www.bahrainthismonth.com business bites 44 July 2021 Alex Craine MRICS has recently been appointed as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bahrain Financial Harbour, responsible for managing the landmark Harbour Towers offices, Harbour Gate commercial and social hub, and the Bahrain Financial Harbour district. He is also the new Chairman of EFS Facilities Services Bahrain W.L.L. “Harbour Towers is at the heart of business life in Bahrain with over 100 occupiers in 25 different industries. Bahrain Financial Harbour is also becoming a premier lifestyle destination in a new phase of growth with the delivery of 1,000 residential units, two hotels, and new food and beverage concepts due to open in the next 12 months. I look forward to leading Bahrain Financial Harbour through the next stage of its evolution,” said Mr. Craine. Alex Craine has a proven record of delivering high quality and dynamic operations with a customer service focus and is a 30-year veteran of the real estate industry, having spent the last 11 years in the Middle East after starting his career in the UK. Transactions generated through various eService channels exceeded BHD100 million during the first quarter of 2021, soaring 173% compared to the same period last year in 2020, Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA) Deputy CE of Electronic Transformation, Dr. Zakareya Ahmed AlKhajah revealed. “The exceptional growth recorded during Q1 was the result of early investment in the Kingdom’s digital infrastructure and the deployment of advanced technologies, as well as partnerships between the public and private sectors,” said Dr. Alkhajah. The results, announced in a Q1 2021 report, showed a major spike in the performance of digital channels and services, in line with the Government’s digital transformation efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. The report also revealed an increase in the number of visits to the National Portal bahrain.bh, topping 3,570,000, an 83% rise. There were also over 850,000 online financial transactions conducted, an 87% surge. Twenty-three eServices were launched during quarter one, with 18 currently in development and 45 expected to be launched soon in partnership with other government entities before year end. EXCEPTIONAL REVENUE GROWTH Academic programmes offered at the Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF), in collaboration with prestigious international universities, aims to reduce the gap between educational outputs and labour market needs. The Institute is working closely with financial institutions in the Kingdom to identify their needs for qualified local candidates. All bachelor’s and master’s programmes offered at the BIBF are accredited by the Higher Education Council (HEC) in Bahrain and are recognised by international accreditation bodies. “The BIBF offers a selection of academic programmes awarded by world-class British and American universities, for students considering a career in banking, finance, Islamic banking, financial technology (Fintech), business, economy, and other related fields,” said BIBF Director, Dr. Ahmed Al Shaikh. Degrees offered for undergraduate studies include the International Foundation Programme (IFP), and Bachelor’s programmes in Accounting and Finance, Banking and Finance, and Islamic Finance from the prestigious Bangor University. RESPONDING TO MARKET NEEDS THE NEXT STAGE OF EVOLUTION WITH A NEW CEO
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