Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Helaissi, Group CEO and Member of the Board, Gulf International Bank (GIB)

Bahrain, a centre for sustainable finance and innovation in the GCC

Global Platform

In this Global Platform video, Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Helaissi, Group CEO and Member of the Board, Gulf International Bank (GIB), talks about Bahrain's banking sector, a significant contributor to GDP at 17%, and why it serves as a strategic centre for trade finance and asset management in the GCC region. With a progressive regulatory environment, the country has embraced financial technology, evident in the rapid adoption of digital banking services. Sustainable finance is also gaining traction, with Bahrain ranking 40th globally for issuing more than $4.5bn in sustainable debt. Banks actively support sustainability goals, reducing emissions and prioritising measurement and targets. In the evolving GCC regulatory landscape, Bahrain now mandates environmental, social and governance disclosure for listed companies and financial institutions, effective from January 1, 2024.

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