My Account
Support
- Personal
- Business
- Global
- About Us
Personal |
Business |
Global |
About Us |
Small & Medium Enterprise
Corporate
Business Support
Global Connectivity
Global Infrastructure
Internet Services
Cloud Connect
Hosting Services
Carrier Voice and Roaming
Batelco’s connectivity offers a range of carrier-grades with an extensive global reach with access to terminate international calls to more than 500 destinations with very competitive rates and top class quality to terminate our partners’ voice traffic into our region and globally.
Batelco is interconnected with big global players to provide best quality in term of services and technologies such as Voice Transit, ITFS & LNS.
Our JV’s provide special services to Batelco mainly in Saudi, Jordan, Kuwait, Jersey and Maldives.
A variety of products that utilize advanced network technology.
Top of class IP & TDM infrastructure with full redundancy
Complete voice portfolio and solutions enabling clients to reach 6 continents.
24/7 top class engineer support services.
Batelco’s international roaming map extends worldwide for all roaming services reaching over 1,257 services in more than 176 countries over 145 LTE connections.
| Voice |
| 489 Networks |
| 5G |
| 6 Networks |
| LTE |
| 155 Networks |
| GPRS/3G |
| 436 Networks |
| CAMEL |
| 171 Networks |
Our current focus is to increase the 5G & LTE coverage to provide our customers with the best experience while traveling.
Batelco’s connectivity offers a range of carrier-grades with an extensive global reach with access to terminate international calls to more than 500 destinations with very competitive rates and top class quality to terminate our partners’ voice traffic into our region and globally.
Batelco is interconnected with big global players to provide best quality in term of services and technologies such as Voice Transit, ITFS & LNS.
Our JV’s provide special services to Batelco mainly in Saudi, Jordan, Kuwait, Jersey and Maldives.
A variety of products that utilize advanced network technology.
Top of class IP & TDM infrastructure with full redundancy
Complete voice portfolio and solutions enabling clients to reach 6 continents.
24/7 top class engineer support services.
Batelco’s international roaming map extends worldwide for all roaming services reaching 1,378 services in 179 countries and over 218 LTE connections.
| Voice |
| 496 Networks |
| 5G |
| 36 Networks |
| LTE |
| 218 Networks |
| GPRS/3G |
| 448 Networks |
| CAMEL |
| 180 Networks |
Our current focus is to increase the 5G & LTE coverage to provide our customers with the best experience while traveling.
Advanced network architecture with state of the art roaming quality management tools
High quality Secured A2P gateway to all mobiles in Bahrain
24/7 top class engineer support services
General Manager IT
Karel joined Batelco in July 2020 in the role of General Manager of IT with the responsibility for creating business value through developing and operating of Batelco’s IT portfolio and delivering Digital transformation.
Karel has over 15 years of experience in the technology sector, which includes key roles in the telecommunications industry. Prior to joining Batelco, Karel was part of the Vodafone Czech Republic team in the role of Chief Information Officer and before that, he was responsible for Core IT digital transformation and delivery of strategic projects. His previous roles include senior positions in IT projects delivery, and leading major ERP implementations across various geographies in Europe.
Karel holds a master’s degree in System Engineering & Informatics from VSB – Technical University of Ostrava, Czech Republic, and several professional certifications in the Agile and Project management domain.
Head Strategy Performance International Investments
Hosni Mahjoub, Head of Strategy & Performance, has wide expertise and experience in strategy development and execution as well as Corporate performance management. In a career of delivering excellence, he has contributed to the dynamic growth and industry impact of blue-chip companies through visionary ability to Invest, improve and implement strategies. With a comprehensive understanding of telecoms; ICT; retail and brands sectors, Hosni has enjoyed rapid career success and promotion. This capacity is demonstrated in the positions he has held which include Head of Group Strategy (Emirates International Telecommunications (EIT) and Head of Strategy and BI (T. Telecom). A portfolio of successful achievements testifies his ability to achieve targets, over-and-above expectation. As strategy consultant, he advised reputable institutions and companies such as African Development Bank and One Tech Group.
In his current position as Head of Strategy & Performance within the Batelco International Investment team, Hosni is handling activities related to strategy development and implementation as well as managing the Corporate performance management that supports continued improvement of the International business’s overall performance.
Hosni is a graduate of the Sorbonne University, France, and he has completed a number of certifications such as the Digital transformation at INSEAD school. Additionally, he obtained the social entrepreneurship award from the US government.
GM, M&A International Investments
Dr. Murad in his role as GM of Batelco’s International Investments continues to monitor opportunities that support the Company’s strategic initiatives for its overseas companies. Since joining Batelco in 1996 he has been predominantly responsible for identifying and leading inorganic M&A transactional activity in the telecom sector and other close adjacencies. Dr. Ghassan previously held the post of Chief Financial Officer for Batelco’s Bahrain operation from 2010 till 2013 and the position of Group General Manager, M&A from 2013 to 2019.
Prior to joining Batelco, Dr. Ghassan worked in the United Kingdom as a Research Associate at the University of Leicester carrying out theoretical and applied research in Control Engineering. His financial planning and modelling, Telecoms corporate finance, corporate valuation, M&A transactional experience and corporate strategy development over the years with the Batelco Group is complemented with a strong academic background.
He holds a Bachelor degree in Control Engineering, an MSc in Control Systems from the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine (London) and a PhD in Control Systems Theory from the University of Leicester (UK).
Real Estate International Investments
Shaikh Ahmed is responsible for Batelco’s large portfolio of properties associated with its international JV’s and affiliate companies outside of Bahrain. Prior to the current role, he held the post of General Manager of Human Resources for the Batelco Group.
Shaikh Ahmed joined Batelco as Senior Manager of Employee Relations in 1997 and from 1999 he added recruitment to his responsibilities. Being a team member in Project Get Ready in 2002 proved to be an invaluable learning curve for Shaikh Ahmed as issues not before applicable within the company were addressed. The experience widened his scope in the field of Human Resource Development and led to his appointment as acting General Manager of Human Resources in mid-2003. He became General Manager HR in mid 2004 and in January 2008 extended his role to include responsibility for the Batelco Group.
Chief Operations Officer
Maitham Abdulla is the Chief Operations Officer of Batelco Bahrain. He was appointed in 2022, with responsibility to develop & grow the telecommunications services for the government, enterprise, global connectivity, and consumer sectors.
Previously, Maitham was General Manager of the Consumer Division since 2020. He brings over 15 years of experience in digital transformation, telecom product development, mobile & fixed technology, Data Centers, and content services.
Maitham has a long track record of achievements in various leadership positions including leading the introduction of Fiber to the Home in Bahrain, the first introduction of TIII Data Centers in Bahrain, the commercial launch of 5G and the many transformational strategic programmes.
Maitham has an MBA in Marketing & Business Management from Al-Ahlia University and a BSc in Management Information Systems from NYIT as well as a number of professional qualifications in leadership and the telecommunication domain.
Chief Strategy Officer
Christopher Hild joined Batelco mid-2019 in the role of Chief Strategy Officer with the remit to drive the development and execution of a new strategy for Batelco following the separation of the Company and the spin-off of BNET.
With over 12 years of experience in strategy development and execution, Christopher’s previous roles include senior positions in strategy consulting, leading projects related to digital transformation, customer experience, topline growth, operational excellence and cost optimization, for a number of telecom operators in the Middle East, Europe, Africa and Asia.
Prior to that, Christopher held senior Corporate Strategy roles with an international large-scale industrial company based in Germany, and additionally for Europe’s leading BPO provider, focusing on customer experience for telecom operators.
Christopher holds a BA in Public Management & Governance from Zeppelin University, Germany.
Chief Marketing Officer
As Chief Marketing Officer, Bilal Adham is focused on growing and maintaining Batelco’s presence in both the local market and wider region, through focused campaigns by implementing and leveraging streams such as CRM, Marketing Technology, Machine Learning, Branding and Media optimization. Bilal is an Omni-channel customer marketer having always looked at the holistic picture of the customer.
He has over 12 years of experience within e-commerce, retail, and telecoms and his extensive experience includes leading multi-disciplined, consumer-focused teams, with a focus on Data & Analytics, Digital Marketing, CRM, Customer Experience and Technology.
Prior to joining Batelco, Bilal worked for a number of international businesses, VC backed and privately owned such as Accenture and Landmark group. Additionally, he sat on customer advisory boards for global tech companies enabling first to market Digital commerce initiatives.
Bilal holds a BSc in Internet Business from the University of Westminster and is also a Chartered Marketer accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing.
General Manager Finance
Reem Altajer was appointed to the role of GM Finance in December 2022, with the responsibility of managing the finance function of Batelco including financial reporting, treasury, business planning, credit management, revenue assurance and procurement.
Having joined Batelco in 2004, Reem has gained extensive experience through a number of roles including Internal Audit Manager, Subsidiaries Finance Manager and Director of Treasury, Planning and Assurance. Prior to Batelco, she worked with Ernst & Young as an external auditor.
Reem holds a Fellowship of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales, and is a Certified Internal Auditor and Certified Investor Relations Officer.
Chief Digital Growth Officer
Shaikh Mohamed joined Batelco in January 2020 as the Company’s first Chief Digital Growth Officer with a remit to invest in and manage a portfolio of companies towards growing Batelco’s technology footprint across the MENA region, as well as to support in the development of Batelco’s digital journey.
Before joining Batelco, Shaikh Mohamed was Head of Strategic Projects, and of ICT Business Development at the Bahrain Economic Development Board where notable focus areas of his role revolved around public and private sector cloud adoption, Blockchain, startups and enhancing infrastructure development across the GCC. Previously, Shaikh Mohamed was advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Shaikh Mohamed holds a bachelor’s degree in Politics from the American University, Washington DC and an MSC in Middle East Politics from the School of Oriental and African Studies, UK. He is also a Board member of the Bahrain Internet Exchange and an ambassador of the GBBC (Global Blockchain Business Council).
General Manager Technology
Rashid Mohamed was appointed to the role of General Manager Networks Division in June 2019; his responsibilities include overseeing the continuous development of Batelco Networks to deliver the latest digital technologies and ensure superior service quality.
Rashid is a qualified Bahraini engineer with more than 15 years’ experience in the telecommunication field. Since joining Batelco as a Network Engineer in 2005, he has steadily progressed through the organization holding a number of key management positions in various areas including Mobile Network development, Fixed Operations as well as leading the Strategy role for Network and IT to deliver the latest digital technologies.
He holds a master’s degree in Engineering & Management from Northumbria University, UK, and a BSc in Electronics & Communication Engineering from Napier University, UK, as well as a number of professional qualifications in the telecommunication domain.
General Counsel & Board Secretary
Noora Sulaibeekh is a qualified Bahraini lawyer specialized in Telecom, Media and Technology and currently holds the roles of General Counsel and Board Secretary of Batelco.
Noora has over 13 years of international experience in providing legal services in the telecom industry. Her previous roles include the position of Group Legal Counsel at Etisalat Group from 2013 to 2015 and prior to that held the role of Group Legal Counsel with Batelco from 2009.
Her qualifications include a master’s degree in International Relations and Sustainable Development Law from Paris Sorbonne University.
Chief Human Resources Officer
Faisal Al-Jalahma is responsible for developing Batelco’s HR strategy with a focus on employee centricity and transforming Batelco to be Bahrain’s employer of choice.
Faisal began his career with Batelco as a graduate trainee in the HR Department where he gained wide experience and knowledge of all aspects of the HR field. Having worked at Batelco prior to and following the introduction of competition and being involved in major projects related to key operational changes, greatly broadened Faisal’s skills.
In 2012, Faisal moved to the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) where he held various roles including Director of Finance, Information Technology and Human Resources. The role included transformational projects to digitalise and automate systems at the TRA. Faisal was also a key player and a member of the Steering Committee for the 4th National Telecommunications Plan (NTP4).
Faisal holds an MBA from the University of Strathclyde, UK and several executive qualifications from Harvard Business School and Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government.
General Manager Consumer
Aseel Mattar was appointed as General Manager of the Consumer Division in December 2022 to ensure the constantly evolving needs of Batelco’s consumers are addressed through offering a diversified and reliable portfolio of digital products & services.
With wide experience gained over 16 years with Batelco, Aseel is well skilled in the areas of product management, product development and customer service. Her knowledge in business planning, Broadband & mobile technologies, customer service and customer experience management serve her well in meeting the needs of Batelco’s customers and in maintaining Batelco’s market leadership position.
Aseel has an MBA in Marketing & Business Management from University of Northampton, a BSc in Network Management & Security from University of Wales and holds a Certified Managerial Accountant (CMA) professional qualification.
Chief Global Business Officer
Hani Askar as the Chief Global Business Officer is responsible for developing and growing Batelco’s global business and promoting business relationships with global customers, partners, carriers and Batelco’s joint venture partners as well as designing customised solutions for global clients across its many geographic, legislative and compliance environments. He is also responsible for developing and expanding international infrastructure along with voice & roaming services.
Since joining Batelco in 2004 Hani has held various roles across the Company, including the role of Manager Datacom Products National and International in the Enterprise Division and Senior Manager Global Products and Capacity Management in the Global Division.
Among his many key achievements Hani was a key player in the development of Manama Internet Exchange (MN-IX), Global Zone Bahrain and Batelco Gulf Network (BGN) and also the expansion of Batelco’s IP and MPLS footprint to cover different geographies beyond Bahrain.
Hani holds a BEng (Hons) in Computing and Communications Systems Engineering from the University of Manchester, Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST), UK and a Postgraduate Certificate in Management (Telecoms) from Lancaster University, UK, as well as many other professional certificates in Engineering and Project Management.
General Manager Enterprise
Abdulla Danesh, as General Manager of Enterprise, oversees the development and growth of products and services for the Enterprise sector, ensuring the delivery of reliable and dependable solutions that meets the evolving needs of the Corporate, Government and SME sectors and additionally building partnerships and external relationships that drive product and service growth.
Abdulla is a well-established industry veteran having held management roles within the telecommunications and ICT field spanning 15 years. Within Batelco his previous roles included Director of Public Sector & Sovereign Wealth Fund, responsible for growing and diversifying Public and Private portfolios, and Director of Sales for the Government and Security Sector, in charge of developing strategic roadmaps with public entities.
Prior to joining Batelco, Abdulla held a multitude of roles in sales, operational efficiency and general management with various Telco and ICT providers and gained vast experience in Relationship Management and Key Accounts.
Abdulla holds a degree in Financial Services from the University of Buckingham in the United Kingdom and has completed executive education programmes from Harvard Business School.
Chief Financial Officer
Faisal Qamhiyah was appointed as Batelco Chief Financial Officer in May 2019, having served as CFO for the Group since 2013.
Prior to Batelco, Faisal held the role of CFO at Umniah, Batelco’s sister operation in Jordan and earlier was Finance Director, Chief Operations Officer for Zain Jordan, and Investments Director for Ern Capital.
His wealth of experience includes unique mixes of commercial and financial hands-on proven experience coupled with a passion for the telecom industry.
Furthermore, Faisal is currently representing Batelco as a Board Member for some of its international operations in addition to the responsibility of financial consolidation, treasury, Business Planning, and strategic support for the international business.
Faisal holds a BA in Economics & Accounting from Yarmouk University Jordan and passed the AICPA exams from Delaware USA in 1999. He also completed the Executive Development Programme (EDP) at Kellogg School of Management, Chicago USA and various executive leadership programmes at prestigious institutes including the Stanford Graduate School of Business, Harvard Business School and London Business School. Faisal is Co-founder and Board of Directors’ member of Jordan Association of Management Accountants (JAMA).
Chief of Internal Audit
Buddhadeb Samanta was appointed as Head of Internal Audit in September 2019. His responsibilities include leading the Internal Audit department to assess effectiveness of internal controls, efficiency of business processes across all functions and governing the implementation of the organization-level risk management framework and systems.
He has 20 years of experience in the international telecommunication industry and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Batelco. With a proven track record in his field, Buddhadeb has established the Internal Audit functions for mobile operators in Indonesia, Dubai and India.
Among his previous roles, he served for four years as Chief Internal Auditor of Smartfren Telecom (Indonesia), held a number of roles over seven years with Du Telecom (Dubai) including the post of Director Internal Audit, and additionally worked in various roles over ten years in India with Tata Teleservices, Vodafone and Price Waterhouse Coopers.
Buddhadeb holds Chartered Accountant qualifications from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from St Xavier’s College, Calcutta University.
Director
Mr. Abdulla Alhammadi was appointed on the Batelco Board of Directors as a Non–Executive Dependent Director at the AGM in 2020 as a representative of Mumtalakat Holding Company for a period of 3 years.
Mr. Alhammadi is a seasoned business leader with over 10 years of experience in management consultancy, tech and startups. Currently Mr. Alhammadi serves as Regional Business Lead for Snapchat MENA. He is in charge of growing Snapchat’s business and market presence across the region in general with particular focus on Saudi Arabia. Prior to Snapchat, he was a Senior Engagement Manager with McKinsey & Company serving clients across private and public sectors in MENA. In addition, he was a member of the founding team in Careem and has led small business marketing for Google in Saudi Arabia. Mr. Abdulla holds a B.A. with honors from Georgetown University in finance and international business.
Committee Membership: Executive Committee.
Director
Director
Mr. Ali Saqer Alnoaimi was appointed on the Batelco Board of Directors as a Non–Executive Independent Director on 31 March 2020 as a representative of Amber Holdings until the end of term.
Mr. Alnoaimi is a military officer with the rank of Major General in Bahrain Defense Force. He graduated from the Military College, Kuwait, in November 1978. He joined various military courses in and out of Bahrain, including the Command and General Staff college (CGSC) in Leavenworth, KS 1989-1990.
Mr. Alnoaimi has held various positions in the BDF during his 42-year tenure.
He held the position of a commandant of Isa Royal Military College, Bahrain in 1998.
In 2003 he was appointed as Director of Logistics & Supplies in BDF. Mr. Alnoaimi has also been involved in sporting initiatives and has been a golf player for over 30 years. He was a Bahrain Golf National team player, a former Vice President of Arab golf association, a former President of GCC Organizing committee and currently holds the position of President of Bahrain Golf Association since 2017. He is also the Deputy Chairman of the Military consumer and economic associations.
Furthermore, Maj. Gen Ali is a Board and Audit Committee Member at BNET (Bahrain).
Committee Memberships: Audit Committee.
Director
Mr. Ahmed Abdulrahman was elected to the Batelco Board of Directors as a Non–Executive Independent Director at the AGM in 2020 for a period of 3 years.
Mr. Abdulrahman is a former investment banker, with 18 years of experience in Investment Banking, Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity, gained from working with leading financial institutions in Bahrain & UK. He has served on the board of over 40 companies globally, including Bahrain Financing Company (“BFC”), and has held a number of board positions which include chairmanships to the board and chairmanships of Investment committees.
He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Esterad Investment Company a diversified investment company established in Bahrain in 1973, listed on Bahrain Bourse with activities in Real Estate, Private Equities, Listed Equities and Fixed Income. Prior to Esterad, Mr. Abdulrahman served as the Founder & Managing Partner of Clan Partners Advisory, a Bahrain based boutique advisory firm; and serves as an independent board member of Native Land Investment in the UK, and as a Director at Beacon Capital Management.
Prior to Esterad, Mr. Abdulrahman served as the Founder & Managing Partner of Clan Partners Advisory, a Bahrain based boutique advisory firm. He also served as the CEO and Managing Director of Beacon Capital Management, a boutique Private Equity and Asset Management firm out of London. Prior to Beacon, he served as the Head of Private Equity for GCC, Levant and Turkey at Bank Al Khair (formerly known as Unicorn Investment Bank). Prior to joining Bank Al Khair, he was a Relationship Manager at Ahli United Bank – Offshore Unit and was also a Relationship Manager at Kuwait Finance House – Bahrain in the Corporate Finance and Venture Capital department. He started his career at BDO Jawad Habib as an analyst in the Financial Advisory Services unit. He holds a bachelor’s degree (Hons) in Business Systems & Information Technology from University of Northumbria, Newcastle.
Furthermore, he is the Deputy Chairman of the Board and Chairman of the Audit Committee in Dhiraagu Telecommunications Company (Maldives).
Committee Membership: Executive Committee.
Director
Ms. Fatema Al-Arayedh was appointed on the Batelco Board of Directors as a Non–Executive Dependent Director at the AGM in 2020 as a representative of Mumtalakat Holding Company for a period of 3 years.
Ms. Al-Arayedh is an attorney at the law firm of Debevoise & Plimpton LLP in London. Her legal practice focuses on corporate and financial transactions, including advising private equity fund sponsors, sovereign wealth funds and institutional investors on their investment management arrangements. Ms. Al-Arayedh also has experience in a wide range of acquisition finance, project finance and other corporate finance transactions, including leveraged buyouts in the telecommunications and information technology sectors.
Prior to London, Ms. Al-Arayedh practiced law at the offices of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP in New York. She holds a B.A. with honors in Political Science from Yale University and a J.D. from Columbia Law School, where she was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. She is admitted to the Bar in New York.
Ms. Al-Arayedh has additionally worked on economic development projects at the Clinton Foundation in New York and at the Economic Development Board in Bahrain.
Committee Membership: Remuneration, Nomination, Donation and Corporate Governance Committee.
Director
Mr. Abdulla Bukhowa was appointed on the Batelco Board of Directors as a Non–Executive Independent Director at the AGM in 2020 as a representative of the Social Insurance Organization (SIO) for a period of 3 years.
Mr. Bukhowa serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Bahrain Commercial Facilities Company since July 2021. Mr. Abdulla holds a Bachelor of Business from the University of Texas, USA.
Previously, Mr. Bukhowa held the role of Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank, Bahrain, established in 1920 as the first bank in the country and the Arabian Gulf region. He also used to hold the role of Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank Qatar from January 2017 to March 2019. He was responsible for leading and implementing the overall strategy of the Bank.
Mr. Bukhowa joined Standard Chartered Bank in September 2010 as Bahrain’s Country Head of Global Markets and co-Head of Wholesale Bank. In December 2014 he was given the responsibility for leading both the Financial Markets and Corporate and Institutional Banking segments.
Mr. Bukhowa has over 20 years of experience which includes being Head of Portfolio Management at the Central Bank of Bahrain, and roles at Reuters and Bahrain Telecommunications Company. He is currently a Board member in the Bahrain Association of Banks, Future Generations Reserve, National Motors Company, and Tasheelat Insurance Services (TISCO)
Committee Membership: Deputy Chairman of the Audit Committee.
Director
Mr. Khalid Taqi has been serving on the Board since January 2019, as a representative of the Social Insurance Organization (SIO). He was re-appointed at the AGM in 2020 as a Non- Executive Independent Director for a period of 3 years.
Mr. Taqi graduated from Concordia University, Montreal – Canada, with a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Finance. He also completed his master’s degree in Finance from DePaul University’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business. In addition, he completed a number of executive training programs in the London Business School, NYU Stern and INSEAD.
Mr. Taqi has over 14 years of experience and began his career with the Transaction Advisory Services Team at Ernst & Young – Bahrain. During his tenure at Ernst & Young, he was exposed to a variety of different industries including Real Estate, Banking, Construction and Telecom. Mr. Taqi joined Osool Asset Management in 2013, his current mandate is to manage Osool’ s strategic investments in both listed and non-listed companies.
He currently serves on the board of Gulf Hotels Group and is a member of their Investment and Audit committees. He is also a Board member and Chairman of the Audit Committee in BNET (Bahrain). Previously, he was a board member in Esterad Investment Company until December 2018.
Committee Membership: Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee, Remuneration, Nomination, Donation and Corporate Governance Committee.
Director
Shaikh Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa has been serving on the Board since June 2018, as a representative of Amber Holdings Company. He was re-appointed at the AGM in 2020 as a Non-Executive Independent Director for a period of 3 years.
Shaikh Ali graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from The George Washington University, D.C., USA, and earned a master’s in business administration from DePaul Graduate program at the BIBF, Bahrain. He earned a Master of Arts in Defense Studies from King’s College, London.
He joined the Bahrain Defense Force in June 1996 and currently holds the rank of Colonel. He has held various positions within the organization during his 24-year tenure.
Shaikh Ali has also been involved in the Kingdom’s sporting initiatives over the years and holds various committee positions including President of Bahrain Football Association, Member of Asian Football Association Executive Committee, Member of the Bahrain Olympic Committee, President of Bahrain Cycling Association and Member of FIFA Competitions Committee.
Additionally, Shaikh Ali is the Chairman of BNET (Bahrain).
Committee Membership: Audit Committee.
Director
Mr. Jean Christophe Durand has been serving on the Board since March 2017. He was elected by the shareholders at the AGM in 2017 and re-elected at the AGM in 2020, as a Non-Executive Independent Director, for a period of 3 years.
Mr. Durand is the Chief Executive Officer of National Bank of Bahrain and has over 40 years of banking and finance experience. He graduated from ESSEC (Ecole Superieure des Sciences Economiques et Commerciales), French Business School in Paris. Mr. Durand was the Regional Head of BNP Paribas Middle East & Africa region for Corporate and Institutional Banking and Asset Management for 15 years. He joined Banque Indosuez in Bahrain in 1989 in the Investment Banking division in charge of the coverage in several GCC countries. He later moved to BNP Paribas in 2000 entrusted with the mission to expand the Investment Banking business regionally and was instrumental in establishing BNP as one of the key financial institutions in the region, opening new branches in several GCC countries and Africa. Under his tenure, BNP Paribas managed several major regional transactions in the telecommunications sector. Mr. Durand is Officer of the “Legion d’Honneur” awarded by the Government of France.
Mr. Durand has been serving on the Board of several professional committees in Bahrain and the region. He was a Board Member of a retail Bank of the BNP Paribas Group.
He currently serves as the Deputy Chairman of Bahrain Islamic Bank (BISB) and a Board Member of Gulf Air, BIBF and the Chairman of the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Bahrain. He is also the Chairman of Umniah Telecommunications Company (Jordan).
Committee Membership: Chairman of the Audit Committee.
Deputy Chairman
Mr. Raed Fakhri has been serving on the Board since March 2014, as a representative of Mumtalakat Holding Company. He was re-appointed at the AGM in 2020 as a Non-Executive Independent Director, for a period of 3 years.
Mr. Fakhri is Mumtalakat’ s Vice President of Investments since March 2013 and has over 26 years of experience in various sectors. He holds an Executive MBA from the University of Bahrain, and Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering Technology from the University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA.
Prior to his current role, Mr. Fakhri co-founded BDI Partners in 2010 and headed the firm as Managing Director. He spent 3 years with Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC) as a Control Systems Engineer and Project Engineer. Prior to that, Mr. Fakhri was with Batelco for 9 years and served as Senior Manager in the New Business Development Unit, responsible for start-ups and mergers and acquisitions. Additionally, he spent 3 years at Capivest Investment Bank, heading the Investment Department. Currently, Mr. Fakhri is a Board Member at Investrade, BDI Partners, Gulf Air Group, Bahrain Airport Company, ELM Education Fund, American University of Bahrain, LE University Holding, Gulf Aviation Academy, Bahrain National Dredging Company, Bahrain Investment Holding Company -ISTITHMAR, Khairat Al Bahrain Holding, Prodrive international Company.
Committee Membership: Chairman of the Executive Committee, Deputy Chairman of the Remuneration,
Nomination, Donation and Corporate Governance Committee.
