Business-friendly outlook

Bahrain promotes itself as the financial centre of the Gulf region.

Bahrain's promotion of itself as business-friendly has led to a number of large investments from abroad in recent years, most from the Gulf.
Companies in the UAE, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have invested heavily in Bahrain. Libya has majority ownership of Bahrain's Arab Banking Corporation, a large wholesale bank.
UAE companies' investments include Dubai Financial Group's 58.5 per cent ownership of Taib Bank and Istithmar World's ownership of 10 per cent of BMI Bank, a retail and commercial lender. Rotana Hotels, a regional hotel operator based in the UAE, also owns 7.5 per cent of the Bahrain-listed Banader Hotels. Emirates Islamic Bank owns 9 per cent of Bahrain's Khaleeji Commercial Bank.
Kuwaiti companies including Global Investment House, Kuwait Finance House and Kipco Asset Management also have big investments in Bahrain. The Kuwait Investment Authority, the country's sovereign wealth fund, owns 8.7 per cent of Bahrain Islamic Bank and 20.7 per cent of National Hotels.
Amwal AlKhaleej, a buyout company in Saudi Arabia, owns 5.36 per cent of Bahrain's Nass Corp, according to regulatory filings.
Bahrain's Economic Development Board (EDB) has played a major role in promoting the country as an attractive place for foreigners to invest. It strives to "ensure our country attracts investment from abroad as well as encouraging the strong development of our home-grown companies", the EDB says on its website.
The push to bring in more foreign investors and diversify the economy has had mixed success.
Foreign direct investment stayed level at above US$1 billion (Dh3.67bn) a year between 2005 and 2008 before dropping to $259 million in 2009, the latest figures available from the World Bank show.
 
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