-up shot. 

This mode, with its capability 

to capture dual perspectives, 

lends itself to capturing largescale 

events such as sporting 

matches and concerts where 

users can adjust magnification 

levels as well. 

The HUAWEI P30 Pro also 

houses a large, high-density 

4,200mAh battery, and supports 

40W HUAWEI SuperCharge, 

which gives the device 70 

percent charge in 30 minutes. 

Moreover, HUAWEI P30 Pro 

supports 15W HUAWEI Wireless 

Quick Charge, and Wireless 

Reverse Charge, which enables 

the device to work as a power 

bank for selected electronic 

devices supporting wireless 

charging. 

The HUAWEI P30 Pro 

supports a newly-introduced 

Super Night Mode in shooting 

videos. HUAWEI P30 Pro 

retains great vision at low light 

and every frame taken across 

the long exposure is better with 

superior colors, dynamic range 

and clarity. Combined, these 

processes enable an exposure 

of 3-8 seconds and produce 

the most stunning images 

in low-light settings. The 

“night vision” capability lets 

the HUAWEI P30 Pro capture 

videos even in the poorest of 

lighting conditions. 

Huawei P30 Lite 

Combining exquisite 

design and innovation, 

HUAWEI P30 Lite smartphone 

comes armed with a 

32MP 3D Selfie Superstar 

camera integrated with AI 

Beautification which works 

like a professional team to 

enhance users’ beauty. The 

rear of the device features 

a 24MP AI ultra-wide triple 

camera comprising of 24MP 

main camera with a f/1.8 wide 

aperture lens, 8MP camera for 

ultra-wide angle shots and 

2MP lens. In order to deliver 

a seamless user experience, 

the smartphone is launched 

with the EMUI 9.0.1 installed 

and offers 4GB of RAM and 

128GB of internal storage. The 

device also features a 6.15-inch 

Dewdrop display and achieves 

a massive screen to body ratio 

of 84.1 percent. HUAWEI P30 

Lite continues excellence in 

design and features a slim 

3D curved glass exterior 

that provides a modern feel 

that smoothly merges with 

Huawei’s core innovations to 

deliver a premium and sleek 

user experience. 

HUAWEI WATCH GT 

Huawei also launched the 

HUAWEI WATCH GT Active 

Edition and Elegant Edition. 

The outdoor smart watches 

feature up to two and oneweek 

ultra-long battery life 

respectively, industry-leading 

fitness and wellness tracking 

capabilities, multi-sport modes 

and classic watch look with 

modern sensibility. The Active 

Edition features the same 

46mm watch face and will be 

available in Black Stainless 

Steel, Stainless Steel. 

Wego application 

preinstalled 

on Samsung 

smartphones 

Wego, the largest online 

travel marketplace in 

the Middle East and North 

Africa (MENA), has partnered 

with Samsung Electronics, 

to incorporate their travel 

application into Samsung 

smartphones. 

Samsung smartphones 

will come pre-installed with 

Wego application, giving users 

seamless access to the world of 

hotel and flight booking. 

Wego compares a 

wide range of flight and 

accommodation options 

available in the marketplace 

and provides the best rates 

across thousands of global and 

local travel agencies, airlines 

and hotel direct websites 

and other accommodation 

merchants. 

Mamoun Hmedan, 

Managing Director, MENA and 

India, said: “We have seen an 

increase in the percentage 

of travelers from the MENA 

region who use smartphones 

to book their holidays and this 

move addresses this growth 

and aims to simplify the users’ 

experience. By partnering with 

Samsung, we are making it 

easier and more convenient 

for travelers to get immediate 

access to the largest online 

marketplace in the region on 

their mobile device.” 

Starting 1 April 2019, 

Wego app will be available on 

Samsung smartphones across 

the stores in the GCC, Jordan 

and Egypt. 

The pre-installed Wego 

app will be available in 22 

languages and 59 currencies 

and will give Samsung users 

instant access to its wide array 

of flights and hotels, exclusive 

offers, 24/7 customer service 

and much more. 


x

Highlights | Automotive 

Ferrari F8 

Tributo 

The F8 Tributo is the new 

mid-rear-engined sports 

car that represents the highest 

expression of the Prancing 

Horse’s classic two-seater 

berlinetta. It is a car with 

unique characteristics and, as 

its name implies, is an homage 

to the most powerful V8 in 

Ferrari history. 

The F8 Tributo sets 

the market benchmark for 

performance, driving pleasure 

and ease of handling. It makes 

the exhilarating performance of 

the best 8-cylinder in the world 

accessible to all drivers, with 

unprecedented handling and 

superior ride comfort. 

The F8 Tributo replaces 

the 488 GTB and, in the range, 

is the model with the highest 

performance matched by the 

greatest driver involvement. 

There are significant 

improvements across the board 

aimed at providing even better 

control on the limit along with 

greater on-board comfort. 

In the automotive world, 

Ferrari’s V8 engine is seen as 

the very epitome of sportiness 

and driving pleasure. This is 

particularly the case when 

it is mid-rear-mounted in a 

two-seater. Ferrari has been 

honing the scope of abilities of 

this architecture, which creates 

an optimal weight balance, 

and thus delivers unparalleled 

thrillingly sporty driving, 

to perfection for over four 

decades. 

Designed by the Ferrari 

Styling Centre, the F8 Tributo 

is essentially a bridge to a 

new design language that 

will continue to emphasise 

Ferrari’s key characteristics of 

high performance and extreme 

aerodynamic efficiency. In 

fact, the F8 Tributo is the most 

aerodynamically efficient 

series-production mid-rearengined 

berlinetta ever 

designed. 

The F8 Tributo features 

state-of-the-art aerodynamics, 

integrating innovations and 

expertise developed thanks to 

the company’s involvement 

in the GT and Challenge 

championships. The solutions 

have been honed to create a 

series-production mid-rearengined 

berlinetta with the 

highest level of performance 

available. 

It was only through close 

synergy with the Ferrari 

Styling Centre that the strict 

aerodynamic constraints could 

be so flawlessly interpreted and 

integrated into the car’s design. 

A good example is the S-Duct 

at the front and the redesigned 

blown spoiler system at the rear 

Mercedes-Benz 

GLC Coupé 

The next generation of the 

successful model skilfully 

and intricately combines the 

sportiness of a coupé with the 

functionality of an SUV. The 

GLC Coupé impresses with 

its distinctive appearance, 

innovative driving assistance 

systems, a new engine line-up 

and the latest generation of the 

MBUX Mercedes-Benz User 

Experience multimedia system 

with its wide range of control 

options. 

The GLC Coupé is 

characterised by its dynamic 

appearance and elegant lines. 

Hallmark off-road features 

which are underscored by the 

car’s clean yet decisive lines. 

The cockpit retains the 

classic, driver-oriented look 

typical of Ferrari’s midrear-engined 

berlinettas. 

Every element of the dash, 

door panels and tunnel has 

been completely redesigned 

specifically for the car. The 

F8 Tributo also boasts a new 

generation steering wheel 

and steering wheel-mounted 

controls as well as new styling 

on the standard seats. 

Overall performance levels 

are significantly higher than 

those of the 488 GTB, thanks to 

the increase in power, weight 

reduction and improved 

aerodynamic coefficient. 

That performance is also now 

accessible to a larger number 

of drivers thanks to vehicle 

dynamics systems that make 

driving on the limit an easier 

and more confidence-inspiring 

experience. 

include the dominant front end, 

powerful forms and standard-fit 

chrome details like the front 

and rear underride guards. Its 

coupé character shines through 

in the squat silhouette with the 

dropping roof line and rounded 

rear window. Highlights at 

the front end include the 

powerfully contoured diamond 

radiator grille with integrated 

star and single louvre typical of 

a coupé, complemented by the 

distinctive air intakes and the 

new contours of the standardfi 

t L E D H i g h P e r f o r m a n c e 

headlamps. 

Flawless luxury and userfriendly 

controls abound in the 

Coupé's interior. The focus is on 

the dashboard and the flowing 

lines of the centre console. The 

large, one-piece console panel 

sweeps elegantly from the 

centre air vents to the armrest. 

It has a premium feel and a 

build quality of exceptionally 

high calibre. The interior colour 

magma grey is completely 

new. The completely revised 

multifunction steering wheel 

is available in two versions. Its 

operation of Active Distance 

Assist DISTRONIC and the 

Touch Control buttons for 

controlling the instrument 

cluster and the infotainment 

system as well as the acoustic 

input feedback set new 

standards. 

The multifunctional 

touchpad on the centre 

console improves operating 

convenience even further, and 

replaces the rotary pushbutton, 

while the infotainment system 

has larger touchscreen displays 

with optionally 12.3 inches in 

the instrument cluster plus 

the free-standing multimedia 

display in the centre is 

available in two sizes: 7 inches 

with a resolution of 960 x 540 

pixels and 10.25 inches with 

1920 x 720 pixels. In addition 

to this, the latest generation of 

the MBUX Mercedes-Benz User 

Experience multimedia system 

boasts intuitive logic and a 

wide range of control options. 

As an alternative to the 

standard sports suspension 

with adaptive damping, 

DYNAMIC BODY CONTROL with 

infinitely adjustable dampers 

for the steel springs on the 

front and rear axle is available 

as an option. Depending on 

the driving situation, speed 

and condition of the road, 

the damping is controlled 

individually for each wheel in 

interaction with the engine, 

transmission and steering 

characteristics. 

Distance Assist DISTRONIC 

provide even more comfortable 

support to help the driver to 

keep a safe distance. The speed 

is adjusted automatically ahead 

of bends or junctions. 

The GLC Coupé will 

be equipped with the next 

generation of four-cylinder 

petrol engines with increased 

output at significantly lower 

fuel consumption. 


Automotive 

Porsche Macan 

Fone of Porsche’s most 

popular models, the Macan 

with performance credentials 

that underline the model’s 

position as the true sports car 

in its segment. The brand’s 

compact SUV has evolved in 

terms of comfort and driving 

dynamics, with two engine 

versions, the Macan and the 

more powerful Macan S. 

The Macan comes to the 

starting line with an enhanced 

2.0-litre turbocharged fourcylinder 

engine, producing 

252 hp and delivering a 

maximum torque of 370 Nm. 

It accelerates from zero to 100 

km/h in 6.5 seconds (when 

equipped with the optional 

Sport Chrono Package) and 

reaches a top speed of 227 

km/h. The Macan S is powered 

by a new V6 engine, which 

was first introduced in the new 

generations of the Panamera 

and Cayenne. The high-tech 

power unit produces 354 hp 

(an increase of 14 hp compared 

to its predecessor) and a torque 

output of 480 Nm. As a result, 

acceleration to 100 km/h is just 

5.1 seconds with the optional 

Sport Chrono Package; its top 

speed is 254 km/h. 

The vehicle dynamics of 

the Macan remain a principle 

feature. The revamped chassis 

increases driving pleasure, 

offering stability and improved 

comfort thanks to newly 

developed mixed-size tyres, 

enhanced brakes and the 

intelligent all-wheel drive 

Porsche Traction Management 

(PTM) system. All combined 

the Macan feels even more like 

a sports car than ever before. 

The range of standard 

equipment has been further 

enhanced, thus increasing 

the attractiveness of the 

new model. Customers can 

now enjoy features, such 

as a panoramic sunroof, 

automatically dimming 

mirrors and ParkAssist in 

front and rear with reversing 

camera, at no extra costs. 

A further evolved design 

language is visible in the new 

Macan, giving it an even more 

distinctive and confident 

appearance. The front end 

of the Macan has been 

comprehensively revamped 

and now appears wider. 

Redesigned main headlights 

feature LED technology as 

standard, whilst a threedimensional 

LED light panel 

on the rear of the vehicle is 

also incorporated in the new 

range. Drivers have more scope 

to express their personality 

too with the addition of four 

exterior colours-Mamba Green 

Metallic, Dolomite Silver 

Metallic, Miami Blue and 

Crayon. 

Inside, the new Macan 

offers high-quality equipment 

as standard. The seat surfaces 

are covered with Alcantara® 

and the steering wheel, 

selector lever and armrests 

are finished in leather with 

additional full-leather interiors 

also optionally available. 

Porsche’s sports car DNA can 

be found throughout. The 

optional GT sports steering 

wheel echoes the Porsche 

911, whilst a mode switch 

integrated into the steering 

wheel - including Sport 

Response button - is part of 

the optional Sport Chrono 

Package and was originally 

used in the Porsche 918 Spyder 

super sports car. Enhanced 

functionality comes via the 

new Porsche Communication 

Management (PCM) system, 

including a 10.9-inch 

touchscreen (increased from 

7.2 inches) as standard. 

The new Porsche are now 

available at Porsche Centre 

Bahrain. Basic retail prices 

(VAT inclusive) for Macan 

BHD 22,242 and Macan S BHD 

29,310. 

Jaguar I-PACE 

Jaguar Bahrain unveiled 

its first-ever all-electric 

model, the Jaguar I-PACE, 

dubbed as the world’s 

smartest five-seater sports 

car, offers outstanding 

driving experience that 

reflects its dynamic design. 

A sophisticated, all-electric 

powertrain provides 

high performance with 

zero tailpipe emissions. 

Jaguar I-TYPE Formula E 

racing car and I-PACE both 

use Permanent Magnet 

Synchronous Electric Motors 

and Lithium-ion pouch 

battery cell technology. These 

motors are small, compact and 

efficient, which significantly 

help to optimise performance 

and range. 

From the pronounced 

front wheel arches to the 

rear diffuser, every supercarinspired 

styling element 

allows I-PACE to slice cleanly 

through the air for maximum 

range and stability. 

The I-PACE seamlessly 

integrates technology 

and abundant space. The 

Interior design is clean and 

uncluttered, with tactile 

features and sweeping lines. 

The nature of the electric 

powertrains offers additional 

space, providing more 

freedom to maximise the 

comfort provided by I-PACE’s 

interior. 

The I-PACE is underpinned 

by an advance Electric 

Vehicle architecture created 

specifically for this car that 

delivers excellent driving 

dynamics while minimizing 

weight. These foundations 

are paired with a suspension 

proven on an F-PACE, XE and 

XF. The double wishbone 

suspension at the front and 

Integral Link suspension at 

the rear have been tuned to 

allow the driver to attain the 

perfect balance of dynamic 

handling and refinement 

while in the I-PACE 

McLaren Bahrain 

Tower 

The McLaren Bahrain 

Tower is situated by 

the entrance to the Bahrain 

International Circuit and with 

a floor area of approximately 

8,000 sqm across eight floors, 

it is set to become the brand’s 

third largest global facility 

after McLaren Technology 

Centre (MTC) and McLaren 

Production Centre (MPC). 

Phase I of the development is 

scheduled to complete by the 

end of the year and will see a 

relocation of a regional office 

for McLaren Automotive’ 

s Middle East, Africa and 

Latin America division. Once 

finalised, the development 

will strengthen the brand’s 

presence in the Middle East 

and serve as its new regional 

headquarter with potential to 

accommodate future business 

requirements in line with 

growth plans outlined in the 

Track25 business plan. 

McLaren Automotive’s 

Middle East, Africa and Latin 

American region comprises 13 

retail locations in 11 markets. 


63

Automotive 

The All-New 

RAV4 

Bringing a new era of 

improved performance, 

capability, and safety, the fifth 

generation RAV4, the compact 

SUV trend-setter, is poised to, 

once again, change the game. 

The all-new RAV4 is 

bringing more sport and 

more utility back while 

further enhancing the agile 

handling, everyday comfort 

and exemplary fuel efficiency. 

It is designed to tackle urban, 

suburban, and great outdoor 

adventures with equal finesse. 

The look is tougher, and 

there’s greater capability with 

a new all-wheel-drive system, 

yet the ride is smoother and 

quieter, with new comfort 

touches inside. 

One of two major 

additions to the all-new 

RAV4 is the hybrid electric 

model, which combines two 

power sources consisting 

of a petrol engine and two 

electric motors. The classleading 

model, which offers 

the lowest fuel consumption 

value of 22.2km/L, enables 

customers to contribute to a 

more sustainable future while 

enjoying increased driving 

satisfaction and engagement 

provided by its advanced 

technologies and cabin 

quietness. 

The second addition to 

the RAV4 is the Adventure 

model. It is distinguished by 

a more aggressive bumper, 

grille design and fog light 

surrounds, larger overfenders, 

high-rise roof rails 

and a retuned suspension. 

The RAV4’s distinct 

personality is completed by 

its expansive and comfortable 

cabin, is accentuated with a 

range of advanced features, 

including Multi-terrain Select 

(MTS), dual-zone automatic 

air conditioning system with 

Smart-flow (S-FLOW) control 

to provide air conditioning to 

only occupied seats, achieving 

comfort and enhanced fuel 

efficiency, 7-inch color multiinformation 

display (MID) 

in the cluster gauge, 8-inch 

multimedia infotainment 

display, ambient illumination, 

six-speaker sound system, 

multi-adjustable power driver 

seat and 60:40 split-folding rear 

seats. 

Complementing the allnew 

RAV4’s daring looks is 

a thrilling drive personality 

infused by two powertrain 

options. A new 2.5-litre 

four-cylinder Dynamic Force 

engine with D-4S fuel injection 

system, which produces 203 

hp and is mated to a new eightspeed 

Direct-Shift automatic 

transmission (8AT), resulting 

in a quicker and smoother 

acceleration. On the other 

hand, a new electrified hybrid 

system combines two power 

sources consisting of a petrol 

engine and two electric motors 

producing 176 hp and 118 hp, 

respectively, with a combined 

power of 218 hp. It is also mated 

to a Direct Shift Continuously 

Variable Transmission (CVT) 

that provides the lowest fuel 

consumption value of 22.2km/L 

while delivering a new level of 

driving pleasure. 

Available in nine 

distinctive exterior colors, 

including four new colors, Cyan 

ME, Dark Blue MC, Attitude 

Black MC, and the newlydeveloped 

Urban Khaki, further 

express sophistication and 

strength. On the other hand, 

the interior is available in a 

total of three colors, such as 

Light Gray, Beige and Black. 

Toyota Hiace 

Keeping up with its heritage 

of transporting people 

and goods with peace of 

mind, Ebrahim K. Kanoo has 

revealed a new-generation 

Hiace van and minibus 

range with advanced safety 

features, powerful new engines, 

increased ride comfort, and a 

host of new specifications. 

Featuring a semi-bonnet 

design that enhances 

reliability, toughness, and 

functional beauty, and offering 

a wider choice of body sizes 

and wheelbase lengths. 

This shift has enabled the 

development team at Toyota 

to implement significant 

changes, which include a 

stiffer frame, stronger straightline 

performance, greater 

stability and manoeuvrability, 

and more flexible suspension. 

Complementing the all-new 

vehicle’s enhanced reliability, 

toughness, and functional 

beauty is a dynamic driving 

experience powered by two 

new engines - a 2.8-litre 

four-cylinder diesel engine 

and a 3.5-litre V6 naturallyaspirated 

petrol engine, with 

both being offered with a 

six-speed manual or automatic 

transmission. 

The all-new vehicle’s 

spacious cabin space is built 

for maximized storage, with 

added features like noticeably 

bigger legroom, providing an 

enhanced riding experience 

enabled by wider doorsteps, 

strategically-positioned assist 

grips, and illuminated entry 

system. 

The comprehensive array 

of safety features in the vehicle 

also include driver and front 

passenger SRS airbags, and a 

passenger airbag with a miniclamshell 

design to protect 

centre seat passenger. 

Nissan KICKS in 

dual color tones 

Nissan has made the 

award-winning Nissan 

KICKS even more distinctive 

for Middle East customers 

and enthusiasts, with the 

introduction of three new 

Dual Tone options. 

Customers now have 

the freedom to choose the 

colours for their favourite 

Nissan KICKS that match 

their expectations and define 

their individuality. There are 

three bold colour options to 

choose from: grey with orange 

roof; orange with black roof; 

or white with orange roof - 

all assured to stand out and 

add to the personality and 

personal preferences of the 

motorists. 

Apart from the choice 

of the dual tone options, 

Nissan KICKS assures 

economic fuel consumption 

with its advanced 1.6 litre 

engine and lightweight 

platform. Furthermore, the 

Nissan Intelligent Mobility 

(NIM) enhances its safety 

features and transforms 

it from just a car into a 

driver’s responsive partner. 

With versatile interiors, 

easier rear cargo access, a 

tire pressure monitoring 

system, and several stand-out 

elements, Nissan KICKS sets 

benchmarks in the compact 

crossover segment. 


Available on 

www.bizbahrain.com 


65

Highlights | Other Business 

A.I Academy 

launch at Bahrain 

Polytechnic 

The Labour Fund 

“Tamkeen”, in cooperation 

with Bahrain Polytechnic 

and Microsoft, has recently 

announced the inauguration 

of the Artificial Intelligence 

Academy in Bahrain 

Polytechnic, with the aim 

of providing a platform to 

enhance innovation and 

creativity capabilities of the 

youth in the field of artificial 

intelligence. 

The inauguration of 

the Academy follows the 

directives of His Highness 

Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad 

Al Khalifa, First Deputy 

President of the Supreme 

Council for Youth and 

Sports and Chairman 

of Bahrain Olympic 

Committee, instructing 

to accelerate including 

academic specialisations 

that are related to artificial 

intelligence in the educational 

system of the Kingdom of 

Bahrain, especially after the 

remarkable participation 

of the youth in the annual 

“Khalid Bin Hamad Contest 

for Innovation in Artificial 

Intelligence”, a demonstration 

of Bahrain’s youth’s 

willingness to engage in the 

A.I. field. 

The Academy will aim to 

train and qualify 60 trainee 

students from Bahrain’s 

schools and universities 

as well as their teachers 

using an integrated syllabus 

incorporating artificial 

intelligence, data analysis, 

data science and machine 

basics. 

The programme is 

considered to be a key 

strategic step that serves 

strengthening the leading 

regional position of the 

Kingdom of Bahrain 

in the field of artificial 

intelligence technology, 

and to qualify a pioneering 

class by establishing a 

specialised base of Bahraini 

competencies and cadres in 

the region. 

The specialised training 

programme will take place 

over the course of one year, 

wherein trainees must 

pass 10 stations and solve 

a real-world problem using 

knowledge and expertise 

gained to complete the 

programme. 

Alba expands 

Production & 

Sales volume 

Tim Murray 

Chief Executive Officer, Alba 

Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. 

(Alba), on the go to be 

transformed into the largest 

smelter in the world, expands 

its overall sales volume 

Special discounts on Cargo exports 

Export Bahrain signed an 

exclusive partnership 

with Gulf Air’s Falcon Cargo 

to provide SMEs in Bahrain, 

exporting their goods to the 

tune of 100 kilograms or above, 

with special discount of up to 

40% on their cargo exports. 

Highlighting the 

importance of this initiative, 

Export Bahrain’s Chief 

Executive, Dr. Nasser Qaedi 

said, “Export Bahrain is 

and throughput for the first 

quarter of 2019 despite the 

downward pressure on LME 

prices. 

The sales’ volume topped 

257,113 metric tonnes (mt) in 

this quarter, up by 2% Yearover-Year 

(YoY) while the 

production jumped to 272,707 

mt, up by 5% YoY. Alba closed 

this quarter with Value-Added 

(VA) Sales averaging 52% of 

total shipments versus 58% 

for the same period in 2018. 

Commenting on Alba’s 

Sales’ volume and Production 

for Q1 2019, Alba’s Chief 

Executive Officer, Tim Murray 

said, “We are very pleased to 

have kicked-off 2019 strong 

despite market volatility. 

As we get closer to fully 

ramp-up Line 6 within Q3 

2019, Alba will be positioned 

to further improve its 

operational performance and 

build upon the progress we 

made since we started Line 6 

Expansion Project.” 

looking to build a repertoire 

of different types of solutions 

and offerings like this one 

to enable exporters to make 

that journey into the area of 

exporting their products and 

services much easier. We are 

pleased to have the national 

carrier support us in this 

direction and we are sure 

that SMEs will benefit from 

not just the fast connections 

from its Bahrain hub but 

also to actively participate 

in promoting the national 

objectives of economic 

development with this 

promising opportunity.” 

Gulf Air’s Chief Executive 

Officer, Mr. Krešimir Kučko 

said, “Our most important 

strategy pillar is to contribute 

to the economy of the 

Kingdom of Bahrain and as 

we signed the partnership 

with Export Bahrain, we are 

facilitating export services 

for SMEs in Bahrain at 

preferential rates. We want 

to support the small and 

medium-sized enterprises 

to export their goods to the 

outer world and show pride in 

the Kingdom’s manufactured 

products. This is the start of 

a good potential for Gulf Air, 

Export Bahrain and SMEs in 

Bahrain”. 

SMEs can have their 

application registered and 

processed through Export 

Bahrain office located in Bait 

Al Tijjar building, to avail the 

discount and process their 

exports. 


Other Business 

‘Startup Factory’ 

to guide and 

support local 

Startups 

The Startup Factory, 

founded by Hamed Fakhro 

and located in Seef (Orchid 

Building) launched last month 

under the patronage of Shaikh 

Hisham bin Abdulrahman 

Al Khalifa, Governor of the 

Capital. 

The Startup Factory is 

an incubator targeting local 

startups that need guidance 

and support. Utilizing a vast 

network of specialist mentors, 

companies, and Government 

City Centre 

Bahrain further 

diversifies Retail 

City Centre Bahrain 

continues to expand its 

competitive retail offering 

with the opening of twentytwo 

shopping and dining 

concepts in the first half of 

2019. The range of unique 

fashion, jewellery, and 

dining options complement 

twenty new units added 

in 2018 and underscores 

the mall’s commitment to 

continuously enhance the 

experience of its visitors. 

Looking forward in 

2019, shoppers can expect 

the introduction of several 

fashion brands that 

will be exclusive to City 

Centre Bahrain, including 

internationally renowned 

The North Face for all 

activewear and outdoor 

sports gear accessories, the 

traditional ethnic women’s 

relationships, Fakhro will 

guide and assist them as 

a mentor and show how to 

start and maintain their 

companies. 

The incubator will 

offer services like financial 

planning, cash flow 

management, product 

development, marketing 

training, team building, 

funding, mentorship. 

Fakhro who 

enthusiastically supports 

Bahrain Vision 2030 said, 

“The Startup Factory is 

playing a role identifying 

and promoting our local 

talent, and our ultimate goal 

is to help create and nurture 

Bahraini companies that 

can export their goods and 

services to the rest of the 

world. I’ve already seen great 

potential and can’t wait to see 

how they perform”. 

fashion brand Khaadi, 

upcoming fashion retailer 

R&B, streetwear brand CCC, 

trendy fine leather footwear 

brand Verona Shoes, and the 

fashionable streetwear brand 

Converse. Customers will 

soon be able to indulge in 

the scents of the East at Oud 

Elite, renowned hair dressing 

brand Toni & Guy, ancient 

Eastern beauty traditions 

at Rituals. Lifestyle brands 

Tommy Hilfiger and 

Aldo have relocated into 

pominent locations. New 

fashion stores including 

American upscale brands 

Kate Spade and Cole Haan, 

German fashion brand for 

young women Orsay and the 

modest women’s clothing 

line at Leem. Luxurious 

Italian clothing, shoes, and 

accessories for men and 

women Emporio Armani. 

Aspirational and unique 

jewelry can be found at 

Jawhara Jewellery, while for 

watch enthusiasts Rado & 

Tissot and Charriol for handcrafted 

timepieces, fine 

jewellery and accessories. 

City Centre Bahrain’s 

diverse dining scene has 

expanded in 2018 with a 

variety of new F&B outlets 

including Tortilla, Californiastyle 

burritos and tacos. 

Cicolatti Italiani, the first 

Italian restaurant format 

completely dedicated to the 

world of chocolate. Jamal 

Showaiter Sweets located 

in the Souq area for a taste 

of traditional Bahraini 

delicacies. 

For parents seeking 

birthday gifts or family 

treats ItsImagical or treat 

your little girl to a special 

doll from American Girl. 

Shop at iSTYLE and explore 

the world of electronics and 

accessories. Opened earlier 

this year to meet all the 

health and wellness needs 

of customers is Dr. Nutrition 

and opening soon in 2019 for 

all eyecare requirements is 

Eye Zone. 

City Centre Bahrain 

continues to cater to interior 

design shoppers with the 

debut of The Home Store 

and recently renovated 

Home Centre, providing a 

wide selection of fine and 

affordable furniture and 

décor items. Brimming 

with thoughtfully designed 

lifestyle, health, beauty and 

home décor accessories is 

the recently opened Yoyoso. 

Shoppers looking for the 

perfect pillow or mattress 

can find everything they 

need for a perfect night’s rest 

at Tempur. 

Bahrain 

Polystyrene 

Factory launch 

latest Thermal 

product 

Bahrain Polystyrene 

Factory (BPF) launched 

the latest product in thermal 

insulation. BPF located at 

BIIP, produce expanded 

(EPS) and Extruded (XPS) 

polystyrene using the state of 

art Technology. 

The new product will be 

one of the finest products 

manufactured in the GCC 

with the latest technology 

delivering a fire-retardant 

composition for both 

residential and commercial 

buildings. 

“Bahrain Polystyrene 

factory, aims to meet the 

growing demand for thermal 

insulation products in 

Bahrain. Our Extruded 

Polystyrene factory looks 

to support this for thermal 

insulation of roof and walls 

to provide savings on energy 

costs and protect from 

climate change.” Said Mohd 

Jassim Zayani, Managing 

Director. 

Bahrain Polystyrene 

Factory is the first of its kind 

in the kingdom of Bahrain to 

produce expanded (EPS) and 

Extruded (XPS) polystyrene 

using the state of art 

Technology. 

Insulation of buildings 

is essential for consumers. 

Extruded polystyrene for 

roof and wall insulation is 

essential when considering 

higher thermal conductivity.” 

adds Jassim Zayani. 


67

Other Business 

CIOCCOLATITALIANI opens doors 

In 2009, CIOCCOLATITALIANI 

gave life to the innovative 

“made in Italy” bar and 

restaurant service format 

completely dedicated to the 

cult of chocolate. 

Founded by Ferrieri family, 

with the first flagship store 

on Via De Amicis in Milan, 

today CIOCCOLATITALIANI 

has 37 locations, between 

company owned and master 

franchising, of which 23 

are in Italy (Milano, Arese, 

Brescia, Como, Varese, 

Vimercate, Cesenatico…) and 

14 in international locations 

(Riyadh, Kuwait City, Doha, 

Muscat, Bahrain,Tirana, 

Prizren…). 

In less than ten years, 

CIOCCOLATITALIANI has 

succeeded in creating a new 

brand of Italian excellence 

with a modern approach to 

deal with a market that looks 

confidently beyond Italian 

borders through growth and 

steady expansion in key 

international markets. 

CIOCCOLATITALIANI has 

chosen Cacao “Fino de Aroma”, 

one of the finest chocolate 

varieties in the world, as key 

ingredient for all preparations. 

Fino de Aroma is a precious 

variety made by crossing the 

Criollo and Trinitario varieties, 

and represents only 8% of the 

world’s cocoa. 

Through long, researched 

travels across remote regions, 

CIOCCOLATITIALIANI has 

selected not only the rarest 

and precious beans, but also 

ensures sustainable farming 

practices. 

The goal of 

CIOCCOLATITALIANI is to be 

ambassador of “Chocology,” or 

the art of mixing chocolatestarting 

from excellent raw 

material and expressing all of 

its marvelous qualities, which 

render it unique time after 

time, in a cup of coffee, an 

artisanal gelato, a cake or an 

exceptional dish. 

The chocolate 

fountains, invented first by 

CIOCCOLATITALIANI, are the 

icon of indulgence and the 

unprecedented novelty of 

“on tap,” which has become 

a distinctive signature of 

service. 

CIOCCOLATITALIANI 

launched its first outlet in 

Bahrain through its master 

franchisee , Deli Gulf , located 

at the Bahrain City Center 

opposite the cinema , with 

plans for further locations, the 

brand is set to define a new 

height for the art of chocolate 

and Gelato in Bahrain. 

Shakespeare 

& Co. opens in 

Bahrain 

Shakespeare & Co officialy 

opened its first branch 

in Zallaq Springs, Bahrain. 

Immensely popular in the 

region, Shakespeare & Co. is 

known for its great quality 

of food, friendly and efficient 

service in a warm atmosphere, 

and exquisite Victorian era 

inspired décor that creates 

an inimitable ambiance in its 

outlets. While every restaurant 

is distinctly Shakespearean, 

each outlet is unique in terms 

of colours, décor and layout. 

Shakespeare & Co., a UAE 

based franchise with more 

than 50 branches in the MENA 

region and United States, is 

brought to the kingdom by 

Bahrain-based Rahim Holdings 

W.L.L. 

Ali Isa Abdulrahim, Rahim 

Holdings Managing Director 

said, “We’re pleased to open 

our first Shakespeare & Co. in 

Bahrain. Shakespeare & Co.’s 

unique concept is reflected in 

the scrumptious cuisine, as 

well as the venue itself. It’s 

stylish yet comfortable, classic 

and chic. We’re delighted with 

the positive response from 

Bahrain’s customers and we’re 

committed to ongoing quality, 

wholehearted hospitality and 

excellent value for money. We 

look forward to expanding 

further with the opening of a 

second Shakespeare & Co. at 

the Wharf Project in Bahrain 

Bay later this year.” 

Shakespeare & Co.’s first 

Bahrain location is set in 

picturesque, flamingo-laden 

Zallaq Springs, where guests 

can choose to take a turn in 

the gardens and relax by the 

lake before enjoying their 

meal inside the beautiful 

restaurant-café. In addition 

to the magnificent décor and 

views, Bahrain’s diners can 

expect a refined and eclectic 

range of international culinary 

favourites, from classic 

comfort-food appetizers and 

Mediterranean-style sharers, 

to sophisticated European 

entrées, and hand-crafted 

desserts, pastries and 

chocolates, accompanied by a 

fl a v o u r s o m e s e l e c t i o n o f h o t 

and cold beverages. There’s 

always something delectable 

to look forward to on the menu, 

be it breakfast, lunch, afternoon 

tea, or dinner. 

Furthermore, traditional 

French style patisserie with 

an impressive selection 

of pastries, vienoisserie, 

petit fours, macaroons and 

marshmallows are available for 

purchase from Shakespeare & 

Co.’s pastry counters. Artisanal 

home-made chocolates made 

with quality ingredients and 

individually hand wrapped 

in distinctive Shakespeare 

packaging are also on offer. 

Inspired by 18th century 

Europe, Shakespeare & Co.’s 

distinctive décor is designed 

and exquisitely crafted by 

the company’s own artisans 

to embody a by-gone era of 

classicism, grandeur and 

luxury. With careful attention 

to detail, delicate elements 

come together to create an 

extraordinary, transportive 

space that sparks the 

imagination and gives way 

to great conversation. From 

plush upholstery encased with 

antique frames, to intricate 

chandeliers and vintage 

centrepieces, the restaurant 

is a classically majestic, awe 

inspiring union of colours, 

fabrics and textures that 

create a truly extraordinary 

environment. 



69

Biz Dashboard 

COMMERCIAL OFFICES FOR RENT IN BAHRAIN 

Average Price Per Square Meter (BHD) for Office Rentals in Bahrain 

Juffair 

5.1 

Um Al Hasam 

4.1 

Adliya 

4.8 

Manama 

5.6 

Hoora 

3.6 

Market Share for PR Coverage 

Banking 38% 20% 16% 13% 8% 5% 

Others CBB NBB ASB KFH BBK 

Telecom 30% 26% 21% 14% 

9% 

Batelco VIVA TRA Zain Kalaam 


Seef and Manama, as Bahrain’s most central business districts continue to be the highest priced 

areas when it comes to office rentals. Areas like Mahooz, Sanabis and Um Al Hasam, which are 

also considered to be central commercial locations, also fall in the highest priced areas. Hoora 

and Zinj, known to offer warehouses and considered to be more of ans industrial area,s remain to 

offer moderately priced offices for rent. 

Zinj 

3.1 Mahooz 

4.1 

Seef 

5.8 Sanabis 

4.4 

Riffa 

3.5 

Source: Property Finder 

Real Estate 52% 17% 14% 9% 5% 3% 

Others Dilmunia Diyar Al Muharraq Golden Gate 

Manara Bin Faqeeh 

Other Business 40% 18% 14% 12% 10% 

6% 

Others ALBA GPIC BAC/BAS Gulf Air 

E.K. Kanoo 

bizbahrain.com - Web Portal Overview as on April 2019 Total Articles (18,898) Total Views (4,157,402) 

May-June Total 2019 

Visitors (820,289) 71

Listing | Tender Board Bahrain 

Company Name 

Tender Subject Tender No. Tender Type Closing Date 

Labour Market 

Regulatory Authority 

Outsourcing Call Center Services 

for LMRA 

RFP20199706210835 Public 29/05/2019 

Gulf Air Appointment of Creative Agency RFP20193927212382 Public 29/05/2019 

Bahrain Airport 

Company 

Supply of Tissue Paper Products 

and Consumables at Bahrain 

International Airport (BIA) 

BAC/284/2019 Public 29/05/2019 

Bahrain Airport 

Company 

Developer and Designer for 

Bahrain Airport Company and New 

Passengers Terminal Website 

BAC/286/2019 Public 29/05/2019 

Bahrain Petroleum 

Company (Bapco) 

Three (3) Years Purchase 

Agreement for Supply of Desktop 

and Laptop Computers 

RFQ/Bapco/2019-392 Public 29/05/2019 

Ministry of Interior 

Design and Implement a Vehicle 

Registry for the General Directorate 

of Traffic Using Blockchain 

Technology 

RFP/MOI/2019/50 Public 29/05/2019 

Bahrain Tourism & 

Exhibition Authority 

(BTEA) 

Traffic Impact Assessment - 

Manama Souq 

RFP/BTEA/113/2019 Public 29/05/2019 

Telecommunication 

Regulatory Authority 

Quality of Service Measurements of 

Mobile and Fixed Service 

TRA/RFP/2019/56 Public 26/05/2019 

National Audit Office 

Medical Insurance for the 

Employees of National Audit Office 

RFP/NAO/6/2019 Public 22/05/2019 

Eskan Bank 

Appointment of Quantity Surveyor- 

Bandar Al Sayah and Danaat Al 

Sayah Reclamation Projects 

EB-2019-E-16 Public 22/05/2019 

Source: www.tenderboard.gov.bh 

www.arabianindustry.com/tenders

BizBahrain Magazine (May-June 2019)

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