BBK

Capinnova’s paid-up capital increases to $151.5 million after taking 50% stake in Sakana

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 03:54:42 GMT

Capinnova Investment Bank, the Shari’a compliant investment banking arm and fully owned subsidiary of BBK, has acquired 50 per cent stake in Sakana Holistic Housing Solutions. Bahrain based Sakana was earlier a 50:50 joint venture between BBK and Shamil Bank. BBK took the decision to transfer the ownership of Sakana to Capinnova to strengthen and diversify the bank’s investments in the Islamic financial sector while complying with the principles of Islamic law. After the approval of the Central Bank of Bahrain, Capinnova’s issued and paid-up capital has increased to US$151.5 million. Capinnova took this stake in Sakana in January 2010 and is in process to complete all legal proceeding of the transfer.

Sakana known as the innovative Islamic mortgage finance provider has been in commercial operations for 3 years and asset base as at 30 November 09 based on un-audited results was approximately US$ 100 Mil. Sakana was awarded the “Best Islamic Mortgage Provider in the Middle East” in the International Real Estate Finance Summit – IREF ME 2009 last month in London. Sakana has won this award for the 2nd year in a row.

“Our industry is evolving and it is important to embark upon such initiatives to enhance the performance and also taking the organization to the next level. We are proud to have a highly respected entity – BBK, which is committed to the growth of not only Capinnova and Sakana but the industry as a whole. We are delighted to offer our customers and stakeholders more services and we are looking forward to synergize our combined wealth of knowledge and expertise,” said Mr. A. Karim Bucheery, Chairman of Capinnova Investment Bank.

“Despite the depressed global market conditions in the real estate sector over the past year, Sakana continues to remain profitable, aims to be an innovator and catalyst. We aim to scale new heights and set a new benchmark for the industry in the years to come and we will continue to strengthen and innovate our Islamic products’ framework to provide our investors with the best services,” said Mr. Jamal Hijres, Chief Executive Officer at Capinnova Investment Bank.

Capinnova aims to provide quality investment products and innovative solutions to companies, financial institutions and high net worth individuals.

BBK announces Al Hayrat’s $500,000 winner!

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:33:58 GMT

Al Hayrat, BBK’s unique savings account that provides ample opportunities to its customers to win prizes while they save, has made the announcement everyone has been waiting for. The 2009 grand prize draw, which offers Bahrain’s biggest lump sum cash prize of $500,000 was carried on the 18th January 2010 under the supervision of Mr. Yasser Buallay Ministry of Commerce Representative in the presence of BBK officials from the Retail Banking, Retail Marketing, Internal Audit, and Internal Control representatives.

Mr. Hussain Ebrahim Fathi who is 54 years of age, an employee with Gulf Air and a loyal BBK customer since 1991 was the lucky winner of the Al Hayrat 2009 Grand Prize. The handover ceremony was hosted on 26th January 2010 at the Bank’s Main branch with the handover of the prize money by Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery – CE in the presence of Sh. Rashed Al Khalifa – GM- Business Group and Mr. Reyadh Sater – GM- Support Group, in addition to Executive and senior management from the Bank. In keeping with its annual tradition and true celebrity style, Mr. Fathi was escorted from his home in a stretch limousine and was received to a red carpet welcome at the Main branch.

At the ceremony, Mr Fathi expressed his sincere gratitude and appreciation towards the Banks’ customer service staff who have been extremely helpful and dear friends through out the years. He also extended his thanks to the Banks’ management for all their efforts in providing such wonderful services and products to their customers.

“I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Mr. Fathi and his family on winning this Grand Prize and wish them all the very best. We look forward to this event every year as it brings with it a chance for us to share the happiness and life changing experiences of not just the winner but also their families. We are very glad that we get this opportunity to make such a big difference to so many families throughout the year and we look forward to the continuation of these unique moments through the New Year as well, through our 2010 Al Hayrat campaign. It has always been and will always be

BBK Chief Executive Abdulkarim Bucheery is ‘Banker of the Year’

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:37:22 GMT

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Bahrain’s pioneer in commercial and retail banking, BBK, recently added another success story to their list of achievements through the year 2009. Abdulkarim Bucheery, the Bank’s Chief Executive was recently awarded ‘Banker of the Year’ accolade for 2009 at the World Finance Awards.

The World Finance Awards, now in its third year, is an annual event that recognises industry leaders, individuals, teams and organisations that represent the benchmark of achievements and best practice in the financial and business world. The awards recognise individuals who have, over the course of the year, raised the standards within the banking industry with their innovative strategies and diligence towards their respective institutions.

“I am very pleased by the decision of the World Finance magazine to designate our Chief Executive, Abdulkarim Bucheery, as Banker of the Year for 2009. I would like to congratulate him on this achievement”. said Murad Ali Murad, Chairman – BBK. “This recognition by an international and reputed body reflects Abdulkarim’s accomplishments and also demonstrates the success of BBK’s vision to continue investing in talented and dedicated Bahraini executives.” he added.

Abdulkarim Bucheery, who has worked with the Bank since 2002, was appointed as Chief Executive of BBK in April 2008 and ever since his appointment, it has been his main focus to sustain and improve the competitive positioning of the Bank. His aim of raising the benchmark and quality of banking products and services across the board to create a unique position for the Bank in the local, regional and international market has been gradually taking shape as the Bank sees expansions across the Kingdom of Bahrain with new ‘Financial Malls’ being opened, new products and special services being launched to service the Bank’s VIP, Corporate and NRI clientele.

Mr. Bucheery shares the credit of this achievement by saying, “This is a proud moment not for me in particular, but for BBK and all its staff members at large and I am happy to have received such recognition for all the commitment that has been invested towards attaining a pioneer status for our Bank. Thanks to the support and loyalty of the Bank’s highly qualified employees, we were able to ensure recurring success across all platforms and enable innovative ideas take shape.”
The award handover and an interview was conducted by Hywel Jones formerly of the BBC at the media centre at the London Stock Exchange and the same can be viewed on www.worldfinance.tv

BBK announces the launch of eRemittance service to India

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:42:32 GMT

With a promise of making their customers’ banking experience brighter every time, Bahrain’s pioneer in commercial and retail banking, BBK, recently launched their eRemittance to India service. Through the new service, BBK customers can now transfer funds from their accounts by logging onto www.bbkonline.com portal to any valid bank account across India.

With a host of benefits like electronic funds transfer at a charge of BD1 for each transfer, the comfort and convenience of conducting the transaction from your home or office and the security offered by the Internet banking website, all have been combined into a single service which has seen a rise in demand from the expansive NRI customer base of the Bank.

Axel Hofmann, Head of Retail Banking – BBK shared his thoughts by saying, The trust and loyalty that our NRI client base has shown in us, gives us the impetus to provide them with various innovative services that will assist us in providing them with a brighter banking experience every time they bank with us. In order to enhance that experience we decided to launch the eRemittance to India service that will ensure quick, safe and easy transfer of funds for our Indian customers at an affordable price.”

He further added, “we understand that There are various occasions that demand an urgent transfer of funds, and Now our customers will be able to do the needful with a simple click of a button and from the convenience of their homes on our highly secure eBanking portal without paying high prices to conduct such transactions. We look forward to servicing our customers’ requirements with more such beneficial services in the future.”

Al Hayrat Gift Certificate … The Winning Gift

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:44:52 GMT

For the first time in the Kingdom, BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in commercial & retail banking, announced the launch of a new and innovative product, Al Hayrat Gift Certificate. Whether it’s for a birthday, a graduation, a wedding, or the birth of a baby, Al Hayrat Gift Certificate is the perfect gift for any occasion. Al Hayrat Gift Certificate is a great alternative to traditional gifts which can be purchased in multiples of BD 50. Presented in a very attractive gift pack, it comes with an added option of customizing the gift certificate with a special message to the gift recipient.
In addition to the gift amount, the gift recipient gets the chance to be one of the lucky 143 winners, who will share a total prize payout of US$ 1,500,000 in the various Al Hayrat monthly, quarterly and Grand lucky draws.
“Finding the perfect gift that suits every occasion can be a very overwhelming task. Al Hayrat Gift Certificate comes as the perfect solution for such times as giving the gift of winning while saving suits every celebration there is. You can give your children this gift on their graduation day or Birthdays while you can also present this to a newly wedded couple as you wish them happiness and prosperity in their new life ahead. Our aim at BBK has always been to provide our customers with a Brighter banking experience and this is one of the ways to reach that aim,” said Abdulkarim Bucheery, CE – BBK.
With the goal of easing the transactions for customers willing to buy Al Hayrat Gift Certificate the Bank has set up special dedicated Al Hayrat counters to simplify and speed up the buying process.

To enjoy this service, customers can visit any of BBK 15 branches to buy their Al Hayrat Gift Certificate, to be the first to give the gift of winning.

For more information, call us on 17 20 7777

BBK rewards diligence at work

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:48:09 GMT

Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK announced the winners of both, their Employee of the Month & Service Excellence Award schemes at their headquarters in Manama.

Each month, BBK honours one team member for his performance, positive attitude and pro-activeness under the Employee of the Month scheme. Their distribution network employees who have direct contact with the customer, either via phone or over the counter, get the chance to vie for a similar honour under the Service Excellence Award scheme, the key criteria being customer commitment, a zest to build relationships, motivation to develop the business further and a positive impact and influence on self and co-workers.

Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, CE of BBK handed over the certificates and cash prizes to the employees at a special ceremony. The employee of the month for November 2009 was Nada Isa Taqi. Abdulla Jassim Al-Nearah from Muharraq Souq Financial Mall was the winner of the Gold Service Excellence Award. Ali Yusuf Khadem from Adliya Financial Mall along with Muneera Awadh Mubarak from Suq Waqif Branch won the Silver Service Excellence Award.

BBK Newsletter

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:54:44 GMT

BBK Produces a quarterly Newsletter covering the main Bank’s news and employees activities. Click here for BBK latest Newsletter

For more, please go to the Newsletter Section

BBK Branch 2010 Opening Hours

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:34:32 GMT

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BBK donates to help patients receive Bone Conduction Hearing Processors

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:44:54 GMT

BBK has donated a sum of BHD. 25000/000 (Twenty five thousand Dinars) to the Bahraini Society for Cochlear Implantation and Hearing Impairment (B.CI and HI Society), for purchasing Bone Conduction Hearing Processors to help hearing impaired patients. The cheque handover ceremony took place on Monday the 21st of December at the Banks headquarter at Manama in the presence of the Banks Chief Executive Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery and Mr. AbdulHussain Bustani Assistant General Manager -Human Resources and Administration. The cheque was handed over to Dr. Ahmed J. Jamal, President of the Bahraini Cochlear implant and Hearing Impairment Society and Society delegates Mr. Omar Al-Sharif, General Secretary and Mr. Mohammed Hassan Ali treasurer of the Society.

The Bone Conduction Hearing Processors are electronic devices used to restore hearing for those patients with hearing impairment. It functions in a way to give direct bone conduction which allows the bone to transfer sound to a functioning cochlea, thereby by passing the ear canal and the middle ear. It is indicated in cases with conductive hearing loss or single sided hearing loss or with mixed hearing loss.

Examples of cases indicated for such device use are: Malformation of external ear canal or middle ear, Infection of ear canal resulting in chronic draining ear, Single sided deafness for causes like viral infection, Meniere’s disease, trauma, measles, acoustic neuroma and sudden deafness.

The Bahraini Society for Cochlear Implantation and Hearing Impairment will later hand over the 2 apparatuses donated by the BBK to Ministry of Health for the Centre of Hearing Impairment and Cochlear Implantation of Salmanyia Medical Complex and Ear, Nose and Throat Department to complete the surgery and implant these devices for the needed patients. The priority will be for the children among the present waiting list of 7patients. This list is expected to increase when the devices are available.

The Bahraini Society for CI and HI express its sincere thanks to BBK for this particular donation as it will be the first of such devices to be found in the Kingdom of Bahrain in addition to allow access to conduct surgeries related.

BBK announces special fixed deposit campaign winners

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:46:52 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, recently announced a special offer for all its new and existing fixed deposit customers to allow them the benefit of putting their money to Brighter use.

An offer that assisted in increasing the customers returns from their fixed deposits, also allowed the customer to enjoy highly competitive interest rates when the investment was of BD10,000 or more. In addition to the amazing offer the Bank also gave these customers a chance to win one of two Yamaha Jet Skis that were sponsored by the AJM Kooheji Group.

The Bank conducted the draw to select the winners’ names on the 8th of December 2009 in their main branch hall under the supervision of Yasser Buallay, Ministry of Commerce and Industry representative and in the presence of representatives from the Internal Audit, Internal Control, Retail Marketing and Retail Banking departments. The two lucky ladies, Nahid Isa Asheer and Maymoona Mohd Bastaki won one Yamaha Wave Runner VX700 Jet ski each as part of the campaigns prize offerings.

Axel Hofmann, Head of Retail Banking – BBK shared his thoughts on the winners’ announcement by saying, “This campaign was launched as part of our drive and constant effort to provide our loyal customers with value added benefits and excellent service. We would like to give our hearty congratulations to both customers and thank them and all our other customers for investing with us, it goes to show the level of trust our customers hold with us and our aim is to build on that trust and provide them with many more such prize winning moments.”

Providing enhanced security for your safety

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:48:19 GMT

Giving priority to enhanced security and greater privacy, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK, had recently announced the launch of their new EMV Compliant Visa Electron Debit Card, which is now powered by Smart Chip technology.

The Bank is now in the process of distributing those cards to enable its customers to transact on their accounts with greater security and ease. All the customer needs to do is to call the Bank’s call centre on 17207777 to arrange for the card to be delivered or collected.

“Our aim at BBK has always been to provide our customers with products that result in complete customer satisfaction. The new EMV Smart Chip Debit Card will assist us in getting closer to achieving that aim to ensure that our customers obtain the security and comfort of having the latest technology while conducting their daily transactions. The EMV Visa Electron Debit Card is equipped with security enhancements to reduce fradulent transactions and hence it is very important for all our customers to get their new cards collected at the earliest by contacting our call centre,” said Axel Hofmann, Head of Retail Banking Division – BBK

In due course, BBK will stop all magnetic strip cards, the date of which will be communicated in the future.

BBK and Dadabhai Travel tie up in New Service Partnership at BBK Financial Malls

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:49:49 GMT

With an aim to provide its customers with various value-added services and the convenience of availing these services all under one roof, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK held a press conference on the 14th of December at its Head Office in Manama and announced a tie up with Dadabhai Travel, one of the Kingdom’s leading travel agencies.

The signing ceremony which was graced by Abdulkarim Bucheery, CE of BBK and Mohammed Dadabhai, Chairman of Dadabhai Travel took place on the same day and was attended by GMs and senior management of both organisations as well as GMs from Gulf Air, Qatar Airways, and Jet Airways.

In this visionary collaboration, Dadabhai Travel, along with the above mentioned airlines and with Avenue Car Rental, will now offer special travel related deals, promotional offers and exclusive holiday packages for BBK customers through the Adliya Financial Mall, Budaiya Financial Mall and City Centre branch as a start with a plan to expand the coverage to other Financial Malls at a later stage. While adding to the numerous services that BBK provides its customers with, this will come as an exclusive service via dedicated travel counters manned by bi-lingual professional consultants of Dadabhai Travel at the above stated venues that will be available to service customer requests in line with the Bank’s working hours.

“We are very proud to have established this partnership with Dadabhai Travel as they are one of the leading travel agencies in the Kingdom and a trusted name for years. Our aim at BBK has always been to ensure that the widest range of services are made available to our customers and what better brand to affiliate ourselves with non other than Dadabhai Travel. Our Bank has been a trusted brand for more than 35 years and we can say the same for our newest partner. With this alliance of two strong brand names coming together, the breadth of services as well as the level of service provided will result in a significant added value for our customers and that is our goal,” were the words used by Mr. Bucheery to express his sentiments at the announcement of the partnership.

Mr. Dadabhai shared his thoughts by saying, “Dadabhai Travel has been one of the most progressive travel agencies on the island and for over 25 years now, we have achieved and maintained our position as one of the market leaders. This partnership with BBK goes to strengthen our standing even further as we share a lot in common, mainly our well established backgrounds and good will in the market. We look forward to a long term, fruitful and successful business relationship with BBK and hope to service their Financial Malls customers’ requirements with the support of our dedicated team of travel consultants.”
Aziz Gilitwalla, Managing Director of Dadabhai Travel added that this innovative idea complemented by the strategic BBK locations will bring travel services to the customers door step. Our formidable reputations supported by our emphasis on quality products and comprehensive range of services will be a boon to customers and will remain an unparalleled concept.

The Bank encompasses the true meaning and concept of Financial Malls as this tie-up now makes available an additional value-added service to its customers. With a range of diverse services being offered at their Financial Malls, the Bank aims to achieve overall customer satisfaction, a top priority with BBK. The Bank already offers value-

added services from CrediMax credit cards, Western Union money transfer and Secura insurance via dedicated counters across its Financial Malls.

BBK wins first place for excellence in Corporate Governance practices

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:51:09 GMT

Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK, was recently awarded with the industry’s most prestigious Bank Corporate Governance Award at a ceremony held in Dubai on the 9th November 2009. The Bank secured first place in a major regional survey on corporate governance conducted by the Hawkamah Institute for Corporate Governance and the Union of Arab Banks (UAB). Mr Reyadh Sater, General Manager Shared Services Group – BBK, attended the ceremony and accepted the award on behalf of the Bank.

On the joyous occasion, Mr Murad Ali Murad, Chairman – BBK shared his perspective by saying, “At BBK we have always given utmost priority to the core values of Corporate Governance. It is a way of life for us to maintain complete accountability and fairness through our policies that govern the basic functionality of the Bank. We are very happy to be recognized for the Banks excellence in abiding by its Corporate Governance codes and look forward to maintaining this honor in the coming years.”

Launched in 2007 by Hawkamah and UAB, the ‘Bank Corporate Governance’ Award seeks to identify and honor regional banks that show leadership and initiative in enhancing good corporate governance. The award has become a prestigious, competitive and highly coveted bank award that highlights the industry’s strong commitment to good corporate governance.

“A prime factor of being the pioneers of commercial and retail banking in Bahrain for the last 35 years for us is our diligence in complying with the policies laid down by the regulatory authorities. We have ensured that at all levels through out the Bank a high level of transparency is maintained where each employee understands the role they play in making certain our Corporate Governance code is adhered to and we are very glad that we have won such a principle award that recognizes our effort,” said Mr Abdulkarim Bucheery, CE – BBK, who together with Dr Mukund Ballal, head of Compliance and MLRO at BBK attended the panel interview for the final selection.

From his side, Mr. Reyadh Sater, General Manager Shared Services Group – BBK, conveyed his joy at the award ceremony expressing BBK’s longstanding leading position and strong commitment to good corporate governance, being amongst the first Banks in the Kingdom of Bahrain to form an Internal Audit Committee, long before it became a regulatory requirement by the CBB.

The 2009 Bank Corporate Governance Award attracted 30 applications from banks in 11 Middle East countries including UAE, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Morocco, Qatar, Sudan, Syria and Tunisia. An independent jury of international banking and corporate governance experts that included Professor Andrew Chambers, who has extensive experience in corporate governance, risk management and internal auditing; Alan McIntyre, Financial Services Sector Leader for the Middle East Region for PricewaterhouseCoopers; and Charles Freeland, a well-respected international banking consultant and former Deputy Secretary General, Basel Committee on Banking ,reviewed all the applications and conducted

Capinnova announces third quarter results

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:52:49 GMT

Click here for the Financial Statement

Capinnova Investment Bank, the Shari’a compliant investment banking arm and fully owned subsidiary of BBK, has reported a net loss for this quarter of US$ 1.1 million as compared to US$ 757k during 2008 and gross revenue of US$ 653k for third quarter of 2009 in comparison to US$ 71k from same quarter last year.

The net loss reported for the 9 month ended September 2009 was US$ 3.6 million as compared to US$ 1.5 million during 2008. The gross revenue for the period increased to US$ 2.2 million as compared to US$ 302k for 2008.

Capinnova is a newly established investment bank which started its operation at the beginning of this year with an authorized capital of US$ 500 million and paid-up capital of US$ 125 million. The net loss reported was due to the start up and initial operating costs.

Capinnova aims to provide quality investment products and innovative solutions to companies, financial institutions and high net worth individuals.

BBK reports BD 25.04 million net profits for the nine months ended 30th September 2009, up 25% from the same period of last year

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:56:52 GMT

To view the financial Report, please click here

The Board of Directors of BBK met last Thursday 29th October 2009 to review and approve the financial results for the third quarter 2009. Mr. Murad Ali Murad, Chairman of the Board of Directors announced that the Bank recorded BD25.04 million net profits for the nine months ended 30 September 2009 compared to BD 20.08 million for the same period of 2008, higher by 25%. Commenting on the Bank performance, the Chairman said “Though we have prudently provided against some impaired assets during the quarter, we reported 25% growth compared to last year. The Bank’s long term strategy and business policies, coupled with prudent risk management, have helped to deliver the reported growth. The additional provisions made during this quarter, reflects the Bank’s conservative approach in providing for non performing assets promptly”

The growth in net profit is attributed to lower provisioning requirement by 58% compared to the same period last year. Core business of the Bank has consistently been growing reflected in growth of its net interest income by 13%, and growth of fees and commission income from BD 16.1 million to BD 16.4 million compared to the same period of last year.

“Despite the tough and unprecedented circumstances prevailing in the market, the Bank was able to maintain a good level of profits throughout the year, and we expect to end the year with much better performance as well” Mr. A.Karim Bucheery, Chief Executive, said.

Reported profits for the 3 months ended 30 September 2009 were BD 2.7 million, against a loss of BD 4.0 million in the same period of last year. The profit included BD 9.2 million (September 2008: BD 16.8 million) of provisions which were provided as a matter of prudence against certain impaired assets. Interest income also rose by 31% compared to the three months ending September 2008.

The Bank comprehensive income rose significantly from negative BD 0.7 million as of September 2008 to BD 27.1 million as of September 2009 mainly due, beside higher net profits, to upward movement in mark-to-market pricing for investment securities as the market showed a clear trend of stability and investment prices moved higher.

On the Bank balance sheet, the loans and advances portfolio declined by 4.3%, mainly due to orderly maturity of some commercial loans; particularly in the international portfolio. On the other hand and not withstanding the general squeeze in the liquidity situation across all markets, the customer deposits portfolio has grown by 5% from BD 1,127 million to BD 1,179 million compared to the same period of last year. The Capital Adequacy ratio of the Bank continues to be higher than 18%, well above the regulatory requirements.

BBK launches SMS alert service for higher security

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 21:00:28 GMT

As a Bank that gives utmost priority to customer safety and fraud prevention, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK launched a new SMS based service for its Debit Card holders on 4th August 2009. The ‘SMS Debit Card Transactions Alert’ service is an additional security enhancement, initiated by the Bank, to provide its customers with the technology that assists in preventing unauthorised transactions on their accounts.

Customers whose contact information is updated with the Bank will automatically receive free SMS alerts henceforth when they transact on their cards without the requirement of any additional registrations. For customers whose contact details are not updated with the Bank, a visit to their branch or Financial Mall with an identification document as a form of authentication will assist in ensuring they receive the alerts as well. All transactions, like local purchases through point of sales (POS) machines, international transactions on their debit cards or cash withdrawals at international ATMs, are covered under this alert service.

Axel Hofmann - Head of Retail Banking, BBK shared the Banks vision of safer banking for all their customers by saying, “We are always on the move to incorporate technology based solutions to make banking a much safer experience for our customers. Continuous improvement towards better customer service is important as that enhances the trust our customers have in us as protectors of their wealth and at times their life savings. We at BBK intent to keep that trust rock solid.”

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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:51:21 GMT

BBK shows support towards Bahrain Red Crescent Society - donates BD 10,000

Mon, 17 May 2010 09:31:34 GMT

In line with their strategic initiatives for a brighter community, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK handed over a cheque of BD 10,000 as a gesture of their support towards Bahrain Red Crescent Society. The cheque was handed over by Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, CE of BBK to Mr. Sadiq Abdulkareem Alshehabi Secretary General for Bahrain Red Crescent Society in the presence of Mubarak Al Hadi Executive Director for Bahrain Red Crescent Society, Mr. Reyadh Sater, GM- Shared Services Group- BBK, Mr. Hassan Burshaid- Senior Manager- Human Resources and the Corporate Communications team from the Bank.

The Society has received regular support from the Bank through various regular donations over the past years. Those contributions help Bahrain Red Crescent Society with the additional financial aid required to help needy families.

As one of the major financial institutions in Bahrain, providing regular contributions to various humanitarian causes and societies throughout the years, BBK has supported entities including major clubs, charity funds and social initiatives. These initiatives are aimed at achieving the sole goal and vision of a brighter future and community in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

BBK supports Bahrain Society for Children with Behavioral & Communication Difficulties

Thu, 27 May 2010 06:08:33 GMT

In line with their strategic initiatives for a brighter community, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK handed over a cheque of BD 15,000 as a gesture of their support towards the Bahrain Society for Children with Behavioral & Communication Difficulties (Alia for Early Intervention a center for supporting individuals with autism spectrum disorders. The cheque was handed over by Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, CE of BBK to Shk. Mohammed Bin Rashid AlKhalifa- Society Treasurer and board member in the presence of Mr. Reyadh Sater, GM- Shared Services Group- BBK, Mr. A.Hussain Bustani, AGM- Human Resources & Administration and the Corporate Communications team from BBK.

The Society has received regular support from the Bank through various regular donations over the past years. Those contributions help the institution with the additional financial aid required for the purchase of the different educational material and programmes for the early intervention center (Alia for Early Intervention). These materials are used for instructional teaching as well as vocational training purposes.

BBK announces the 15 winners of Al Hayrat April draw

Mon, 31 May 2010 10:50:23 GMT

BBK , Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, celebrated with the winners of the monthly Al Hayrat draw of $75,000 for the month of April.

The bank has announced the names of the 15 lucky winners of Al Hayrat monthly prizes of $5,000 each as follows:
Abdulnabi Khadim Al Khamis, Nabeel Khalifa Desmal, Khadija S.Khalil S. A.Rahim, Sh. Ali Bin Mohd Al Khalifa, Kareem Shamma, Felipe Alejandro Yofre, Alla Dad Noor Zaman Mohd, S. Mohd Abbas Al Wedaie, Mooza Rashid Ahmed, Abdulla Isa Mohd Al Gallaf, Amjad Abdulla AlKhunaizi, Ahmed A.Wahab AlHarmasi Al Hajiri, Saad Majeed Sagan, Abdulla Isa AlGhatam, and Sh. Fatema Ateyatalla Al Khalifa were the fifteen lucky winners, each of whom has received a check for $5,000. The cheques were handed over to the winners by Axel Hofmann, Head of Retail Banking.
The winners expressed their appreciation for winning with Al Hayrat. Many intend to reinvest their winnings into their Al Hayrat accounts for additional chances to win in upcoming draws.

The Al Hayrat draw took place on April 25th in the main branch lobby under the supervision of Mr. Yasser Buallay the ministry of commerce and industry representative, in addition to BBK’s Internal Audit, Internal control and Retail Marketing and Retail Banking representatives.
Customers who invest by May 27th will be eligible to win Al Hayrat second quarterly prize of $75,000 in June, in addition to the regular monthly prizes.

BBK shows support towards Aisha Yateem Family Counseling Centre

Mon, 31 May 2010 11:22:08 GMT

In line with their strategic initiatives for a brighter community, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK handed over a cheque of BD 10,000 as a gesture of their support towards Aisha Yateem Family Counselling Centre part of Bahrain Young Ladies Association. The cheque was handed over by Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, CE of BBK to Mrs Layla Hamed Al Basam Head of Volunteers comity, in the presence of Mrs Nawal Abdulla Head of the Board of Trustees & Mrs Raja Matter Member of comity, Mr. Reyadh Sater, GM- Shared Services Group- BBK, Mr. Hassan Burshaid, Senior Manager- Human Resources and the Corporate Communications team from BBK.

The Centre has received regular support from the Bank through various regular donations over the past years. Those contributions help the institution with the additional financial aid required to provide special services in several fields like social, psychological and legal counselling for individuals and families, in addition to training and awareness programs for problems prevention and violence intervention that individual can encounter within the family or outside.

BBK Cash Management accelerates payments for American Express

Mon, 31 May 2010 12:02:47 GMT

Manama, Bahrain: BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, and American Express Middle East & North Africa (AEME), leader in premium payment solutions, recently announced a new partnership. BBK will be providing Cash Management services which enables AEME to initiate more streamlined and faster payments to merchants accepting American Express Cards using BBK’s Point of Sale terminals at all locations throughout the Kingdom of Bahrain. In addition, BBK and non-BBK customers can now settle American Express bill payments over-the-counter in all BBK’s Financial Malls and branch locations in Bahrain.

This partly demonstrates BBK’s comprehensive Cash Management suite of services. Innovative domestic and international payments and receivables services are available for efficiently managing the corporate financial supply chain.

Sh. Rashed Al Khalifa, GM – Business Group, BBK said, “Providing innovative solutions like this increases efficiencies and enhances transparency for corporations streamlining their cash management operations. BBK Transactional Banking is dedicated to providing innovative Cash Management and Trade services to our corporate customers. This latest partnership is a testament of our commitment to helping customers better manage their working capital.”

Mr. Mazin Khoury, Chief Operating Officer, American Express Middle East & North Africa said. “This initiative is one of a number of strategic agreements aimed at enhancing the American Express service experience for our Cardmembers and merchant partners. With a wide presence across the country, BBK branches will be an ideal and time-efficient channel for our customers.”

This latest partnership is the result of a team of highly qualified on-the-ground Cash Management subject matter experts who designed, developed and activated an end-to-end solution structure alongside the financial team of experts within American Express.

Mr. Rashad Akbari, Acting AGM-Transaction Banking, BBK added: “BBK Transaction Banking focuses on meeting and exceeding our customers’ needs. Our customers turn to us when they rely on a partner for accurate transaction processing, accelerating reductions in internal treasury operating costs and accessing financial insight to events driving their supply chain. We offer solutions for improving Cash Management practices, facilitating Trade and structuring project finance for businesses.”

BBK rewards diligence at work

Mon, 31 May 2010 12:05:53 GMT

Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK announced the winner of the Employee of the Month for the month of March 2010 at their headquarters in Manama.

Each month, BBK honours one team member for his performance, positive attitude and pro-activeness under the Employee of the Month scheme. Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, CE of BBK handed over the certificate and the cash prize to the employee of the month, Mr. Shafi Ahmed Al Mannai from the Human Resources & Administration Division at a special ceremony in appreciation for his achievements.

BBK reports net profits of BD 12.5 million for the 1st Quarter 2010 with 30% growth in its operating revenues

Mon, 31 May 2010 12:11:32 GMT

To view the financial statement, please click here

Mr. Murad Ali Murad, Chairman of the board of directors of BBK, yesterday announced BBK’s financial results for the three months ended 31 March 2010, which revealed a Net Profit of BD 12.5 million compared to BD 11.9 million in 2009 representing a growth of 5.1%.

Commenting on the results, Mr. Murad Ali Murad said “The profit posted by the bank reflects BBK’s continuous thrust to improve shareholders’ value through recording balanced profits year after the other. The bank has undergone a restructuring process of retail business, corporate business as well as investment activities, which stemmed from the Banks’ Strategic Plan 2010-2012, approved by the board recently. We have witnessed some positive signs that the new adopted strategy will help growing our business in the coming months and years, which have already started to show some positive results. Also the marginal improvement witnessed in overall financial markets since the beginning of the year had contributed positively to the bank’s performance for the 1st quarter”.

The growth in profit compared to the same period last year was driven by 15.6% growth in interest income from BD 13.3 million to BD 15.4 million, and 3.4% growth in fees & commission, while FX and Investment income witnessed a growth of 112.3%, mainly due to the effectiveness of investment team in taking advantage of opportunities available in the region as well as in the global markets.

Comprehensive income has increased from BD 0.49 million in the 1st Quarter 2009 to BD 11.9 million in the 1st Quarter 2010, mainly driven by improvement of investments prices, and foreign currency revaluations.

Operating costs on the other hand increased by 7.8% compared to the same period last year, as the bank continues to invest in various strategic initiatives. The bank has also increased the level of general provisions during the quarter inline with the bank prudent risk management activities and practices.

Mr. A.Karim Bucheery, Chief Executive, said “BBK has always led the way to innovative banking across the Kingdom. The bank’s strategies were always focused on ways to deliver new concepts to the banking industry, with the aim of enhancing customer service quality and increase customer satisfaction. Those strategies have demonstrated success in enhancing shareholders’ wealth, through achievement of stable profits”.

BBK’s balance sheet has grown by 12% to BD 2,255 million, compared to the same period of last year, with customer deposits growth of 24.5% to reach BD 1,548 million, reflecting customers’ continuous trust and confidence in the bank. On the other hand Loans & advances decreased by 4.2% to BD 1,282 million, compared to BD 1,338 million in March 2009, mainly due to reduction of lending activities in the international markets in favor of the local and GCC markets.

Capital adequacy comfortably stands over 17.51%, while other liquidity measures have also improved substantially compared to March 2009, with liquid assets (Cash and balances with central banks, Treasury bills, trading investments, and placement with financial institutions) to total assets ratio improving from 16.6% to 23.5%, loan to customer deposit ratio improving from 107.2% to 82.9%, and loans to total deposit (including deposits from Banks) improving from 92.8% to 73.3%.

Deactivation plan for magnetic stripe debit cards

Mon, 31 May 2010 12:17:45 GMT

In order to place priority on greater security and increased privacy, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK is planning the deactivation of its magnetic stripe Debit Cards commencing 26th April 2010 in favour of their EMV Smart Chip Debit Cards. Deactivation will proceed in stages starting from that date.

This follows BBK’s previous announcements of the launch and distribution of their new EMV compliant Visa Electron Debit Card powered by Smart Chip technology.

Customers who have received their EMV Smart Chip Debit Cards are advised to activate them as soon as possible.Customers who have not yet received their new EMV Smart Chip Debit Cards should call 17207777 to enquire about their new card.

Given the new EMV Smart Chip Debit Card is equipped with security enhancements to reduce the number of fraudulent transactions, it is very important for customers to upgrade to a more secure option.

Capinnova invests US$20 Million in EBLA Computer Consultancy

Mon, 31 May 2010 12:32:59 GMT

Capinnova Investment Bank, the Shari’a compliant investment banking arm of BBK, today announced a minority investment of $20 million in EBLA Computer Consultancy, a leading GCC entity that is engaged in the provision of IT solutions and IT consultancy services in the MENA region. GulfMerger acted as the sell-side adviser to EBLA.

EBLA was established in Kuwait in 1993, and currently has subsidiaries in Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt and branch offices in Syria, Jordan and Bahrain. Ebla has a strong customer base contributed to the company's high growth rates since inception, which made them adopt a prominent place on the regional level. “As a fast-growing, profitable company in a growth industry, EBLA ideally fits Capinnova’s Private Equity investment profile,” said Mr. Jamal Hijres, Chief Executive Officer at Capinnova Investment Bank “This is one of the largest technology investments in the GCC in this year, and Capinnova remains committed to providing unique combination of financial support, strategic guidance and a significant network of contacts through the Bank’s Board representation, enabling EBLA to continue on its growth trajectory.”

“The IT market in the Middle East showed positive growth rates despite the financial crisis the region has faced, thanks to the initiatives of both public and private sectors in terms of the tangible support, investment and expenditure on the IT infrastructure. We are very pleased to complete this investment and anticipate a successful and mutually beneficial relationship,” add Mr. Hijres.

“With upcoming opportunities in the regional IT sector, EBLA plans to use the equity injection to grow both organically through geographic expansion and by offering its clients an assortment of additional product and services as well as through strategic acquisitions. We are confident that the combined teams of EBLA and Capinnova will significantly enhance the value of the Company thus generating superior returns for the stakeholders,” said Mr. Hilal Arnaoot CEO of EBLA.

Capinnova Private Equity focuses on opportunities of investing in and partnering with dynamic medium-sized companies to help them achieve robust growth and implement best practices in management and corporate governance to enhance shareholder value. The Private Equity team at Capinnova brings extensive industry knowledge, deep financial expertise, innovative structuring capabilities and experience in implementing best practice management systems and processes to assist investee companies on a growth path. The team is committed to operating with the utmost integrity, confidentiality and professionalism at every stage of the transaction.
Capinnova aims to provide quality investment products and innovative solutions to companies, financial institutions and high net worth individuals.

More than 10% appreciation in BBK- ING MENA fund

Mon, 31 May 2010 12:35:02 GMT

Bahrain: Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK, announced that its recently launched ‘BBK- ING MENA INVEST FUND’ which is open for investors has seen its Net Asset Value increase of more than 10% since its date of launch this February. The fund is an open ended equity fund that seeks long term capital appreciation by investing in a portfolio of companies whose securities are listed in the GCC and MENA markets.

With a fund rating of ‘AA’ by Standard & Poor’s, the BBK-ING (L) Invest Middle East & North Africa fund brings with it various advantages like daily entry and daily liquidity, highly regarded investment managers with an excellent track record, thorough fundamental analysis for investment decision making and risk management capabilities of international standards amongst others.

“We are glad to announce this increase in the Net Asset Value of the fund during this short period of time. Being open ended, Investors can take benefit by entering this fund anytime and so far we have got good response from investors. The Bank has conducted due diligence and also invested in the fund which had a proven success record with a performance of 34.2% in the year 2009 and more than 10% year to date. The fund provides complete transparency to the customers, a monthly detailed report is being sent to all investors,” said A.Karim Bucheery, CE of BBK.

Other benefits of the fund include: no performance fee charged, no redemption charges involved and no lock up period for the investment.

BBK Rating affirmed with a stable Outlook

Mon, 31 May 2010 12:36:59 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, has had its rating affirmed at A- for Long Term Issuer Default Rating “IDR” and at A for Foreign – Currency Long-Term IDR with stable outlook by Fitch, the international credit rating agency. The individual rating stands at C/D with stable outlook, which reflects the bank’s significant domestic franchise and the bank’s adequate capitalization.

The announcement comes after the Bank reported a net profit of BD 35.0 million for the year ended 31 December 2009 compared to BD 27.1 million in 2008 (an increase of 29.3%) and proved its ability to generate revenues despite the adverse market conditions and economic slowdown.
This international vote of confidence to the Bank is attributed to BBK’s diversified revenue streams, its position as a pillar in the Banking sector in the Kingdom of Bahrain, as well as its innovative drive to accelerate business growth in new areas and markets.

Commenting on the Fitch report, BBK Chief Executive A.Karim Bucheery, said, “We are pleased with this credit rating update, in such downturn market environment, which is obviously a strong signal to our stakeholders that the Bank continues to perform strongly despite of international economic meltdown. Fitch’s appreciation of BBK’s contribution to Bahrain’s banking sector and hence the support it would receive if needed by Bahraini authorities further reaffirms our strong franchise and by the same our commitment to continuing this tradition of diversifying and innovating our offering to maintain the leading position in the market and achieve high shareholder value.”

The Bank was able to sustain a comfortable liquidity position and capital adequacy ratio through growing customer deposits, which demonstrates customers’ confidence in the Bank in spite of the prevailing sentiment of uncertainty during 2009.

The strong performance of CrediMax, BBK’s credit card subsidiary and the leading credit card issuer in Bahrain further supports the strength of BBK’s retail banking franchise.

BBK announces the launch of a new investment product

Mon, 31 May 2010 12:38:36 GMT

Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK, yesterday announced the launch of the BBK-ING (L) Invest Middle East & North Africa fund. It is an open ended equity fund that seeks long term capital appreciation by investing in a portfolio of companies whose securities are listed in the GCC and MENA markets. The fund aims to invest in listed equities after rigorous research is conducted before stocks are selected and intends to focus on the GCC markets. The fund is available for subscription starting from the 8th of February 2010.

With a fund rating of ‘AA’ by Standard & Poor’s, the BBK-ING (L) Invest Middle East & North Africa fund brings with it various advantages like daily liquidity, highly regarded investment managers with an excellent track record, thorough fundamental analysis for investment decision making and risk management capabilities of international standards amongst others.

“In keeping with our aim of providing our customers with a variety of attractive products, we have yet again lived up to our promise in the form of the BBK-ING (L) Invest Middle East & North Africa fund. The Bank has conducted due diligence and decided to invest in the fund. This fund has had a proven success record with a performance of 34.2% in the year 2009. To provide complete transparency to our customers, a monthly detailed report will also be sent to all investors and with the international risk management capabilities of ING we are sure this product will see great success,” said A.Karim Bucheery, CE of BBK.

Other benefits of the fund include: no performance fee charged, no redemption charges involved and no lock up period for the investment.

BBK offers Personal Loans to Tamkeen’s On-Job-Training Scheme Graduates

Sun, 13 Jun 2010 10:19:59 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, held a signing ceremony at the BBK Headquarters on the 30th of May, to confirm the offering of Personal Loans (both Consumer and Car Loans) to graduates registered with Tamkeen’s On-Job Training Scheme. The ceremony was attended by BBK’s Chief Executive Mr. A. Kareem Bucheery, Tamkeen’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulellah Al-Qassimi, and Alatheer Audit & Consulting Managing Partner Mr. Mirza Al-Marzooq, along with other members of the three organizations. Through relationships such as this with Tamkeen, BBK is proud to provide a way of assisting organisations dedicated to supporting Bahraini communities.

With this exclusive Agreement between BBK, Tamkeen, & Alatheer Audit & Consulting, BBK will begin offering consumer and car loans to graduates registered with the Tamkeen On-Job-Training Scheme. These graduates will consist of individuals employed by Al Atheer Audit & Consulting on behalf of Tamkeen for two years, who are contracted to work in various governmental and private organizations throughout Bahrain as trainees. They are currently gaining valuable work experience in these organizations with the objective of obtaining long-term jobs upon completion of the two year training program or earlier than this period.

Mr A. Karim Bucheery, BBK CE commented saying: “As part of our social responsibility, this latest partnership ensures that these graduates, who may otherwise have struggled to receive financial help, will now be able to obtain financing for their personal requirements without delay or difficulty through any BBK branch in Bahrain.”

Tamkeen’s CE Mr. Abdulellah Al-Qassimi added, “backed up by our common belief in enhancing and enriching the Bahraini individual’s life style, which we believe is the stepping stone that takes us to a better standard of living in the Kingdom, we are proud to launch such an initiative with BBK, given their established backgrounds and outstanding banking history in Bahrain.”

Alatheer Managing Partner, Mr. Mirza Al-Marzooq commented, “it is our pleasure to have been selected as the project manager for Tamkeen OJT project and therefore contributing to achieving the national objectives of this project. The BBK program for loans offering is certainly a distinguished benefit to the graduates which can only be made by such a bank which strongly believes and practices the aspects of social responsibility”.

Anticipation grows as BBK gets ready to announce their second quarterly winner for Al Hayrat 2009

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 05:08:19 GMT

Excitement is at its peak as BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking gets ready to announce the second lucky winner of their Al Hayrat quarterly cash prize of $75,000 for 2009. The June draw will also include 15 monthly winners of $5000 each bringing the total cash prize to $150,000.

Customers can still be eligible to get a chance at winning the quarterly draw if they invest in Al Hayrat by the 28th of May. Al Hayrat’s unique savings account provides customers with abundant opportunities to win cash prizes while they save. Every BD50 in Al Hayrat account gets the customer one chance in the draw. The higher the amount, the more the chances of winning in Al Hayrat.

2 year old Maram Khalifa Ebrahim was the first to win the $75,000 cash quarterly prize for Al Hayrat in March this year. Accompanied by her family at the handover ceremony her parents expressed their joy and announced that the prize money would be utilized for her education.

Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, CE of BBK commented as preparations for the celebration pick momentum by saying, “These are exciting times for us at BBK. We feel like winners as well when we see Al Hayrat campaign making such a difference to our customers’ lives. We look forward to celebrating with our winners in June and wish our customers the best of luck.”

BBK records a net profit of BD 12 million in the first Quarter 2009

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 05:20:36 GMT

Mr. Murad Ali Murad, Chairman of the Board of Directors of BBK, yesterday announced that the bank recorded a net profit of BD 11.9 million for the first three months of 2009, showing a growth of 7.3% over the same period of last year.

The increase in the profits was mainly attributed to growth in fees and commission income of 11.6% over the same period last year. Net interest income reported BD 13.3 million, while foreign exchange & investment income reported BD 4.1 million during the first quarter of 2009. Operating cost stood at BD 9.9 million compared to the same period of last year of BD 8.3 million. The growth in operating cost is mainly on the account of investments being made under the strategic plan in building capabilities, developing new businesses, and on development of Bank’s human resources. The bank stands at a comfortable level of provision reserves against its investment portfolio which was created in 2008.

The bank’s balance sheet at the end of 31st March 2009 stood at BD 2,007 million compared to BD 2,165 million in December 2008. Loans & advances has grown by 11.9% over March 2008 to stand at BD 1,339 million, while customer deposits has grown by 9.5% over the same period of last year to stand at BD 1,243 million.

At a time when international financial crisis continues to negatively impact the performance of different sectors of the economy in many contraries around the global particularly the banking and financial sector, we feel proud to record a growth over last year’s profits” Mr. Murad Ali Murad said. He also added “the result reveals the bank ability to withstand and compete in times of turbulence”.

The bank was recently awarded with “Bahrain e-content Award” for the 3rd year in a row, reflecting the level of satisfaction the bank’s customers have in the level of the services offered by the bank.

On internal development, the bank has recently promoted three of its staff to join the executive management team, in the area of Financial Control, Retail Banking, and Information Technology. “being in time of financial turbulence will not prevent BBK to be a pioneer in hiring or promoting professional staff to key positions. We believe having quality staff is essential in delivering the quality of service which our customers seek”. Mr. A.Karim Bucheery, Chief Executive said.

Commenting on the bank’s performance, he said “BBK always proved to be strong in facing financial difficulties, though this was the toughest, thanks to the Bank’s strong core business which continued its positive trend. With our results for the first quarter, we feel confident that we will end 2009 recording strong performance and healthy balance sheet.”

15 lucky winners from Al Hayrat in May, $150,000 to be won in June

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 05:52:56 GMT

BBK , Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, celebrated with the winners of the monthly Al Hayrat draw of $75,000 for the month of May
The bank has announced the names of the 15 lucky winners of Al Hayrat monthly prizes of $5,000 each as follows:

Ahmed Mohammed Al Hermi
Hasan Mohd Al Khaja
Mona Jassim Al Aradi
Ali A.Nabi Al Jaroodi
Safiya Mohammed Murad
Hussain Hasan Hussain
Sayed Sadeq Abdulla
Maryam Ali AlHebail
Mary Joseph Lynch
Nadia Juma Al Anezi
Hasan Abdulrasool AlSafi
Jawaher Shaheen AlMudahki
Sameera Ahmed Isa
sa Naji Hizam
Jassim Ali AlSaegh

The fifteen lucky winners, each of whom has received a check for $5,000. The cheques were handed over to the winners by Axel Hofmann, Head of Retail Banking.

The winners expressed their happiness and gratitude for winning and looked forward to reinvesting their winnings in order to qualify for the upcoming amazing draws from Al Hayrat.

Al Hayrat winner, Ms. Maryam Al Hebail and her fiancé said the prize could not have come at a better time as they are currently planning their wedding and honeymoon and will surely use their Al Hayrat winnings to plan an amazing and memorable trip.

The Al Hayrat draw took place on May 30th in the main branch lobby under the supervision of Mr. Yasser Buallay the ministry of commerce and industry representative, in addition to BBK’s Internal Audit, Internal control and Retail Marketing and Retail Banking representatives.

The next Al Hayrat draw will take place on June 27th and will include the amazing quarterly prize of $75,000 in addition to the usual monthly prizes. The June draw will represent the second Al Hayrat quarterly prize for 2010.

BBK shows support towards Bahrain Institute for Special Education

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 05:15:11 GMT

In line with their strategic initiatives for a brighter community, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK handed over a cheque of BD 10000 as a gesture of their support towards Bahrain Institute for Special Education/ BISE. The cheque was handed over by Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, CE of BBK to the Institute’s representative in the presence of Mr. A.Hussain Bustani, AGM- Human Resources and Administration.

Bahrain Institute for Special Education/BISE has received regular support from the Bank through various regular donations over the past years. Those contributions help the institute to support, orphans and socially underprivileged children who suffer from Dyslexia and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder /ADHD and other Learning difficulties.

BBK reduces rates on Mortgage, Car and Consumer loans

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 11:41:57 GMT

Manama, Bahrain: BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, is launching a new promotional marketing campaign, advertising lower interest rates on its range of Car, Mortgage and Consumer loans and giving customers the opportunity to win trips to Dubai and get money off their loan fees.

Beyond great rates, customers who take a car, consumer or mortgage loan from BBK between June 15th and September 15th 2010 will qualify to enter a draw for the opportunity to win one of 21 amazing travel packages for 2 to Dubai. The trips include flights and accommodation at the incredible 5-star hotel: The Palace, The Old Town Hotel in Dubai. The first 100 customers can look forward to up to 50% discount off their loan fees too.

Axel Hofmann, Head of Retail Banking Division explained, “In a difficult financial climate our customers have had to sacrifice the size of their dreams. At BBK, we’ve reduced the interest rates on our loans so our customers don’t have to reduce the size of their dreams. In fact, we’re aiming to further add value to our customers by providing them with additional benefits through the special promotion.

Bahraini wins $75,000 with Al Hayrat!

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 05:42:25 GMT

BBK , Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, announced the winner of its second quarterly prize of 2010 worth $75,000.

The lucky winner, Mr. Yousif Ahmed Ali Zaed has conveyed his thanks and appreciation for winning with Al Hayrat. He has been a long time loyal customer of BBK’s and has expressed his special thanks and appreciation to the staff of the BBK Exhibition Road Branch.

The bank has also announced the names of the 15 lucky winners of Al Hayrat monthly prizes of $5,000.

Abdulla Ahmed Al Shihabi, Fatima Saleh AlShafiey, Ali Mohammed Shukralla, Fatima Jawad Al Sanadi, Khaireya Ahmed Abdulla Jasim, Mooza Rashid Ahmed, Bahram Mohammed Taqi, Hussain Salman AlKalaity, Khulood S.Yaseen Hussain, Detelina Dimitrova Stoeva, Zahra Nasser AbdulRasool, Lena Ermila Nazareth, Amaal Ahmed Budhaish, S.Murtadha Mohammed Alwedaie and Sayed Mohd Sayed Jaffar were the fifteen lucky winners, each of whom has received a check for $5,000. The cheques were handed over to the winners by Ghazi Ahmed Head of Priority Banking.

The winners of the June draw have all been very pleased with their winnings, especially in time to plan their summer vacations.

The Al Hayrat draw took place on June 27th in the main branch lobby under the supervision of Mr. Yasser Buallay the ministry of commerce and industry representative, in addition to BBK’s Internal Audit, Internal control and Retail Marketing and Retail Banking representatives.

BBK reports net profits of BD 23.4 million for the 2nd Quarter 2010 with 38.6% growth in its operating revenues

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 06:08:09 GMT

Click here to view the Second Quarter of 2010 Financial Statement

The Board of Directors of BBK has met yesterday to discuss and approve the BBK’s results for the six months ended June 2010. Mr. Murad Ali Murad, BBK Chairman of the Board of Directors announced that BBK reported net profit of BD 23.4 million, for the six month ended June 2010 higher than the same period last year by 5%.

The growth in profit was driven by a strong performance of investment related activities increasing investment income from BD 6.8 million as of June 2009, to BD 23.5 million in June 2010. Fees and commission income has also increased to BD 11.6 million, representing 5.4% increase over the same period last year, while net interest income reached BD 29.4 million.

Mr. Murad Ali Murad commented on the results saying “BBK’s newly implemented strategic plan is focused on building shareholders’ wealth and values on a long term through reporting a steady growth year after year, which we have witnessed in the results of this year. We are planning to continue increasing the value of BBK shareholders on the long term through a well balanced growth strategy”. The bank also continues building its general provision reserve during the year to account for any unexpected future downturns in the market.

The net profit for the three months ended June 2010 stood at BD 10.9 million compared to BD 10.4 million for the same period last year. The 5% increase in net profit was driven mainly by the increase in investment income from BD 2.7 million to BD 14.8 million, and the increase in fees and commission income by 7.3% to reach BD 5.9 million.

Mr. A.Karim Bucheery, the Chief Executive, added “As part of our growth strategy, we have invested in our modern branches & Financial Malls, technological platform, and human resources, as well as other strategic initiatives, which are perceived as long term investment for the bank, expected to pay-off in years to come. Hence, the Bank’s operating costs has increased by 7.9% compared to the same period last year, though the cost-to-income ratio stood at 34.3%”.

BBK has introduced the concept of Financial Malls in 2006, when it opened its first one in Adliya and currently has 6 financial malls distributed in different locations around the Kingdom of Bahrain, of which the latest has just been opened in Exhibition Road and will be launched officially on 14th July 2010. BBK is planning to open another financial mall in Isa Town before the end of 2010.

BBK’s balance sheet has grown by 17.2% to BD 2,408 million, compared to the same period of last year, and by 5.7% compared to December 2009. The bank has grown its customer deposits by 34.3% compared to June 2009 to reach BD 1,715 million, which reflects customer confidence in the bank. On the other hand, loans & advances stood at BD 1,234 million lower than the same period of last year by 8.5% due to limited lending opportunities and the Bank’s strategy to retrench from international lending in favor of local and regional lending. The non-trading investment portfolio increased by 36.7% to BD 402 million compared to June 2009.

Liquidity parameters as of June 2010 stood at very comfortable level, with liquid assets (Cash and balances with central banks, Treasury bills, trading investments, and placement with financial institutions) to total assets ratio, which have improved to 28.8% compared to the same period of last year of 16.9%. Also loan to customer deposit ratio improved from 106% to 72%, and loans to total deposit (including deposits from Banks) improved from 91% to 65%.

“The Bank had recently held its investors road show meetings to launch a benchmark size bonds under its current Medium Term Note Program, as part of diversification of its source of funding strategy. Though the Bank had very successful meetings with investors, it decided to postpone the issuance of its bonds till the market gets stabilized, and the prices becomes more reasonable”, the Chief Executive Said. “The Bank has a medium term note of US$500 million, maturing in March 2011, but the Bank is very much comfortable to repay the term notes on maturity using its internal source of funds and liquidity available to it”, he added.

BBK rewards diligence at work

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 05:56:36 GMT

Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK announced the winners of the Employee of the Month for the months of May & June 2010 at their headquarters in Manama.

Each month, BBK honours one team member for his performance, positive attitude and pro-activeness under the Employee of the Month scheme. Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, CE of BBK handed over the certificates and the cash prizes to the employees of the month, Ms. Amani Ali Ebrahim from the Financial Control and Planning Division for the month of May 2010 and Ms. Shaima Ahmed Ashoor from the Treasury and Investment Division for the month of June 2010 at a special ceremony in appreciation for their achievements.

BBK rewards diligence at work

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 08:59:23 GMT

Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK announced the winner of the Employee of the Month for the month of April 2010 at their headquarters in Manama.

Each month, BBK honours one team member for his performance, positive attitude and pro-activeness under the Employee of the Month scheme. Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, CE of BBK handed over the certificate and the cash prize to the employee of the month, Mr. Mohammed Salman Hassan from the Audit Division at a special ceremony in appreciation for his achievements.
Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK announced the winner of the Employee of the Month for the month of April 2010 at their headquarters in Manama.

BBK Honors 48 Employees as part of their annual Service Award Ceremony

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 09:13:32 GMT

Few days away from Labor Day, BBK celebrates the loyalty of its staff by honoring 48 long-standing employees at a ceremony hosted by Chief Executive A.Karim Bucheery.

The BBK team members were awarded for their service of 35, 30, 25, 20, 15 or 10 years at the ceremony which was held at the Gulf Hotel. In addition to being awarded with cash prize and recognition plaques, a luncheon was held in their honor, attended by BBK executive management.
At the event, A.Karim Bucheery thanked the employees for their notable contributions to BBK’s development and their loyalty to the organization. He emphasized on BBK’s strategy to build the Bank’s human capabilities and invest in training in order to retain talented individuals.
Addressing the group, A.Karim Bucheery said, “BBK’s success relies in its pool of talent. Their professionalism at all levels and across every area of operations has shone through at all times. Their loyalty has successfully contributed to the strength of the business where in 2009, BBK was able to achieve record performance despite their complex challenges of the financial sector.”

BBK is renowned for providing attractive training and career development opportunities and have contributed and continues to contribute to the banking talent pool for the financial services industry as a whole in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

A.Hussain Bustani, Assistant General Manager, HR and Administration also stressed on the Bank’s ability to retain its employees’ base specially in light with the growing competition and added “ stemming from its belief in always enhancing the Bank – employee relationship, and never failing to reward employees dedication, loyalty and hard work, BBK continues to introduce rewards schemes incentivizing employees not only to deliver the best service to the Bank’s customers but also building the culture of partnership”

The award ceremony, which is held on an annual basis, is part of BBK’s approach to always reward employees’ dedication and appreciate their efforts and loyalty.

The employees who were awarded were:

Ebrahim Mohammed Al Ansari
Essam Saleh Al Shafiey
Nadeem Abdulaziz Al Kooheji
Yaser Abdulla Sabt
Zakaria Abdulhameed Al Busta
Basem Ahmed Abdulrahman
Raj Kumar Dugar
Rashad Ahmed Akbari
Jumana Al Sayed Ahmed Khalifa
Nojood Ahmed Jassim
Huda Abdulla Ghaith
Elham Rashid Al Ansari

BBK launches Exhibition Road Financial Mall

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 05:04:38 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, held an official opening yesterday for its Exhibition Road Financial Mall. BBK was the first to introduce this unique, one-stop-shop concept to the Kingdom of Bahrain with the launch of the Adliya Financial Mall in 2006. The Exhibition Road location brings the total number of BBK Financial Malls throughout Bahrain to 6. It will be providing a range of financial products alongside additional services such as external car sales in combination with services from its subsidiaries and strategic partners.

The opening ceremony commenced with a welcome by BBK Chief Executive, Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery to all guests and was followed by the ceremonial ribbon cutting by BBK Chairman Mr. Murad Ali Murad and Mr. Khaled Hamad, Executive Director- Banking Supervision, Central Bank of Bahrain. The event was attended by members of BBK Board of Directors and of the Executive management, as well as other dignitaries.

The Financial Mall concept offers customers a pleasurable banking experience with a comprehensive range of corporate and retail financial products and services, as well as the opportunity to travel through Dadabhai, obtain insurance through Secura, send or receive money through Western Union, carry out credit card transactions through CrediMax, settle utility bills and much more.

All Financial Malls are staffed with highly trained employees, so customers can expect the most efficient service, in a brighter atmosphere and with the ease of parking space, and for even more convenience, a 24 hour drive through ATM.

Upon completion of the ceremonial ribbon cutting, a tour of the Financial Mall was conducted followed by a special Q&A session where Mr. Murad Ali Murad addressed members of the media and attended to their queries.

Mr Abdulkarim Bucheery, also stated, “Despite a challenging climate, we are very proud to continue to bring to our customers the latest of what is proving to be an excellent and revolutionary concept. The emphasis on our Financial Malls is to enable customers to enjoy a brighter banking experience through completing financial and non-financial transactions under one roof, hence avoiding queues and saving valuable time. Beyond this, BBK Financial Malls continue to contribute to the Bahraini society through increased local employment and training leading to the provision of better banking services for our customers. Further to the launch of our Exhibition Road Financial Mall Branch, and in line with our objective to benefit the larger number of our customers with this brighter banking experience, the 7th Financial Mall, located in Isa Town is planned to be open before the end of the year 2010.”

The Exhibition Road Financial Mall will be open for business from 8am-5pm Saturday until Wednesday. For further information, customers can contact 17207777.

Travel Finance from BBK and Dadabhai Travel

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 11:43:27 GMT

Travel Finance is now available at BBK for all travel related services purchased from Dadabhai Travel.

Customers purchasing travel packages or tickets from Dadabhai Travel including the Dadabahai Travel counters at BBK’s Adliya, Budaiya, Exhibition Road Financial Malls and the City Centre branch can now finance their travel package or tickets from BBK at a very attractive interest rate.

BBK launches Al Hayrat Ramadan Campaign with amazing weekly prizes

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 07:52:52 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, is launching its annual Al Hayrat Ramadan campaign on the 25th of July, where customers and non-BBK customers have the chance to win weekly prizes during the month of Ramadan.

Instead of the regular monthly draws, BBK is offering a total of $125,000 in prizes split on a weekly basis during Ramadan. The prizes run from $20,000 for week 1 with the draw on the 15th of August to $25.000 for week 2 with the draw on the 22nd of August and then increasing further to $30,000 for week 3 with the draw on the 29th of August and finally $50,000 for the Eid draw on the 5th of September.

Customers must make their deposits at least one week before each draw to be eligible for that week’s draw. To participate in all draws, customers should make their deposits before the 8th of August.

Axel Hofmann, Head of Retail Banking Division explained, “This is a great opportunity for both regular customers and even non-BBK customers to win big during the Holy month of Ramadan.”

Al Hayrat can make dreams a reality with a total of 143 prizes throughout the year adding up to $1.5 million.

For the eighth year in a row BBK honours its staff's children

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:13:21 GMT

Under the auspices of Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery - Chief Executive, the Staff Social Committee at BBK - Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking - arranged a ceremony which was held on 13th of July 2010 at the Bank's headquarters, in honour of the Bank staff's children who have completed their secondary school education with distinction. The ceremony was attended by the Executive Management, the honoured students and their parents.

Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery opened the event by delivering a short speech in which he welcomed the students and their parents and expressed his pleasure for the outstanding results that the students have achieved. He said that BBK, very much in line with its corporate identity is dedicated to excellence and to encouraging community welfare and higher standard. This is dependant on the well educated students of today, who are the makers of the brighter tomorrow! He also thanked the Staff Social Committee for arranging this annual ceremony.

For this occasion, the student Mohammed Najeeb gave out a speech on behalf of his colleagues in which he expressed his joy and appreciation towards his parents who gave him the opportunity to grow in his education and succeed. Thankful words came across as he expressed his happiness by saying,” This is a special occasion for me and I would like to read out something I have written. I can never understand a person, without putting myself in his shoes, at this age, I cannot understand what parents go through, and since I am a male here, I will never experience the heart of my mother.

In every day routine, I sometimes get lazy in doing what you ask me to do, but you carried me everywhere for nine months, brought me into this world, took care of me, fed me, spent on me, educated me, taught me how to behave and did many other things I may not even be aware of to make me the person I am today.

You spend your time working everyday (just to make me happy), and I go to school to have fun without knowing what you’re going through.
Your love cannot be replaced or compared to mine. Your love exceed the sky, has no bounds that I know of.

You’ve walked with me my journey since I was young, till here when I graduated from school. Every step I’ve taken, I thought I alone have achieved it, without looking to my side to see that you were always there, selfish I was.

If achieving good result s what makes you happy, then know that I’ve worked hard to achieve this, just to make you smile. That smile makes my life worth living.

Everything that I am right now is because of you.

Three simple words, ‘I love you’ are not enough. I should show it to you.

Mom and Dad, I know those years where quite tough and that you’ve tried your best. I know I’ve put you through a lot, forgive me for every mistake I’ve done. I’d like to thank both of you so much for making me who I am right now. I hope I made you proud. BBK has not been just a Bank where our parent’s every day go to work and come back home. BBK has become a part of our lives, It’s programs, such as these bring each person and his family closer to one another, as also with members of other families, forming a bond which is unique, creating a new family. If it wasn’t for BBK, we would not be standing here in front of you, making our parents proud, feeling acknowledged for our hard work and trouble we have been through in our daily lives in school. My friends, I’m glad that I have met you. I enjoyed my time, and I hope you did too. I learned a lot from you, and I pray each one of us to be seen in top positions one day in the not too distance future.”

Closing the ceremony, Mr. Bucheery presented to the honoured students valuable gifts, as well as commemorative shields for their outstanding achievements.

Ms. Abeer Swar- Vice President/ Staff Social Committee – ended the ceremony with a speech in which she expressed on behalf of the Committee and all the Bank staff, their thanks and appreciation to BBK and its senior management for the encouragement and support that the staff, as well as their children, receive for promoting their studies and achieving higher degrees and qualifications. She said it is really something to be proud of that BBK is the leader Bank in Bahrain to hold such a ceremony.

BBK shows support towards Mohammed Bin Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa Cardiac Centre - donates BD 30,000

Sun, 01 Aug 2010 04:48:47 GMT

In line with their strategic initiatives for a brighter community, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK handed over a cheque of BD 30,000 as a gesture of their support towards Mohammed Bin Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa Cardiac Centre. The cheque was handed over by Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, CE of BBK to Dr. Resan H. Al Badran, Director of the Cardiac Centre, in the presence of Dr. Fouad Abdulqader Saeed, Deputy Director and Mr. Abdulla Al Eid Administrator from the Cardiac Centre, Mr. Reyadh Sater, GM- Shared Services Group, BBK, Mr. A.Hussain Bustani, AGM- Human Recourses and Administration, BBK and the Corporate Communications team from the Bank.

Receiving its generous annual donation from the Bank, Mohammed Bin Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa Cardiac Centre gets its support to foster its medical services and count eligible to purchase up to date equipments for the centre.

BBK shows support towards Bahrain Disabled Sports Federation - donates BD 4,000

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 04:53:34 GMT

In line with their strategic initiatives for a brighter community, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK handed over a cheque of BD 4,000 as a gesture of their support towards Bahrain Disabled Sports Federation. The cheque was handed over by Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, CE of BBK to Shaikh Ahmed bin Salman Al Khalifa, Chairman, Bahrain Disabled Sports Federation, in the presence of Mr. Reyadh Sater, GM –Shared Services Group, and Mr. Abdul Hussain Bustani, AGM- Human Resources and Administration Division from BBK.

The Federation has received regular assistance from the Bank through various donations over the past years. Through these contributions, the Bank has always supported Bahrain Disabled Sport Federation, in supporting the sport team and the disabled athletes to participate in many local and International events and championships.

BBK shows support towards Muharraq Social Welfare Centre - donates BD 6,000

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 06:58:44 GMT

In line with their strategic initiatives for a brighter community, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK handed over a cheque of BD 6,000 as a gesture of their support towards Muharraq Social Welfare Centre. The cheque was handed over by Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, CE of BBK to Mr. Waleed Abdulla Al Zamil, Chairman, Muharraq Social Welfare Centre, in the presence of Mr. Khalil Al Muraikhi and Mr. Abdullatif Al Hazeem, Board Members, Muharraq Social Welfare Centre, Mr. Abdul Hussain Bustani, AGM-Human Resources and Administration Division, BBK and the Corporate Communications team from BBK.

The Centre has received regular assistance from the Bank through various regular donations over the past years. These contributions have financially supported the centre and assisted with the salaries of the employees. Furthermore, this donation has also provided required assistance for the elderly, such as medicines and medical equipment to help with their treatment.

BBK shows support towards Al Baraka Society - donates BD 10,000

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 05:50:24 GMT

In line with their strategic initiatives for a brighter community, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK handed over a cheque of BD 10,000 as a gesture of their support towards Al Baraka Society. The cheque was handed over by Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, CE of BBK to Mr. Waheed Al Doseri, President of Al Baraka Society, in the presence of Mr. Abdul Hussain Bustani, AGM-Human Resources and Administration Division, BBK and other officials from both organizations.

The society has received regular assistance from the Bank through various donations over the past years. These regular donations have contributed to the financial resources of Al Baraka Society and enabled it to provide electrical equipment for the less fortunate families in the Muharraq governorate as part of the annual summer project of the society.

BBK shows support towards Bahrain Deaf Society - donates BD 5,000

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 07:56:25 GMT

In line with their strategic initiatives for a brighter community, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK handed over a cheque of BD 5,000 as a gesture of their support towards the Bahrain Deaf Society. The cheque was handed over by Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, CE of BBK to Mr. Mahdi Al Noami, President, Bahrain Deaf Society, in the presence of Mr. Radhi Al Ali, Vice President, and Mr. Reyadh Sater, GM-Shared Services Group, Mr. Abdul Hussain Bustani, AGM- Human Resources and Administration Division from BBK and other officials from both organizations.

Receiving this sort of contribution assisted the society in its financial resources, never the less made it possible to integrate the deaf into the Bahraini society and provide them with many beneficial training courses.

BBK shows support towards Steps Rehabilitation Center

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 06:15:55 GMT

In line with their strategic initiatives for a brighter community, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK handed over a cheque of BD 14,000 as a gesture of their support towards sponsoring rehabilitation programmes for a specific group of children who get care from Steps Rehabilitation Centre. The cheque was handed over by Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, CE of BBK to Mrs. Fawzia Abdulkhaliq, Managing Director of Steps Rehabilitation Center in the presence of Mr. Abdul Hussain Bustani, AGM- Human Resources and Administration Division and the Corporate Communications team from the Bank.

As one of the leading financial institutions in the Kingdom of Bahrain, providing regular contributions to various humanitarian causes and societies throughout the years, BBK has supported entities including major clubs, charity funds and social initiatives. These initiatives are aimed at achieving the sole goal and vision of a brighter future and community in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Capinnova announces second quarter results

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 08:29:48 GMT

Capinnova Investment Bank, the Shari’a compliant investment banking arm of BBK, announced that the Bank has reported a net profit for the 3 months ended 30th June 2010 of US $159 thousand as compared to net loss of US $821 thousand for same period in 2009. The gross revenue for the 3 months ended June 2010 was US $1.89 million in comparison to US $1.17 million for the 3 months ended 30th June 2009.

The net profit reported for the 6 months ended June 2010 was US $1.62 million as compared to a net loss of US $2.47 million during the same period in 2009. The gross revenue for the period increased to US$ 5.26 million as compared to US $1.59 million for 2009.

Capinnova is a newly established investment bank that started its operation at the beginning of 2009 with an authorized capital of US$500 million and issued and paid-up capital of US$ 125 million that was later on increased to US$151.5 million. The bank aims to provide quality investment products and innovative solutions to companies, financial institutions and high net worth individuals.

Mr. Abdul Kareem Bucheery, Chairman at Capinnova Investment Bank said: “We are delighted to have reported profits in the first and also in the second quarter of 2010. These numbers reflect the strength of our business model at a very challenging time faced by the industry. We are also very pleased to note the remarkable increase in our gross revenues notwithstanding the fact that we are a newly established investment bank that commenced operations in difficult market conditions”.

Mr. Jamal Hijres, Chief Executive Officer at Capinnova Investment Bank said “At Capinnova, we are doing our best to cope with the current tough market conditions and our focus on introducing innovative Islamic banking products and services should make us even better prepared for the longer term”.
Last year Capinnova also invested in building the biggest commercial mall in Muharraq area. Total cost of the project is worth approximately US$50 million. This year the bank also acquired 50 per cent stake in Sakana Holistic Housing Solutions. Furthermore, in April 2010 Capinnova invested US$20 million in EBLA Computer Consultancy - Kuwait, a leading GCC entity that is engaged in the provision of IT solutions and IT consultancy services in the MENA region.

BBK rewards diligence at work

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 06:31:06 GMT

Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK announced the winner of the Employee of the Month for the month of July 2010 at their headquarters in Manama.

Al Hayrat Ramadan Winner Week 1

Sun, 22 Aug 2010 10:35:20 GMT

We are pleased to announce the name of the winner of the first week of Al Hayrat Ramadan prizes of $20,000.

Sarah Adel Mudaifea

The draw took place on Sunday 15th in the main banking hall under the supervision of a ministry of industry and commerce representative Mr. Yasser BuAllay, in addition to Internal Audit, Internal Control, Retail Banking and Retail Marketing representation.

Al Hayrat Ramadan Winner Week 2

Sun, 22 Aug 2010 10:44:43 GMT

We are pleased to announce the name of the winner of the second week of Al Hayrat Ramadan prizes of $25,000.

Hasan Abdulla Rashid Al Dhaen

The draw took place on Sunday 22nd in the main banking hall under the supervision of a ministry of industry and commerce representative Mr. Yasser BuAllay, in addition to Internal Audit, Internal Control, Retail Banking and Retail Marketing representation.

BBK announces 15 lucky winners for July and offers prizes worth US$125,000 for Ramadan with Al Hayrat

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 06:48:33 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, celebrated with the winners of the July Al Hayrat draw with prizes totalling $75,000.

The bank announced the names of the 15 lucky winners of Al Hayrat monthly prizes of $5,000:

Fawziya Hubail Abdulnabi, Khairiya Mohammed Abdulwahab Alradhi, Ahmed Mohammed Yousif Al Hermi, Essam Abdulrahman Haji Abdulrahman, Aisha Fahed Salem Alajmi, Abdulridha Ali Mohammed Karahi, Afrah Nasser Masaad Alwotah, Maysoon Mohd Ali Sabkar, Mohammed Jaffar Abdulnabi Shehab, A.Rahman Abdulla A.Rahman, Sayed Abdulla Majeed Abdulla Al Aali, Esmat Abdulrahman Ghuloom, Ebrahim Ahmed Mansoor Salman, Etab Isa Hasan Nasser, and Mohammed Jibreel Muhareb Salim.

Winners expressed delight at winning the July draw prizes and the majority confirmed their desire to re-invest their prizes in Al Hayrat accounts to increase the chances of winning again. Especially given the forthcoming Ramadan and other monthly draws ahead. Some winners said they would purchase Al Hayrat certificates as gifts for their loved ones to allow them to win great cash prizes. Esmat Abdulrahman Ghuloom, one of the lucky winners, was so delighted at winning an Al Hayrat prize that she has transferred all her deposits to BBK and advised her relatives to do the same. She said her appreciation and loyalty to BBK was not a new thing, but as a result of the excellent services offered by the bank to customers throughout all its branches and Financial Malls.

The Al Hayrat draw took place on the 25th of July in the main branch lobby under the supervision of Mr. Yasser Buallay the ministry of commerce and industry representative, in addition to BBK’s Internal Audit, Internal control, Retail Marketing and Retail Banking representatives.

The handover of the prizes took place on the 1st of August at the main branch of BBK, and cheques were presented to the winners by Head of Priority Banking Services division, Mr. Ghazi Ahmed, in the presence of Head of Retail Marketing,, Mr. Reinaldo Moari, and Head of Distribution Network, Mr. Mazin Daif.

In continuation of the Al Hayrat Campaign 2010, BBK launched a Ramadan Al Hayrat campaign on the 25th of July, so that BBK current and new customers can win weekly prizes during the Holy Month of Ramadan.

Customers must make their deposits at least one week before each draw to be eligible for that week’s draw.

On this occasion, Head of the Retail Banking for BBK Mr. Axel Hofmann said: “BBK constantly endeavours to offer superior and distinguished services, which suit the needs of our valued clients. Al Hayrat is a way in which we show our appreciation towards our loyal customers. It is also a great chance for everyone to win great prizes during the Holy Month of Ramadan”.

Al Hayrat makes dreams come true for 143 winners throughout the year to a total value of US$1.5 million.

New Design Cheque Book

Sun, 29 Aug 2010 06:25:42 GMT

We are glad to inform you of our new promotional offer whereby with every Cheque Book you request, you will receive another Cheque Book for free.

This offer starts on 18th July 2010 and is valid for three months.

The objective of the new cheque design is to increase efficiency by improving the quality and accuracy of written information on cheques while enhancing security and fraud prevention and ultimately improving your overall banking experience.

Don’t miss out this offer, where as the cut-off date for presenting cheques in the current design through the clearing system is 1st August 2011 after which there will be a charge imposed for clearing such cheques. As such, please ensure that you use any stock of current design cheques you might have and replace them with the new design prior to the cut-off date to avoid any charges to your account.

Al Hayrat Ramadan Winner Week 3

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 09:19:48 GMT

We are pleased to announce the name of the winner of the third week of Al Hayrat Ramadan prizes of $30,000.

Salman Abdulaziz Salman AlHasan

The draw took place on Wednesday 1st of September in the main banking hall under the supervision of a ministry of industry and commerce representative Mr. Yasser BuAllay, in addition to Internal Audit, Internal Control, Retail Banking and Retail Marketing representation.

BBK Employees Visit the Salmaniya Medical Complex Pediatric Ward

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 09:50:51 GMT

In line with its corporate social responsibility, BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, organized a visit to the Salmaniya Medical Complex where a number of its employees visited the children receiving treatment at the SMC – paediatric ward on the 4th of September 2010.

During their visit the employees presented gifts to the in house patients on the occasion of Eid al Fitr.

BBK Ends Its Annual Summer Training Program

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 09:57:29 GMT

In line with its strategic initiatives for a brighter community, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK, ends its summer training program for the year 2010 which ran for two consecutive months commencing on the 1st of July.

This yearly practice which has been conducted by the Bank for several years now benefits a large number of university students offering a unique opportunity to spend their summer holidays productively, learn and develop new skills as well as gain experience in different work roles in the real corporate world. They apply their class room learning in real work situations, interact with customers and Bank employees as well as gain valuable insight and understanding that can not possibly be achieved in a formal university setting. The program also offers summer internship opportunities to the children of the Banks staff which help them bond better with the organization that their parents work for. As a token of appreciation, the Bank also offers a small stipend to all trainees.

This year, as in the previous years, BBK received a large number of applications and through a rigorous selection process, the Bank selected 29 trainees from across the Kingdom studying in various private and overseas universities. The selected trainees have been distributed to different departments based on their specializations and have been placed under the guidance and supervision of specific officials who mentored and guided them during the internship period.

Al Hayrat Ramadan Winner Week 4

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 10:01:07 GMT

We are pleased to announce the name of the winner of the fourth week (Eid Prize) of Al Hayrat Ramadan prize of $50,000.

Yousif Ahmed Ali Zaed

The draw took place on Sunday 5th of September in the main banking hall under the supervision of a ministry of industry and commerce representative Mr. Yasser BuAllay, in addition to Internal Audit, Internal Control, Retail Banking and Retail Marketing representation.

Benefit Network Planned Outage

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 11:18:50 GMT

Dear Customer,

Please note that you may face service disruptions when using your BBK Debit card on non BBK ATMs and Point of Sale machines on Sunday, September 19th between 2:00 AM and 4:00 AM due to a system upgrade by the Benefit Network.
However, you may continue to use your BBK Debit card on BBK ATMs and Point of Sale machines as usual.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused.

Al Hayrat Ramadan winners of $125,000 announced.

Sun, 26 Sep 2010 05:55:58 GMT

Bahrain’s pioneer in commercial and retail banking, BBK, recently announced the names of their four lucky Al Hayrat Ramadan weekly winners. The winners received the prize money at a special handover ceremony that was hosted at the Bank’s headquarters on the 8th of September 2010. The cheques were handed over by Axel Hofmann, Head of Retail Banking.

For the holy month of Ramadan, BBK ran a promotion for the fourth year in a row, whereby instead of the regular monthly draws, weekly draws were held, with the prize money growing in size as each week progressed and a final Eid draw with a bumper cash prize. Furthermore, the eligibility criterion of making the deposits a month before the draw date was reduced to a week during this promotion.

Ms. Sarah Al Mudaifea, winner of the first weekly draw of $20,000 prize, expressed her complete shock and surprise when receiving the news of her unexpected win, as it had been her father who had originally invested in her name without her knowing, which has further added to Ms. Sarah’s delight at winning.

Mr. Hasan Al Dhaen, winner of the second weekly prize of $25,000 and long standing loyal customer of BBK’s, thanked the bank for the excellent services and products it has on offer, and has mentioned his family’s plans to enjoy the prize during Eid celebrations.

Mr. Salman Abdulaziz Al Hasan was the winner of the third week of Ramadan prize of $30,000. Mr. Salman said that he had a feeling that he would win with Al Hayrat and that he would regularly follow the monthly winners announcements to check for his name.

The grand Eid prize winner of $50,000 was Mr. Yousif Ahmed Zaed, was extremely overjoyed at winning with Al Hayrat, and has extended his sincerest thanks and appreciation to BBK’s employees for their efficient service.

How would you spend US$ 500,000?

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 10:56:06 GMT

Would you buy a new home?
How about a supercar?
Or maybe that dream holiday?

Al Hayrat, Bahrain’s biggest cash prize of US$ 500,000 is here to be won and you could win it! Simply invest a minimum of BD 50 in an Al Hayrat account to be in with a chance of winning the prize of a lifetime.

Features & Benefits

Monthly draws for large cash prizes.
Great chances of winning, every BD 50 will get you one chance in the draws.
The more money in your Al Hayrat account, the greater your chance of winning
Non-BBK customers can also open an Al Hayrat account.
You can make withdrawals from your Al Hayrat account at any time.
Available at all branches.
You can take loans against the value of your Al Hayrat savings and still be eligible for draws.
All Bahraini and non-Bahraini residents are eligible.
Al Hayrat accounts can be opened for minors by their parents (legal guardians).

Documents required

Original CPR/Smart Card and Passport (with Residence Permit for expatriates residing within
the GCC)

Hurry! Invest by the 15th December to qualify for the big one!

For more information, please visit any of our branches or call us on 17 20 7777

Batelco Network Planned Outage

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 13:55:14 GMT

Dear all,

Please note that due to a system upgrade by Batelco starting on Tuesday October 5th at 11.45pm and until Wednesday October 6th at 01.15am, the following Batelco services will not be available in any of BBK channels:

Batelco Bill Inquiry
Batelco Bill Payment
Batelco SimSim Top-up
SMS

We apologize for any inconvenience caused.

New Isa Town Financial Mall

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 11:55:20 GMT

Kindly note that due to the impending opening of the Isa Town Financial Mall on Sunday 10 October, the Isa Town branch and its ATMs will be closed on a permanent basis effective Wednesday 6 October 2010.

During October 6 and 7, kindly visit the Riffa FM for your banking needs.

We apologies for any inconvenience caused and look forward to welcoming you soon in our new Isa Town Financial Mall!

Please click here to view the location of the new Isa Town Financial Mall!

System Upgrade

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 12:14:36 GMT

Dear Customers,
Please note that we will be upgrading our banking software system on Saturday 09/10/2010 from 1.00 AM to 3.00 AM. As such, during that period the following services will not be available :
• Internet Retail Banking services
• Internet Corporate Banking service
• SMS Services

We apologize for any inconvenience caused

Benefit Network Planned Outage 16.10.2010

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 11:39:00 GMT

Dear Customer,

Kindly note that due to the impending opening of the Isa Town Financial Mall on Sunday 10 October, the Isa Town branch and its ATMs will be closed on a permanent basis effective Wednesday 6 October 2010.

During October 6 and 7, kindly visit the Riffa FM for your banking needs.

We apologies for any inconvenience caused and look forward to welcoming you soon in our new Isa Town Financial Mall!

Please click here to view the location of the new Isa Town Financial Mall!

Third Quarter Financial Results

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 06:27:16 GMT

A 25% rise in net profits, BBK end the 3rd Quarter of the year with remarkable results

Mr. Murad Ali Murad, Chairman of the board of directors of BBK announced that BBK reported BD 31.3 million net profit for the nine months ended September 2010, which was 25% higher than the same period of last year.

The growth in profit was driven by higher investment income of BD 19.1 million over the same period of last year. Fees and commission income has increased by 14% over September 2009 to reach BD 18.6 million. The Bank also has increased its general provision reserve during the year as part of the Bank’s effort to build a strong general provisions reserve against future unexpected market downturns, which resulted in improving the provision coverage ratio to a very comfortable level and well above the minimum requirements by the CBB..

Mr. Murad Ali Murad commented on the results saying “Despite the conservative general provisions taken during the year, the bank was able to report impressive results for the period. One of the main cornerstones of the current three years strategic plan of the Bank is to enhance general reserve and provision reserves against the Bank’s assets to strengthen the Bank’s ability to withhold future market shocks if any, at which we were successful so far during 2010, and will continue doing the same during the coming years. Growth of retail banking is another cornerstone of our strategic plan; hence another two Financial Malls have been opened during the year to support our long term strategic objective. We are pursuing our strategic plan aggressively, and have the full confident that BBK will achieve the objectives set forth in the strategic plan with a great success.”

The investment in various strategic objectives including human resources, Financial Malls, technology, and other initiatives resulted in increasing the operating expenses of the Bank by 6% to reach BD 33.3 million, though the cost to income ratio improved from 45% as of September 2009 to 38% as of September 2010.

The net profit for the three months ended September 2010 stood at BD 7.9 million compared to BD 2.7 million for the same period last year. The increase in net profit was driven mainly by the increase in investment income from BD 1.1 million to BD 3.3 million, higher fees and commission by 30% to reach BD 7.1 million, and lower provisioning charges of BD 4.7 million, compared to BD 9.2 million for the three months ended September 2009.

BBK’s balance sheet has grown by 29% to BD 2,476 million, compared to the same period of last year. The Bank managed to boost its customer deposits growth by 52% to reach BD 1,790 million, which reflects our customer confidence in the Bank. The restructuring of the Bank’s investment activities undertaken as part of the Bank’s strategy has resulted in increasing the non-trading investment portfolio to BD 434 million with increase of 33% compared to September 2009. On the other hand, Loans & advances stood at BD 1,239 million compared to BD 1,291 million in September 2009.

On the liquidity position of the Bank, Mr. A.Karim Bucheery, BBK’s Chief Executive, said “the Bank stands at a very comfortable liquidity position as evidenced by major liquidity parameters. For instance, liquid assets (Cash and balances with central banks, Treasury bills, trading investments, and placement with financial institutions) to total assets ratio improved from 13% to 29%, while loans to customer deposit ratio improved from 110% to 69%. We were able to significantly increase our customer deposits by more than 50% compared to last year, of which the appreciation goes to our valuable customers and supportive shareholders for their trust and faith in the Bank. With such abundant liquidity position, we are at very comfortable level to repay our senior bond maturing in March 2011 from the Bank’s internal funds, regardless of the issuance of our planned senior Euro Medium Term Bonds.”

BBK Supports Institue for the Blind

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 10:53:03 GMT

In line with their strategic initiatives for a brighter community, BBK- Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking- handed over a cheque of BD 15,000 as a gesture of their support towards the Saudi Bahrain Institute for the Blind. The cheque was handed over by Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, CE of BBK to the Institute’s Chairman Mr. Mohammed Hussain Al Joder in the presence of Mr. Abdulwahid Al Khayat, Institute Director, Mr. Reyadh Sater, BBK General Manager- Shared Services Group and Mr. Abdul Hussain Bustani, Assistant General Manager of Human Resources and Administration in the Bank.

The Institute has received regular support from the Bank through various regular donations over the past years. Those contributions have provided further backing to the Institute’s financial resources and enabled it to buy the latest Waves Pro-Braille Embosser in addition to modernizing the Institute’s fleet of buses by buying 3 new buses to provide transport facilities for the blind students and teaching staff. In addition, the Bank has contributed to the creation of a special unit for persons with poor vision through buying lenses and devices to help improve vision for such group of students.

The Institute’s Director expressed his thanks and appreciation to BBK for the huge support received by the Institute from the Bank during the last years. He also expressed his gratitude to the Bank’s executive management led by Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, CE of BBK who provides special care to the Institute in addition to his care and support for other handicapped centers and institutes in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Speaking about the Bank’s donation to the Institute, Mr. Al Khayat said: “The Institute’s administration will continue its upgrade of its own transport fleet considering that transport facilities are vital for the Institute’s students who are transported from the Institute to their homes in addition to carrying blind students to their classes in the Ministry’s schools where they attend refresher and training courses.

21 lucky winners of trips to Dubai announced!

Sun, 31 Oct 2010 08:23:45 GMT

BBK celebrated with the 21 winners of BBK’s amazing loans promotion. Customers who booked consumer, mortgage, or car loans during the promotion period between June 15th and September 15th were eligible to win one of the incredible travel packages for two people at the 5-star The Palace – The Old Town Hotel in Dubai for two nights.

The draw took place on the 29th of September in BBK’s Main Branch and was supervised by Mr. Yaser Buallay, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce representative, Mr. Mazin Dhaif, the Head of BBK’s Retail Banking Distribution Network alongside representatives from Internal Audit, Internal Control and Retail Marketing

The prize awarding ceremony took place on the 10th of October in BBK’s Main Branch. Prizes were presented to the winners by Mr. S Sadiq Al Alawi and Mr. Waheed Khalaf of Vehicle Loans Unit and Ms Manal Al Khan of Retail Marketing as well as representatives from the Real Estate Unit.

Winners were delighted at winning the travel packages to Dubai and were looking forward to their trip. They thanked the Bank for such a wonderful opportunity.

On this occasion, the Retail Banking Assistant General Manager for BBK Mr. Axel Hofmann said: “BBK constantly offers pioneering products and services, but also innovative opportunities to add real value to customers’ lives”.

BBK enhances its online services

Sun, 31 Oct 2010 12:05:33 GMT

BBK, Bahrain's pioneer in retail and commercial banking has launched its latest advertising campaign detailing the enhancement of its online offering. www.bbkonline.com has been thoughtfully redesigned to incorporate better functionality and more advanced features to deliver customers a faster, safer and more convenient service than ever before.

BBK has added a wide range of new features and benefits to improve customers’ overall online user experience. It has done so through enabling customers to list and segregate their accounts, display a real-time account summary, enjoy shortcut options for quick payments and activity history as well as viewing loan, fixed deposit and transaction activity details.

Additionally, customers can now create quick and auto payments for bills and transfers such as credit card payments, Batelco, Zain telecoms bills and electricity and water payments – all through a preset payment instruction and a schedule of recurring payments, without occurring additional charges. Beyond this, they can now top-up Al Hayrat accounts in multiples of BD 50.

CrediMax customers can also enjoy the new website features for their credit cards, such as performing real-time credit card payments, stopping personal and supplementary credit cards and managing supplementary card limits.

Mr. Axel Hofmann, Head of Retail Banking Divison, said: “At BBK, we always want to be at the financial forefront for all our customers’ needs. Enhancing our website is just one of our many steps to make customers’ lives easier. Collectively, these new features and benefits at bbkonline.com will allow our customers to perform many banking transactions in a faster, safer and more convenient way, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that bbkonline.com has been voted winner of the prestigious Bahrain eContent Award under the e-Business category for the third year in a row for its innovative and comprehensive website.

Al Hayrat October Winners

Sun, 31 Oct 2010 12:26:05 GMT

Name Amount 1 Hassan Atiya Al Haddar $5000 2 Maria Jassim Al Ahmed $5000 3 Madina Ahmed Khalifa $5000 4 Nawal Mohamed Alqasimi $5000 5 Ismail Ghuloom Karimi $5000 6 Ebrahim mohd AlGhanam AlSubaie $5000 7 Mohammed Ridha Abdulrahman $5000 8 Lateefa mohammed Ahmed $5000 9 Yousif Abdulhussain Mohammed $5000 10 Najeeba Sayed Shubbar $5000 11 Mohamed Mahmood Khalil $5000 12 Hussain Osama Mirza $5000 13 Khalifa Omar Khalfan $5000 14 Jawad Ghuloom Abbas $5000 15 Madina Abdulla Ghuloom $5000

BBK shows support towards the Public Commission for the Protection of Marine Recourses, Environment & Wildlife (Al-Areen Wildlife Park) - donates BD 3,000

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 05:02:14 GMT

In line with their strategic initiatives for a brighter community, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK handed over a cheque of BD 3,000 as a gesture of their support towards the Al-Areen Wildlife Park. The cheque was handed over by Mr. Reyadh Sater, Acting Chief Executive, General Manager- Shared Services Group of BBK to Mr Ismail Moh’d Al Madani in the presence of Mr. Abdul Hussain Bustani, Assistant General Manager- Human Resources & Administration, BBK and Abeer Swar, Corporate Communications Officer- BBK.

Al Areen Wildlife Park has received regular support from the Bank through various donations over the past years. Those contributions help the institution with the additional financial aid required to provide the necessary resources for helping protect the Kingdom’s precious wildlife and environment.

Capinnova to finance Mecca project

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 07:16:22 GMT

Capinnova Investment Bank, the Shari’a compliant investment banking arm of BBK offered a US $16,5 million bridge financing facility to support the financing of a religious hospitality project in Mecca. The project consists of a hotel located 1.3 km away from the Haram. The development is in the final stages of completion and will be the first of its kind providing Muslims worldwide (including non-GCC residents) an opportunity to have an interest in Mecca project. The creative structure enables foreign investors return from a hotel asset in the holy city of Mecca through investing in a Cayman Island (Special Purpose Vehicle).

Mr. Jamal Hijres, Chief Executive Officer of Capinnova Investment Bank said: “We are delighted to have participated in this prestigious project in the holy city of Mecca, which turned out to be a rather complex and novel structure. The project will be the first to a series of transactions primarily focusing on Mecca’s religious hospitality market. Furthermore, Capinnova has also been appointed as the exclusive marketing agent to place the Cayman Island SPV’s shares, which derives 35% returns from the hotel asset in Mecca. Capinnova is planning to utilize the broad network of its parent BBK to identify potential investors, offering them a highly-rewarding secured structured product that meets both the spiritual rewards as well as maximization of investors’ wealth”.

Think Pink it's Thursday

Sun, 07 Nov 2010 06:48:52 GMT

As part of the Banks commitment to the health care of the people in its community and in line with its Corporate Social Responsibility, BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, organized an awareness day which aimed to show support to what has been phenomenally described by the Pink month also known as Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Calendars were marked down to Thursday the 14th of October 2010 as the Banks employees demonstrated their support by splashing out all the beautiful shades of pink.

BBK has been a pioneer in showing its support to the community as it has assisted many profitable and non for profit societies such as Think Pink Bahrain last year as well as the Bahrain Cancer Society.

The Corporate Communications Department of the Bank organized a photo shoot session which took place towards the end of the day encompassing all the supporters.

BBK shows support towards Bahrain Al Shamil Rehabilitation Centre

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 04:55:47 GMT

In line with their strategic initiatives for a brighter community, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK handed over a cheque of BD 8,000 as a gesture of their support towards the Bahrain Al Shamil Rehabilitation Centre. The cheque was handed over by Mr. Reyadh Sater, Acting Chief Executive of BBK to Mrs. Bedoor Khalaf, Director of the Bahrain Al Shamil Rehabilitation Centre, in the presence of Ms. Fatima Al Ziymoor, Public Relations coordinator at the Centre, Mr. Abdul Hussain Bustani, Assistant General Manager of Human Resources and Administration Division, BBK and Ms. Abeer Swar, Corporate Communications Officer, BBK.

The Bahrain Al Shamil Rehabilitation Centre has received regular support from the Bank through various donations over the past years. Those contributions help the Centre with the additional financial aid required for the maintenance of the its building. The Centre enables children with disabilities such as speech and communication disorders, mental retardation, Down’s syndrome, hearing disorder, Autism and difficulties in learning to gain the basic living skills in order to be self dependant through various kinds of therapy, while training family members on the importance of their role and contribution in teaching and training those disabled children.

BBK awarded for distinguished Corporate Governance practices

Tue, 09 Nov 2010 05:17:55 GMT

Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, was honored for “Distinguished Corporate Governance” at the “Hawkamah-UAB 2010 Bank Corporate Governance Award” ceremony held in Muscat on 1st November, 2010. BBK’s commitment for Corporate Governance best practices have been recognized for the second consecutive year as it was the winner of last year’s 1st prize “2009 Bank Corporate Governance Award”. Mr. Reyadh Sater, General Manager Shared Services Group – BBK, attended the ceremony and accepted the award on behalf of the Bank.

In announcing the award, Professor Andrews, the chairman of the jury panel, lauded the commitment displayed by BBK in furthering the Corporate Governance practices, always ahead of the regulatory standards, as the Bank continues to be proactive in taking initiatives to enhance the Corporate Governance standards.

On this occasion, Mr. Murad Ali Murad, Chairman – BBK shared his perspective by saying, “Recognizing the Bank’s distinguished Corporate Governance practices for this year shows BBK continuous commitment to the core values of Corporate Governance. It is one of our priorities to abide by accountable and fair policies that govern the functionality of the Bank and we look forward to maintaining this excellence in the coming years.”

“BBK has always maintained high levels of compliance with regulatory authorities in Corporate Governance matters. Our principles are communicated to all levels throughout the Bank to assure transparency and excellent governance. We are very proud to receive such award” said Mr Abdulkarim Bucheery, Chief Executive – BBK.

Mr. Reyadh Sater, General Manager Shared Services Group – BBK, remarked, “It was an honor to receive the award on behalf of BBK. Our Bank has continuously pursued excellence in serving its stakeholders which explains our dedication and determination towards outstanding Corporate Governance”.

Hawkamah, The Institute for Corporate Governance and the Union of Arab Banks (UAB) has launched the award, “Hawkamah-UAB 2010 Bank Corporate Governance Award”, in 2007 as a regional initiative aiming at recognizing and honoring Arab banks that have gone the extra mile in improving their corporate governance practices. Some 35 Banks competed for the Award this year from countries including Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia and the UAE.

The judging panel for the Award included eminent international corporate governance experts - Alan McIntyre, Partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Professor Andrew D Chambers, author and worldwide authority on corporate governance; and Chris Pierce, CEO of Global Governance Services Ltd.. The Jury panel judged that the quality of the applications and the corporate governance efforts and improvements made by banks had significantly improved over the past year, increasing the difficulty of choosing the top banks.

Dr. Nasser Saidi, Executive Director, Hawkamah Institute for Corporate Governance remarked, "Hawkamah is pleased to congratulate and honor our winners for their excellence in corporate governance. Our banks are the basis of financial intermediation in the region and underlie the performance of our economies. . Their success is our success. “

BBK launches its seventh Financial Mall in Isa Town

Thu, 11 Nov 2010 05:05:38 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, officially hosted the opening of its new and comprehensive Financial Mall in Isa Town yesterday.

The opening ceremony commenced with BBK Chief Executive, Mr. A.Karim Bucheery, welcoming the guests, followed by the ceremonial ribbon cutting by BBK Chairman, Mr. Murad Ali Murad. The event was attended by the Central Governor of the Central Governorate, Mr. Mubarak Al Fadhel, along with members of the Bank’s Board of Directors and Executive Management, as well as other dignitaries.

BBK’s Chairman, Mr. Murad Ali Murad, commented on this special day saying, “This is a proud moment for us all, as the opening of our 7th Financial Mall located in Isa Town personifies our devotion towards the achievement of the goals set in for the 3 year strategy 2010 – 2012, and our continuous commitment to strive to offer our customers a Brighter Banking experience. The Isa Town Financial Mall offers an array of services to a wider segment of customers and provides them with the benefit of conducting their daily financial transactions in the comfort of a highly modernised and spacious surrounding.”

Mr. Bucheery, Chief Executive of the Bank stated, “Despite the hefty investment behind this revolutionary concept, we are pleased that through BBK’s Financial Malls and the constant expansion of the Bank’s activities, we continue to contribute to the Bahraini society through increased local employment and training leading to the provisions of better banking services for our customers.”

With this new Financial Mall which replaces the old branch also located in Isa Town, the Bank now has an expansive reach of seven Financial Malls across the Kingdom of Bahrain in addition to a wide network of branches and ATMs. Operating in major areas like Manama (Adliya and Exhibition Road), Budaiya, Al Hala, Muharraq, Riffa Town, the Financial Mall was launched by BBK as a revolutionary concept to serve its growing customer base enabling them to conduct financial and non financial transactions under one roof.

With car parking facility, the Isa Town Financial Mall offers a comprehensive range of corporate and retail financial products and services, as it also allows the customers to obtain insurance through Secura, send or receive money through Western Union, carry out credit card transactions through Credimax, and settle utility bills. Safe deposits boxes are also available, as well as Priority Banking services for its VIP customers. With a land area of 1000 sq. mt., the Isa Town Financial Mall which is headed by Mrs. Zainab Nasser, consists of 17 employees divided into 8 tellers, 6 customer service representatives, and 2 team leaders.

Upon completion of the ceremonial ribbon cutting, a tour of the Financial Mall was conducted followed by a special Q&A session where both Mr. Murad Ali Murad and Mr. A.Karim Bucheery addressed members of the media and attended to their queries.

BBK rewards diligence at work

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 10:00:07 GMT

Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK announced the winner of the Employee of the Month for the month of October 2010 at their headquarters in Manama.

2 year old boy wins with Al Hayrat on his birthday

Sun, 21 Nov 2010 05:39:11 GMT

BBK , Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, celebrated with the winners of the monthly Al Hayrat draw of $75,000 for the month of October.

The bank has announced the names of the 15 lucky winners of Al Hayrat monthly prizes of $5,000 each as follows:

Hassam Atiya Al Haddar
Maria Jassim Al Ahmed
Madina Ahmed Khalifa
Nawal Mohamed Alqasimi
Ismail Ghuloom Karimi
Ebrahim mohd Al Ghanam AlSubaie
Mohammed Ridha Abdulrahman
Lateefa mohammed Ahmed
Yousif Abdulhussain Mohammed
Najeeba Sayed Shubbar Ali
Mohamed Mahmood Khalil
Hussain Osama Mirza
Khalifa Omar Shaheen
Jawad Ghuloom Abbas
Madina Abdulla Ghuloom

They were the fifteen lucky winners, each of whom has received a check for $5,000. The cheques were handed over to the winners by Axel Hofmann, Head of Retail Banking.

The youngest winner in the October draw was Khalifa Omar Shaheen, who received a special birthday gift of $5,000 from Al Hayrat on his second birthday which coincided with Al Hayrat draw! Khalifa’s parents were excited to bring Khalifa to personally pick up his prize and commemorate the happy occasion.

The Al Hayrat draw took place on October 31st in the main branch lobby under the supervision of Ms. May Al Qaseer the ministry of commerce and industry representative, in addition to BBK’s Internal Audit, Internal control and Retail Marketing and Retail Banking representatives.
It’s worth mentioning that the lucky winner of Al Hayrat Grand cash prize of $500,000 will be revealed in January 2011. Anyone can apply for Al Hayrat and qualify to win the Grand prize if they invest in Al Hayrat before December 15th 2010.

Iqra (2) New Offering by Shaikh Ebrahim Center at Malkeya

Sun, 21 Nov 2010 06:02:57 GMT

With a generous contribution from the BBK- Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking- the Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Center for Culture & Research has started finalizing plans for opening Iqra (2), a second branch of the library that the Center has established in Muharraq. Iqra (2) will be set up in the house that used to be occupied by Malkeya Village mayor and it is planned to open next March coinciding with the launch of the Spring of Culture 2011.

The significance of the project lies in providing educational material for the local area’s children and to preserve the typical Bahraini architecture of the house. The upper floor of the building will be maintained as part of the building’s heritage while the ground floor will be a library to serve children in the 6-12 years group.

This initiative is part of the steps taken by the Centre to forge partnerships between the non-profit making local organizations and the private sector backed by BBK which believes in its corporate responsibility towards the Bahraini community. For this purpose, the Centre’s Board of Trustees headed by HE Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa played welcomed Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, BBK Chief Executive who kindly presented the Bank’s contribution in the presence of Mr. Reyadh Sater, BBK General Manager- Shared Services Group, Mr. Abdul Hussain Bustani, Assistant General Manager- Human Resources and Administration Division and Ms. Abeer Swar, Corporate Communications Officer -BBK in addition to Mrs. Aesha Matar, Board Member at the Center, Shaikha Noor Al Khalifa and Mrs. Ezmeralda Qabani.

This new Iqra (2) Library project, which is the second branch of the Library in Malkeya, comes after the success of the Library in Muharraq, which has enhanced the participation of children and integrating them in the cultural field through the Library’s continuous activities.

Al Hayrat November Winners

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 05:16:50 GMT

Name Amount 1 Ebrahim Hasan Ebrahim $5000 2 Mohammed Fahad Al Muhaisin $5000 3 Farah Fadhel AlMolani $5000 4 Yasmeen Abduljalil Al Aali $5000 5 Isa Husain Ghulam $5000 6 Mustafa Moosa Mustafa $5000 7 Ali A.Hussain Hassan $5000 8 Fadwa Ghuloom Zainal $5000 9 S.Mahmood Mohammed AlTublani $5000 10 Amaal Ahmed Budhaish $5000 11 Hussain Mohd Khadem $5000 12 Mohd Najeeb Abdulwahab $5000 13 Christopher Wilmot $5000 14 Reddy Ramakrishna Rao $5000 15 Najah Abbas Ali Hassan $5000

15 winners of Al Hayrat November draw are announced

Thu, 09 Dec 2010 08:40:49 GMT

BBK , Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, celebrated with the winners of the monthly Al Hayrat draw of $75,000 for the month of November.

The bank has announced the names of the 15 lucky winners of Al Hayrat monthly prizes of $5,000 each as follows:

Ebrahim Hasan Ebrahim
Mohammed Fahad Al Muhaisin
Farah Fadhel AlMolani
Yasmeen Abduljalil Al Aali
Isa Husain Ghulam, Mustafa Moosa Mustafa
Ali A.Hussain Hassa
Fadwa Ghuloom Zainal
S.Mahmood Mohammed AlTublani
Amaal Ahmed Budhaish
Hussain Mohd Khadem
Mohd Najeeb Abdulwahab
Christopher Wilmot
Reddy Ramakrishna Rao
Najah Abbas Ali Hassan

The fifteen lucky winners, each of whom has received a check for $5,000. The cheques were handed over to the winners by Axel Hofmann, Head of Retail Banking.

The winners have expressed their excitement and surprise at the news of their win, Ms.Najah Abbas expressed her thanks and appreciation for receiving the good news, and vowed to reinvest the winnings in her daughter’s name. Other winners also shared their plans to reinvest the money in time to qualify for the upcoming Al Hayrat Grand Prize draw of $500,000.

The Al Hayrat draw took place on November 28th in the main branch lobby under the supervision of Ms. May Al Qaseer the ministry of commerce and industry representative, in addition to BBK’s Internal Audit, Internal control and Retail Marketing and Retail Banking representatives.

It’s worth mentioning that the lucky winner of Al Hayrat Grand cash prize of $500,000 will be revealed in January 2011. Anyone can apply for Al Hayrat and qualify to win the Grand prize if they invest in Al Hayrat before December 15th 2010.

BBK rewards diligence at work

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 10:40:26 GMT

BBK has been the pioneer in Commercial Banking for over 35 years in the Kingdom of Bahrain. As a revolutionary market leader, BBK has built a name and reputation which is respected locally as well as internationally. To maintain this reputation, BBK has been at the forefront, incorporating the latest technologies to provide the finest services. One example of which is the e-banking solutions offered by BBK, which provide new generation services through its user friendly award winning website www.bbkonline.com, along with the telebanking, cash depository machines and automated teller machines services. BBK is proud to be awarded the “Distinguished Corporate Governance” at the “Hawkamah-UAB 2010 Bank Corporate Governance Award”. This award has become a prestigious, competitive and highly coveted bank award that highlights the industry’s strong commitment to good corporate

Committed to its stakeholders, BBK gives utmost priority to its Business Continuity Management

Sun, 09 Jan 2011 08:22:54 GMT

In line with CBB’s mandatory Business Continuity requirements and following the highest international standards, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK, has been actively pursuing its Business Continuity Management programme. BBK, one of the first bank’s in the Kingdom of Bahrain to have built its own dedicated and state-of-art Business Continuity Center so as to be able to provide its customers and stakeholders with a continuity of critical banking services, and at the same time secure its vital assets in case of any unforeseen incident.

To ensure that the Business Continuity Management programme and the Center are fully equipped and functional, BBK conducted a Crisis Management Simulation Exercise on the 11th of December, 2010. The purpose of this exercise was to simulate a real life scenario, and then subsequently put the bank-wide Business Continuity Plan in practice to ensure that critical banking services could be recovered and made available to its customers. This exercise was managed and coordinated by the Bank’s dedicated Business Continuity Team.

During the exercise, the complete BBK Executive Management Team including the CE Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, General Manager of Shared Services Mr. Reyadh Sater, and General Manager of Banking Group Sh. Rashed Al Khalifa, participated and put into practice the Crisis Management Plan. They were given multiple strategic challenges to manage during the simulation exercise. While the Executive Management was managing the crisis strategically, the Business Continuity Teams from the Business and Support units were managing the crisis at a tactical and operational level by exercising their respective Business Continuity Plans. Approximately 120 employees from all areas of the Bank participated in this exercise during which all critical components of the Business Continuity Plan were put into practice successfully. From the time of the sudden initiation of the crisis situation, to the actual recovery and availability of critical banking services to its customers – the complete plan was executed smoothly.

A simulation Media Conference was conducted to exercise the handling of real-life media questions during a crisis. Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, Mr. Reyadh Sater, Sh. Rashed Al Khalifa, along with the Head of Corporate Communications and the Head of Business Continuity Planning Unit constituted the BBK Media Conference panel with the rest of the attendees acting as media representatives.

At the closing of the exercise, Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery expressed his satisfaction and commented “The success of the Business Continuity simulation exercise is a major milestone for BBK. It demonstrates the Bank's commitment towards its customers, its aim to always strive for excellence and dedication towards its stakeholders and at the same time ensuring its compliance with all requirements of the local regulatory bodies. We are always proud to be at the forefront of banking services in Bahrain with the most advanced technology and to also remain the market leaders in terms of compliance and innovation.”

Banking software system upgrade on 13/01/2011

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 11:24:49 GMT

Dear Customer,

Please note that we will be upgrading our banking software system on Thursday 13/01/2011 from 3.00 AM to 4.00 AM. As such, during that period the following services will not be available :

BBK ATM Network
BBK Debit Cards
Internet Retail Banking services
Internet Corporate Banking service
SMS Services
Telebanking

We apologize for any inconvenience caused.

BBK Customer Service.

Zain Payment system upgrade

Wed, 19 Jan 2011 11:48:03 GMT

Dear Customer,

Please note that Zain Telecommunication Company will be upgrading their banking software system on Friday 21/01/2011 from 12:00am to 12:00pm. As such, during that time Zain bill payments and inquiries will not be available.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused and thank you for understanding

BBK announces winner of $500,000 in Al Hayrat’s 10th Anniversary!

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 11:41:19 GMT

Al Hayrat, BBK’s unique savings account that presents exciting opportunities for its customers to win prizes while they save, has made the announcement everyone has been waiting for, the winner of the Grand Prize draw. The draw, in Al Hayrat’s 10 year Anniversary, offered Bahrain’s biggest single lump sum cash prize of $500,000 and was carried out on the 19th January 2011 under the supervision of Mr. Yasser Buallay Ministry of Commerce Representative and bank officials.

Dr. Munther Suwaileh, a father of 3 and x-ray doctor at the Bahrain Defense Force Hospital was announced as the lucky grand prize winner. He received the star treatment, commencing with being collected in a stretch limousine and was presented with his cheque for $500,000 by Mr. A. Karim Bucheery, CE of BBK in the Main Branch on the 24th January 2011 during a special handover ceremony. The reception was attended by GM Sh. Rashed Al Khalifa and Mr. Reyadh Sater, alongside senior management from the Bank.

the grand prize draw represented the culmination of a year’s worth of prizes totalling $1,500,000. All investments made by 16th December 2010 were eligible for the draw. The greater the amount invested, the greater the chance of winning.

At the ceremony, Dr. Suwaileh expressed his excitement at the win and stated that he hasn’t made any plans on how to spend the winnings yet, but is very thankful to BBK for this amazing, life-changing win.

Mr. A. Karim Bucheery, CE of BBK said ‘I would like to take this opportunity to wish Dr. Suwaileh and his family my warmest congratulations on his amazing win. We are proud to offer Al Hayrat which has been and still is a really exciting prize winning journey for our customers for the past 10 years”’

Another remarkable year for BBK reporting (BD 39.15 million) USD 103.84 million in net profits (11.80% growth over last year)

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 05:23:23 GMT

Please view the Financial report by clicking here

BBK announced that the Bank’s Board of Directors in their meeting on Sunday 30th January 2011 approved the Bank’s financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2010. Mr. Murad Ali Murad, the Chairman of the Board of Directors said “I am very pleased to report that BBK achieved a record net profit of BD 39.15 million in 2010 with return on equity of 16.90 per cent compared to 16.38 per cent in 2009. Total assets at the end of the year grew by 7.38% to reach BD 2,447 million compared to BD 2,279 million in 2009. The Board has recommended a cash dividend of 25 fils per share”.

The growth in net profit was attributed to the increase in fees and commission income by 14.6 per cent to reach BD 25.27 million. Investment income also has grown from BD 9.2 million in December 2009, to BD 27.85 million, which included non-recurring gain on sale of non-trading investment in Kuwait during the first quarter of 2010. Net interest income on the other hand, stood at BD 55.96 million, which included gain on partial redemption of medium term loan of BD 2.22 million (2009: BD 7.69 million).

Though BBK has invested in number of initiatives during the year, including but not limited to opening two financial malls, one on the Exhibition Road and another in Isa Town, the launch of Cash Management Platform, beside investment in training and employees development, BBK costs were well controlled with growth of only 6.3 per cent compared to last year, improving the cost-to-income ratio from 46.4 per cent as of December 2009 to 41.8 per cent. Additionally, as a precautionary measure to strengthening BBK’s position against future unexpected market downturns, general portfolio provision reserves have been increased significantly during the year, in line with the bank’s strategic plan.

“During 2010 we began implementing the various initiatives as been outlined in our Corporate Strategic Plan for 2010-2012. We have been able to get off to a strong start and the fact that BBK achieved a new record net profit gives us considerable satisfaction” Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, Chief Executive of BBK, said.

He added that “We have re-focused our efforts squarely on local and regional business. A number of initiatives which started in 2009 were completed during 2010 and the benefits of these are now being realized. There has been strong growth in our customer deposit base, particularly on the retail and local corporate sides of the business. On the corporate side we have been able to increase market share, helped by the launch of our new cash management platform”

The net profit for the fourth quarter of 2010 stood at BD 7.9 million compared to BD 10.0 million for the same period last year. While other income increased to BD 7.90 million, compared to the same period of last year of BD 6.70 million, net interest income stood at BD 13.1 million compared to BD 15.9 million which included a gain of BD 1.8 million from the buy back of the sub-debt in last quarter of last year (Q4-2010: nil).

BBK balance sheet grew by BD 168 million to reach BD 2,447 million as of end of December 2010. Customer deposits grew from BD 1,517 million to BD 1,594 million, reflecting customers’ confidence in the bank. This helped improving the liquidity of the bank as can be witnessed from the improved loan to deposit ratio of 71.0 per cent (2009: 72.0 per cent), and liquid assets (including cash, balances with central banks, treasury bills, and deposits with banks and financial institutions) to total assets of 27.0 per cent (2009: 25.7 per cent). Non-trading investments has grown by 19.1 per cent to reach BD 425.4 million, in line with bank’s strategic plan, making a solid contribution to the bank income in 2010. Loans portfolio marginally grew from BD 1,269 million to BD 1,276 million with a more focus on quality lending opportunities available in the market. Capital Adequacy also stood comfortably well above the regulatory requirement at 18.57%, compared to 17.51% as of end of 2009.

BBK enjoys a stable rating outlook from two globally recognized rating agencies. Fitch Ratings has assessed the Long Term IDR at A-, with stable outlook, and the Short Term IDR at F2. Moody’s has rated the Bank Deposit Obligation (FC & LC) at A3/P-2, with a Bank Financial Strength of C-, a Long Term Senior rating of A3, and subordinated debt of Baa1.
On the way looking forward for 2011, Mr. Murad said “As 2010 proved, BBK is following the right path for success amid all the difficulties and challenges in the market. With the success achieved in 2010, we will be looking for even more ambitious targets in 2011, and I am sure that the well balanced strategy developed by BBK, will help us achieve that objective”. He finally thanked the outgoing Directors Mr. Jamal Al Hazeem and Mr. Khalid Janahi for their valued contributions during their tenures. He also thanked current Board of Directors for providing the vision and guidance to ensure continued success of BBK in the highly competitive industry, and BBK management and employees for their contribution to the remarkable success.

From his side, Mr Bucheery expressed his deep appreciations and sincere thanks to the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain, particularly its Central Bank and BBK Board of Directors for their continued support and guidance. He also thanked the entire staff members of the Bank for their dedication and hard work amidst such challenging environment that has resulted in achieving such impressive results.

Al Hayrat Treasure Islands with BBK

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 05:35:09 GMT

BBK Bahrain's pioneer in retail and commercial banking has announced the launch of Al Hayrat 2011 campaign under the theme of "Al Hayrat Treasure Islands" on its 10 year anniversary.

This year BBK invites its customers to join the winning quest of with Al Hayrat Treasure Islands whereby 143 lucky individuals will walk away this year with cash prizes ranging from $5,000 to $500,000 for a total prizes value of $1,500,000.

Each month starting February 2011, 15 cash prizes of $5,000 will be awarded to the winners while one lucky winner each quarter will receive one prize of $75,000. During the holy month of Ramadan in August 2011, BBK will hold weekly draws instead of the usual monthly draws culminating in an Eid draw with prizes totaling US$125,000. The Al Hayrat campaign will draw to a close on a high note with the 2011 grand draw, where Bahrain’s biggest lump sum cash prize will be handed over. One very lucky winner will walk away with $500,000 as the titled winner for this year. To add more excitement to this year’s Al Hayrat, BBK will also hold a special loyalty draw. Those who maintain their deposits for a year or more from 28th February 2011 until 28th February 2012 will be eligible to win a prize of $50,000 that will be awarded at a special draw in February 2012 as a loyalty bonus.

BBK and non-BBK customers can open Al Hayrat saving account, starting from BD50; and they can withdraw their cash anytime at their convenience.

Customers can take loans against the value of saving above BD1,000 and still be eligible for draws.

Axel Hofmann, Head of the Retail Banking Division at BBK said: “We at BBK always endeavor to provide our customers with the best products and services As we are launching Al Hayrat 2011 campaign on the 10th anniversary, I would like to thank our customers who have been investing in Al Hayrat since its inception in 2001”.

To be eligible to win any of the great prizes, customers need to invest their money in Al Hayrat account to any of the BBK branches for at least one month.

BBK rewards diligence at work

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 06:15:10 GMT

Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK announced the winners of the Employee of the Month for the months of December 2010 & January 2011 at their headquarters in Manama.

Each month, BBK honours one team member for his performance, positive attitude and pro-activeness under the Employee of the Month scheme. Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, Chief Executive of BBK handed over the certificates and the cash prizes to the employees of the month, Mr. Rashid Al Ahmed from the Treasury and Investment Division for the month of December 2010 and Mr. Fawzi Salman from the General Services Department for the month of January 2011 at a special ceremony in appreciation for their achievements.

BBK rewards diligence at work for the year 2010

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 05:53:12 GMT

Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking- has announced the 2010 winners of the STAR Service Excellence Award, within the category of the Best employee in each frontline role within its Retail Banking Division for 2010.

All Retail Banking employees who had direct contact with customers throughout 2010, had the chance to vie for this honor, where the key criteria are Excellence in customer service, outstanding business results, reinforcing BBK brand values and superior service quality.

Mr. AbdulKarim Bucheery, Chief Executive of BBK handed over trophies and a cash prize to the winners in appreciation of their exceptional efforts at a special ceremony that took place on Sunday, 21st of February at BBK Headquarter in Manama. Khalid A.Rahim from Muharraq Financial Mall won the “Best Teller 2010”, Maryam A.Rasool Haji from the Main Branch- “Best Sales Consultant 2010”, Hussain Al Asfoor from Hamad Town Branch- “Best Customer Service Representative 2010”, Jassim Al Shirawi from the Main Branch- “Best Team Leader for the Sales/ Customer Service 2010” and finally Mariam Shams from the Remittance Department won the “Best Team Leader for the Cash Operations 2010”.

In addition to the yearly awards, fifty six employees were recognized and rewarded throughout the year from different branches for their excellence in customer service based on fulfilling the wining criteria of customer commitment, zest for building relationships, motivation to further develop the business and positive impact and influence on staff and co-workers.

Mr. Axel Hofmann, Head of BBK’s Retail Banking Division said, “We are proud to be honoring employees who have exerted tremendous efforts to achieve such outstanding results. We believe in rewarding and motivating our employees to continue in the same path of hard work and dedication and encourage others to follow the same route, all with the ultimate objective of delivering a constantly enhanced service to our customers”.

BBK Sponsors Shaikh Faisal bin Hamad Al Khalifa Memorial Trophy

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 11:33:16 GMT

BBK is proud to sponsor the fifth Annual Shaikh Faisal bin Hamad Al Khalifa Memorial Trophy. This charitable tournament will take place on the 25th and 26th of March at His Majesty’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa private golf course at Safriya Palace. The event is organized by the Bahrain Mobility International.

The aim of collecting funds will assist the Bahrain Mobility International in its continuous support in providing facilities to benefit its members, and maintain their amenities and services allowing the disabled community to reach out to a brighter world.

BBK has been a pioneer in showing its support to the community as it has assisted many profitable and non for profit societies such as Think Pink Bahrain as well as the Bahrain Cancer Society.

BBK supports the “Bahrain Association of Banks” - donates BD 10,000

Sun, 20 Mar 2011 07:18:03 GMT

In line with their strategic initiatives for a brighter community and its support towards the banking industry in the Kingdom, BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, handed over a cheque of BD 10,000 as a gesture of their support towards the Bahrain Association of Banks. The cheque was handed over by Mr. Reyadh Sater, General Manager- Shared Services Group of BBK to Mr. Robert Ainey, Chief Executive of the Association in the presence of Mr. Abdul Hussain Bustani, Assistant General Manager- Human Resources and Administration- BBK, Ms. Heyam Naif, Public Relations & Events Manager- BAB, Ms. Mayan Ghaith, Public Relations & Events Coordinator- BAB and Ms. Abeer Swar, Corporate Communications Officer - BBK.

The Association has received regular support from the Bank through its ongoing membership and sponsorship of prestigious international events over the past years such as the Bahrain Reception at the IMF. Those contributions help the Association with the additional financial aid required to promote the cause of the financial sector of Bahrain both regionally and internationally.

The Bahrain Association of Banks (BAB) was established in 1979 by Ministerial Decree as the professional association of banks in the Kingdom of Bahrain and re-registered under the CBB as a licensee in 2010.

BAB represents and advocates the interests of all the various licensed financial institutions in Bahrain and works closely with the Central Bank of Bahrain and other government authorities at the highest levels on issues of banking policy and regulation, as well as actively promotes Bahrain as an international financial centre.
As one of the major financial institutions in Bahrain, BBK has supported the banking industry since its establishment in 1971 and continues to play a crucial role in providing the latest products and services in the banking world through a state of the art technology and advanced e-banking solutions. It has also offered the required recruitment opportunities in the sector, training and providing banking skills for Bahrainis, ensuring highly qualified and competent employees, taking leading banking positions locally and regionally. These initiatives are aimed at achieving the sole goal and vision of a brighter future and community in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Al Hayrat announces the winner of the loyalty prize of $50,000 in its February draw

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 05:17:54 GMT

BBK , Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, has recently announced the name of the special loyalty prize winner of $50,000. Ms. Fatima S.Mohd Jawad Hussain.

Ms. Fatima was speechless with shock at the news of her win, she later call the bank to verify that she has indeed won $50,000!
Ms. Fatima’s brother, S.Yousif S.Mohd Jawad Hussain, came in to receive the prize on his sister’s behalf. He conveyed his family’s thanks and appreciation to BBK for recognizing their loyal Al Hayrat customers who have maintained their investments for a year or longer with Al Hayrat.
The bank has also announced the names of the 15 lucky winners of Al Hayrat monthly prizes of $5,000 each as follows:

Abdulaziz Ahmed Mubarak Al Thawadhi, Eman Mohamed Abdulla Abdulnabi, Muneer Ali hussain Al Asfoor, Fawziya Abdulla Isa Busuhail, Zahra Salman Ebrahim Hilal, S.Ali Redha Mohsin Hussain Salman, Batool S.Ebrahim S.Hashem, Nada Ghaith, S.Adnan Mahmood Mohsin Al-Alawi, Ebtisam Isa Ali Abdulla, Eman Adel Rahimi, Yamamah Majeed Humaid, Faisal Jaafar Hasan Al Mahroos, Sahar Ahmed Saad and Javed Akhtar Malik were the fifteen lucky winners, each of whom has received a check for $5,000. The cheques were handed over to the winners by Mr. Axel Hofmann, Head of Retail Banking.

Mr. Javed Akhtar Malik was one of the lucky 15 winners, expressed his excitement for finally winning with Al Hayrat after many years of investing in the program because he “believed” in it.

Ms. Fawziya Abdulla was also one of the February draw winners, said that she had a strong feeling that she would win this month and that she “just knew it!”

The Al Hayrat draw took place on March 2nd, in the main branch lobby under the supervision of Mr. Yasser Buallay the Ministry of Commerce and Industry representative, in addition to BBK’s Internal Audit, Internal control and Retail Marketing and Retail Banking representatives.

It’s worth mentioning that this draw represents the first draw of Al Hayrat 2011 exciting prizes. The upcoming draw will include the quarterly prize draw for $75,000, in addition to the regular 15 monthly prizes of $5000 each.

Al Hayrat March winners

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:32:25 GMT

	Name	Amount
1	Leema Saeed Dhaif	$75,000
2	Maryam Rashed Hasan	$5000
3	Ebrahim Mohammed Khalil	$5000
4	Nabeel Ahmed Al Mahmeed	$5000
5	Ali A.Nabi Abdulla Qassim	$5000
6	Mohammed Hanif Akuly	$5000
7	Ayman Mohammed Ridha	$5000
8	Khadija Ali Hassan Ahmed	$5000
9	Abdulrahman Yaqoob Yousif	$5000
10	Manaf Ahmed Al Mannai	$5000
11	Jaffar A.Aziz AlOmran & or Ali	$5000
12	Qahtan Abdulla Al Qahtani	$5000
13	Govindaraju Periasamy	$5000
14	Jamal Yousif Mohammed	$5000
15	Fatema Othman Abdulla	$5000
16	Hessa Abdulrahman Jasim	$5000

Batelco System Upgrade

Sun, 03 Apr 2011 10:36:40 GMT

Dear Customer,

Please note that Batelco Telecommunication Company will undergo a software system upgrade on Sunday 03-04-2011 from 11.00 PM to Monday 04-04-2011 06.30 AM. As a result, during that period Batelco bill payments and inquiries will not be available.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused.

BBK Customer Service.

BBK shows support towards the Agricultural Centre for Occupational Training- donates BD 30,000

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 05:59:43 GMT

In line with their strategic initiatives for a brighter community, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK handed over a cheque of BD 30,000 as a gesture of their support towards the Agricultural Centre for Occupational Training. The cheque was handed over by Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, CE of BBK to Ms. Fadheela Al Mahroos, the President of the Centre, in the presence of Mr. Mahmood Al Thaen, Treasurer- Bahrain Association for Mental Retardation, and from BBK Mr. Reyadh Sater- General Manager- Shared Services Group, Mr. Abdul Hussain Bustani- Assistant General Manger- Human Resources and Administration and Ms. Abeer Swar- Corporate Communication Officer.

The Bank’s valuable contributions have been vital to the continuous operation of the Agricultural Centre and boosted the Centre’s financial resources enabling it to carry out its plans for training a group of special needs youth under the supervision of a team of qualified trainers. The Bank’s support has made it possible for the Centre to buy the much needed agricultural equipment, machinery, seeds, organic and chemical fertilizer and maintenance of greenhouses and irrigation networks.

The Agricultural Centre for Occupational Training, which is sponsored by BBK since 2008, is one of the major projects of the Bahrain Association for Mental Retardation (BAMR). The latter in co-ordination with the National Organisation for Handicapped Services manages and operates the Agricultural Centre, which is situated in Hawrat Aali, a one-hectare plot of land owned by the Directorate of Agriculture, Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture.

The Agricultural Centre for Occupational Training vision is to provide agricultural care for youngsters with mental disabilities in a safe and secure environment. The facility aims at providing training and employment opportunities for young people who are mentally handicapped that will help them in their careers, enable them to earn a living for themselves and thus become productive members of the community, ensuring their integration in the society.

BBK rewards diligence at work

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 09:30:03 GMT

Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK announced the winner of the Employee of the Month for the month of February 2011 at their headquarters in Manama.

Each month, BBK honours one team member for his performance, positive attitude and pro-activeness under the Employee of the Month scheme. Sh. Rashed Salman Al Khalifa, General Manager- Business Group of BBK handed over the certificate and the cash prize to the employee of the month, Mrs. Jehan Majeed Bahman from the Retail Banking Division at a special ceremony in appreciation for her achievements.

Make a difference … Add a smile- BBK Marks Orphans Day

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 06:02:46 GMT

On the occasion of the Orphans Day, which falls on the first Friday of April in each year, and in line with its strategic initiatives for a brighter community and to encourage the spirit of charitable and voluntary activities amongst its staff members, BBK- Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking – organized a visit to the Batelco Child Care Home on Monday 4th April, 2011.

Rafa Kaddoura and Abeer Swar, BBK- Corporate Communications Department and Abdulrahman Hussain and Yousif Al Sindi, BBK- Staff Social Committee presented gifts to the orphans at the Batelco Child Care Home, on behalf of the Bank’s employees. Those gifts were funded by donations from staff members during the Bank’s annual party.

The gifts reflect the employees’ belief in the importance of the role they play, each one individually and as a group in the Bahraini community. BBK is proud of its employees who have always proved that social responsibility is not to be shouldered by the Bank alone but that they do have a commitment and a role to play in the field of voluntary activities. The Batelco Child Care Home initiative is not the first one but the employees have been carrying out numerous initiatives such as visiting the Pediatrics Department at Sulmaniya Medical Complex and volunteering for several years to train local school students as part of the Injaz Bahrain training programme.

The Batelco Child Care Home (formerly Child Care Home) has over the years received regular donations and contributions from the Bank which enabled it to boost its financial resources, helping it to provide comprehensive social, educational, health and other kinds of care to orphans.

Al Hayrat announces the winner of the Quarterly prize of $75,000 in its March draw

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 05:09:09 GMT

BBK , Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, has recently announced the name of the Quarterly prize winner Ms. Leema Saeed Dhaif.
The bank has also announced the names of the 15 lucky winners of Al Hayrat monthly prizes of $5,000 each as follows:
Maryam Rashed Hasan, Ebrahim Mohammed Khalil, Nabeel Ahmed Al Mahmeed, Ali A.Nabi Abdulla Qassim, Mohammed Hanif Akuly, Ayman Mohammed Ridha, Khadija Ali Hassan Ahmed, Abdulrahman Yaqoob Yousif, Manaf Ahmed Al Mannai, Jaffar A.Aziz AlOmran, Qahtan Abdulla Al Qahtani, Govindaraju Periasamy, Jamal Yousif Mohammed, Fatema Othman Abdulla and Hessa Abdulrahman Jasim were the fifteen lucky winners, each of whom has received a check for $5,000. The cheques were handed over to the winners by Axel Hofmann, Head of Retail Banking.

Mr. Jamal Yousif Mohammed was especially delighted at the news of his win, as he has been recently thinking of withdrawing his Al Hayrat deposit, however, a BBK customer services representative suggested that he keeps his funds until after the March draw in case he wins. He was therefore quite surprised and pleased that he had won indeed and took this opportunity to extend his thanks and appreciation to all BBK branch staff for their continuous support and financial advice.

The winners have also expressed their thanks to BBK for providing them with excellent and highly beneficial products and services, namely, Al Hayrat, Which allows them to continue saving while getting the chance to win wonderful prizes at the same time.
The Al Hayrat draw took place on March 30th, in the main branch lobby under the supervision of Mr. Yasser Buallay the ministry of commerce and industry representative, in addition to BBK’s Internal Audit, Internal control and Retail Marketing and Retail Banking representatives.
BBK and non-BBK customers can open Al Hayrat saving account, starting from BD50; and they can withdraw their cash anytime at their convenience.

To be eligible to win any of the great prizes, customers need to invest their money in Al Hayrat account to any of the BBK branches for at least one month.

Everybody can now also give their loved ones the gift of winning with Al Hayrat gift certificate. Whether its for a Birthday, a graduation, a wedding or the birth of a baby. Al Hayrat Gift Certificate is the perfect solution for any occasion.

BBK shows support towards Bahrain society for SCD Patients care- donates BD 5,000

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 06:39:53 GMT

In line with their strategic initiatives for a brighter community, BBK- Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking- handed over a cheque of BD 5,000 as a gesture of their support towards Bahrain society for Sickle Cell Disease Patients cares. The cheque was handed over by Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, Chief Executive of BBK to Mr. Zakariya Ebrahim AlKadhem, Chairman- Bahrain society for SCD Patients cares, in the presence of Isa Khalil Ebrahim, Vice President- Bahrain society for SCD Patients cares, Mr. Reyadh Sater- General Manager- Shared Services Group- BBK, Mr. Abdul Hussain Bustani- Assistant General Manger- Human Resources and Administration- BBK and Ms. Abeer Swar- Corporate Communication Officer- BBK.

The Bank’s valuable support has contributed to the continuous activities of the Bahrain Society for SCD Patients Care. Such care requires significant financial support to educate Bahraini families and patients about this disease.

The Bahrain Society for SCD Patients Care is a local association concerned with care for sickle cell patients and seeks to combat the spread of genetic diseases in the Bahraini community according to the applicable laws in the Kingdom.

The Society seeks to further enhance family awareness, urging local families to support patients socially and psychologically. Other objectives include laying down the basic rules of dealings between patients, medical teams and nursing staff. Meanwhile, the Society strives to support the needy patients financially according to its internal regulations. Communication is maintained between the Society and Ministry of Health to discuss patients’ affairs and to keep abreast of developments in this area with the ultimate objective of helping patients.

The Society seeks to realize its objectives through holding seminars, forums, events and workshops, distributing leaflets and participating in publications to enhance awareness. Medical advice is also provided by the Society during visits to patients at hospital to monitor their conditions.

The Society’s Board of Directors expressed their thanks and appreciation to BBK for this donation that has a significant impact upon supporting the Society’s activities and development of the Bahrain community in general.

Batelco System Maintenance

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 11:13:20 GMT

Dear Customer,

Please note that Batelco will be performing system maintenance on Wednesday 13th of April starting from 12:00 AM until 07:00 AM.

As a result, during that period the following services may not be available on all BBK eChannels:

• Batelco Bill Payment & Topup
• Batelco Bill Inquiry

We apologies for any inconvenience caused

BBK rewards diligence at work

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 05:27:49 GMT

BBK- Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking- announced the winner of the Employee of the Month for the month of March 2011 at its headquarters in Manama.

BBK supports Bahrain Deaf Sport Club- donates BD 1,000

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 05:26:27 GMT

In line with their strategic initiatives for a brighter community, BBK- Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking- handed over a cheque of BD 1,000 as a gesture of their support towards Bahrain Deaf Sport Club. The cheque was handed over by Mrs. Rafa Kaddoura, Head of Corporate Communications of BBK to Mr. Basem Mirza Al Moathen, President- Bahrain Deaf Sport Club, in the presence of Mr. Adel Saeed Mahroon, Secretary- Bahrain Deaf Sport Club, Mr. Ali Mansoor Al Dakheel- Treasurer- Bahrain Deaf Sport Club and Ms. Abeer Swar- Corporate Communication Officer- BBK.

BBK supports the hearing impaired individuals through sponsoring various activities and programmes for the Deaf Club in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The Bank’s contribution has been very effective in providing financial resources for the Bahrain Deaf Club making it possible to furnish the Clubhouse and to provide the basic equipment and facilities for its administrative and technical activities. The Clubhouse is the main facility visited by all the Deaf Club members in the Kingdom of Bahrain where they are effectively integrated in the community through sports activities and participation in local and international events.

Further, the Club regularly holds training and cultural courses and organizes lectures for the deaf and their friends. The Club is planning to arrange a sign language training workshop for the Club members and their friends. All facilities are provided to the Club members to enable them to participate in various events and conferences inside and outside the Kingdom of Bahrain, hence BBK belief in supporting such great initiatives, geared at helping those community members with hearing disabilities.

The Deaf Club is the sole organization authorized by the General Organisation for Youth and Sport to run sports activities and events for the deaf in the Kingdom of Bahrain. On this basis, the Club has undertaken to overcome all difficulties to attract the biggest number of individuals (of both sexes) with hearing disability to engage in sports activities and to participate in different championships in the Kingdom of Bahrain and to join teams that take part in Gulf and international events.

BBK reports net profits of BD 11.7 million for the 1st Quarter 2011

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 05:27:31 GMT

Click here to view the First Quarter report of 2011

Mr. Murad Ali Murad, Chairman of the board of directors of BBK, announced yesterday, April 17th, BBK’s financial results for the three months ended 31 March 2011, which revealed a net profit of BD 11.7 million compared to BD 12.5 million in 2010.

Commenting on the results, Mr. Murad Ali Murad said “Despite the challenging financial environment during the 1st quarter of 2011, BBK has achieved a net profit of BD 11.7 million, while continuing our focus on expanding the Bank’s core business in retail and corporate in the region, which is stemming from the Banks’ Strategic Plan 2010-2012, highlighting BBK’s commitment in maximizing shareholders’ value on the long term”.

For the quarter ended March 2011, the Bank reported net interest income of BD 13.8 million compared to BD 15.4 million of the same period of last year which included BD 2.2 million gain on redemption of sub-debt (March 2011: BD 283M). Fees and commissions witnessed a slight growth over the same period of last year to reach BD 5.8 million. Investment assets contributed BD 4.8 million to the net profit, compared to BD 8.7 million for the period ended 31st March 2010, which included BD 4.4 million non-recurring investment income arose from the sale of non-trading investments. Excluding such non-recurring investment gain, investment income increased 12% over 1st quarter of 2010. Loans and investment provisioning requirements has decreased to BD 1.1 million compared to BD 6.5 million of the same period of last year, reflecting improvement of asset quality and better quality control over the same.

Operating costs increased by 7% compared to the same period of last year, as the Bank continues to invest in various strategic initiatives, focusing on improving customer service and expanding its customer outreach to more active locations around the Kingdom. On the same, the Bank has opened a new modernized branch in Souq Waqif during March 2011, which was located in a more strategic location. The branch will be able to serve more customer base and enable our clients to perform their day to day banking transactions in a modern and comfortable atmosphere. The Bank is also in the process of building another two similar branches, the first in Al Seef Area in CrediMax new building which is expected to be launched during May 2011, and another in BBK Health Centre at Hidd which is expected to be launched early next year.

Mr. A.Karim Bucheery, Chief Executive, said “The financial results of the Bank for the first quarter of 2011 were pleasant, indeed if we were to exclude the non-recurring gain on the sale of non-trading investments, and partial redemption gain of our sub-debt, the Bank net profit would have grown significantly compared to the same period of last year. Hence our continuous success is a sign of financial system strength in Bahrain. On the other hand, the Bank is currently reviving its strategic plan for the year, to ensure developing appropriate plans to face the recent market challenges including offering support to our clients with cash flow difficulties to assist their business repositioning process. We are aiming to maintain the bank’s goals and objectives for the year, while ensuring that we maximize the value of our shareholders’ and the interests of our customers.”.

BBK’s balance sheet has grown by 7% to BD 2,415 million, compared to the same period of last year, with customer deposits growth of 11% to reach BD 1,721 million, driven mainly by the increase in retail banking deposits. This was accompanied with a growth in Loans & advances by around 1% to BD 1,293 million, compared to BD 1,284 million in March 2010, and compared to December 2010 balance of BD 1,276 million. This shows a slight upward trend in loans market after being almost flat during 2010, and we are hopeful that 2011 will witness further growth. Non-trading investment portfolio has increased by 13% in an effort from the bank to diverse its activities and income sources.

Liquidity parameters stood at very comfortable positions, with liquid assets (Cash and balances with central banks, Treasury bills, trading investments, and placement with financial institutions) to total assets ratio improving from 24% to 26%, and loan to customer deposit ratio improving from 83% to 75%. Capital Adequacy remained at a very comfortable level, well above regulatory requirements. It’s worth mentioning that the Bank has successfully repaid its Euro Medium Term Note of USD 500 million matured during March 2011, reflecting the financial strength and the comfortable liquidity levels the bank stands on.

On the outlook for the remaining period of the year, Mr. Murad Ali Murad, commented: “there is no doubt that all banks and companies are facing a very challenging year, which Bahrain didn't witness before, but we are confident of the strength of the financial system in Bahrain, and we highly value the continuous guidance provided by the Central Bank of Bahrain to all the banks on the Island, and we also value the confidence of our investors and customers in the bank. We look to close this year with a better performance than last year, and we will work on reviving our strategy on a continuous basis to achieve our targets”.

Living with Autism

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 11:09:10 GMT

On the occasion of the World Autism Awareness Day, which falls annually on the 2nd of April, BBK- Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking – organized an awareness day, where informative facts about this disorder were discussed as well as displaying a mini sensory exhibition showcasing the five senses and how Autistic children relate to them.

The interactive presentation which was presented by an official spokesperson; Sh. Hala Ali Al Khalifa from the Wish Child Welfare, was held on the 14th of April and the Bank’s premises.

In support of this special day, a wide array of blue tops; the color that represents the World Autism Awareness Day, was worn by the employees who attended the presentation.

BBK has been a pioneer in showing its support to the community as it has assisted many profitable and non for profit societies such as the Wish Child Welfare last year.

Transformational Leadership Workshop

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 11:35:11 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, hosted a workshop entitled, “Transformational Leadership” which was facilitated by Dr. Sally Watson of Lancaster University Business Management School. Attended by 18 members of the Executive Management of BBK, its subsidiaries and its international branches, the workshop took place on the 11th of April at the Gulf Hotel - Kingdom of Bahrain.

The workshop is aimed at exploring fresh ideas on leadership in business, experiencing a range of approaches to developing leaders and investigating leadership development options aligned to BBK strategic direction. This one day workshop objective is to become more aware of current personal style of leadership and critically review and develop ideas on leadership while discussing the ‘best fit’ for leaders in the organization. It also explored the current trends in leadership development through exercises that emphasized collaborative approaches. Additionally, the program examined the various challenges facing the sector and implications for the development of transformational leaders.

Commenting on this workshop, Mr. A.Hussain Bustani, Assistant General Manager, Human Resources and Administration recognized the role of leadership which ensures that the organization endures, sustains and prospers in the face of the global and regional economic and social challenges. He also stated, “The Bank is proud to embrace a team of reputable leaders that the Kingdom has to offer and is always on the look for developmental programs and workshops that will benefit the Bank, its leaders as well as its stakeholders.”

Dr. Sally Watson combines her role as Director of Executive Education at Lancaster University Management School with her role as a lead facilitator and programme designer at MSB where she is working with a range of blue-chip clients in the area of leadership development.

BBK Honors 37 Employees as part of their annual Service Award Ceremony

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 11:48:54 GMT

Few days away from Labor Day, BBK celebrates the loyalty of its staff by honoring 37 long-standing employees at a ceremony headed by its Chief Executive Mr. A.Karim Bucheery and attended by the Banks Executive Management members. The honoring ceremony was hosted at the Gulf Hotel Convention Centre on the 24th of April.

The 37 BBK employees were awarded for their service of 35, 30, 25, 20, 15 or 10 years. In addition to being awarded with cash prize and recognition plaques, a luncheon was held in their honor.

At the event, Mr. A.Karim Bucheery thanked the employees for their notable contributions to BBK’s development and their loyalty to the organization. He emphasized on BBK’s strategy to build the Bank’s human capabilities and invest in training in order to retain talented individuals.
Addressing the group, Mr. A.Karim Bucheery said: “The human capital was and still continues to play a crucial role in maintaining the Banks performance and enhancing its products and services, offering them to its valuable customers and stakeholders. I would like to emphasize that the Banks’ record profit of BD 39.15 million for 2010, could not have been possible without the positive effort, loyalty and achievement of the employees. On the other hand, the Bank always strives to reward its employees in various ways through schemes such as the Employee of the Month, Star Service Excellent Award, as well as the Service Award.”

Mr. A.Hussain Bustani, Assistant General Manager, Human Resources and Administration also stressed that the Bank’s priority is talent retention especially in light with the growing competition and added: “Stemming from its belief of enhancing the Banks’ pool of talents as an important factor for achieving its goals, the Bank is proud to embrace a team of experts and of high caliber standard individuals, and will continue to invest in its employees capabilities through specialized training programs within and outside the Kingdom.”

The award ceremony, which is held on an annual basis, is part of BBK’s approach to reward its employees’ dedication and appreciate their continuous efforts and loyalty

BBK Celebrates the love and loyalty for the Kingdom of Bahrain

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 05:19:48 GMT

Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking - hosted a celebration at its Headquarters on Thursday the 21st of April, to express loyalty and dedication for the Kingdom of Bahrain and its leaders; HRH the King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister, Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, and Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

The ceremony was attended by the Bank’s Chief Executive, Mr. A.Karim Bucheery, the Executive Management members and the employees. To mark the occasion, cake, sweets and Bahrain flag pins were distributed to the employees as well as to walk-in customers and visitors.

In support of this special day, the employees expressed their happiness and joy as they wore the colors red and white which symbolized the flag colors of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Joyful chants of glee were heard in support of HRH the King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister, Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, and Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

Al Hayrat April Winners

Mon, 02 May 2011 08:22:33 GMT

Name

Amount

Faisal Ali Alsikri $5000

Fatima Fawzi Taha $5000

Nasreen Mohammed Ahmadi $5000

Lateefa Mohammed Ahmed $5000

Ebrahim A.Rahim Mohd $5000

Amnah Jaffar Kadhim $5000

Naeema Hasan Mohd Jawad $5000

SH. Fatema Ahmed Al Khalifa $5000

Mohammed Ali Alsari $5000

Fouad Ali Piroozi $5000

Aseya Abdulnabi Asad $5000

Mohammed Ali Hassan Ridha $5000

Zainab Abdulnabi Sayed Sharaf $5000

Mohd Salman Mohd Taher $5000

Ghada Amin Mohammed $5000

Safe Deposit Locker

Mon, 02 May 2011 09:02:12 GMT

Need security for your most valuable items? Want to protect your valuables? Wish to take advantage of a solution that’s specially designed for maximum security?

Whether you have a need to secure jewellery, legal documentation, company records or personal paperwork, the Safe Deposit Locker facility from BBK can deliver the peace of mind you need.

Features & Benefits

Safe Deposit Locker from ChubbSafes, the most trusted worldwide, ensure that valuables are safely guarded.
Safe Deposit Locker are available in the main branch and the Financial Mall in Isa Town.
Lockers are available in various sizes, small, medium and large.
(Rental charges vary according to size).

	Main Branch Locker Sizes		Isa Town Financial Mall Locker Sizes
	4"x12"		3"x10"
	8"x12"		5"x10"
	12"x12"		10"x10"
	12"x18"
	12"x36"

Lockers are rented out for a minimum period of one year with rent payable in advance.
Lockers once rented are renewed automatically unless otherwise advised.
The rent may be paid conveniently from your account with BBK.
Lockers can be accessed by owners and/or designated deputies.

Eligibility
Safe Deposit Locker hire is available to individuals (21 years and above), group of individuals, corporate and other companies that are existing or new BBK customers.

For more information, please call BBK on 17 20 7777

BBK Announces Relief Measures for its Personal Loan Customers

Thu, 05 May 2011 06:55:44 GMT

In a goodwill gesture, BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking - has announced a loan instalment break for its Car and Consumer loan customers. This relief measure, is offered when an ‘understanding and caring’ spirit is crucial, providing both a complete waiver of charges and additional interest for the first month, followed by substantially reduced charges for the second and third months.

“The past few months have taken a heavy toll on citizens across Bahrain,” said BBK’s Chief Executive, Mr. A. Karim Bucheery, “and it is at times like this that the Bank must provide vital support to its loyal customers and the country wherever possible.” BBK has previously made similar gestures for Eid and Ramadan. However, the Bank’s Management recognize that the recent nationwide events, which have resulted in stressful financial implications call for immediate actions. With this relief gesture, customers will be able to better manage their finances, while the Bank in turn fulfils their innate mandate to be of service to its customers and to the country.

The waiver is offered to all eligible Consumer and Car Loan customers who wish to take advantage of this move, regardless of the level of their salaries whereby both Processing Charges and Interest Fees for the first month will be waived, and the second and third month fees will be substantially reduced. Customers may avail of the offer prior to the end of May. The postponement period applies across the months of May, June, July and August. Customers wishing to take advantage of this offer are advised to visit their nearest BBK branch at the earliest opportunity, to ensure loan postponement requests are processed as soon as possible.

By alleviating their customers’ financial burden, Mr. Bucheery said, “We maintain that the growth of the Kingdom and that of the Bank are closely intertwined. By providing a lending hand to customers through this challenging time, BBK also hopes to be able to add stimulus to the economy. Relief in one way can permit other expenditures, injecting vital cash into the country’s businesses”. With a common focus of ‘total customer satisfaction’ across all the Banks services, the Bank and its Management hope to facilitate a ‘brighter choice and future’ to customers.

Al Hayrat announces the 15 winners of the April monthly draw

Mon, 09 May 2011 05:55:04 GMT

BBK , Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, has recently announced the names of the April monthly prize winners of $75,000.
The April Al Hayrat winners of $5,000 each are: Faisal Ali Alsikri, Fatima Fawzi Taha, Nasreen Mohammed Ahmadi, Lateefa Mohammed Ahmed, Ebrahim A.Rahman Mohd, Amnah Jaffar Kadhim, Naeema Hasan Mohd Jawad, SH. Fatema Ahmed Al Khalifa, Mohammed Ali Alsari, Fouad Ali Piroozi, Aseya Abdulnabi Asad, Mohammed Ali Hassan Ridha, Zainab Abdulnabi Sayed Sharaf, Mohd Salman Mohd Taher and Ghada Amin Mohammed.
The cheques were handed over to the winners by Reinaldo Moarry, Head of Retail Marketing, and Nada Bubshait, Marketing communications manager.

Ms. Aseya Abdulnabi Asad was especially grateful for her first time win as she shared that her late father, who had recently passed away, has left her with a small inheritance which she had invested in Al Hayrat in February only to win in the April draw! She expressed her appreciation for this having won this prize as she exclaimed that this is the first time she had won anything!

The winners have also expressed their thanks to BBK for providing them with excellent and highly beneficial products and services, namely, Al Hayrat, Which allows them to continue saving while getting the chance to win wonderful prizes at the same time.
The Al Hayrat draw took place on April 27th, in the main branch lobby under the supervision of Mr. Yasser Buallay the ministry of commerce and industry representative, in addition to BBK’s Internal Audit, Internal control and Retail Marketing and Retail Banking representatives.
BBK and non-BBK customers can open Al Hayrat saving account, starting from BD50; and they can withdraw their cash anytime at their convenience.

To be eligible to win any of the great prizes, customers need to invest their money in Al Hayrat account to any of the BBK branches for at least one month.

It is worth mentioning that Al Hayrat’s upcoming Quarterly draw will take place in June whereby a lucky winner will be receiving $75,000 in addition to the normal monthly prizes.

BBK is first to use Board portal technology for effective Corporate Governance

Tue, 10 May 2011 05:30:02 GMT

BBK- Bahrain pioneer in retail and commercial Banking- has awarded Computershare Governance Services (CGS), part of the Computershare group of companies (ASX:CPU) based in Australia a prestigious contract to supply the organization with secure Board portal software. An official signing ceremony was held at BBK's Headquarters in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain on Monday 2 May in the presence of Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery - Chief Executive of BBK and Tony Ford- Head of CGS .

BBK is the first company in the Middle East to invest in ‘Boardworks’, an online Board portal, to assist them in meeting their high standards in Corporate Governance, transparency and effectiveness.

The Bank adopts a Corporate Governance philosophy which helps it maintain its leading position within the local and regional banking sector, with continuous adherence to strong Corporate Governance practices, enhancing compliance levels according to international standards of best practices. Its commitment to Corporate Governance was recognized for 2 consecutive years in 2009 and 2010 by Hawkamah, the regional Institute for Corporate Governance practices, in conjunction with Union of Arab Banks.

On the occasion of the contract signing, BBK’s Chairman Mr. Murad Ali Murad mentioned that “Having in place good Corporate Governance practices has always been the BBK Board of Directors’ prime concern. The efficiency of the process of sending Board meeting materials and other communications greatly affects the decision making process of the Board towards protecting and maximizing the benefit for the shareholders of the bank”

“ In its continuous endeavours to improve further the Corporate Governance practices at the Bank, BBK is always keen to invest in major initiatives in the area, such as this online Board portal, which we are proud to be the first company in the Middle East to introduce” added Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, Chief Executive of BBK.

The advanced Boardworks technology opens up more effective Board communication channels for BBK. It can be accessed via a number of devices, in multiple regions, both before and after meetings making it a highly accessible and effective way to create, collate and circulate Board materials.

Mr. Tony Ford, Head of CGS said: “It has been a pleasure working with BBK and we are proud to have been part of this industry first for the region. We will continue to work closely with BBK whilst the product is implemented – providing support and training – and we look forward to being able to develop our presence further in the Middle East.”

Banking software system upgrade on 14-05-2011

Thu, 12 May 2011 12:53:43 GMT

Dear Customer,

Please note that we will be performing system maintenance on Saturday 14th of May from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM.
As a result, during that period the following services may experience service disruptions:

BBK's ATM Network
BBK Debit Cards
Internet Retail Banking
Internet Corporate Banking
Telebanking
SMS
Payment Gateway

We apologise for any inconvenience caused

BBK rewards diligence at work

Tue, 17 May 2011 06:04:21 GMT

Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK announced the winner of the Employee of the Month for the month of April 2011 at their headquarters in Manama.

BBK Awarded with Bahrain eContent Award

Thu, 19 May 2011 05:00:18 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, yet again and for its fourth consecutive year won the Bahrain eContent Award; an award which falls under the eBanking category. This prestigious award has been granted to BBK in light of its innovative and comprehensive web-based solutions catering to both retail as well as business customers. Mr. Reyadh Sater, General Manager of Shared Services Group of BBK was presented with the award at a ceremony hosted at the Gulf Hotel, Kingdom of Bahrain on the 17th of May 2011.

In order to select quality eContent and promote creativity and innovation in the development of new media applications in the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Bahrain eContent Award was organised by the eGovernment Authority in Bahrain along with the Bahrain Internet Society and inspired by WSA - the World Summit Award.

On accepting the award, Mr. Sater mentioned that, “BBK continues to ensure complete customer satisfaction and has been at the forefront in incorporating the latest technologies providing premium services to its customers. The eBanking service it provides is one such example and I am very pleased to see the acceptance it has received within our customer base alongside the esteemed jurors of the Bahrain eContent Award.” Talking more on the improvement of the service Mr. Sater added, “Improving our retail eBanking services and launching our latest Corporate Cash Management Platform – BBKCashlink and being awarded is a great achievement for BBK as it motivates us to continue on providing total convenience to our customers using state of the art technologies. BBK will continue to invest in providing the latest eBanking solutions and aims to be recognized again by the eGovernment Authority and Bahrain Internet Society, to whom we would like to extend our gratitude and appreciation.”

The key criteria to be eligible to win the award were defined as the following: quality and comprehensiveness of content, ease of use, value add through interaction and animation, attractiveness of design quality in technical craftsmanship and strategic important for the global development of the Information Society.

BBK brings the operational convenience of banking to the door step of its customers. It enables both individuals and businesses to manage their finances effortlessly. Primarily any customer, be it a Retail or Corporate entity, can benefit from BBK’s wide range of secure, customized, cost effective and timely 24X7 Internet banking services. Striving to be at the financial forefront for all our customers’ needs, BBK has recently revamped its website www.bbkonline.com and launched the new release of Internet Retail Banking; it has been redesigned to incorporate better functionality and more advanced features to deliver customers a faster, safer and more convenient service than ever before. Further BBK has recently launched its suite of Cash Management products and services designed to cater to the needs of Corporate Customers through its latest offering BBKCashlink. The platform allows the customer to access a host of features and functionality from anywhere around the world and is built on robust technology, leveraging the highest possible security standards.

Batelco software system upgrade on 30-05-2011

Tue, 24 May 2011 05:47:00 GMT

Please note that Batelco Telecommunication Company will undergo a software system upgrade on Monday 30-05-2011 from 12.00 AM to 04.00 AM. As a result, during that period Batelco services will not be available.

Al Hayrat May Winners

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 10:23:01 GMT

Name

Amount

Basriya Ahmed Abdulla Radhi $5000

Aneesa Ahmed Hasan Khalaf $5000

Khulood Rashed Sabah Al-Khalifa $5000

Ali Alwan Afandi $5000

Najma Yusuf Husain Al Araifi $5000

Mohammed Adel Mohammed Sadiq $5000

Fatima Abbas Qassim Mohd $5000

Al Zaeem Electronics $5000

S.Nasser mohd Nasser Al Gassab $5000

Shatha Abdulshaheed Salman $5000

Dr. Mustafa S.Mohameed S.Mustafa $5000

Ghazi Abdulkarim Abdulla $5000

Abdulaziz Mahdi Abdulaziz $5000

Adel Ali Jassim Kadhem Al Sersawi $5000

Adbuljalil Ali Mohammed Hasan $5000

“BBKCashlink” Agreement between BBK and BCDR-AAA

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 04:56:11 GMT

Bahrain pioneer in retail and commercial banking and Bahrain Chamber for Dispute Resolution (BCDR-AAA) – two of the most prominent entities in Bahrain signed an agreement whereby BBK will provide BCDR-AAA Cash Management Solutions catering to their payment requirements.

The signing ceremony was held at the BCDR-AAA headquarters on 23 May 2011 and was jointly signed by Ms. Samaa Al-Engineer, BCDR-AAA Director of Finance and Administration, and Mr. Rashad Akbari, BBK AGM Transactional Banking Division. The ceremony was attended by a number of senior representatives of both organizations including, Mr. Mushtaq Shaikh, Assistant ICT Director, Mr. Bassam Ghassan, Accountant Officer, and Ms. Aisha Aqeel, Finance Administrator from BCDR-AAA. Present from BBK were Mr. Santhosh Lobo, Head of Cash Management Division, and Ms. Noof Al-Hassan, Cash Management Product Specialist.

Under the new agreement, BBK will provide BCDR-AAA with automated solutions allowing them to make just-in-time payments through “BBKCashlink”, an integrated Cash Management Platform. The solution will provide BCDR-AAA control over their accounts and enable easy reconciliation of their transactions.

On this occasion Mr. Rashad Akbari, AGM Transactional Banking Division, BBK said: "This strategic agreement reflects BBK’s mission to provide state-of-the-art banking facilities to all our customers. This initiative highlights the comprehensive range of cash management services offered by BBK. The agreement comes as a result of cumulative efforts and expertise put through by BBK’s Cash Management Team in collaboration with the financial experts of BCDR-AAA to develop an end-to-end solution fostering their current workflow."
Mr. Akbari added, "The signing of this agreement is a primary step towards developing and providing innovative banking solutions and the utmost levels of cash management services."

BBK is the first local Bank to introduce the world class Cash Management Platform “BBKCashlink” in the region. Most recently BBKCashlink was awarded with both the Bahrain e-Content Award 2011 and the Middle East e-Government Excellence Award 2011 for e-Banking.

BBK rewards diligence at work

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 05:45:17 GMT

Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK announced the winner of the Employee of the Month for the month of May 2011 at their headquarters in Manama.

Al Hayrat announces the 15 winners of the May monthly draw

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 05:49:07 GMT

BBK , Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, has recently announced the names of the May monthly prize winners of $75,000.

The May Al Hayrat winners of $5,000 each are: Basriya Ahmed Abdulla, Aneesa Ahmed Hasan Khalaf, Khulood Rashed, Ali Alwan Afandi, Najma Al Araifi, Mohammed Adel Mohammed Sadiq, Fatima Abbas Qassim Mohd, Al Zaeem Electronics, S.Nasser Al Gassab, Shatha Abdulshaheed Salman, Dr. Mustafa S.Mohameed S.Mustafa, Ghazi Abdulkarim Abdulla, Abdulaziz Mahdi Abdulaziz, Adel Ali Al Sersawi and Abduljalil Ali Mohammed Hasan.

The cheques were handed over to the winners by Axel Hofmann, head of retail banking. The ceremony was also attended by Ghazi Ahmed, Head of Priority Banking, Reinaldo Moarry, Head of Retail Marketing and Nada Bubshait, Marketing Communications manager.

The winners expressed their thanks to BBK for providing them with excellent and highly beneficial products and services, namely, Al Hayrat, Which allows them to continue saving while getting the chance to win wonderful prizes at the same time.

The Al Hayrat draw took place on June 1st, in the main branch lobby under the supervision of Mr. Yasser Buallay the ministry of commerce and industry representative, in addition to BBK’s Internal Audit, Internal control and Retail Marketing and Retail Banking representatives.

BBK and non-BBK customers can open Al Hayrat saving account, starting from BD50; and they can withdraw their cash anytime at their convenience.

To be eligible to win any of the great prizes, customers need to invest their money in Al Hayrat account to any of the BBK branches for at least one month.

It is worth mentioning that Al Hayrat’s upcoming Quarterly draw will take place in June whereby a lucky winner will be receiving $75,000 in addition to the normal monthly prizes.

BBK inaugurates its Sixteenth Branch in Seef District

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 09:36:59 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, has opened its sixteenth Branch located in CrediMax new building in Seef district. CrediMax is a fully owned subsidiary of BBK, specialized in credit cards, both issuing cards and acquiring purchasing transactions.

On this occasion, BBK Chief Executive Mr. A.Karim Bucheery said: "We are pleased to open our sixteenth Branch which is part of the Bank's key plan aimed at offering our valued customers as well as CrediMax’s, premium banking services within a comfortable surrounding and a bright modern environment."

This Branch will enable customers that have common transactions between BBK and CrediMax to accomplish their business dealings smoothly and in an easy manner. In addition to its convenient client servicing, the Branch is equipped with an ATM machine available 24/7, providing Retail and Corporate banking services, including insurance through Secura, as well as all deposit and loan services.

Enjoying a spacious car parking area, the new Branch is strategically located in Seef area with working hours designed for the comfort and convenience of the customers from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Sundays right through to Thursdays.

BBK offers a wide range of Branches in the Kingdom, seven of which are Financial Malls with comprehensive banking services. In addition, BBK has a large ATM network of 42 across Bahrain that’s ever growing and over six cash depository machines which accept real time cash and cheque deposits.

BBK Wins Middle East e-Government and e-Service Excellence Award 2011 for e-Banking

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 05:30:42 GMT

As part of the 16th Middle East e-Government and e-Services Excellence Awards 2011, BBK, Bahrain pioneer in retail and commercial banking, won the e-Banking Excellence Award from the Middle East Excellence Awards Institute (MEEAI).

This prestigious award has been granted to BBK in light of its innovative and comprehensive web-based solutions catering to both retail as well as business customers. Mr. Rashad Akbari, Assistant General Manager- Transactional Banking Division, BBK was presented with the award at the ceremony held by MEEAI on Wednesday 25th May, 2011 at Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai, in the presence of decision makers, e-Government projects managers, media representatives and other invited guests.

MEEAI was established as a platform to recognize and honor the outstanding achievements of leaders and organizations who have contributed to the remarkable growth and development of the regional and global economy. The institute conducts field research and studies in government and private institutions in the Middle East to identify the best social, technological, economical, media, financial and leadership achievements based upon the modern knowledge economy and leadership culture to recognize their significant role played in the region. Recognition is also received by individuals who are able to bring about change and to consolidate the necessary leadership principles and qualities and to contribute to building the region’s future based on the international standards of competitiveness.

Upon receiving the Award, Mr. Rashad Akbari said: “After BBK won in 2011 the Bahrain e-Government e-Content award for the fourth consecutive year in the Kingdom of Bahrain, we are proud on winning also the e-Banking Excellence Award for the Middle East . BBK is always keen on achieving the highest levels of quality and to provide the best banking solutions that meet the customers’ needs, being one of the leading banks that offers the latest and best quality technologies.”

He added: “We have recently developed and enhanced the Bank’s website and launched our latest Corporate Cash Management Platform BBKCashlink which qualified the Bank to win such prestigious award and win our customers’ satisfaction. Winning this award is considered one of the Bank’s significant achievements, which motivates us to continue to use the latest and most sophisticated technologies for the convenience of our customers. We seek to win the MEEAI recognition yet again and wish to thank them for their appreciation.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Ali Al Kamali, Datamatex & MEEAI General Manager said the Award seeks to develop a climate of competition based upon the quality standards among individuals, government and business organizations throughout the region according to the international assessment standards. This will have a significant impact upon the growth of the IT industry and its growth in the region. The event coincides with new economic and technological developments in the region that will bring about a fundamental change in the regional and international technological and economic map, which will certainly help achieve economic development goals.”

Al Kamali added information technology and telecommunications have elements of power that can bring about change in work and management patterns in government agencies to enhance performance and to save money and efforts. They also provide an electronic boom that involves citizens and civil society organizations in discussing policies through direct dialogue and support to the decision making process and drawing up policies that provides better understanding of individuals and the economy.

BBK shows support towards Bahrain Down Syndrome Society - donates BD 15,000

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 05:00:25 GMT

In line with their strategic initiatives for a brighter community, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK handed over a cheque of BD 15,000 as a gesture of their support towards the Bahrain Down Syndrome Society. The cheque was handed over by Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, Chief Executive of BBK to Mr. Jihad Al Zain, Board member, Bahrain Down Syndrome Society, in the presence of Dr. Mohamed Al-Mannai Down Syndrome Centre Director and from BBK Mr. Reyadh Sater, General Manager- Shared Services Group, Mr. Abdul Hussain Bustani, Assistant General Manager- Human Resources & Administration and Mrs. Rafa Kaddoura- Corporate Communication Manager.

The Society has received regular support from the Bank through various regular donations over the past years. Those contributions help the institution with the additional financial aid required to provide the special requirements for the Down Syndrome children, through purchasing the needed equipment to help developing their specific skills.

It should be noted that the Bahrain Down Syndrome was established in 1998 for studying individual needs of down syndrome and giving them assistance to develop their skills and abilities. The Down Syndrome Centre is considered as one of the key activities of the Society. It offers therapeutic and educational services to individuals suffering from this syndrome in different age groups and abilities. In addition, the Society organizes and prepares courses, seminars and training lectures for those concerned with individuals with Down Syndrome. Their parents are provided with facilities to enhance their awareness by holding social and recreational events, publication of leaflets and specialized magazines in addition to training and qualifying Bahraini personnel to be better able to deal with persons suffering from this syndrome.

BBK shows support towards the Bahrain Historical & Archaeological Society - donates BD 3,000

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 04:47:46 GMT

In line with their strategic initiatives for a brighter community, BBK- Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking- handed over a cheque of BD 3,000 as a gesture of their support towards the Bahrain Historical & Archaeological Society (BHAS). The cheque was handed over by Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, Chief Executive of BBK to Dr. Essa Mohammed Amin, President of the Society, in the presence of Sh. Khalid Bin Rashid Al Khalifa, Vice President- BHAS, Mr. Hassan Tarradah, Treasurer- BHAS and from BBK Mr. Reyadh Sater- General Manager- Shared Services Group, Mr. Abdul Hussain Bustani- Assistant General Manger- Human Resources and Administration and Mrs. Rafa Kaddoura- Corporate Communications Manager.

Dr. Isa Mohamed Amin, Chairman of the Bahrain Historical and Archaeological Society said:” I would like to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to BBK for the support of the society’s activities and events in maintaining, documenting and highlighting Bahrain’s ancient history through holding cultural events, implementing development projects in historical research and documenting our heritage”.

Meanwhile, Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, BBK CE said: “ The Bank is always keen on giving its supporting BHAS given the significant role played by this Society in the Kingdom to encourage the new generations to maintain their national loyalty and preserve our history and the achievements of the Kingdom.

The Society has received regular support from the Bank through various donations over the past years. Those contributions help the institution with the additional financial aid required to encourage the study of the history of Bahrain and its archaeological heritage and to promote research and reports of interest in this field.

The Bahrain Historical & Archaeological Society is one of the oldest societies specialized in historical studies and archaeology. It was established in 1953. Since then the Society has been active in organizing publishing periodicals, original papers and translating books. It has also contributed to archaeological excavations in Bahrain. Its library is one the most specialized libraries on Bahrain History and archaeology. Dilmun is a referred Journal of the Society.

As one of the major financial institutions in Bahrain, providing regular contributions to various humanitarian causes and societies throughout the years, BBK has supported entities including major clubs, charity funds and social initiatives. These initiatives are aimed at achieving the sole goal and vision of a brighter future and community in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

BBK shows support towards Al Manar for Parents Care - donates BD 5,000

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 05:46:27 GMT

In line with their strategic initiatives for a brighter community, BBK- Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking- handed over a cheque of BD 5,000 as a gesture of their support towards Al Manar for Parents’ Care. The cheque was handed over by Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, Chief Executive of BBK to Sh. Daij bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Al Manar for Parents’ Care, in the presence of Mr. Yousif Sharafi, Treasurer- Al Manar for Parents’ Care and from BBK Mr. Reyadh Sater- General Manager- Shared Services Group, Mr. Abdul Hussain Bustani- Assistant General Manger- Human Resources and Administration and Mrs. Rafa Kaddoura- Corporate Communication Manager.

Al Manar for Parents’ Care has received regular support from the Bank through various donations over the past years. Those contributions help the institution with the additional financial aid required to sustain the financial resources enabling the entity to provide the necessary care to the elderly.

BBK shows support towards Zaka Fund - donates BD 5,000

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 05:24:09 GMT

In line with their strategic initiatives for a brighter community, BBK- Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking- handed over a cheque of BD 5,000 as a gesture of their support towards Zaka Fund. The cheque was handed over by Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, Chief Executive of BBK to Mr. Ahmed Mohammed Al Hitaimi, Chief of Zaka Fund, in the presence of Mr. Reyadh Sater- General Manager- Shared Services Group, Mr. Abdul Hussain Bustani- Assistant General Manger- Human Resources and Administration and Mrs. Rafa Kaddoura- Corporate Communications Manager from BBK.

Zaka Fund has received regular support from the Bank through various donations over the past years. Those contributions help the institution with the additional financial resources required to support the needy families, orphans and widows.

The Zaka Fund was set up in 1979 and it seeks to enhance the confidence of people who pay Zaka (alms) making the Zaka Fund able to facilitate the collection of Zaka and financial and in-kind donations by companies, businesses and individuals and distributing them to the right beneficiaries in addition to enhancing the society’s awareness about the payment of Zaka and its importance to helping the needy citizens.

BBK Visa Debit Card promotion

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 08:53:42 GMT

For BBK customers travelling outside Bahrain over the summer period, the Summer Promotion offers a chance to win 3 cash prizes of US$10,000/- each in the lucky draw. There will also be 10 cash prizes of US$1,000/- each for customers using their BBK Visa Debit Cards for “Point of sale” transactions in Bahrain.

Launching the Summer Promotion, Axel Hofmann, BBK’s Head of Retail Banking, said: “at BBK we always aim to give our customers great service and great offers. Whether our customers are travelling overseas or staying in Bahrain this summer, we encourage them to use their BBK Visa Debit Cards for all their purchases, whether they’re in restaurants, shopping malls or hotels and travel agencies. They’re free, easy to use and safer than carrying cash, plus for the whole summer there’s now a chance to win great cash prizes too.”

The Summer Promotion offer is open to all BBK Visa Debit cardholders. Each “Point of sale” transaction whether in Bahrain or overseas entitles the cardholder to one entry in the lucky draw. The draws for the cash prizes will take place in October 2011 under the auspices of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.

Al Hayrat June Winners

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 09:32:18 GMT

Name

Amount

Abdulredha Amralla Asadalla $75000

Khalil Ebrahim A.Latif $5000

Abdulmajeed abdulaziz Mohammed $5000

Jassim Hasan Jassim Khamis $5000

Mohamed Jasim Mohamed Jasim $5000

Abdulla Ahmed Isa Al Shaikh $5000

Judy Mirza Alsharif $5000

Mohd Saleh Fakhri $5000

Sameera Ahmed Al Qaffas $5000

Ismail Ghuloom Karimi $5000

Hafeedha Khalifa Mayoof $5000

Fawzia Hasan Ahmed Rashid $5000

Nassima Chebel $5000

Huda Sadiq Al Hajari $5000

Rashid A.Rahman Abdulla $5000

Abdulkarim Ali Dabwan $5000

BBK declares “BBK-Markaz Fund - I” outstanding returns

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 12:24:43 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, has declared the robust liquidation performance of ‘BBK – Markaz-I US Industrial Realty Fund’.

BBK- Markaz-I was one of a real estate investment project established in 2002 by BBK and Kuwait Financial Centre to provide investors with the most lucrative and successful transactions in real estate investment; Markaz and BBK raised approximately $ 43.3 million to acquire a portfolio of distribution warehouses in the USA.

On this occasion, Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery - Chief Executive, BBK said: "BBK-Markaz-I's investment accomplished a superior performance, portrayed in a series of successful activities. Over the life of the fund, the average annual return (IRR) was 9.0% respectively, while it posted 17% profit on funds capital, lavishing investors with a total 75% returns during the life of the fund including dividends”
Elaborating Mr. Bucheery said: “BBK is committed to providing complete and innovative range of investment services, providing investors with outstanding financial returns.”

BBK-Markaz-I was one of the most promising investment opportunities in real estate sector which offered decent returns in tough real estate environment in United States spread over 7 states . It proved resilient to the sharp correction in the real estate sector that started in 2007.

BBK shows support towards the Public Commission for the Protection of Marine Resourses, Environment & Wildlife (Al-Areen Wildlife Park) - donates BD 3,000

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 04:58:28 GMT

In line with their strategic initiatives for a brighter community, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK handed over a cheque of BD 3,000 as a gesture of their support towards Al- Areen Wildlife Park. Dr. Ismail Moh’d Al Madani, Vice President- the Public Commission for the Protection of Marine Resourses welcomed Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, Chief Executive of BBK, along with, Mr A.Hussain Bustani, Assistant General Manager- human Resources and Administration and Ms Abeer Swar, Corporate Communication Officer- BBK.

Dr. Ismail Moh’d Al Madani invited his guests for a tour in Al- Areen Wildlife Park which received regular support from the Bank through various donations over the past years. Those contributions help with the additional financial aid required for protecting the Kingdom’s precious wildlife and environment.

BBK Donates BD3,000 to Bahrain Parent’s Care Home

Sun, 10 Jul 2011 05:01:16 GMT

In line with their strategic initiatives for a brighter community, BBK- Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking- handed over a cheque of BD 3,000 as a gesture of their support towards Bahrain Parent’s Care Home during a site visit. The Board of Trustees led by its Chairman Ahmed Al Banna welcomed Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, Chief Executive of BBK who presented the donation cheque in the presence of Mr. Abdul Hussain Bustani, Assistant General Manager- human Resources and Administration and Ms. Rafa Kaddoura and Ms Abeer Swar from the Corporate Communication Department.

In a speech, Mr. Ahmed Al Banna welcomed his guests and expressed his sincere thanks to BBK, a major supporter of the care home, for its continuous help since the inception of Bahrain Parent’s Care Home. Such support, he said, effectively contributes to carrying out numerous programs and activities carried out by Bahrain Parent’s Care Home, which has a significant impact upon fulfilling its humanitarian mission.

Mr. Al Banna expressed the Board of Trustees’ appreciation to the BBK Chief Executive and the Executive Management for their visit, as it was the first visit paid by a national institution to this parent care facility, he added.

Bahrain Parent’s Care Home is a social institution that provides day care services to over 160 elderly people and pensioners, of both sexes, and offers religious, health, psychological and social services in addition to cultural and recreational programs.

Al Hayrat announces the winner of the Quarterly prize of $75,000 in its June draw

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 05:07:45 GMT

BBK , Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, has recently announced the name of the Quarterly prize winner Mr. Abdulredha Amralla Asadalla.

The bank has also announced the names of the 15 lucky winners of Al Hayrat monthly prizes of $5,000 each as follows:

Khalil Ebrahim A.Latif, Abdulmajeed abdulaziz Mohammed, Jassim Hasan Jassim Khamis, Mohamed Jasim Mohamed Jasim, Abdulla Ahmed Isa Al Shaikh, Judy Mirza Alsharif, Mohd Saleh Fakhri, Sameera Ahmed Al Qaffas, Ismail Ghuloom Karimi, Hafeedha Khalifa Mayoof, Fawzia Hasan Ahmed Rashid, Nassima Chebel, Huda Sadiq Al Hajari, Rashid A.Rahman Abdulla, Abdulkarim Ali Dabwan were the fifteen lucky winners, each of whom has received a check for $5,000.

The cheques were handed over to the winners by the Heads of the Retail Banking division, Mr. Ghazi Ahmed, Head of Business Development, Mr. Reinaldo Moarry, Head of Retail Marketing and Mr. Mazin Dhaif, Head of the Distribution Network.

Mr. Abduredha Amralla Asadalla, the winner of the June Quarterly prize, was quite surprised once he received the news of winning $75,000 in cash. Mr. Abdulredha stated that this was but a grace from God and that he would like to thank BBK for offering the valuable saving program of Al Hayrat in Bahrain which allows customers to save while getting the chance to win wonderful prizes at the same time.

Other winners also shared their excitement at winning with Al Hayrat, Mr. Khalil Ebrahim stated that although he has been saving with other banks, this has been the very first time he has won such a prize and promised to reinvest his winnings into Al Hayrat.

The Al Hayrat draw took place on June 29^th, in the main branch lobby under the supervision of Mr. Yasser Buallay the ministry of commerce and industry representative, in addition to BBK’s Internal Audit, Internal control and Retail Marketing and Retail Banking representatives.

BBK and non-BBK customers can open Al Hayrat saving account, starting from BD50; and they can withdraw their cash anytime at their convenience.

To be eligible to win any of the great prizes, customers need to invest their money in Al Hayrat account to any of the BBK branches for at least one month.

Everybody can now also give their loved ones the gift of winning with Al Hayrat gift certificate. Whether its for a Birthday, a graduation, a wedding or the birth of a baby. Al Hayrat Gift Certificate is the perfect solution for any occasion.

It’s worth mentioning that as per its annual custom, Al Hayrat will be offering special weekly prizes throughout the holy month of Ramadan ranging from $20,000 for the first week, to $50,000 as the grand Eid prize. The eligibility period for each draw will be reduced to one week only, instead of the usual one month. Therefore, customers will be eligible to win any of those amazing weekly prizes in Ramadan if they invest at least one week prior to each respective prize.

BBK contributes over BD 40,000 to the Bahraini community

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 05:43:44 GMT

In line with BBK’s strategic initiatives for a brighter community and its monthly support to various entities, Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, BBK’s Chief Executive, welcomed at the Bank’s Headquarters, representatives from different societies to receive BBK's contributions for their requests submitted in May and June. The handover ceremony was attended by Mr. Abdul Hussain Bustani- Assistant General Manger- Human Resources and Administration and Ms. Abeer Swar- Corporate Communications Officer.

The entities that have benefited from the Bank’s support to fulfill their various humanitarian initiatives were: The Saudi-Bahraini Institute for the Blind, Bahraini Friendship Society for Psychiatrics, Al Rahma Centre for Youth Care, Middle 4 Youth Society, Aisha Yateem Family Counseling Centre, Batelco Care Centre for Family Violence Cases and Bahrain Red Crescent Society.

On this occasion, Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, BBK Chief Executive said: “The Bank is always keen on supporting such entities given the significant role they play in the progress of the Kingdom.”

Use the BBK Visa Debit Card This Summer for a Chance to Win Great Cash Prizes

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 08:42:46 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, has teamed up with Visa International to launch a great “Summer Promotion”. This will run from 1st July to 30th September and rewards customers who make “Point of sale” transactions using their BBK Visa Debit Cards. All customers who use their BBK Visa Debit Cards this summer, whether in Bahrain or outside, will be entered into a lucky draw for a chance to win cash prizes totalling US$40,000/-.

Launching the Summer Promotion, Axel Hofmann, BBK’s Head of Retail Banking, said: “at BBK we always aim to give our customers great service and great offers. Whether our customers are travelling overseas or staying in Bahrain this summer, we encourage them to use their BBK Visa Debit Cards for all their purchases, whether they’re in restaurants, shopping malls or hotels and travel agencies. They’re free, easy to use and safer than carrying cash, plus for the whole summer there’s now a chance to win great cash prizes too.”

The Summer Promotion offer is open to all BBK Visa Debit cardholders. Each “Point of sale” transaction whether in Bahrain or overseas entitles the cardholder to one entry in the lucky draw. The draws for the cash prizes will take place in October 2011 under the auspices of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.

BBK reduces rates and offers a free BMW 2011 on Mortgage, Car and Consumer loans through latest promotional campaign

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 06:31:14 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, is launching a new promotional marketing campaign, advertising lower interest rates on its range of Car, Mortgage and Consumer loans.

Beyond great rates, customers who take a car, consumer or mortgage loan from BBK between July 17th and November 17th shall be qualified to enter a draw to win a brand new BMW 323.

Ghazi Ahmed, Head of Business Development and acting Head of Retail Banking Division explained, “At BBK, we’re always aiming to further add value to our customers by providing them with additional benefits through these promotions.
Customers wishing to get a Car, Consumer or Mortgage loan from BBK can take advantage of the highly competitive interest rates, in addition to the chance to win an amazing 2011 BMW”

Loans from BBK are offered through an easy application and speedy approval process, flexible repayment terms and loan insurance is available for customers convenience.

BBK forms new Joint Venture in Kuwait - BBK-Geojit Securities KSC

Sun, 07 Aug 2011 06:35:58 GMT

The move by Geojit BNP Paribas Financial Services Ltd is in line with its overall strategy of ramping up its presence in the booming Middle East region. Kuwait, with over 600,000 NRI population, is expected to be a lucrative market for the new venture and plans are afoot to increase its presence to six offices.
Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, Chief Executive of BBK said" BBK has completed 25 years of banking in India predominantly serving the NRIs from the GCC countries. NRI services desk of the Bank at Bahrain has been offering services relating to Indian stock market to expats from the region. Encouraged by the good response and to further enhance the level of these activities, BBK has taken initiative to forge a partnership with India's leading stock market services company, Geojit BNP Paribas Financial Services Ltd along with JZ Associates LLC, a highly reputed Financial consulting firm from Kuwait". He also stated that the expats from Kuwait would benefit from this initiative.
Mr. C. J. George, Managing Director, Geojit BNP Paribas Financial Services Ltd said, 'Geojit BNP Paribas has been expanding it's footprint in GCC countries over the last decade. This Joint Venture in Kuwait with BBK is the latest step in our efforts to provide savings and investment services relating to Indian Stock Market to NRIs in Kuwait who presently do not enjoy any such facility'
Mr Jassem Hassan Zainal of JZ Associates LLC, a leading Financial Consulting firm in Kuwait, said, BBK NRI Services at Kuwait has a long presence in Kuwait offering wide range of Banking products to Expats. This new initiative of incorporating an exclusive company to offer broking services pertaining to Indian Stock Market to Expats would be a welcome change for the large expat population of the region.

BBK reports net profits of BHD 23.1 million for the First Half of 2011

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 06:38:07 GMT

To view the financial statement, please click here

BBK Board of Directors has yesterday approved its financial results for the six months ending 30th June 2011. Mr. Murad Ali Murad Chairman of the Board of Directors said that the bank reported net profit of BD 23.1 million for the first six months of 2011, compared to BD 23.4 million reported during the first six month of 2010. He added that the profit of the same period of last year included some non-recurring lines, which if excluded; the bank’s net profit would have increased by 4.8%.

For the six months ended June 2011, the bank reported net interest income of BD 27.2 million compared to BD 29.5 million for the same period of last year which included BD 2.2 million gain on redemption of sub-debt (June 2011: BD 283M). Fees and commissions witnessed a growth over the same period of last year to reach BD 12.6 million. Investment assets contributed BD 8.7 million to the net profit, compared to BD 23.5 million for the period ended 30th June 2010, which included BD 17.1 million non-recurring investment gain arose from the sale of non-trading investments. Excluding the non-recurring investment gain, investment income increased by 35.4% over the same period of last year. Sound credit and risk management practices were the key factors for strengthening the bank’s ability to maintain the quality of credit lending, and improving the recovery of previously provisioned accounts; which in return resulted in lowering net provisioning requirements to BD 1.9 million, compared to BD 18.9 million for the same period of last year.

The net profit for the three months ended June 2011 stood at BD 11.4 million compared to BD 10.9 million for the same period of last year. The 4% increase in net profit was mainly driven by higher investment income, higher fees and commission income, and lower loan and investment provision requirements.

The bank continues its strategy of being pioneer in investing in the bank infrastructure. During the year, the bank’s credit card subsidiary CrediMax moved to a new strategically located head office in AlSeef District, which includes a retail branch as well, with the aim of offering enhanced customer services and increased customer outreach. In addition to the branch in AlSeef district, another branch was opened in Suq Wagif earlier in the year, and another one is expected to be opened early next year in Al-Hidd area. Those initiatives, coupled with continuous investments in human resources and IT infrastructure, has resulted in increasing the bank operating expense by 7.3% compared to the same period of last year.

BBK’s balance sheet stood at BD 2,564 million, a growth of 6.5% compared to the same period of last year, and 4.8% compared to December 2010. The bank managed to increase its customer deposits by 4.6% to reach BD 1,795 million, compared to June 2010, and by 12.7% compared to December 2010. The growth in customer deposits was driven mainly by the growth in retail savings and current deposits. Loans & advances has also witnessed a 3.8% growth over similar period of last year reaching BD 1,281 million from BD 1,234 million in June 2010. With the positive trend in the bond market, BBK capitalizes on excellent opportunities by investing in quality fixed income and other bonds; this has resulted in increasing the non-trading investment portfolio by 16.0% compared to June 2010, and by 9.7% compared to December 2010.

The Bank stands at a very comfortable liquidity position as evidenced by major liquidity parameters. Liquid assets (Cash and balances with central banks, Treasury bills, trading investments, and placement with financial institutions) to total assets ratio amounted to 28.6%, compared to 27.0% as of December 2010 well above the regulatory requirement of 25%. Loans to customer and banks’ deposit ratio stood at 63.2%. In addition the Bank continues to maintain its Capital Adequacy ratio at a very comfortable level and well above regulatory requirements.

Mr. A.Karim Bucheery, Chief Executive, commented on the performance of the bank saying “Despite the challenging operating environment, the bank have achieved a growth of 4.8% excluding non-recurring items, mainly due to the flexible and diversified strategic plan which the bank adopts, and made flexible to conform to the changing operating environment. BBK management would like to thank our valued shareholders, customers, and employees for their support and trust which they showed, and the bank’s Board of Directors, and Bahrain Central Bank for their continuous guidance.”

Mr. Bucheery added that the bank has offered the required support to its retail as well as corporate customers to assist them restructure their cash flows. For instance, retail customers were offered the option to postpone their repayment installments for three months and loans to corporate clients were restructured wherever needed to assist corporate clients overcome their liquidity stress.

BBK supports "Melodic Meet 2011

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 06:23:09 GMT

In an aim to rehabilitate the disabled athletes and raise funds for them in order to support their sports and activities, the Bahrain Disabled Sports Federation is organizing its famous grand cultural and artistic show entitled “Melodic Meet 2011”.

Running for its sixteenth year and featuring a number of well known Bahraini and Indian artists, the Bahraini Disabled Sports Federation has been concentrating its efforts to combine the disabled of our society into the mainstream of the economy. Over the years, a number of projects have been implemented to enable them to become positive contributors to the growth and development of the Kingdom.

Showing its support towards the community and increasing the awareness level on social responsibility, BBK will be taking part of this event by co sponsoring it. In the previous years, the Bank has assisted many profitable and non for profit societies such as the Wish Child Welfare, the Bahrain Mobility International, and various other entities.

Al Hayrat July winners

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 06:51:51 GMT

Name

Amount

Sayed Salman Ebrahim $5000

Mariam ahmed Alrowaie $5000

Ahmed Mansoor Abbas $5000

Abdulla Haji Ebrahim $5000

Mohamed Ali Mohamed $5000

Sultan Mahboon Aman $5000

Fatima Abdul Karim Abdulla $5000

Sachin Khera $5000

Mahmood Ghuloom Shamsi $5000

A.Rahman Hamad A.Rahman $5000

Alaa Abdali Mudara $5000

Mohammed Abbas Haji Ali $5000

S.Ali Hussain Khalaf $5000

Fatima Ahmed Matooq $5000

Mohammed Ali Hasan Ridha $5000

Al Hayrat announces the 15 winners of the July monthly draw

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 11:42:30 GMT

The July Al Hayrat winners of $5,000 each are:

S. Salman S. Ebrahim, Mariam ahmed Alrowaie, Ahmed Mansoor Abbas, Abdulla Haji Ebrahim, Mohamed Ali Mohamed, Sultan Mahboon Aman, Fatima Abdul Karim Abdulla, Sachin Khera, Mahmood Ghuloom Shamsi, A.Rahman Hamad A.Rahman, Alaa Abdali Mudara, Mohammed Abbas Haji Ali, S.Ali Hussain Khalaf, Fatima Ahmed Matooq and Mohammed Ali Hasan Ridha

The cheques were handed over to the winners by Ghazi Ahmed, Head of Business Development and Acting head of Retail Banking and Nada Bubshait, Marketing communications manager.

The winners unanimously expressed their thanks and appreciation for winning this prize, especially as it has coincided with the holy month of Ramadan, they have attributed their win as a part of the month’s many blessings.
S. Salman S. Ebrahim, one of the lucky winners, spoke of the many years he and his family have been banking with BBK. He has expressed his admiration for the ever evolving products and services the bank has on offer, namely their introduction of Financial Malls and the large number of ATMs and Branches across Bahrain.

Mr. S. Salman also spoke highly of the Internet Banking services from BBK as a convenient solution to paying his bills, and conducting his banking online anytime, anywhere.

The Al Hayrat draw took place on August 3rd, in the main BBK branch under the supervision of Mr. Yasser Buallay the ministry of commerce and industry representative, in addition to BBK’s Internal Audit, Internal control and Retail Marketing and Retail Banking representatives.
BBK and non-BBK customers can open Al Hayrat saving account, starting from BD50; and they can withdraw their cash anytime at their convenience.

To be eligible to win any of the great prizes, customers need to invest their money in Al Hayrat account to any of the BBK branches for at least one month.

Everybody can now also give their loved ones the gift of winning with Al Hayrat gift certificate. Whether it’s for a Birthday, a graduation, a wedding or the birth of a baby. Al Hayrat Gift Certificate is the perfect solution for any occasion.
It is worth mentioning that for the holy month of Ramadan, BBK has been running a promotion for the fifth year in a row, whereby instead of the regular monthly draws, weekly draws were held, with the prize money growing in size as each week progressed and a final Eid draw with a bumper cash prize of $50,000. Furthermore, the eligibility criterion of making the deposits a month before the draw date was reduced to one week only during this promotion.

Al Hayrat Ramadan week one Winner

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 09:35:06 GMT

Ahmed Mohammed Al Hermi

To be eligible to win any of the great prizes, customers need to invest their money in Al Hayrat account to any of the BBK branches for at least one month.

Everybody can now also give their loved ones the gift of winning with Al Hayrat gift certificate. Whether it’s for a Birthday, a graduation, a wedding or the birth of a baby. Al Hayrat Gift Certificate is the perfect solution for any occasion.

It is worth mentioning that for the holy month of Ramadan, BBK has been running a promotion for the fifth year in a row, whereby instead of the regular monthly draws, weekly draws were held, with the prize money growing in size as each week progressed and a final Eid draw with a bumper cash prize of $50,000. Furthermore, the eligibility criterion of making the deposits a month before the draw date was reduced to one week only during this promotion.

Al Hayrat Ramadan Week Two Winner

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 12:15:15 GMT

Hussain Hasan Ali Hasan

BBK rewards diligence at work

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 06:56:35 GMT

Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK announced the winners of the Employee of the Month for the months of June & July 2011 at their headquarters in Manama.

Each month, BBK honours one team member for his performance, positive attitude and pro-activeness under the Employee of the Month scheme. Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, Chief Executive of BBK handed over the certificates and the cash prizes to the employees of the month, Mr. Ankur Lalaji from the International Banking Division for the month of June 2011 and Miss. Fatima Al Binali from the Retail Banking Division for the month of July 2011 at a special ceremony in appreciation for their achievements.

BBK contributes over BD 45,000 to the Bahraini community

Mon, 05 Sep 2011 04:55:29 GMT

BBK contributes over BD 45,000 to the Bahraini community

In line with BBK’s strategic initiatives for a brighter community and its monthly support to various entities, Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, BBK’s Chief Executive, welcomed at the Bank’s Headquarters, representatives from different societies to receive BBK's contributions for their requests submitted in August. The handover ceremony was attended by Mr. Reyadh Sater- General Manager- Shared Services Group, Mr. Abdul Hussain Bustani- Assistant General Manger- Human Resources and Administration and Ms. Abeer Swar- Corporate Communications Officer.

The entities that have benefited from the Bank’s support to fulfill their various humanitarian initiatives were: Bahrain Philanthropic Society, Bahrain Mobility International, UCO Parent’s Care Center and Mohammed Bin Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa Cardiac Centre.

On this occasion, Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, BBK Chief Executive said: “The Bank is always keen on supporting such entities given the significant role they play in the progress of the Kingdom.”

System Maintenance 09.09.2011

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 05:41:04 GMT

Dear Customer,

Please note that we will be performing system maintenance on Friday 9th of September from 1:00 AM to 4:00 AM.

As a result, during that period the following services will not be available:

• BBK debit cards used for local cash withdrawal and enquiries on other local ATMs (Benefit)
• Local and GCC banks’ debit cards used for local cash withdrawal and enquiries on BBK’s ATM network
• BBK debit cards used for local purchases of products/services
• BBK debit cards used on the Benefit Payment Gateway
• MasterCard cards used on BBK’s ATM network
• Credimax credit cards used on BBK’s ATM network
• Credimax Credit Card used for payments and enquiry through BBK ATM, Internet Banking, Cash Depository Machine and Telebanking.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused

Benefit System Maintenance 12.09.2011

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 09:11:27 GMT

Dear Customer,

Please note that Benefit is planning a system outage on Monday the 12th of September from 1:00 AM to 5:30 AM.
During that time, you will be unable to conduct any Benefit related transactions including:

- BBK cards on other local ATMs
- BBK cards on Benefit POS (NBB)
- BBK cards on GCC countries ATMs
- BBK cards on Benefit Payment Gateway
- Benefit cards on BBK ATMs (or Other local banks’ cards on BBK ATMs)
- GCC countries banks’ cards on BBK ATMs
- Amex cards on BBK’s ATMs

We apologize for any inconvenience caused.

Analysis and Outlook of Bahrain Banking Sector in 2011

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 10:03:41 GMT

Abdulkarim Ahmed Bucheery, Chief Executive of BBK & Chairman of Bahrain Association of Banks, is interviewed for the latest report on Bahrain prepared by MarcoPolis, a press and communication agency headquartered in Paris, specializing in the production of economic and upscale tourism country reports, featured through a unique online platform.

Bahrain Report 2011 looks in detail on Bahrain's economy and also highlights the industry trends. The report marks the culmination of more than three months of groundbreaking field research by a team of editors and journalists from MarcoPolis, assessing trends and developments in all major sectors of the economy including energy, industry, finance, banking, tourism, transport, and real estate.

In a wide ranging interview, Abdulkarim Ahmed Bucheery the banking sector in Bahrain and the outlook for 2011. According to Mr. Bucheery, Bahrain is over-banked which limits the number of new entrants into the market. Otherwise, the sector is healthy and sound.

Greater consolidation of the sector is possible althought happening very slowly. Despite the crisis the fundamentals remain strong and Bahrain still offers excellent facilities for financial companies in the region.

To view the video interview, please select the below links:

Bahrain Banking: Banks in Bahrain and the Crisis
Analysis and Outlook of Bahrain Banking Sector in 2011
Effects of the Crisis on Banking Sector in Bahrain

The Four winners of the Al Hayrat Ramadan prizes of $125,000 announced

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 05:09:58 GMT

Bahrain’s pioneer in commercial and retail banking, BBK, recently announced the names of their four lucky Al Hayrat Ramadan weekly winners which took place during the holy month of Ramadan. The winners received the prize money at a special handover ceremony that was hosted at the Bank’s headquarters, where the cheques have been handed over by Axel Hofmann, Head of Retail Banking.

The handover ceremonies were also attended by Mr. Reinaldo Moarry, Head of Retail Marketing, Mr. Mazin Dhaif, Head of Distribution network, Mr. Ghazi Ahmed, Head of Business Development and Ms. Nada Bubshait, Marketing Communications Manager.

For the holy month of Ramadan, BBK ran a promotion for the fifth year in a row, whereby instead of the regular monthly draws, weekly draws were held, with the prize money growing in size as each week progressed and a final Eid draw with a bumper cash prize. Furthermore, the eligibility criterion of making the deposits a month before the draw date was reduced to a week during this promotion.

Mr. Ahmed Al Hermi, Winner of the first weekly prize of $20,000 and long standing loyal customer of BBK’s, thanked the bank for their excellent products and services, namely, Al Hayrat. As it allows customers to continue to save while enjoying the chance to win amazing prizes.

Mr. Hussain Hasan Ali Hasan, winner of the second weekly prize of $25,000, was quite surprised a the news of winning, and proceeded to express his appreciation for receiving such good news during the holy month of Ramadan.

Mr. Yaser Mohd Burshaid, winner of the third weekly prize of $30,000, brought his daughter Thabya Burshaid along for the handover ceremony. She will be enjoying her father’s winning prize check by getting herself a special treat.

The grand Eid prize winner of $50,000 was Mr. Hasan Mohammed Hasan Salman. Mr. Hasan mentioned that he will be using some of his prize to purchase a new car, in addition, he expressed his intentions to transfer all of his savings into Al Hayrat account, in order to increase his chances of winning again in the future.
Mr. Hasan also expressed his admiration of the BBK Financial Malls comprehensive services and wide availability, which directly reflected on the standards of services BBK customers can expect and receive.

BBK and non-BBK customers can open Al Hayrat saving account, starting from BD50; and they can withdraw their cash anytime at their convenience.
To be eligible to win any of the great prizes, customers need to invest their money in Al Hayrat account to any of the BBK branches for at least one month.
Everybody can now also give their loved ones the gift of winning with Al Hayrat gift certificate. Whether it’s for a Birthday, a graduation, a wedding or the birth of a baby. Al Hayrat Gift Certificate is the perfect solution for any occasion.

BBK rewards diligence at work

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 05:04:36 GMT

Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK announced the winner of the Employee of the Month for the month of August 2011 at their headquarters in Manama.

BBK contributes over BD 16,000 to the Bahraini community

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 04:59:44 GMT

In line with BBK’s strategic initiatives for a brighter community and its monthly support to various entities, Mr. Abdul Hussain Bustani, BBK’s Assistant General Manger- Human Resources and Administration welcomed at the Bank’s Headquarters, representatives from different societies to receive BBK's contributions for their requests submitted in August.

The entities that have benefited from the Bank’s support to fulfill their various humanitarian initiatives were: Bahrain Disabled Sports Federation, Muharraq Communal Society, Bahrain Young Ladies Association, Muharraq Parents Care Home, Al Eslah Society, Al Ehsan Welfare Society and International Ladies Association.

On this occasion, Mr. Abdul Hussain Bustani, BBK’s Assistant General Manger- Human Resources and Administration said: “The Bank is always keen on supporting the local community and seeking to diversify the base of its donation recipients, thereby proactively contributing to securing improved opportunities for a large and diversified entities.”
As one of the major financial institutions in Bahrain, providing regular contributions to various humanitarian causes and societies throughout the years, BBK has supported entities including major clubs, charity funds and social initiatives. These initiatives are aimed at achieving the sole goal and vision of a brighter future and community in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

BBK Launches eStatements

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 07:30:09 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, announces the launch of its new “eStatement” service. BBK customers can now view, save, download and if necessary print all their bank statements online, instead of receiving paper statements by mail.

BBKs’ eStatement is an electronically designed statement looking like the paper one providing a fast, convenient, and free of charge service to BBK’s customers who can now access their statement conveniently anytime and anyplace of their chosen without the need to wait for any mailed paper statements. By viewing the eStatement online, customers will be able to retrieve their statements via www.bbkonline.com using their login Customer ID and ePIN.

For added convenience, statements going back up to 12 months can be viewed, saved, downloaded or printed at any time. By switching to eStatements customers will be helping to reduce paper consumption and therefore playing an important role in conserving resources and protecting the environment.

BBK customers who wish to register for the new eStatements service for some or all of their eligible accounts may either do this online through www.bbkonline.com or in person at any BBK branch. Once registered, customers will no longer receive paper statements by mail; rather they will receive an email or an SMS, depending on their preference, advising that their eStatements are available to view online. Customers should then log on to a secure page through www.bbkonline.com where they will see a list of all the eStatements for their accounts available for viewing or downloading as PDF files.

Announcing the launch of eStatements, Axel Hofmann, BBK’s Head of Retail Banking, said: “At BBK we are always looking at how we can deliver banking services that are convenient to our customers. eStatements are secure, fast and will help our customers to monitor their financial affairs more easily. We are also keen to develop banking services which will reduce the impact on the environment – eStatements will help in this respect because each time a BBK customer decides to view or download a statement instead of printing it, paper will be saved.”

Customers will benefit from added convenience while at the same time be able to play their part in conserving resources and protecting the environment.

BBK is moving to ISO International Bank Account Number (IBAN)

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 11:54:16 GMT

We are glad to inform you that BBK is moving to ISO International Bank Account Number (IBAN) Standard for numbering of bank customer accounts, as of 31st January, 2012, following the directive issued by the Central bank of Bahrain (CBB). The adoption of IBAN is also in keeping with the Bahrain Economic Vision 2030 and is a step to increase the efficiency of electronic payments in the Kingdom of Bahrain, while further strengthening Bahrain’s status as the regional financial service centre.

IBAN is not a new account number. We have simply created an IBAN for your existing account number using the ISO standard format. The statement customers receive (as attached sample) shows the IBAN and BBK’s BIC code. And for customers who don’t receive a statement, letters will be sent to you directly and the customer can find their IBAN and BBK’s BIC.

Should you have any clarification, please check the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document and you can contact us on 17 207777 to assist you.

BBK Announces Cash Management Services Partnership with Bahrain Real Estate Investment Co. (Edamah)

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 11:49:48 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, announces a new partnership with Bahrain Real Estate Investment Co. (Edamah) for the supply of Cash Management Services which, when fully implemented, will allow BBK customers and non-customers alike to settle their rental payments to Edamah over-the-counter at any of BBK’s Financial Malls and branches in Bahrain.

As BBK has an extensive network of service locations all over Bahrain the new service will benefit Edamah’s customers by providing a quick and convenient method for them to settle their rental payments. It will also benefit Edamah as the new service will enhance their ability to collect and manage their receivables efficiently. This new service was made possible by close collaboration between BBK’s Cash Management subject matter experts and Edamah’s Finance and Technical teams.

Speaking at an event to launch the new service on the 25th of September at Edamah’s offices in Addax Tower, Seef District, Bahrain, Rashad Akbari, AGM of BBK’s Transactional Banking Division said: “BBK is the leading provider of cash management solutions in Bahrain. Our aim is to offer our clients flexible and customised solutions for all of their payment and collections requirements. We are delighted to have had the opportunity to work with the excellent team at Edamah and to offer them a tailored collections and receivables management solution. The partnership between Edamah and BBK will provide added convenience for Edamah’s customers and will enable the company to have better control of its working capital position.”

Edamah CEO Mr. Brian Newman said that the new service will further enhance the quality of Edamah’s property management service being offered to its tenants. “Following the successful trial of BBK’s Cash Management Solutions system with a selected tenant group, we are looking forward to broadening its application across our portfolio of managed properties to improve the convenience of rent payments for our large family of lessees” Mr. Newman said.

The launch event was attended by Edamah CEO Mr. Brian Newman, Edamah COO Saeed Al-Marzooq, Edamah Director of Finance Mrs. Nada Al Kooheji, BBK’s Head of Cash Management Mr. Santhosh Lobo, and BBK’s Cash Management Product Specialist Mrs. Nouf Al Hassan.

Bahrain Banks Showcased at IMF Meetings

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 11:52:13 GMT

Leading banks in the Kingdom of Bahrain converged on Washington DC recently to showcase Bahrain as a global financial centre and the financial capital of the MENA region. The occasion was a glittering reception hosted by the Bahrain Association of Banks (BAB) and sponsored by BBK and other financial institutions to honour Bahrain’s delegation to the annual 187-nation IMF/World Bank conference.

Click here for more details

Al Hayrat announces the 15 winners of the September monthly draw

Sun, 16 Oct 2011 04:56:06 GMT

The September Al Hayrat winners of $5,000 each are:

Isa Hashim Ahmed Alkoohiji, Abdulamir Ali Ahmed Balway, Alaa Abdali Habib Mudara, Arif Mubarak Mohammed Alatiyah, Hassan Ali Redhi Shehab, Yusuf Abdulkarim Mohamed Hasan, Ali Khorsheed Jamsheer Jamsheer, A.Jalil Ahmed Mohd Sheehab, Maki Salman Ebrahim Al Bahrani, Fawzeya Ahmed Abbas Husain, Fatema Ateyatalla Abdulrahman, Mohammed Ameer Mohammed, Safa Abdulamir Abdulridha, Safa Ebrahim Mohamed Noor, Ali Husain Ali Ahmed Dhaif

The cheques were handed over to the winners by Mr. Axel Hofmann, Head of Retail Banking, accompanied by Mr. Ghazi Ahmed, Head of Business Development, Mr. Reinaldo Moarry, Head of Retail Marketing, Mr. Mazin Dhaif, Head of Branches network, and Ms. Nada Bubshait, Marketing communications Manager.

The winners expressed their thanks and appreciation to the Bank on this happy occasion, and many shared their plans to reinvest their winnings into Al Hayrat, in order to increase their chances to win the upcoming Grand Prize draw of $500,000.
The Al Hayrat draw took place on September 28th, in the main BBK branch under the supervision of Mr. Yasser Buallay the ministry of commerce and industry representative, in addition to BBK’s Internal Audit, Internal control and Retail Marketing and Retail Banking representatives.
BBK and non-BBK customers can open Al Hayrat saving account, starting from BD50; and they can withdraw their cash anytime at their convenience.

To be eligible to win any of the great prizes, customers need to invest their money in Al Hayrat account to any of the BBK branches for at least one month.

Everybody can now also give their loved ones the gift of winning with Al Hayrat gift certificate. Whether it’s for a Birthday, a graduation, a wedding or the birth of a baby. Al Hayrat Gift Certificate is the perfect solution for any occasion.
It is worth mentioning that customers will be eligible to win the biggest cash prize in Bahrain, worth $500,000 if they deposit into Al Hayrat by December 15th.

BBK reports net profits of BD 27.1 million for the 3rd Quarter 2011

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 05:12:33 GMT

Click here to view the Financial Statement

BBK board of directors announced yesterday that the bank has reported BD 27.1 million net profits for the period ended 30th September 2011, compared to BD 31.3 million for the same period of last year. Mr. Murad Ali Murad, Chairman of the board of directors commented on the results saying “comparing the performance for the current year, with the performance of last year, we are pleased with the achieved results, given the difficult operating market in the global financial markets in general and Bahrain in particular, specially that last year net profit included some exceptional income. 2011 witnessed major financial events led by USA facing difficulty paying back debt which resulted in downgrading the county for the first time, followed by downgrade of other developed countries, and difficulties faced by major financial and non financial institutions in repaying their financial obligations, for which equity markets responded aggressively by a drastic fall for all major equity markets worldwide.”

For the nine months ended September 2011, the bank reported net interest income of BD 44.0 million compared to BD 42.8 million for the same period of last year which included BD 2.2 million gain on redemption of sub-debt (September 2011: BD 543M). Fees and commissions contributed significantly to total operating income increasing by 4.7% compared to September 2010 to reach BD 19.5 million. Investment & Fx income stood at BD 9.1 million compared to BD 26.9 million for the period ended 30th September 2010, which included BD 17.1 million non-recurring investment income arose from the sale of non-trading investments. Excluding the exceptional income during the same period of last year, BBK operating revenues would have increased 4.5% compared to September 2010. The net provisioning requirements during the year amounted to BD 9.7 million, compared to BD 23.4 million for the same period of last year.

The net profit for the three months ended September 2011 stood at BD 4.0 million compared to BD 7.8 million for the same period of last year, with net interest income of BD 16.7 million compared to BD 13.3 million as of September 2010, while other income stood at BD 7.4 million compared to BD 10.4 million for last year. Provision charges at BD 7.7 million were higher than last year charges by BD 3.2 million.

Mr. A.Karim Bucheery, Chief Executive said that the bank has recently been awarded “The Quality Recognition Award” by JP Morgan for the year 2011. The award came in light of the bank outstanding performance in achieving a very high Straight-Through-Processing (STP) for funds transfers of 95.88%, achieved by investing in the latest technology solutions available in the markets. He said that this reflects that BBK continuous investments in technological advancement and customer service are being well valued by bank’s customers, which makes the bank management even more eager to continue offering best and latest financial solutions available in the markets”. He also added that BBK has recently signed an agreement with the Geojit BNP Paribas Financial Services Ltd (India) and JZ Associates LLC (Kuwait) to form a new joint venture headquartered in Kuwait city, to meet the needs of the burgeoning NRI population in accessing Indian Capital Markets.

The bank opened a new modern branch in Suq Wagif, and another one in Al Seef area, while its credit card subsidiary “CrediMax” has moved to a new head office suitably located at Al Seef District to provide better quality service and outreach for the bank customers. All these initiatives and others resulted in increasing the bank operating expense by 7.5% compared to the same period of last year.

BBK’s balance sheet stood at BD 2,732 million, a growth of 10.3% compared to the same period of last year, and 11.6% compared to December 2010. Customer deposits at BD 1,979 million, grown 10.5% compared to September 2010, and 24.2% compared to December 2010. The growth in customer deposits compared to last year was mainly driven by the growth in retail and corporate deposits. Loans & advances on the other hand grew by 12.1% to BD 1,390 million, compared to BD 1,239 million in September 2010, while non-trading investment portfolio increased by 16.5% compared to September 2010 to reach BD 506 million which made significant contribution to the bank income during the year.

Liquid assets (Cash and balances with central banks, Treasury bills, trading investments, and placement with financial institutions) to total assets stood at a comfortable level of 27.0%, while loan to customer and Banks’ deposit ratio stood at 70%, compared to 80% as of December 2010, whereas Capital Adequacy remained at a very comfortable level, well above regulatory requirements.

Batelco and BBK Sign Strategic Agreement for Wider Presence

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 05:53:57 GMT

Batelco, Bahrain’s leading integrated communications provider and BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, have taken the first step forward in a strategic partnership that is aimed at creating a first class differentiated service to the market. Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla and BBK Chief Executive Abdulkarim Bucheery signed an agreement to mark the strategic initiative during a ceremony held at BBK Riffa Financial Mall on October 17th.

As a first step in the partnership, Batelco will provide full retail services at five of BBK’s Financial Malls (FM); Riffa Financial Mall, Muharraq Financial Mall, Exhibition Road Financial Mall, Adliya Financial Mall and Budaiya Financial Mall, to provide the Bank’s customers with a full range of Batelco’s telecommunication services. This endeavour aims at enabling individuals and Small and Medium Enterprises to receive their banking and telecom services all under one roof. Moreover, mutual customers of Batelco and BBK will be able to receive regular promotions, targeted campaigns and special rewards by both partners.

Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla said that this partnership will be the beginning of many future joint campaigns that aims at providing added value to the market.

“The new Batelco shops at BBK’s Financial Malls are the future model for delivering first class services and creating a unique experience for customers. The FM model enables both partners to immediately observe and respond to the target customers, thus enabling both partners to deliver more targeted campaigns to customers,” Mr. Abdulla explained.

“The partnership between the two giant entities in the banking and telecom sector will connect both organisations and strengthen the brand equity of both partners as it will provide a new way of doing business with customers that is based on creating added value and a unique experience for customers,” he added.

On the other hand, Abdulkarim Bucheery, BBK’s Chief Executive said that the Bank is absolutely delighted to be embarking on a new partnership with Batelco.

“We welcome Batelco to BBK’s Financial Malls and we are very excited to cater to our valued customers by providing a comprehensive range of financial and non-financial services all under-one-roof, which is the main purpose behind BBK’s Financial Malls.”

“BBK has been a trusted brand for over 40 years and has always been at the cutting edge of banking and financial services’ innovation. With this alliance of two strong brands, we ensure added value for our customers and that is our goal,” Mr. Bucheery added.

The aim of the agreement is to extend and improve the existing relationship between the two organizations, while facilitating the best possible commercial terms, knowledge transfer, and marketing processes

BBK rewards diligence at work

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 06:38:45 GMT

Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK announced the winner of the Employee of the Month for the month of September 2011 at their headquarters in Manama.

Each month, BBK honours one team member for his performance, positive attitude and pro-activeness under the Employee of the Month scheme. Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, Chief Executive of BBK handed over the certificate and the cash prize to the employee of the month, Mr. Abdulla Essa Eid from the Human Resources and Administration Division (General Services Department) at a special ceremony in appreciation for his achievements.

BBK shows support towards Bankers Union - donates BD 2,500

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 08:48:15 GMT

In line with their strategic initiatives for a brighter community, BBK- Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking- handed over a cheque of BD 2,500 as a gesture of their support towards the Bankers Union. The cheque was handed over by Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, CE of BBK to Mr. Khalil Zainal- President, Bankers Union, in the presence of Mr. Ali Mohammed Abdulla, Vice President, Bankers Union and from BBK Mr. Reyadh Sater- General Manager- Shared Services Group, Mr. Abdul Hussain Bustani- Assistant General Manger- Human Resources and Administration and Ms. Abeer Swar- Corporate Communications Officer.

Over the past years, the Bankers Union received the Bank’s support through numerous donations. This year’s Bank’s contributions have given the Bankers Union the financial aid required to complete the expansion and furnishing of its premises with the participation of other financial institutions.

The Bankers Union was established on 25.01.2003 following the launch of His Majesty the King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa reform scheme and after the publication of Legislative Decree No.(33) of 2002 with respect to the promulgation of the Workers Union Law as a workers union designed to look after the interests of the workers in the financial and banking sector, to defend their rights, to raise the level of their employment gains and living conditions through the spread of union culture and active participation in numerous events to emphasize the role of unions as an integral element of the developed economy.

As one of the major financial institutions in Bahrain, BBK has supported entities including major clubs, charity funds and social initiatives. These initiatives are aimed at achieving the sole goal and vision of a brighter future and community in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

BBK launches its Corporate Campaign Forward Banking

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 05:37:46 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, today unveiled its new corporate campaign “Forward Banking”, reasserting its progressive approach and taking the standards of the industry to the next level. The double arrows of the campaign appeared in different media in the Kingdom, illustrating that BBK leads the way ‘forward’ and in doing so helps it customers to move forward as well.
With this campaign, BBK reaffirms its support to its customers, and empowers them to shape their tomorrow with confidence thanks to innovative & relevant banking solutions, catering to individuals, large corporations as well as SMEs. The campaign highlights BBK’s strength: 4 decades of banking know-how supporting consumers, businesses and local communities throughout their lives. It also refers to its values, demonstrating BBK’s commitment towards all its stakeholders.

“Our customers’ success is our priority, said Mr. A.Karim Bucheery, BBK’s Chief Executive. “We live in a world of constant movement, where everything evolves everyday a little faster, this is why at BBK, we strive to always be one step ahead so that we can anticipate our customer’s needs. Over the past 40 years BBK launched pioneering services, continuously delivering consumer-friendly enhancements to better serve customers. Today, in the era of Forward Banking, BBK customers are able to solve challenges, explore new directions and achieve their aspirations.”

As a revolutionary market leader, BBK has built a name and reputation which is respected locally as well as internationally. BBK has been at the forefront, incorporating the latest technologies to provide the finest services. Its e-banking solutions provide new generation services through its user friendly award winning website www.bbkonline.com. Its Cash management platform BBKCashlink is a revolutionary online solution for businesses. With a wide network of branches and Financial Malls, along with the telebanking, Cash depository machines and ATM services, BBK is always close to its customers.

And while striving to secure the highest standards of products and services, BBK has continued in its strong commitment to corporate governance on one hand and its tradition of investing in the community and playing an active role in the corporate responsibility on the other hand.

System maintenance

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 12:04:00 GMT

Dear Customer,

Please note that we will be performing system maintenance on Thursday 27th of October from 1:00 AM to 2:00 AM

As a result, during that period the following services will not be available :

BBK debit cards used for local cash withdrawal and enquiries on BBK ATM Network
BBK debit cards used for local cash withdrawal and enquiries on other local ATMs (Benefit)
BBK debit cards used for international cash withdrawal and enquiries on other ATMs in the GCC and abroad
BBK debit cards used for local purchases of products/services
BBK debit cards used for international purchases of products/services
BBK debit Cards on Payment Gateway

We apologise for any inconvenie caused

HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa Visits the New BBK Health Centre in Hidd

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 12:22:06 GMT

His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain, made an inspection visit on Tuesday 11th October 2011
to the new BBK Health Centre in Hidd as part of his policy of inspecting development projects throughout the Kingdom that serve the interests of the citizens. The visit marked the opening of the Health Centre

His Royal Highness was welcomed on arrival by HE Dr. Fatima bint Mohamed Al Balushi, Acting Minister of Health and Minister of Human Rights and Development, Mr. Murad Ali Murad, BBK Chairman, Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, BBK Chief Executive and in the presence of BBK Board members and the Bank’s Senior Management along Senior Officials from the Ministry of Health.

In his opening remarks, His Royal Highness the Prime Minister urged other organizations from the private sector to follow the example of BBK– which is the main contributor to the Hidd Health Centre.

On the occasion Mr. Murad Ali Murad, BBK Chairman expressed his gratitude to HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa for visiting the BBK Health Center.

He also expressed his pleasure at the completion of this project that represents the most advanced health care facility in the Kingdom amongst health centers and boast the best design standards and the most advanced medical equipments.

BBK Chairman explained that the Bank’s decision to build this health centre was an integral part of its initiatives in the area of corporate social responsibility and also aligned with the Ministry of Health’s plan for development of preventative and medical services allowing the citizens’ access to good health services. He emphasized that it was vital for the private sector to join hands with the public sector in the support of the community.

He added: “The corporate social responsibility towards the Kingdom is of utmost importance for BBK and we are proud that we build this modern health centre that will provide basic medical care to the residents of Hidd and the surrounding areas.”

The total cost of the project including construction, medical equipments and furniture amounted to BD3.9 million. The construction works of BBK Health centre, which covers an area of about 6,200 square meters continued for around 18 months, with an addition of 6 months for furbishing and equipping the centre.

The two-storey health centre houses a medical records department, a nursing department, a theatre for minor surgeries and a medical treatment room. The centre has two rooms for medical isolation, a maternity unit and three antenatal clinics. There are X-ray facilities, a laboratory and a pharmacy in addition to 3 dental technician rooms and 6 dental clinics, in addition to 26 family physician clinics.

There will also be a section for mobile units to provide care for elderly patients in addition to a special emergency and ambulance services.

Apart from providing most of the health care services, the Centre has a special section for school health to serve the whole of Muharraq and is considered as the second of its kind in the Kingdom. In addition, there is a medical education department that serves to qualify family physicians. This facility comprises classrooms, conference rooms and a library for medical trainees.

The BBK Health Centre Centre has a workforce of around 70 employees and will provide its services to residents of Block 110 which covers the areas of Hidd, Hallat Al Naim and Hallat Al Salt. The Health Centres Directorate is considering the addition of Galali village to the areas covered by this Centre in future.

Meanwhile, the Centre’s administration will not ask members of the public to transfer their files as it has already transferred and updated the relevant files and will give notice to the public to amend their addresses if they were not already updated.

BBK plans to set up a new branch at this facility to provide its banking services to the people of Hidd and surrounding areas.

BBK launches its internet-based Cash Management Platform BBKCashlink

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 10:36:15 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking and the leading provider of Cash Management solutions in the Kingdom, announces the official launch of BBKCashlink at a press conference held on the 30th October, at the Gulf Hotel – Kingdom of Bahrain.

BBKCashlink is an internet-based Cash Management Platform which enables BBK’s commercial and institutional clients to initiate multiple types of payments and view all of their account-related information from their offices. This multi-product payments and cash management system is BBK’s solution for clients who want to better manage their cash flow through being able to initiate “just-in-time” payments and to accelerate their receivables from locations all over the world.

The design of BBKCashlink has been inline with industry best practice and incorporates “STP” (straight-through-processing) which brings new levels of operational efficiency, improved accuracy and faster payment turnaround times. To ensure the integrity of client payment data the platform uses the highest possible security standards, including 128bit SSL encryption and dual-factor authentication.
Since its soft launch in August 2010 BBKCashlink has already won two major awards, the “Bahrain e-Content Award 2011” and the “Middle East e-Government Excellence Award 2011” for electronic banking services.

Speaking at the Press Conference to announce the official launch of BBKCashlink, Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, BBK’s Chief Executive, said: “BBK continues to invest heavily in processes and technology, and with BBKCashlink we have a state-of-the-art electronic platform capable of providing our customers with a comprehensive range of Cash Management services. BBKCashlink enables our clients to realize significant efficiency gains within their organizations and as a result of our careful analysis of customer needs it also offers an enhanced user experience”.

Sh. Rashed Al-Khalifa, GM-Business Group at BBK added: “We offer a tailored implementation plan for every BBKCashlink client. We have a team of Cash Management experts who work closely with each customer to develop a customer-specific implementation plan. All BBKCashlink implementations follow a structured process which includes requirements gathering, proposal submission, product walk-through, piloting of the programme and finally full implementation. This process works very well and we are keen to talk to all businesses in Bahrain who would like to transform their Cash Management operations and take those to a higher level.”

Finally, Mr Abdulkarim Bucheery confirmed how BBKCashlink has been well received in the market by large corporate customers, SMEs as well as other financial institutions such as BAPCO, Economic Development Board, Bahrain Stock Exchange, and Bahrain Chamber for Dispute Resolution among others that have already signed in for this new service.

For further information about BBKCashlink please visit www.bbkonline.com

System Maintenance on 1-11-2011

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 10:41:27 GMT

Dear Customer,

Please note that we will be performing system maintenance on Tuesday 1st of November from 2:00 AM to 4:00 AM

As a result, during that period the following services will not be available :

BBK debit cards used for local cash withdrawal and enquiries on BBK ATM Network
BBK debit cards used for local cash withdrawal and enquiries on other local ATMs (Benefit)
BBK debit cards used for international cash withdrawal and enquiries on other ATMs in the GCC and abroad
BBK debit cards used for local purchases of products/services
BBK debit cards used for international purchases of products/services
BBK debit Cards on Payment Gateway

We apologise for any inconvenie caused

Al Hayrat October 2011

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 11:45:07 GMT

Name

Amount

Ian Vincent Fernandes $5000

Balakrishnan Kumaran $5000

Basheer Khalil Ebrahim $5000

Shawqi Omran AlQassab $5000

Ali Abdulla Mansoor $5000

Wedad Abbas Ebrahim $5000

Sara Mahmood Yateem $5000

Ruqayah Hassan Saif $5000

Hameeda Ahmed Nasser $5000

Ameena Ali AlBoainain $5000

Ali Jassim A.Nabi $5000

Nader Ahmed Mohammed $5000

Redha Ebrahim Abdulla $5000

Aysha Ismaeel AlMansoori $5000

S.Sadiq Hashim Mohammed $5000

BBK rewards diligence at work

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 05:13:23 GMT

Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK announced the winner of the Employee of the Month for the month of October 2011 at their headquarters in Manama.

Each month, BBK honours one team member for his performance, positive attitude and pro-activeness under the Employee of the Month scheme. Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, Chief Executive of BBK handed over the certificate and the cash prize to the employee of the month, Mr. Ahmed Salah Sultan from the Retail Banking Division (e-banking Department) at a special ceremony in appreciation for his achievements.

BBK announces a new ATM machine at Hamad Town Roundabout 22

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 04:59:36 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, announces the introduction of a new offsite ATM at Hamad Town Roundabout 22 in Dar Kulaib. With the addition of this new ATM, BBK’s network has increased to 42 ATMs across the Kingdom of Bahrain. BBK has one of the largest ATM networks in Bahrain and is committed to maintaining its market-leading position by adding new BBK ATMs in suitable locations to provide additional services and added convenience for its customers.
The new ATM is located at Hamad Town Roundabout 22 in Dar Kulaib and is nearby Dar Kulaib Petrol Station.

BBK ATM machines in Bahrain provide a wide range of services, including:

Cash withdrawals
Account balance enquiries
Printing of mini statements
Transfer of funds between linked accounts maintained with BBK
Cheque book requests
Batelco bill payments and prepaid top-ups
Zain bill payments and prepaid top-ups
Electricity bill payments
CrediMax Credit Card bill payments and PIN change
Al Hayrat top up

Announcing the launch of the new ATM, Axel Hofmann, AGM Retail Banking Division at BBK said: “BBK is committed to providing our customers with outstanding service. We are continuing to invest in our ATM network, adding new locations and making additional services available through our machines, because we know that our customers appreciate being able to do their banking whenever and wherever is convenient for them.”
To view a map showing the location of the new ATM and all of BBK’s other ATM locations in Bahrain please click here

BBK continues its support towards inJAz Bahrain- donates BD 7,550

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 08:09:08 GMT

In line with their strategic initiatives for a brighter community, BBK- Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking- handed over a cheque of BD 7,550 as a gesture of their support towards inJAz Bahrain. On Wednesday, 16th November 2011, Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, Chief Executive of BBK welcomed Her Highness Sheikha Hessa bint Khalifa Al Khalifa, Executive Director of inJAz Bahrain, in the presence of Mrs. Badria Naqi, inJAz Bahrain Deputy Executive Director, and from BBK Mr. Abdul Hussain Bustani, Assistant General Manager- Human Resources and Administration Division, Mrs. Rafa Kaddoura- Corporate Communication Manager, Ms. Abeer Swar, Corporate Communication Officer and Mrs. Narjis Aseeri, inJAz Bahrain Coordinator in the Bank.

inJAz Bahrain has been receiving regular support from BBK over the past years in the form of financial aid and provision of volunteers to deliver its programs to school students. BBK has been part of inJAz Bahrain board of directors since its inception in January 2005. The financial contributions extended by BBK to inJAz Bahrain along with the provision of staff volunteers from the bank help the organization reach out to school students with programs of entrepreneurships, financial literacy and work readiness focus.

BBK financial support towards inJAz Bahrain is considered to be a token of appreciation for the economic based programs that this non-profit entity offers to the community. inJAz Bahrain is spreading the power of knowledge within the young generation, making it easier for the students to decide on their career path from a very young age and we are proud to be of assistance to such a movement.

Al Hayrat announces the 15 winners of the October monthly draw

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 09:32:05 GMT

BBK , Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, has recently announced the names of the 15 October monthly prize winners of $75,000.

The October Al Hayrat winners of $5,000 each are:
Ian Vincent Fernandes, Balakrishnan Kumaran, Basheer Khalil Ebrahim, Shawqi Omran AlQassab, Ali Abdulla Mansoor, Wedad Abbas Ebrahim, Sara Mahmood Yateem, Ruqayah Hassan Saif, Hameeda Ahmed Nasser, Ameena Ali AlBoainain, Ali Jassim A.Nabi, Nader Ahmed Mohammed, Redha Ebrahim Abdulla, Aysha Ismaeel AlMansoori and S.Sadiq Hashim Mohammed.

The cheques were handed over to the winners by Mr. Reinaldo Moarry, Head of Retail Marketing and Ms. Nada Bubshait, Marketing communications Manager.

The winners expressed their thanks and appreciation to the Bank on this happy occasion, and many shared their plans to reinvest their winnings into Al Hayrat, in order to increase their chances to win the upcoming Grand Prize draw of $500,000.
The Al Hayrat draw took place on October 2nd, in the main BBK branch under the supervision of Mr. Yasser Buallay the ministry of commerce and industry representative, in addition to BBK’s Internal Audit, Internal control and Retail Marketing and Retail Banking representatives.
BBK and non-BBK customers can open Al Hayrat saving account, starting from BD50; and they can withdraw their cash anytime at their convenience.

To be eligible to win any of the great prizes, customers need to invest their money in Al Hayrat account to any of the BBK branches for at least one month.

Everybody can now also give their loved ones the gift of winning with Al Hayrat gift certificate. Whether it’s for a Birthday, a graduation, a wedding or the birth of a baby. Al Hayrat Gift Certificate is the perfect solution for any occasion.
It is worth mentioning that customers will be eligible to win the biggest cash prize in Bahrain, worth $500,000 if they deposit into Al Hayrat by December 15th.

BBK (B.S.C.) ANNOUNCES EXCHANGE OFFER FOR ITS OUTSTANDING LOWER TIER 2 NOTES

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 11:14:39 GMT

BBK (B.S.C.) (BBK) today announces its invitation to holders (subject to the offer restrictions referred to below) of its U.S.$275,000,000 Subordinated Step-up Floating Rate Notes due 2017 (ISIN: XS0308193902), of which U.S.$152,430,000 are currently outstanding, (the Existing Notes) to offer to exchange such Existing Notes for U.S.$-Denominated Senior Unsecured Floating Rate Notes due 2018 (the New Notes) to be issued by BBK (the Exchange Offer). The Exchange Offer is made on the terms and subject to the conditions set out in the Exchange Offer Memorandum dated 15 November 2011 (the Exchange Offer Memorandum), and is subject to the offer restrictions set out below and as more fully described in the Exchange Offer Memorandum.
Copies of the Exchange Offer Memorandum are (subject to distribution restrictions) available from the Dealer Manager and the Exchange Agent as set out below. Capitalised terms used in this announcement but not defined have the meanings given to them in the Exchange Offer Memorandum.

Rationale for the Exchange Offer
The purpose of the Exchange Offer is to improve the efficiency of the capital structure and optimise BBK’s liquidity profile by refinancing the retired subordinated notes with senior unsecured funding.
Any decisions by BBK as to whether it will exercise calls in the future in respect of any Existing Notes that are not exchanged pursuant to the Exchange Offer will be taken on an economic basis. Other factors which BBK will have regard to include prevailing market conditions, regulatory approval and capital requirements.

Details of the Exchange Offer
Existing Notes validly offered for exchange by a Noteholder and accepted by BBK will be exchanged for New Notes on settlement of the Exchange Offer, which is expected to take place on 2 December 2011 (the Settlement Date). The amount of New Notes delivered for each U.S.$1,000 in outstanding principal amount of the Existing Notes accepted for exchange will be determined based on an exchange ratio of 100 per cent.
BBK will also pay on the Settlement Date an amount in cash (rounded to the nearest U.S.$0.01) in respect of interest accrued and unpaid (if any) on those Existing Notes accepted for exchange.
The margin to be used in the determination of the New Notes Coupon will be determined based on feedback solicited by the Dealer Manager from the markets and will be announced by BBK at or around 10 a.m. (London time) on 23 November 2011.

Description of Existing Notes
Common Code/ISIN Outstanding Nominal Amount Exchange Ratio
U.S.$275,000,000 Subordinated Step-Up Floating Rate Notes due 2017 030819390/XS0308193902 U.S.$152,430,000 100.00 per cent.

Description of the New Notes Common Code/ISIN New Notes Coupon

U.S.$-Denominated Floating Rate Notes due 2018
To be confirmed
3-month U.S.$ LIBOR plus the New Notes Margin (which is to be determined and announced as described in the Exchange Offer Memorandum)

Exchange Instructions
In order to participate in, and be eligible to receive New Notes pursuant to, the Exchange Offer, Noteholders must validly offer their Existing Notes for exchange by 4.00 p.m. (London time) on 29 November 2011 (the Expiration Deadline), by delivering, or arranging to have delivered on their behalf, via the relevant Clearing System a valid Exchange Instruction that is received by the Exchange Agent by the Expiration Deadline. BBK reserves the right in its absolute discretion not to accept offers of Existing Notes where the aggregate amount of Existing Notes so offered is less than 50 per cent. of the aggregate notional amount of Existing Notes currently outstanding.
Noteholders who wish to participate in the Exchange Offer must validly offer for exchange a minimum of U.S.$200,000 in nominal amount of Existing Notes, in order to be eligible to receive, in accordance with the terms of the Exchange Offer, a nominal amount of New Notes of at least the minimum denomination of U.S.$200,000. Exchange Instructions may thereafter be submitted in integral multiples of U.S.$1,000.
Exchange Instructions will be irrevocable except in the limited circumstances described in the Exchange Offer Memorandum.

Indicative Exchange Offer Timetable

Events Times and Dates

Commencement of the Exchange Offer
Tuesday 15 November 2011

Announcement of New Notes Margin
At or around 10.00 a.m. (London time) on Wednesday 23 November 2011

Expiration of Exchange Offer
4.00 p.m. (London time) on Tuesday 29 November 2011

Announcement of Exchange Offer Results
At or around 10.00 a.m. (London time) on Wednesday 30 November 2011

Settlement Date
Friday 2 December 2011

The above times and dates are subject to the right of BBK to extend, re-open, amend, waive any condition of or terminate the Exchange Offer at any time (subject to applicable law and as provided in the Exchange Offer Memorandum). Details of any such extension, re-opening, amendment, waiver or termination will be announced wherever applicable as provided in the Exchange Offer Memorandum as soon as reasonably practicable after the relevant decision is made.

Noteholders are advised to check with any bank, securities broker or other intermediary through which they hold Existing Notes when such intermediary would require to receive instructions to participate in, or (in the limited circumstances in which revocation is permitted) revoke their instruction to participate in, the Exchange Offer in order to meet the deadlines specified above and in the Exchange Offer Memorandum. The deadlines set by any such intermediary and each Clearing System for the submission and withdrawal of Exchange Instructions will be earlier than the relevant deadlines specified above and in the Exchange Offer Memorandum.
Unless stated otherwise, announcements will be made by BBK (i) by the issue of a press release to a Notifying News Service, (ii) by the delivery of notices to the Clearing Systems for communication to Direct Participants and (iii) through RNS, and may also be found on the relevant Reuters International Insider Screen. Significant delays may be experienced in respect of notices delivered to the Clearing Systems and Noteholders are urged to contact the Exchange Agent for the relevant announcements during the course of the Exchange Offer.

Noteholders are advised to read carefully the Exchange Offer Memorandum for full details of, and information on, the procedures for participating in the Exchange Offer.

HSBC Bank plc is acting as Dealer Manager (the Dealer Manager) and Lucid Issuer Services Limited is acting as Exchange Agent.
Questions and requests for assistance in connection with the Exchange Offer may be directed to the Dealer Manager.

DEALER MANAGER
HSBC Bank plc
8 Canada Square
London E14 5HQ
United Kingdom
Tel: + 44 207 991 5774
Attention: Liability Management Group
Email: liability.management@hsbcib.com

Questions and requests for assistance in connection with the delivery of Exchange Instructions may be directed to the Exchange Agent.

EXCHANGE AGENT
Lucid Issuer Services Limited
Leroy House 436 Essex Road London N1 3QP United Kingdom
Tel: +44 20 7704 0880
Attention: Thomas Choquet/Sunjeeve Patel
Email: bbk@lucid-is.com

DISCLAIMER This announcement must be read in conjunction with the Exchange Offer Memorandum. This announcement and the Exchange Offer Memorandum contain important information which should be read carefully before any decision is made with respect to the Exchange Offer. If you are in any doubt as to the contents of this announcement or the Exchange Offer Memorandum or the action you should take, you are recommended to seek your own financial and legal advice, including as to any tax consequences, immediately from your stockbroker, bank manager, solicitor, accountant or other independent financial or legal adviser. Any individual or company whose Existing Notes are held on its behalf by a broker, dealer, bank, custodian, trust company or other nominee or intermediary must contact such entity if it wishes to offer Existing Notes for exchange pursuant to the Exchange Offer. None of the Dealer Manager, the Exchange Agent or BBK makes any recommendation as to whether Noteholders should offer Existing Notes for exchange pursuant to the Exchange Offer.
OFFER AND DISTRIBUTION RESTRICTIONS
Neither this announcement nor the Exchange Offer Memorandum constitutes an offer to sell or buy or a solicitation of an offer to sell or buy the Existing Notes and/or New Notes, as applicable, (and offers of Existing Notes for exchange in the Exchange Offer will not be accepted from Noteholders) in any circumstances in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful. In those jurisdictions where the securities, blue sky or other laws require the Exchange Offer to be made by a licensed broker or dealer and the Dealer Manager or its affiliates is such a licensed broker or dealer in such jurisdictions, the Exchange Offer shall be deemed to be made by the Dealer Manager or such affiliate (as the case may be) on behalf of BBK in such jurisdictions.
The distribution of this announcement and the Exchange Offer Memorandum in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession the Exchange Offer Memorandum comes are required by BBK, the Dealer Manager and the Exchange Agent to inform themselves about, and to observe, any such restrictions.

United Kingdom
The communication of this announcement, the Exchange Offer Memorandum and any other documents or materials relating to the Exchange Offer is not being made and such documents and/or materials have not been approved by an authorised person for the purposes of section 21 of the FSMA. Accordingly, such documents and/or materials are not being distributed to, and must not be passed on to, the general public in the United Kingdom. The communication of such documents and/or materials as a financial promotion is only being made to those persons in the United Kingdom falling within the definition of investment professionals (as defined in Article 19(5) of the Financial Promotion Order) or persons who are within Article 43(2) of the Financial Promotion Order or any other persons to whom it may otherwise lawfully be made under the Financial Promotion Order.

Belgium
Neither this announcement, the Exchange Offer Memorandum nor any other documents or materials relating to the Exchange Offer have been, or will be, submitted for approval or recognition to the Belgian Banking, Finance and Insurance Commission (Commission bancaire, financière et des assurances/Commissie voor het Bank-, Financie- en Assurantiewezen) and, accordingly, the Exchange Offer may not be made in Belgium by way of a public offering, as defined in Article 3 of the Belgian law of 1 April 2007 on public takeover bids (Loi relative aux offers publiques d’acquisition /Wet op de openbare overnamebiedingen (the Law on Public Acquisition Offers)) or as defined in Article 3 of the Belgian Law of 16 June 2006 on the public offer of placement instruments and the admission to trading of placement instruments on regulated markets (Loi relative aux offres publiques d’instruments de placement et aux admissions d’instruments de placement à la négociation sur des marchés réglementes/Wet op de openbare aanbieding van beleggingsinstrumenten en de toelating van beleggingsinstrumenten tot de verhandeling op een gereglementeerde markt (the Law on Public Offerings)), each as amended or replaced from time to time. Accordingly, the Exchange Offer may not be advertised, and the Exchange Offer will not be extended, and neither this announcement, the Exchange Offer Memorandum nor any other documents or materials relating to the Exchange Offer (including any memorandum, information circular, brochure or any similar documents) has been or shall be distributed or made available, directly or indirectly, to any person in Belgium other than “qualified investors” (as referred to in Article 10 of the Law on Public Offerings and Article 6 of the Law on Public Acquisition Offers), acting on their own account. Insofar as Belgium is concerned, this announcement and the Exchange Offer Memorandum has been issued only for the personal use of the above qualified investors and exclusively for the purpose of the Exchange Offer. Accordingly, the information contained in this announcement and the Exchange Offer Memorandum may not be used for any other purpose or disclosed to any other person in Belgium.

France
The Exchange Offer is not being made, directly or indirectly, to the public in the Republic of France (France). Neither this announcement, the Exchange Offer Memorandum nor any other document or material relating to the Exchange Offer has been or shall be distributed to the public in France and only: (i) providers of investment services relating to portfolio management for the account of third parties (personnes fournissant le service d'investissement de gestion de portefeuille pour compte de tiers); and/or (ii) qualified investors (Investisseurs Qualifiés) other than individuals, acting for their own account, as defined in, and in accordance with, Articles L.411-1, L.411-2 and D.411-1 and D.411.3 of the French Code Monétaire et Financier are eligible to participate in the Exchange Offer. Neither this announcement nor the Exchange Offer Memorandum have been submitted for clearance to the Autorité des Marchés Financiers.

Italy
None of the Exchange Offer, this announcement, the Exchange Offer Memorandum or any other documents or materials relating to the Exchange Offer have been submitted to the clearance procedures of the Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa (CONSOB) pursuant to Italian laws and regulations. The Exchange Offer is being carried out in the Republic of Italy (Italy) as an exempted offer pursuant to article 101-bis, paragraph 3-bis of the Legislative Decree No. 58 of 24 February 1998, as amended (the Financial Services Act) and article 35-bis, paragraph 4, letter b) of CONSOB Regulation No. 11971 of 14 May 1999, as amended. Holders or beneficial owners of the Existing Notes may offer to exchange their Existing Notes in the Exchange Offer through authorised persons (such as investment firms, banks or financial intermediaries permitted to conduct such activities in Italy in accordance with the Financial Services Act, CONSOB Regulation No. 16190 of 29 October 2007, as amended from time to time, and Legislative Decree No. 385 of September 1, 1993, as amended) and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations or with requirements imposed by CONSOB or any other Italian authority.

Switzerland
Noteholders may only be invited to offer to exchange their Existing Notes for New Notes pursuant to the Exchange Offer and the New Notes may only be offered for sale or otherwise in or into Switzerland in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations in force in Switzerland. To ensure compliance with the Swiss Code of Obligations and all other applicable laws and regulations of Switzerland, only this announcement, the Exchange Offer Memorandum, the Programme Base Prospectus and the financial statements and other documents deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Programme Base Prospectus (including the form of the Final Terms of the New Notes) may be used in the context of any invitation to Noteholders to offer to exchange their Existing Notes for New Notes pursuant to the Exchange Offer or any offer of the New Notes for sale or otherwise in or into Switzerland.

The United Arab Emirates (excluding the Dubai International Financial Centre)
The Exchange Offer is not being made and will not be publicly promoted or advertised in the United Arab Emirates other than in compliance with laws applicable in the United Arab Emirates governing the issue, offering and sale of securities.
The information contained in this announcement and the Exchange Offer Memorandum does not constitute an offer of securities in the United Arab Emirates in accordance with Federal Law No. 8 of 1986 (as amended) (the Commercial Companies Law) or otherwise, and is not intended to be a public offer and neither the information contained in this announcement nor the Exchange Offer Memorandum is intended to lead to the conclusion of any contract of whatsoever nature within the territory of the United Arab Emirates.

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
The communication of this announcement, the Exchange Offer Memorandum and any other documents or materials relating to the Exchange Offer is only being made in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, (i) to persons who have confirmed that they are "Sophisticated Investors" (as defined in Article 10 of the "Offer of Securities Regulations" as issued by the Board of the Capital Market Authority resolution number 2-11-2004 dated 4 October 2004 and amended by the Board of the Capital Market Authority resolution number 1-28-2008 dated 18 August 2008 (the KSA Regulations)), and (ii) neither this announcement, the Exchange Offer Memorandum nor the Exchange Offer shall therefore constitute a "public offer" pursuant to the KSA Regulations, but are subject to the restrictions on secondary market activity under Article 17 of the KSA Regulations. Accordingly any Saudi investor who has acquired Existing Notes pursuant to a limited offer may not offer or sell those Existing Notes to any person unless the offer or sale is made through an authorised person appropriately licensed by the Saudi Arabian Capital Market Authority and: (1) the Existing Notes are offered or sold to a Sophisticated Investor; (2) the price to be paid for the Existing Notes in any one transaction is equal to or exceeds SR1 million or an equivalent amount; or (3) the offer or sale is otherwise in compliance with Article 17 of the KSA Regulations.

Kingdom of Bahrain
Neither this announcement nor the Exchange Offer Memorandum constitutes an offer to the Public (as defined in Articles 142-146 of the Commercial Companies Law (decree Law No. 21/2001 of Bahrain)) in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

State of Qatar
The Existing Notes and the New Notes may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in the State of Qatar, except: (a) in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations of the State of Qatar; and (b) through persons or corporate entities authorised and licensed to provide investment advice and/or engage in brokerage activity and/or trade in respect of foreign securities in the State of Qatar.

BBK contributes over BD 19,000 to the Bahraini community

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 05:08:57 GMT

In line with BBK’s strategic initiatives for a brighter community and its monthly support to various entities, Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, BBK’s Chief Executive, welcomed at the Bank’s Headquarters, representatives from different societies to receive BBK's contributions for their requests submitted in September totaling BD 19,000. The handover ceremony was attended by Mr. Reyadh Sater- General Manager- Shared Services Group, Mr. Abdul Hussain Bustani- Assistant General Manger- Human Resources and Administration and Ms. Abeer Swar- Corporate Communications Officer. The entities that have benefited from the Bank’s support to fulfill their various humanitarian initiatives were: Child Care Home, Al Sanabel Orphans Care, Al Kawther Society for Social Care and Muharraq Social Welfare Centre. On this occasion, Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, BBK Chief Executive said: “The Bank is always keen on supporting such entities given the significant role they play in the progress of the Kingdom.” As one of the major financial institutions in Bahrain, providing regular contributions to various humanitarian causes and societies throughout the years, BBK has supported entities including major clubs, charity funds and social initiatives. These initiatives are aimed at achieving the sole goal and vision of a brighter future and community in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

BBK (B.S.C.) ISSUES AMENDED AND RESTATED EXCHANGE OFFER MEMORANDUM IN RESPECT OF ITS EXCHANGE OFFER FOR ITS OUTSTANDING LOWER TIER 2 NOTES

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 05:05:42 GMT

Further to the announcement by BBK (B.S.C.) (BBK) on 15 November 2011 (the Exchange Offer Launch Announcement) announcing the commencement of the Exchange Offer (as defined in the Exchange Offer Launch Announcement), BBK today announces that the Exchange Offer Memorandum dated 15 November 2011 (the Original Exchange Offer Memorandum) is replaced and superseded in its entirety with effect from today by an amended and restated Exchange Offer Memorandum dated 21 November 2011 prepared by BBK in connection with the Exchange Offer (hereafter referred to in this announcement as the Exchange Offer Memorandum).

Copies of the Exchange Offer Memorandum are (subject to distribution restrictions) available from the Dealer Manager and the Exchange Agent as set out below. Unless otherwise stated, capitalised terms used in this announcement but not defined have the meanings given to them in the Exchange Offer Memorandum.

Amendments to the Original Exchange Offer Memorandum

Certain amendments have been made to the Original Exchange Offer Memorandum regarding the offering and distribution restrictions applicable to the Kingdom of Bahrain. The revised offering and distribution restrictions applicable to the Kingdom of Bahrain as contained in the Exchange Offer Memorandum are set out in this announcement under the heading “Offer and Distribution Restrictions – Kingdom of Bahrain” below.
In addition, the following statement has been added to the Exchange Offer Memorandum:

“A copy of this Exchange Offer Memorandum has been submitted and filed with the Central Bank of Bahrain. Filing of this Exchange Offer Memorandum with the Central Bank of Bahrain does not imply that any Bahraini legal or regulatory requirements have been complied with. The Central Bank of Bahrain has not in any way considered the merits of the New Notes to be offered for investment whether in or outside of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Neither the Central Bank of Bahrain nor the Bahrain Bourse assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the statements and information contained in this Exchange Offer Memorandum and each expressly disclaims any liability whatsoever for any loss howsoever arising from reliance upon the whole or any part of the contents of this Exchange Offer Memorandum.”

Save as described above, the Original Exchange Offer Memorandum and the Exchange Offer Memorandum are the same and the information set out in the Exchange Offer Launch Announcement (which should be read in conjunction with this announcement) remains complete and correct in all material respects (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the sections therein entitled “Exchange Instructions” and “Indicative Exchange Offer Timetable”).

Noteholders are advised to read carefully the Exchange Offer Memorandum for full details of, and information on, the procedures for participating in the Exchange Offer.

HSBC Bank plc is acting as Dealer Manager (the Dealer Manager) and Lucid Issuer Services Limited is acting as Exchange Agent.
Questions and requests for assistance in connection with the Exchange Offer may be directed to the Dealer Manager.

DEALER MANAGER
HSBC Bank plc
8 Canada Square
London E14 5HQ
United Kingdom
Tel: + 44 207 991 5774
Attention: Liability Management Group
Email: liability.management@hsbcib.com

Questions and requests for assistance in connection with the delivery of Exchange Instructions may be directed to the Exchange Agent.

EXCHANGE AGENT
Lucid Issuer Services Limited
Leroy House 436 Essex Road London N1 3QP United Kingdom
Tel: +44 20 7704 0880
Attention: Thomas Choquet/Sunjeeve Patel
Email: bbk@lucid-is.com

OFFER AND DISTRIBUTION RESTRICTIONS
Neither this announcement nor the Exchange Offer Memorandum constitutes an offer to sell or buy or a solicitation of an offer to sell or buy the Existing Notes and/or New Notes, as applicable, (and offers of Existing Notes for exchange in the Exchange Offer will not be accepted from Noteholders) in any circumstances in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful. In those jurisdictions where the securities, blue sky or other laws require the Exchange Offer to be made by a licensed broker or dealer and the Dealer Manager or its affiliates is such a licensed broker or dealer in such jurisdictions, the Exchange Offer shall be deemed to be made by the Dealer Manager or such affiliate (as the case may be) on behalf of BBK in such jurisdictions.

The distribution of this announcement and the Exchange Offer Memorandum in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession the Exchange Offer Memorandum comes are required by BBK, the Dealer Manager and the Exchange Agent to inform themselves about, and to observe, any such restrictions.

Please refer to the Exchange Offer Launch Announcement in respect of the offer and distribution restrictions applicable to certain jurisdictions (including but not limited to the United States, the United Kingdom and Belgium) which are deemed to be incorporated into this announcement. The offer and distribution restrictions applicable in the Kingdom of Bahrain are set out below.

Kingdom of Bahrain

Neither this announcement nor the Exchange Offer Memorandum constitutes an offer to (i) the Public (as defined in Articles 142-146 of the Commercial Companies Law (decree Law No. 21/2001 of Bahrain)) in the Kingdom of Bahrain or (ii) any person in Bahrain who is not an “accredited investor”. For this purpose, an “accredited investor” means: (a) an individual holding financial assets (either singly or jointly with a spouse) of U.S.$1,000,000 or more; (b) a company, partnership, trust or other commercial undertaking which has financial assets available for investment of not less than U.S.$1,000,000; or (c) a government, supranational organisation, central bank or other national monetary authority or a state organisation whose main activity is to invest in financial instruments (such as a state pension fund).

Invita celebrates its 5th Anniversary

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 05:10:32 GMT

Invita, a leading Contact Centre Outsourcing service provider in the Kingdom of Bahrain, celebrated its 5th Anniversary on November 14th, 2011 in the presence of its Board members and employees.

Invita was established in November 2006. The company’s roots lay in the in-house Contact Centre operations for the BBK group of companies, therefore was considered as an outsourcing service provider specializing in customer service for banking and financial institutions. However, from year one, Invita grew to cater to different Ministries and to leading chains of restaurants in the Kingdom, offering a variety of customer service & contact centre solutions .

Today Invita stands as one of the largest Customer Service and Contact Centre outsourcing service providers in Bahrain, with experience in managing different types of projects for Banks, Insurance Companies, Ministries, Hospitality, Travel, Airlines and Telecom companies.

On the occasion, Mr. Rahul Bhalla, GM of Invita said, “As I think of November 14th 2006, I remember we were just a handful of employees, raring to go out and present ourselves as business partners to all businesses in Bahrain be it big or small, old or new. Our mission was to be No. 1 trusted Business Process Outsourcing partner. Today I can proudly say that we have been successful in a good measure and are on the right path.”

The 5th anniversary celebrations were graced by Mr. A.Karim Bucheery, BBK Chief Executive’s presence along with the Board of Directors of Invita. As part of the celebrations, Annual Rewards & Recognition program was organized, honoring long serving employees as well as those employees who have made outstanding contributions to the organization this year. The Certificates of Recognition were handed over to the employees by Mr. Mohammed Malik, the Chairman of the Board. Mr. Bhalla added, “We have always considered our people as an asset to the company and the recognition of their performance is justly due.”

BBK (B.S.C.) ANNOUNCES NEW NOTES MARGIN FOR EXCHANGE OFFER

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 10:33:49 GMT

Further to its announcements on 15 November 2011 and 21 November 2011, BBK (B.S.C.) (BBK) today announces the New Notes Margin for the purposes of its invitation to holders (subject to the offer restrictions referred to below) of its U.S.$275,000,000 Subordinated Step-up Floating Rate Notes due 2017 (ISIN: XS0308193902), of which U.S.$152,430,000 are currently outstanding, (the Existing Notes) to offer to exchange such Existing Notes for U.S.$-Denominated Senior Unsecured Floating Rate Notes due 2018 (the New Notes) to be issued by BBK (the Exchange Offer).

The New Notes Margin, which will be used to determine the New Notes Coupon for each Interest Period as described in the amended and restated Exchange Offer Memorandum dated 21 November 2011 (the Exchange Offer Memorandum), has been set at 1.75 per cent. per annum, and accordingly the New Notes Coupon will be 3-month U.S.$ LIBOR + 1.75 per cent. per annum. The Issue Price of the New Notes will be 100 per cent. of the Aggregate Nominal Amount.

The amount of New Notes delivered for each U.S.$1,000 in outstanding principal amount of the Existing Notes accepted for exchange will be determined based on an exchange ratio of 100 per cent.

The Exchange Offer is made on the terms and subject to the conditions set out in the Exchange Offer Memorandum, and is subject to the offer restrictions set out below and as more fully described in the Exchange Offer Memorandum.

Copies of the Exchange Offer Memorandum are (subject to distribution restrictions) available from the Dealer Manager and the Exchange Agent as set out below. Capitalised terms used in this announcement but not defined have the meanings given to them in the Exchange Offer Memorandum.

Rationale for the Exchange Offer

The purpose of the Exchange Offer is to improve the efficiency of the capital structure and optimise BBK’s liquidity profile by refinancing the retired subordinated notes with senior unsecured funding.

Any decisions by BBK as to whether it will exercise calls in the future in respect of any Existing Notes that are not exchanged pursuant to the Exchange Offer will be taken on an economic basis. Other factors which BBK will have regard to include prevailing market conditions, regulatory approval and capital requirements.
Exchange Instructions

In order to participate in, and be eligible to receive New Notes pursuant to, the Exchange Offer, Noteholders must validly offer their Existing Notes for exchange by 4.00 p.m. (London time) on 29 November 2011 (the Expiration Deadline), by delivering, or arranging to have delivered on their behalf, via the relevant Clearing System a valid Exchange Instruction that is received by the Exchange Agent by the Expiration Deadline. BBK reserves the right in its absolute discretion not to accept offers of Existing Notes where the aggregate amount of Existing Notes so offered is less than 50 per cent. of the aggregate notional amount of Existing Notes currently outstanding.

Noteholders who wish to participate in the Exchange Offer must validly offer for exchange a minimum of U.S.$200,000 in nominal amount of Existing Notes, in order to be eligible to receive, in accordance with the terms of the Exchange Offer, a nominal amount of New Notes of at least the minimum denomination of U.S.$200,000. Exchange Instructions may thereafter be submitted in integral multiples of U.S.$1,000.

Exchange Instructions will be irrevocable except in the limited circumstances described in the Exchange Offer Memorandum.

Indicative Exchange Offer Timetable (all times are London times)

Events

Times and Dates
Expiration of Exchange Offer
4.00 p.m. on 29 November 2011
Announcement of Exchange Offer Results At or around 10.00 a.m. on 30 November 2011

Settlement Date
2 December 2011

Unless stated otherwise, announcements will be made by BBK (i) by the issue of a press release to a Notifying News Service, (ii) by the delivery of notices to the Clearing Systems for communication to Direct Participants and (iii) through RNS, and may also be found on the relevant Reuters International Insider Screen. Significant delays may be experienced in respect of notices delivered to the Clearing Systems and Noteholders are urged to contact the Exchange Agent for the relevant announcements during the course of the Exchange Offer.
Noteholders are advised to read carefully the Exchange Offer Memorandum for full details of and information on the procedures for participating in the Exchange Offer.

HSBC Bank plc is acting as Dealer Manager (the Dealer Manager) and Lucid Issuer Services Limited is acting as Exchange Agent.

Questions and requests for assistance in connection with the Exchange Offer may be directed to the Dealer Manager.
DEALER MANAGER
HSBC Bank plc
8 Canada Square
London E14 5HQ
United Kingdom
Tel: + 44 207 991 5774
Attention: Liability Management Group
Email: liability.management@hsbcib.com

Questions and requests for assistance in connection with the delivery of Exchange Instructions may be directed to the Exchange Agent.
EXCHANGE AGENT
Lucid Issuer Services Limited
Leroy House
436 Essex Road
London N1 3QP
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 20 7704 0880
Attention: Thomas Choquet/Sunjeeve Patel
Email: bbk@lucid-is.com

United States
The Exchange Offer is not being made and will not be made directly or indirectly in or into, or by use of the mails of, or by any means or instrumentality of interstate or foreign commerce of, or any facilities of a national securities exchange of, the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, any U.S. person (within the meaning of Regulation S under the Securities Act). This includes, but is not limited to, facsimile transmission, electronic mail, telex, telephone and the internet. Accordingly, copies of this announcement, the Exchange Offer Memorandum and any other documents or materials relating to the Exchange Offer are not being, and must not be, directly or indirectly mailed or otherwise transmitted, distributed or forwarded in or into the United States or to U.S. persons and Existing Notes cannot be offered for exchange in the Exchange Offer by any such use, means, instruments or facilities or from within the United States or by U.S. persons. Any purported offer of Existing Notes for exchange resulting directly or indirectly from a violation of these restrictions will be invalid and offers of Existing Notes for exchange made by a person located in the United States or any agent, fiduciary or other intermediary acting on a non-discretionary basis for a nominee giving instructions from within the United States or any U.S. person will not be accepted.
Neither this announcement nor the Exchange Offer Memorandum is an offer of securities for sale in the United States or to U.S. persons. Securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration. The New Notes and the Existing Notes have not been, and will not be, registered under the Securities Act, or the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States, and may not be offered, sold or delivered, directly or indirectly, in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons. The purpose of this announcement and the Exchange Offer Memorandum is limited to the Exchange Offer and neither this announcement nor the Exchange Offer Memorandum may be sent or given to a person in the United States or to a U.S. person.
Each holder of Existing Notes participating in the Exchange Offer will represent that it is not located in the United States and is not participating in the Exchange Offer from the United States and is not a U.S. person or it is acting on a non-discretionary basis for a principal located outside the United States that is not giving an order to participate in the Exchange Offer from the United States and is not a U.S. person. For the purposes of this and the above two paragraphs, United States means the United States of America, its territories and possessions, any state of the United States of America and the District of Columbia.

United Kingdom
The communication of this announcement, the Exchange Offer Memorandum and any other documents or materials relating to the Exchange Offer is not being made and such documents and/or materials have not been approved by an authorised person for the purposes of section 21 of the FSMA. Accordingly, such documents and/or materials are not being distributed to, and must not be passed on to, the general public in the United Kingdom. The communication of such documents and/or materials as a financial promotion is only being made to those persons in the United Kingdom falling within the definition of investment professionals (as defined in Article 19(5) of the Financial Promotion Order) or persons who are within Article 43(2) of the Financial Promotion Order or any other persons to whom it may otherwise lawfully be made under the Financial Promotion Order.

Belgium
Neither this announcement, the Exchange Offer Memorandum nor any other documents or materials relating to the Exchange Offer have been, or will be, submitted for approval or recognition to the Belgian Banking, Finance and Insurance Commission (Commission bancaire, financière et des assurances/Commissie voor het Bank-, Financie- en Assurantiewezen) and, accordingly, the Exchange Offer may not be made in Belgium by way of a public offering, as defined in Article 3 of the Belgian law of 1 April 2007 on public takeover bids (Loi relative aux offers publiques d’acquisition /Wet op de openbare overnamebiedingen (the Law on Public Acquisition Offers)) or as defined in Article 3 of the Belgian Law of 16 June 2006 on the public offer of placement instruments and the admission to trading of placement instruments on regulated markets (Loi relative aux offres publiques d’instruments de placement et aux admissions d’instruments de placement à la négociation sur des marchés réglementes/Wet op de openbare aanbieding van beleggingsinstrumenten en de toelating van beleggingsinstrumenten tot de verhandeling op een gereglementeerde markt (the Law on Public Offerings)), each as amended or replaced from time to time. Accordingly, the Exchange Offer may not be advertised, and the Exchange Offer will not be extended, and neither this announcement, the Exchange Offer Memorandum nor any other documents or materials relating to the Exchange Offer (including any memorandum, information circular, brochure or any similar documents) has been or shall be distributed or made available, directly or indirectly, to any person in Belgium other than “qualified investors” (as referred to in Article 10 of the Law on Public Offerings and Article 6 of the Law on Public Acquisition Offers), acting on their own account. Insofar as Belgium is concerned, this announcement and the Exchange Offer Memorandum has been issued only for the personal use of the above qualified investors and exclusively for the purpose of the Exchange Offer. Accordingly, the information contained in this announcement and the Exchange Offer Memorandum may not be used for any other purpose or disclosed to any other person in Belgium.

Dubai International Financial Centre
The Exchange Offer is not being made and will not be made to any person in the Dubai International Financial Centre unless such offer is: (a) an "Exempt Offer" in accordance with the Offered Securities Rules of the Dubai Financial Services Authority (the Rules); and (b) made only to persons of a type specified in the Rules.

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
The communication of this announcement, the Exchange Offer Memorandum and any other documents or materials relating to the Exchange Offer is only being made in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, (i) to persons who have confirmed that they are "Sophisticated Investors" (as defined in Article 10 of the "Offer of Securities Regulations" as issued by the Board of the Capital Market Authority resolution number 2-11-2004 dated 4 October 2004 and amended by the Board of the Capital Market Authority resolution number 1-28-2008 dated 18 August 2008 (the KSA Regulations)), and (ii) neither this announcement, the Exchange Offer Memorandum nor the Exchange Offer shall therefore constitute a "public offer" pursuant to the KSA Regulations, but are subject to the restrictions on secondary market activity under Article 17 of the KSA Regulations. Accordingly any Saudi investor who has acquired Existing Notes pursuant to a limited offer may not offer or sell those Existing Notes to any person unless the offer or sale is made through an authorised person appropriately licensed by the Saudi Arabian Capital Market Authority and: (1) the Existing Notes are offered or sold to a Sophisticated Investor; (2) the price to be paid for the Existing Notes in any one transaction is equal to or exceeds SR1 million or an equivalent amount; or (3) the offer or sale is otherwise in compliance with Article 17 of the KSA Regulations.

Kingdom of Bahrain
Neither this announcement nor the Exchange Offer Memorandum constitutes an offer to (i) the Public (as defined in Articles 142-146 of the Commercial Companies Law (decree Law No. 21/2001 of Bahrain)) in the Kingdom of Bahrain or (ii) any person in Bahrain who is not an “accredited investor”. For this purpose, an “accredited investor” means: (a) an individual holding financial assets (either singly or jointly with a spouse) of U.S.$1,000,000 or more; (b) a company, partnership, trust or other commercial undertaking which has financial assets available for investment of not less than U.S.$1,000,000; or (c) a government, supranational organisation, central bank or other national monetary authority or a state organisation whose main activity is to invest in financial instruments (such as a state pension fund).

BBK announces a new ATM machine at Jid Ali in Isa Town

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 04:53:38 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, announces the introduction of a new offsite ATM at Jid Ali in Isa Town. With the addition of this new ATM, BBK’s network has increased to 43 ATMs across the Kingdom of Bahrain. BBK has one of the largest ATM networks in Bahrain and is committed to maintaining its market-leading position by adding new BBK ATMs in suitable locations to provide additional services and added convenience for its customers.

The new ATM is located at Jid Ali in Isa Town near to Ammar Optical and Cesar Pastries.

BBK ATM machines in Bahrain provide a wide range of services, including:

· Cash withdrawals

· Account balance enquiries

· Printing of mini statements

· Transfer of funds between linked accounts maintained with BBK

· Cheque book requests

· Batelco bill payments and prepaid top-ups

· Zain bill payments and prepaid top-ups

· Electricity bill payments

· CrediMax Credit Card bill payments and PIN change

· Al Hayrat top up

To view a map showing the location of the new ATM and all of BBK’s other ATM locations in Bahrain please click here

BBK announces a new ATM machine at Arad

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 05:07:21 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, announces the introduction of a new offsite ATM at Arad souq in Muharraq. With the addition of this new ATM, BBK’s network has increased to 44 ATMs across the Kingdom of Bahrain. BBK has one of the largest ATM networks in Bahrain and is committed to maintaining its market-leading position by adding new BBK ATMs in suitable locations to provide additional services and added convenience for its customers.

The new ATM is located at Arad souq in Muharraq close to Nonoo Exchange.

BBK ATM machines in Bahrain provide a wide range of services, including:

· Cash withdrawals

· Account balance enquiries

· Printing of mini statements

· Transfer of funds between linked accounts maintained with BBK

· Cheque book requests

· Batelco bill payments and prepaid top-ups

· Zain bill payments and prepaid top-ups

· Electricity bill payments

· CrediMax Credit Card bill payments and PIN change

· Al Hayrat top up

To view a map showing the location of the new ATM and all of BBK’s other ATM locations in Bahrain please click here

BBK (B.S.C.) ANNOUNCES EXCHANGE OFFER RESULTS

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 07:01:38 GMT

Further to its announcements on 15 November 2011, 21 November 2011 and 23 November 2011, BBK (B.S.C.) (BBK) today announces the final results in respect of its invitation to holders of its U.S.$275,000,000 Subordinated Step-up Floating Rate Notes due 2017 (ISIN: XS0308193902), of which U.S.$152,430,000 are currently outstanding, (the Existing Notes) to offer to exchange such Existing Notes for U.S.$-Denominated Senior Unsecured Floating Rate Notes due 2018 (the New Notes) to be issued by BBK (the Exchange Offer).

The Exchange Offer was made on the terms and subject to the conditions set out in the amended and restated Exchange Offer Memorandum dated 21 November 2011 (the Exchange Offer Memorandum). Capitalised terms used in this announcement but not defined have the meanings given to them in the Exchange Offer Memorandum.

As at the Expiration Deadline of 4.00 p.m. (London time) on 29 November 2011, BBK had received valid offers of U.S.$129,860,000 in aggregate nominal amount of the Existing Notes for exchange. BBK will accept all valid offers of Existing Notes in full and will also pay an Accrued Interest Payment in respect of such Existing Notes, as further described in the Exchange Offer Memorandum.
Aggregate nominal amount of Existing Notes accepted for exchange by BBK Exchange Ratio
U.S.$129,860,000 100 per cent.

The Existing Notes accepted for exchange in the Exchange Offer will be exchanged for U.S.$129,860,000 in aggregate nominal amount of New Notes on the Settlement Date. The New Notes are to be issued under BBK's existing U.S.$2,000,000,000 Euro Medium Term Note Programme, and the Common Code, ISIN, Issue Price and New Notes Coupon are as follows:
Common Code / ISIN Issue Price New Notes Coupon
071553876/XS0715538764 100 per cent. 3-month U.S.$ LIBOR
+ 1.75 per cent. per annum

The expected Settlement Date for the Exchange Offer is 2 December 2011.
HSBC Bank plc is acting as Dealer Manager (the Dealer Manager) and Lucid Issuer Services Limited is acting as Exchange Agent.

DEALER MANAGER
HSBC Bank plc
8 Canada Square
London E14 5HQ
United Kingdom
Tel: + 44 207 991 5774
Attention: Liability Management Group
Email: liability.management@hsbcib.com

EXCHANGE AGENT
Lucid Issuer Services Limited
Leroy House
436 Essex Road
London N1 3QP
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 20 7704 0880
Attention: Thomas Choquet/Sunjeeve Patel
Email: bbk@lucid-is.com

DISCLAIMER This announcement must be read in conjunction with the Exchange Offer Memorandum. No offer or invitation to acquire or sell any securities is being made pursuant to this announcement. The distribution of this announcement and the Exchange Offer Memorandum in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession the Exchange Offer Memorandum comes are required by BBK, the Dealer Manager and the Exchange Agent to inform themselves about, and to observe, any such restrictions.

November Al Hayrat Winners

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 07:05:08 GMT

Name

Amount

Nooriya S.Jawad Alqarooni $5000

Mohammed Ahmed Bin Ali $5000

S.Nasser Saeed Shubbar $5000

Douglas James Bitcon $5000

Mohammed Abdulkhudhur Ahmed $5000

Ahmed Mahfood Ali $5000

Sara Esam Fakhro $5000

Norah Khalifa Ebrahim $5000

Mohsen Isa Alkhunaizi $5000

Sunil Kunjiraman Parapreth $5000

Naeema Hasan Mohd Jawad $5000

Mooza Rashid Ahmed $5000

Joel Preetam Mahendran $5000

Ahmed Ebrahim Almestrashid $5000

Abdulla Mohammed Janahi $5000

BBK announces its 45th ATM machine at BDF Headquarters

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 04:46:11 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, announces the introduction of a new offsite ATM at BDF Headquarters in Riffa. With the addition of this new ATM, BBK’s network has increased to 45 ATMs across the Kingdom of Bahrain. BBK has one of the largest ATM networks in Bahrain and is committed to maintaining its market-leading position by adding new BBK ATMs in suitable locations to provide additional services and added convenience for its customers.

The new ATM is located inside the BDF Headquarters compound and is accessible to authorized BDF staff.

BBK ATM machines in Bahrain provide a wide range of services, including:

· Cash withdrawals

· Account balance enquiries

· Printing of mini statements

· Transfer of funds between linked accounts maintained with BBK

· Cheque book requests

· Batelco bill payments and prepaid top-ups

· Zain bill payments and prepaid top-ups

· Electricity bill payments

· CrediMax Credit Card bill payments and PIN change

· Al Hayrat top up

To view a map showing the location of the new ATM and all of BBK’s other ATM locations in Bahrain please click here

BBK Launches Mobile Banking Service

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 07:28:34 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking launched its new mobile banking service, thus keeping pace with the changing technology and continuing to be committed towards customer convenience and satisfaction.

The new mobile banking service, which will allow any retail banking transaction to be done instantly from a mobile phone anytime and anywhere with the highest level of security, is now available to all customers free of charge. Customers will be able to perform almost all the online banking services from the convenience of their mobile phones, such as balance enquiries, account transactions, CrediMax card payments for the customer’s card or other cards from any of his accounts, telephone, electricity and water bill payments, transfers, Al Hayrat Top Up, cheque book and callback requests and even locating the nearest ATM/CDM or BBK branch from any web-enabled mobile phone.

BBK customers can simply visit m.bbkonline.com via their web-enabled mobile phones to access the mobile banking service. All they need is their Customer ID and existing ePIN prior to using this service. Upon successful login, the system will show the menu options available for the customer.
Mr. Axel Hofmann, Head of Retail Banking at BBK comments, “In the dynamic technological world of today, we understand that our customers need access to their bank accounts in the palm of their hand and by launching this service, we are making it available to them at any time, no matter where in the world they are. Our customers will no longer have to physically visit a bank or worry about opening hours, they can now perform many banking transactions in a faster, safer and more convenient way, 24/7 through their mobile phones.”

“At BBK, our priority has always been the convenience and comfort of our customers. The mobile banking service will allow them to save time and effort. The new service aims to add value to our customers by giving them a protected, private and fast access to their accounts,” concluded Mr. Hofmann.

BBK Conducts Crisis Management Simulation Exercise

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 06:08:29 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in Retail and Commercial Banking, conducted a Crisis Management Simulation Exercise on the 10th of December, 2011. The aim of this exercise was to simulate a real life crisis event scenario, and then put the bank-wide Business Continuity Plans (BCP) in operation to ensure that critical banking services are restored and available to customers in shortest possible time. This exercise was managed and coordinated by the Bank’s dedicated Business Continuity Management Team.

BBK, has been actively pursuing its Business Continuity Management plan and enhancing its capabilities. BBK is one of the first banks in the Kingdom of Bahrain to have its own dedicated, fully equipped and functional Business Continuity Center. This provides customers with a continuity of critical banking services and at the same time secures its vital assets in the event of any unforeseen events leading to disruption of normal functioning.

From the time of the sudden initiation of the crisis situation to the actual recovery and availability of critical banking services to its customers, the entire process was executed seamlessly with in the target time frame. During this exercise all critical components of the BCP were tested successfully.

Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, Chief Executive and the members of Executive Management participated in the exercise along with over 100 employees from various areas of the Bank. Mr. Bucheery expressed satisfaction on the exercise and commented: “The success of the Business Continuity simulation exercise is a major step for BBK’s preparedness to ensure business continuity in the event of any unforeseen events. It demonstrates the Bank's commitment towards its stakeholders by ensuring adoption of best market practices and also meeting regulatory requirements. We are proud to be in forefront in our preparedness to provide better and uninterrupted services to the customers.

BBK rewards diligence at work

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 05:13:25 GMT

Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK announced the winner of the Employee of the Month for the month of November 2011 at their headquarters in Manama.

Each month, BBK honours one team member for his performance, positive attitude and pro-activeness under the Employee of the Month scheme. Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, Chief Executive of BBK handed over the certificate and the cash prize to the employee of the month, Mrs. Latifa Khalifa from the Human Resources and Administration Division at a special ceremony in appreciation for her achievements.

BBK announces the winner of a BMW 323 in the BBK Loans Promotion

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:58:34 GMT

Manama, Bahrain: BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, is pleased to announce that the winner of the BMW 323 car in the BBK Loans Promotion is Mr. Hassan Ali Hassan Khadhim, a 32 year old Bahraini father of two. The prize was awarded as part of BBK’s combined loans promotional campaign which ran between July and November 2011.

The BBK Loans Promotion, which featured both special rates and the chance to win this luxury BMW vehicle, was open to anybody who applied for a BBK car loan, mortgage loan or consumer loan during the period of the promotion. All successful loan applicants were entered into the draw.

On hearing the news that he had won the BMW Mr. Hassan Ali Hassan was absolutely delighted. He expressed his gratitude to God for this blessing and said: “I am so thrilled to win this car and this has come at such a good time for me and my family. It’s wonderful to win a brand new BMW! I’ve never won anything before and this is such a great start to the year. On this occasion, I would like to thank my dear mother and lovely wife for being my good luck charms, and for their support.
My wife, Sahar, was actually the reason I applied for the loan from BBK and for that I thank her.”
“I would also like to take this opportunity to extend my thanks to BBK for their wonderful services, I have been banking with them all my life and I especially appreciate their online banking services, as they make my life simpler”

Mr. Hassan Ali Hassan and his family received the prize at the Euro Motors showroom in Sitra on Wednesday 11th January.

The keys to the car were handed over to Mr. Hassan by Mr. Axel Hofmann, Head of Retail Banking at BBK, who said: “at BBK, not only do we offer highly competitive interest rates, speedy approval and flexible repayment terms on loans, but we’re always aiming to add more value by providing our customers with additional benefits through promotions such as this. On a personal level, I am absolutely delighted to see the happiness that winning the BMW has brought to Mr. Hassan and his family.”

BBK Hosts an Investment Seminar

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 04:56:05 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, hosted an investment seminar for its clients along with Franklin Templeton on January 18th, 2012 at Gulf Hotel – Kingdom of Bahrain.

The seminar focused on the outlook of Emerging and Frontier Markets and highlighted available investment opportunities into these markets.

Various BBK’s High Net Worth and corporate clients attended this interactive seminar and diverse issues of investor interest were discussed. Investors were briefed about the current state of global economy, opportunities for investments available in emerging markets, GCC markets and other frontier markets.

BBK’s Chief Executive, Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, gave a welcome address followed by presentations from Franklin Templeton executives. On this occasion Mr. Bucheery remarked: “One of the BBK strategic initiatives is to focus on strengthening relationship with our existing clients and always look at improving the quality of our products and delivery channels. As part of our commitment to provide wide range of outstanding investment products to our investors, we have introduced ‘Franklin Templeton’ products under our platform.”

Franklin Templeton Investments is a respected name in the industry, having been managing investments for individuals, institutions, pension plans, trusts, partnerships and other clients globally for over 60 years. BBK is pleased to be able to offer Franklin Templeton’s fund products to their clients.

BBK meets the Bankers Union

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:40:19 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, gives utmost importance to the human capital and has always been working to develop the employees in the banking sector, offering them the right opportunities and enhancing their rights. Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, CE of BBK and Mr. Khalil Zainal- Chairman, Bankers Union met early January 2012 at the Bank’s Headquarters in Manama. This meeting represents the first of a series of meetings to be convened between BBK and the Bankers Union on a quarterly basis. During this meeting, the periodical meeting agenda of the current year was set and other matters of great importance to both parties were discussed as proposed by the Union to which the Bank manifested its interest.

In this respect, Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, BBK CE stated that “The human capital was and still continues to play a crucial role in maintaining the Bank’s performance and enhancing its products and services offered to its valuable customers and stakeholders. We are always keen to look after our employees interests and provide them with the means that improve their well being in general and we confirm this statement through our regular meetings with the Bankers Union”.

At the end of the meeting, both parties expressed their willingness to continue and improve such meetings and Mr. Khalil Zainal, Chairman of the Bankers Union, expressed his appreciation to the Bank’s CE for the warm welcome.

It is worth mentioning that the Bankers Union was established on 25.01.2003 following the launch of His Majesty the King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa reform scheme and after the publication of Legislative Decree No.(33) of 2002 with respect to the promulgation of the Workers Union Law as a workers union designed to look after the interests of the workers in the financial and banking sector, to defend their rights, to raise the level of their employment gains and living conditions through the spread of the vocational and the union culture and the active participation in numerous events to emphasize the role of unions as an integral element of the developed economy.

As one of the major financial institutions in Bahrain, BBK has been always keen to commit to its social responsibility role that aims at achieving the sole goal and vision of a brighter future and community in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

BBK announces the winners of $40,000 in cash prizes in the BBK Visa Debit Card Summer Promotion

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 05:40:50 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, is pleased to announce the winners of the BBK Visa Debit Card Summer Promotion. BBK teamed up with Visa Middle East on this promotion to reward customers who used their BBK Visa Debit Cards over the summer both in Bahrain and overseas to shop and pay.
Each card transaction made between July 1st and September 30th 2011 entitled the customer to an entry into a lucky draw and the chance to win great cash prizes.

13 individual cash prizes totaling an aggregate amount of $40,000/- were available to be won under the promotion split into two categories. For International Debit Card usage, 3 customers were eligible to win $ 10,000 each and for local Debit Card usage, 10 customers were eligible to win $ 1,000 each. The prize draw took place last month, witnessed by a Ministry of Industry and Commerce representative, Mr. Yasser Buallay and BBK officials.

The 3 lucky winners of $ 10,000 each from the International Debit Card usage draw are Abdulla Mohd Al Naimi, Zainab Ismail Hamza Ismail, Isa Jamal Nasser Buallay, and the 10 lucky winners of the $1,000 each local Debit Card usage draw are Balan Vengattu Parambil, Abdulla Abdulaziz Abdulla, Zainab Saeed Abdulla Ahmed, Ramla Sabah Habib Taher Ali Humood, Hussain Mohd Hassan Al Rahma, Widad Nasser Najem Al Rumaithi, Jaffar Salman Taqi Mohammed, Aysha Sameer Mohd Ghanem Al Sulaiti, Mohamed Jasim Mohamed Al Salman, Osama Saleh Mohd Al Yaaqba.

The cash prizes were handed over to the winners by BBK’s Chief Executive, Mr. A. Karim Bucheery, at a ceremony held on January 15th in the BBK Main branch in Manama. The handover ceremony was also attended by Mr. Majeed Hujair, General Manager of Visa (Bahrain and Kuwait), Mr. Axel Hofmann, Head of Retail Banking, Mr. Reinaldo Moarry, Head of Retail Marketing, Ms. Mai Al Hamar, Head of Electronic Banking, and Ms. Nada Bubshait, Marketing Communications manager.

The winners expressed their thanks and commented on the usefulness and convenience of having BBK Visa Debit Cards. One of the winners, Mr. Isa Jamal Buallay, had used his BBK Visa Debit Card to pay for his TV service subscription, and was quite excited about his unexpected win. His Father, Mr. Jamal Buallay, was even more enthusiastic about Isa’s win, saying “this is a great start to 2012 and the cash will be useful for Isa’s future wedding expenses.”

Another of the prize-winners, Ms. Zainab Ismail, had used her card abroad during her summer vacation. She expressed her thanks to the Bank and said that she particularly enjoys using BBK’s online banking services and relies on these completely for her regular banking transactions.

Speaking at the prize ceremony, BBK’s Chief Executive, Mr. A.Karim Bucheery, said: “at BBK we always aim to give our customers great service and great offers. BBK Visa Debit Cards are free, easy to use and safer than carrying cash so it makes sense to use these cards for a wide range of transactions both at home and overseas. The Summer Promotion was a great success and on behalf of everybody at BBK I’m delighted for the 13 customers who have won cash prizes today.”

Mr. Majeed Hujair, General Manager of Visa Bahrain and Kuwait said: “We continue to work with our partners to bring exclusive deals and promotions to all Visa cardholders in Bahrain. BBK’s Visa Debit Card Summer Promotion has proven to be a great success while having these 3 winners benefit from the great cash prizes and shows continued value in using Visa debit cards for all purchases and even while traveling.

BBK reports net profits of BD 31.8 million for the year ending 2011

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:44:22 GMT

Click here to view the Financial Statement

BBK announced that its Board of Directors have approved the Bank’s financial statements for the year ended 31st December 2011, in the meeting held on Sunday 29th January 2012. Mr. Murad Ali Murad, the Chairman of the Board of Directors said “I am pleased to announce that in 2011, BBK produced good financial results, achieving a net profit of BD 31.8 million, compared to BD 39.1 million in 2010.” Based upon, the Board has recommended a dividend of 25 fils per share

Mr. Murad commented on the results saying: “It was a year which saw continued turbulence in world markets stemming in large part from the sovereign debt crisis in the Eurozone and the fear that the United States would fall back into recession. In addition to lackluster global economic growth, there have also been a number of uprisings in countries across the Middle East and North Africa region. Bahrain itself has had periods of civil unrest which has been exceeded and this has inevitably had a negative impact on business sentiment locally. Despite these events, none of which were foreseen a year ago, the outstanding efforts of the BBK management team and all employees have ensured that BBK’s businesses have continued to perform well”.

For the year ended 31st December 2011, the bank reported a solid growth in net interest income of 9.6% to reach BD 58.9 million. Fees and commissions also grown by 3.9% compared to December 2010 to reach BD 26.3 million.
Investment income stood at BD 20.6 million compared to BD 30.1 million for the period ended 31th December 2010. The investment income included BD 9.2 million of income that arose from the exchange of BBK sub-debt notes to senior notes in November 2011. The bank has exchanged around 85 per cent of its subordinated notes with a senior debt notes. Since the exchange is done on a substantially different terms, it is accounted as an extinguishment of the old debt. The differences between the carrying amount of the old sub-debt (extinguished) or transferred to the investors and the new liabilities assumed is recognized as other income. Other investment income also includes a gain on the redemption of sub-debt of BD 0.6 million (2010: BD 2.2 million). The investment income in year 2010 included non-recurring income arose from the sale of non-trading investments of BD 17.1 million. BBK follows a prudent approach to risk management, where BD 25.5 million was taken as provisions to cater against unexpected losses caused by market turbulences out of which around BD 6.0 million was provision set to cater for the changes in the fair market value of investments

For the three months ended 31st December 2011, BBK reported a net profit BD 4.7 million compared to BD 7.9 million for the same period of last year, with net interest income of BD 14.9 million, being higher by 37.0%, along with other income at BD 18.2 million being higher than last year income by BD 9.8 million, and provision charges at BD 16.3 million, compared to BD 0.5 million last year.

Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, Chief Executive said: “2011 was the second year of BBK’s 2010-2012 3-year Strategic Plan and we have continued to focus on implementing the key initiatives for growth outlined in this plan.
Of the initiatives BBK implemented during the year was the transition of CrediMax, the bank credit cards subsidiary to Seef district to be able to provide high quality services to customers in the credit cards business, and be equipped for further expansion in the future as well as the imminent expansion of the distribution network of the bank by opening a branch at the Credimax’s headquarters and adding eight new devices of the ATM.
BBK launched “BBKCashlink”, which is a new internet accessible payments management system. The bank has also launched a new service for NRIs (Non Residents Indians) in Kuwait – through a joint venture between BBK, BNP- Geojit of India and a Kuwaiti partner to offer the NRI’s an opportunity to purchase a range of investments products in India.
Mr. Bucheery commented further on those initiatives by saying: “The success of the adopted strategy can be evidenced by the growth achieved in the reported loans and advances, investments, and customer deposits, despite the prevailing slow down in the market”

BBK’s balance sheet as of 31st December 2011 stood at BD 2,765 million, a growth of 13.0% compared to last year. The growth in the balance sheet was driven by the growth of net loans & advances by 10.2% to stand at BD 1,407 million, and the growth in non-trading investment portfolio by 32.6% compared to December 2010 to reach BD 564 million. Customer deposits on the other hand grew during the year by 30.3% to reach BD 2,076 million, benefiting from the flights to quality that started when the Global Financial Crisis hit in 2008. Depositors remained focused on the quality of the institutions where they put their funds and despite the ratings downgrade to both the Kingdom of Bahrain and Bahrain banks, BBK has proved a favored destination for funds.
Mr. Bucheery extended the BBK leadership team’s sincere appreciation to the bank’s customers for their loyalty and trust, the bank’s shareholders for their ongoing support, and all staff members for their dedication and hard work.

Exchange Offer Closing Dinner

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:10:30 GMT

BBK, Bahrain pioneer in retail and commercial banking, hosted a Closing Dinner on Tuesday 25th January, at the Gulf Hotel- Kingdom of Bahrain, which was attended by the Bank’s Executive Management to celebrate the successful Exchange Offer transaction that was completed in November 2011.

Guests included members of the HSBC debt capital markets team from Dubai, who acted as Lead Manager on the transaction as well as the legal counsel from Reed Smith in Abu Dhabi.

The transaction involved BBK offering to buy back their existing subordinated bond maturing in 2017 and replacing it with a new senior bond maturing in 2018. The participation rate of investors was 85.2%, which was exceptionally high compared to other similar transactions.

On the occasion, Mr A.Karim Bucheery, BBK Chief Executive commented: “We are very pleased to have achieved such a high rate of participation which not only allows
BBK to extend its liability profile, but also serves to provide a stable foundation for future growth.”

“We are also very satisfied that HSBC debt capital markets team in Dubai has nominated the transaction for “Deal of the Year” in the “Middle East and Africa” category of the Euromoney Financial Awards.” Mr A.Karim added.

BBK announces its biggest cash prize winner of $500,000 in Al Hayrat

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:50:39 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, has made the announcement everyone has been waiting for, the winner of the grand prize draw of $500,000. The draw, in Al Hayrat’s 10 year Anniversary, offered Bahrain’s biggest single lump sum cash prize of $500,000 and was carried out on the 18th January 2012 under the supervision of Mr. Yasser Buallay Ministry of Commerce Representative and Bank officials. Al Hayrat is BBK’s unique savings account that presents exciting opportunities for its customers to win prizes while they save.

Ms. Fawzea Marzooq Ali Al Marzooq, a Bahraini housewife from Sehla, was announced as the lucky grand prize winner. She received the star treatment, commencing with being collected in a stretch limousine along with members of her family and was presented with a cheque for $500,000 by Mr. A. Karim Bucheery, CE of BBK in the Main Branch on the 31st January 2012 during a special handover ceremony. The reception was attended by GM Sh. Rashed Al Khalifa and Mr. Reyadh Sater, alongside senior members from the Bank.

The grand prize draw represented the culmination of a year’s worth of prizes totalling $1,500,000. All investments made by 15th December 2011 were eligible for the draw. The greater the amount invested, the greater the chance of winning.

Upon receiving the news of her win, Ms. Fawzea Al Marzooq praised God for this wonderful blessing and vowed to immediately donate a good portion of her prize to the needy. Other than that, her plans to spend the money were not defined yet.

The winner’s son, Mr. Ghassan A. Aal also used this opportunity to express his thanks and appreciation to the Bank and its employees for their excellent service over the years.

Mr. A. Karim Bucheery, Chief Executive of BBK said: “Our aim at BBK has always been to provide our customers with a Brighter banking experience with Al Hayrat saving account representing a good example of that very aim. On this happy occasion, I would like to take this opportunity to wish Ms. Al Marzooq and her family my warmest congratulations on her amazing win as we present her with the biggest cash prize in the Kingdom of Bahrain.”

Visa Olympics campaign

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:22:41 GMT

Only a few weeks left till the biggest sporting event on planet Earth kicks off in the most visited City in the World! The London 2012 Olympics Games 27 July - 12 August 2012...

BBK is collaborating with Visa, which has been a Worldwide sponsor of the Olympics Games since 1986. To launch this special promotion whereby BBK customers who use their BBK Visa Debit Cards between the 5th Jan - 5th March will have a chance to win one of 32 packages to the London 2012 Olympics Games!

You don't have to be an athlete to go to the London 2012 Olympics Games.

Use your BBK Visa Debit card at home and abroad and you will be entered into a draw to win a trip to the London 2012 Olympics Games. Don't wait! On your marks. Get set. Go.

For more information, please visit Visa's website

Save today and embark on Al Hayrat sea voyage

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 04:58:14 GMT

Embark on Al Hayrat sea voyage and discover a wealth of deep sea treasures in the form of monthly, quarterly and weekly Ramadan prizes, in addition to Al Hayrat Grand Prize, totalling US$ 1,500,000. Save now and be one of the lucky 152 cash prize winners on board throughout the year.
You can also give your loved ones the gift of winning with Al Hayrat Gift Certificate. Whether it’s for a birthday, a graduation, a wedding, or the birth of a baby, Al Hayrat Gift Certificate is the perfect solution for any occasion.

Month	Draw type	# of prizes	prizes value ($)	Total prizes ($)
February	Monthly Draw	15	5,000	75,000
March	Monthly Draw	15	5,000	150,000
March	Quarterly Draw	1	75,000	150,000
April	Monthly Draw	15	5,000	75,000
May	Monthly Draw	15	5,000	75,000
June	Monthly Draw	15	5,000	150,000
June	Quarterly Draw	1	75,000	150,000
July	Week 1	1	20,000	125,000
	Week 2	1	25,000
	Week 3	1	30,000
	Eid Draw	1	50,000
August	Monthly Draw	15	5,000	75,000
September	Monthly Draw	15	5,000	75,000
October	Monthly Draw	15	5,000	75,000
November	Monthly Draw	15	5,000	75,000
December	Grand Draw	1	500,000	500,000
December	Loyalty Draw*	10	5,000	50,000
		152		1,500,000

*Loyal customers who maintain their deposits throughout the year will enter a raffle draw to win 10 bonus prizes of US$ 5,000 each. Entries made by Feb 25th 2012 and kept until Feb 24th 2013 will be eligible.

Al Hayrat Features and Benefits:

Monthly draws for large cash prizes.
Great chances of winning. Every BD 50/- will get you one chance in the draws.
Non-BBK customers can open Al Hayrat saving accounts.
Withdrawals can be made at any time.
Available at all branches.
Customers can take loans against the value of savings (above BD 1,000) and still be eligible for draws.
All Bahraini and non Bahraini residents above the age of 21 are eligible.
Al Hayrat account can be opened for minors by their legal guardians.

To open an account, customers must present an original and valid CPR in addition to a second form of identification (Passport is required for non Bahrainis).

Embark on Al Hayrat sea voyage now and discover a wealth of deep sea treasures!

For more information visit any of our branches or call 17 20 7777

BBK announces a new ATM machine at Tubli

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 05:53:42 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, announces the introduction of a new offsite ATM opposite of Toyota Plaza in Tubli. With the addition of this new ATM, BBK’s network has increased to 45 ATMs across the Kingdom of Bahrain. BBK has one of the largest ATM networks in Bahrain and is committed to maintaining its market-leading position by adding new BBK ATMs in suitable locations to provide additional services and added convenience for its customers.
The new ATM is located in Tubli opposite of Toyota Plaza.

BBK ATM machines in Bahrain provide a wide range of services, including:

• Cash withdrawals
• Account balance enquiries
• Printing of mini statements
• Transfer of funds between linked accounts maintained with BBK
• Cheque book requests
• Batelco bill payments and prepaid top-ups
• Zain bill payments and prepaid top-ups
• Electricity bill payments
• CrediMax Credit Card bill payments and PIN change
Al Hayrat top up

Annual General Meeting

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 06:49:15 GMT

We would like to bring to your kind attention that the “Annual General Meeting” of BBK will be held on Sunday 11th March 2012 at 11:30 at Al-Fanar Ballroom, Diplomat Hotel.

We look forward to welcoming you and have the pleasure of your presence at this meeting.

BBK rewards diligence at work

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 05:08:53 GMT

Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK announced the winner of the Employee of the Month for the month of December 2011 at their headquarters in Manama.

BBK rewards diligence at work for the year 2011

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 07:11:00 GMT

BBK- Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking- has announced the 2011 winners of the STAR Service Excellence Award, within the category of the Best employee in each frontline role within its Retail Banking Division for 2011.

All Retail Banking employees who had direct contact with customers throughout 2011, had the chance to vie for this honor, where the key criteria are Excellence in customer service, outstanding business results, reinforcing BBK brand values and superior service quality.

Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, Chief Executive of BBK handed over trophies and a cash prize to the winners in appreciation of their exceptional efforts at a special ceremony that took place on Thursday, 23rd of February at BBK Headquarter in Manama. Ali Yusuf Khadem from Adliya Financial Mall won the “Best Teller 2011”, Fatima Mohamed Al Banna from the Main Branch- “Best Sales Consultant 2011”, Dana Hameed Ebrahim from City Center Branch- “Best Customer Service Representative 2011”, Badria Jaffar Alnahash from the Main Branch- “Best Team Leader for the Sales/ Customer Service 2011” and finally both Mohammed Mahdi Salman from the Main Branch and A. Majeed Haji Hassan won the “Best Team Leader for the Cash Operations 2011”.

In addition to the yearly awards, eighty nine employees were recognized and rewarded throughout the year from different branches for their excellence in customer service based on fulfilling the wining criteria of customer commitment, zest for building relationships, motivation to further develop the business and positive impact and influence on staff and co-workers.

Al Hayrat February Winners

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 11:48:15 GMT

Name

Amount

Amal sayed Fadhel Sharaf

$50,000

Sayed Hasan Jaafar Mohamed

$5,000

Mohammed Khalil Al Sayed

$5,000

Alya Mohammed Al Buflaseh

$5,000

Khalid Salim Mohammed

$5,000

Sh. Aysha Mohammed Al Khalifa

$5,000 Afaf ebrahim Jamsheer $5,000 Manal Abbas Al Mahhari $5,000 Ismaeel Abdulrahim Mohamed $5,000 Ameera Abdulla Isa $5,000 Fawziya Ahmed Al Khaja $5,000 Ali Abdulla Ahmed Husain $5,000 Jasim Mohamed Bahar $5,000 Mohd Jawad and A.Hadi Mohsin & or Isa Mohammed $5,000 Sayed Abdulla Al Aali $5,000 Mohamed Ali Tarada $5,000

BBK announces a new ATM machine at Jidhafs

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 11:17:14 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, announces the introduction of a new offsite ATM at Hawar Patrol Station in Jidhafs. With the addition of this new ATM, BBK’s network has increased to 46 ATMs across the Kingdom of Bahrain. BBK has one of the largest ATM networks in Bahrain and is committed to maintaining its market-leading position by adding new BBK ATMs in suitable locations to provide additional services and added convenience for its customers.
The new ATM is located at Hawar Patrol Station in Jidhafs close to Al Hily Market.

BBK ATM machines in Bahrain provide a wide range of services, including:

Cash withdrawals
Account balance enquiries
Printing of mini statements
Transfer of funds between linked accounts maintained with BBK
Cheque book requests
Batelco bill payments and prepaid top-ups
Zain bill payments and prepaid top-ups
Electricity bill payments
CrediMax Credit Card bill payments
PIN change
Al Hayrat top up

Al Hayrat announces the winner of the loyalty prize of $50,000 in its February draw

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 11:24:26 GMT

BBK , Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, has recently announced the name of the special loyalty prize winner of $50,000. Ms. Amal Sayed Fadhel Al Sharaf.

Ms. Amal has been a loyal customer of the bank’s for many years. She has been saving with Al Hayrat in hope of winning.
Ms. Amal’s brother, Sayed Mohammed Al Sharaf conveyed his family’s thanks and appreciation to BBK for recognizing their loyal Al Hayrat customers who have maintained their investments for a year or longer with Al Hayrat. He stated that he was the one who encouraged his sister Amal to make her investment with Al Hayrat, and it has certainly paid off!

The bank has also announced the names of the 15 lucky winners of Al Hayrat monthly prizes of $5,000 each as follows:
Sayed Hasan Jaafar Mohamed, Mohammed Khalil Al Sayed, Alya Mohammed Al Buflaseh, Khalid Salim Mohammed, Sh. Aysha Mohammed Al Khalifa, Afaf ebrahim Jamsheer, Manal Abbas Al Mahhari, Ismaeel Abdulrahim Mohamed, Ameera Abdulla Isa, Fawziya Ahmed Al Khaja, Ali Abdulla Ahmed Husain, Jasim Mohamed Bahar, Mohd Jawad and A.Hadi Mohsin & or Isa Mohammed, and Sayed Abdulla Al Aali were the fifteen lucky winners, each of whom has received a check for $5,000.

The cheques were handed over to the winners by Axel Hofmann, Head of Retail Banking.
The ceremony was also attended by Mr. Reinaldo Moarry, Head of Retail Marketing, Mr. Mazin Dhaif, Head of the Distribution Network and Ms. Nada Bubshait, Marketing communications Manager.

The Al Hayrat draw took place on February 29th, in the main branch lobby under the supervision of Mr. Yasser Buallay the ministry of commerce and industry representative, in addition to BBK’s Internal Audit, Internal control and Retail Marketing and Retail Banking representatives.
Everybody can now also give their loved ones the gift of winning with Al Hayrat gift certificate. Whether it’s for a Birthday, a graduation, a wedding or the birth of a baby. Al Hayrat Gift Certificate is the perfect solution for any occasion.

It’s worth mentioning that this draw represents the first draw of Al Hayrat 2012 exciting prizes. The upcoming draw will include the quarterly prize draw for $75,000, in addition to the regular 15 monthly prizes of $5000 each.

BBK Launches Enhanced SMS Banking Service

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 05:18:30 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, announces the launch of an enhanced version of its SMS Banking service, the third of its recent series of launches of revamped and/or innovative e-channels for banking services, including eStatements and Mobile Banking in late 2011.

BBK SMS Banking allows customers to “bank on the go” – SMS (short messaging service) enables customers to both execute their retail banking transactions and to receive information regarding their financial and non financial transactions on their mobile phones. The service is available 24/7 so banking can be done anywhere, anytime, with speed, security and convenience.

Upon successful registration for the service through “My Profile” page, customers may customize the SMS notifications they wish to receive (PUSH Messages) relating to their account(s) activity, and/or send out SMS codes to perform financial transactions or enquiries (PULL Messages).

Some of the SMS Banking services include requesting balance inquiries, initiating bill payments and transfers, receiving alerts, for salary credits and cash deposits for example, and many more.

BBK ensures that the SMS banking service provides the highest levels of security to customers, as it sends automated SMS notifications for certain transactions or events as requested by the customer.

Furthermore, the service is available to all customers completely free of charge - customers will only be subject to the standard SMS usage fees by their telecom services provider.

Announcing the launch of SMS Banking services, Axel Hofmann, BBK’s Head of Retail Banking, said: “SMS banking was first introduced by BBK over eight years ago, and I am delighted to announce that the new version of the service which we are launching today has a much wider range of services and a number of new or enhanced features. At BBK we strive to offer our customers the highest levels of service and convenience, and I truly believe that our new SMS Banking service takes this to a whole new level.”

For further information about the new service please click here or call 17207777

BBK contributes over BD 24,000 to the Bahraini community

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 05:10:06 GMT

In line with BBK’s strategic initiatives for a brighter community and its monthly support to various entities, Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, BBK’s Chief Executive, welcomed at the Bank’s Headquarters, representatives from different societies to receive BBK's contributions for their requests submitted in January 2012. The handover ceremony was attended by Mr. Reyadh Sater- General Manager- Shared Services Group, Mr. Abdul Hussain Bustani- Assistant General Manger- Human Resources and Administration and Ms. Abeer Swar- Corporate Communications Officer.

The entities that have benefited from the Bank’s support to fulfill their various humanitarian initiatives were: Al Manar for Parent’s Care, Bahrain Parent’s Care home, Bahrain Philanthropic and Social Work Society, Bahrain Disabled Sports Federation, Batelco Care Centre for Family Violence Cases and Al Noor Charity Welfare.

On this occasion, Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, BBK Chief Executive said: “The Bank is always keen on supporting such entities given the significant role they play in the progress of the Kingdom.”

BBK rewards diligence at work

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 05:17:00 GMT

Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK announced the winners of the Employee of the Month for the months of January & February 2012 at their headquarters in Manama.

Each month, BBK honours one team member for his performance, positive attitude and pro-activeness under the Employee of the Month scheme. Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, Chief Executive of BBK handed over the certificates and the cash prizes to the employees of the month, Miss. Batool S. Jaffar from the Financial Planning & Control Division for the month of January 2012 and Mr. Khalifa Ajlan from the Information Technology Division for the month of February 2012 at a special ceremony in appreciation for their achievements.

Al Hayrat announces the winner of the Quarterly prize of $75,000 in its March draw

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 12:46:21 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, has recently announced the name of the first Quarterly prize winner for 2012 Sh. Asma Ali Al Khalifa.

Sh. Asma has originally invested in Al Hayrat in hope of winning the Grand Prize of $500,000, however, when informed about her win of the quarterly prize, she was quite thrilled and has expressed her thanks to the bank, particularly, the staff of the Riffa Financial Mall, who have advised her to participate in Al Hayrat.

The bank has also announced the names of the 15 lucky winners of Al Hayrat monthly prizes of $5,000 for March as follows:
Ebrahim Hasan Bakhsh; Amani Khudhur Butrus; Perennial Capital W.L.L; Jalal Ebrahim Qambar; Amal Faisal Faleh Al Abdulla; Fatima Jani Ali Moosa; Abdulnabi Mahdi Saleh Ali; Ahmed Abdulla Ali Ahmed; Mohamed Moustafa Hassan; Asya Mohd AlBastaki; Faeqa Burhan Aldin AlAwadhi; A.Rasool Abdulla AlDarwish; Mohamed Jawad AlSaegh; Amal Ebrahim AlMehri; Ali Hasan Alderazi were the fifteen lucky winners, each of whom has received a check for $5,000.

The cheques were handed over to the winners by Axel Hofmann, Assistant General Manager of Retail Banking.

The ceremony was also attended by Mr. Reinaldo Moarry, Head of Retail Marketing, and Ms. Nada Bubshait, Marketing Communications Manager.
The Al Hayrat draw took place on March 28th in the main branch lobby under the supervision of Mr. Yasser Buallay the ministry of commerce and industry representative, in addition to BBK’s Internal Audit, Internal control and Retail Marketing and Retail Banking representatives.
Everybody can now also give their loved ones the gift of winning with Al Hayrat gift certificate. Whether it’s for a Birthday, a graduation, a wedding or the birth of a baby. Al Hayrat Gift Certificate is the perfect solution for any occasion.

It’s worth mentioning that this draw represents the first quarterly draw of Al Hayrat 2012 program. The upcoming quarterly draw will take place in June, in addition to the regular 15 monthly prizes of $5000 each.

The Royal University for Women hosts a series of lectures by BBK

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 06:05:41 GMT

BBK - Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking – supported a series of lectures organized by the faculty of Business and Financial Sciences of the Royal University for Women. These series of lectures commenced on the 21st of February and ended on the 3rd of April 2012. Designed to be divided into several sessions, BBK’s Chief Executive, Mr. A.Karim Bucheery was the guest speaker, presenting a general overview on the challenges faced in the banking sector. Attending Mr. Bucheery’s lecture were Mr. Mazin Juma, President of RUW and Dr. L. Sykes, Vice President of the RUW.

On his presentation of recent issues and challenges facing the Banking sector Mr. Bucheery, emphasized on the significance of the role and contribution of Banking in the economy by saying: “We are proud to take part of this lecture that bridges the gap between the theoretical knowledge and the practical operations of the Banking industry. This collaboration between BBK and RUW is a set example of how we can put real life examples into a classroom of young and bright future leaders.”

Also taking part in the series of lectures with more specific topics related to their area of knowledge and expertise were BBK’s General Manager - Business Group, Sh. Rashed Al Khalifa, along with a group of officials from the Banks various divisions to name a few; Corporate Banking, Retail Banking, Transactional Banking and Treasury and Investment, in addition to a spokesperson from CrediMax; BBK’s wholly owned subsidiary specialising in credit card issuing and acquiring. At the end of each lecture, the students had the privilege to have a question and answer session to get a better understanding of the topics presented.

Dr. Mazin Juma, President of the Royal University for Women also commented by saying: “This cooperation between the university and BBK does not only open future collaboration opportunities between both sides, it also allows students to ask questions and bridge the gap between the theoretical knowledge and the practical aspects of their financial studies.”

BBK reports net profits of BD 12 million for the three months ending 31st March 2012

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 05:15:44 GMT

Click her to view the Financial Report

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, announced that the Bank’s Board of Directors in its meeting on Sunday 15th April 2012 approved the Bank’s financial statements for the three months ended 31st March 2012. The Bank reported net profit of BD 12.0 million in for the 1st quarter of 2012, with a growth of 3% compared to BD 11.7 million for the same period of last year.

Mr. Murad Ali Murad, the Chairman of the Board of Directors commented on the results stating that: “We are pleased with the achieved results for the 1st quarter of 2012 , which marks the last year of the Bank’s current strategic plan 2010-2012, gives an indicator of the a good performance despite of the challenging market conditions .”

For the three months ended 31st March 2012, the Bank reported a growth in net interest income of 7.9% to reach BD 15.1 million, mainly driven by the growth in net loans and advances, and growth of fixed income investments portfolio, supported by tight management of funding cost. Fees and commissions recorded a solid growth of 15.8% compared to March 2011 to reach BD 6.7 million. FX & Investment income stood at BD 3.1 million compared to BD 4.6 million for the same period of last year, which included BD 0.3 million of income arose from buy back of sub-debt (current year: nil). Net Provisions & Tax requirement amounted to BD 0.8 million compared to BD 1.1 million for three months ended March 2011. Comprehensive income has increased by BD 15.1 million to reach BD 22.9 million in March 2012; driven by the improvement of investments fair value.

Operating costs has increased by 4.4% compared to the same period last year, mainly due to the Banks continuous plans to invest in various strategic initiatives, improving its customer service and expanding its customers outreach. The progress is going as planned for the BBK new modernized branch in Al Hidd city which is expected to be opened during 2012.

BBK’s balance sheet as of 31st March 2012 has shown a growth of 15.9% over the same period of last year, and stood at BD 2,800 million. The growth in the balance sheet was driven by the growth in net loans & advances by 9.4% to stand at BD 1,415 million, and the growth in non-trading investment portfolio by 56.9% to reach BD 646 million. Customer deposits on the other hand, grew by 14.22% to reach BD 1,966 million, benefiting from the flight to quality, and continuous customers trust and confidence in the Bank.

Liquidity continued to remain at a very comfortable levels with liquid assets (Cash and balances with central banks, treasury bills, and Deposits and due from banks and other financial institutions) to total assets standing at 22.4% with loan to customer deposit ratio at 72.0%.

Mr. A.Karim Bucheery, Chief Executive said: “Despite the challenging operating environment, we are pleased to report a positive growth results at the start of the year and being able to maintain the competitive edge in growing our assets base and customers’ deposits. We attribute our good results to our flexible and diversified strategic plan which conforms to the changing operating environment, and to the confidence that of our valued customers have in the Bank, as a result of our continuous investments in our customer service to ensure our customers are enjoying the best banking services in the Kingdom. In that regard, the bank has launched an enhancement to the SMS mobile banking service, and added ATM machines at two new locations, during the first three months of the year” He added: “We would like to express our sincere appreciation to our valued shareholders, customers, and employees for their support and trust which they showed, and Central Bank of Bahrain for their continuous guidance.”

Order your new design Cheque Book today

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 11:40:39 GMT

Dear Customer,

Please stop using the old BBK cheque book immediately as it will mean extra charges for you! Order and use the new cheques now.

This comes in line with recent guidelines from the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB).

For any enquiries, kindly call 17 20 7777

BBK offers competitive mortgage financing for interested purchasers of properties in “Jeyoun”

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 05:30:03 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, signed an agreement with ALARGAN Bahrain to provide mortgage finance to ease the process of payments for clients interested in purchasing property in ALARGAN Bahrain’s latest real estate project, “Jeyoun". The project’s units were first introduced for sale in January 2011 as part of the strategy of the company in providing innovative housing solutions in the Kingdom for the middle income segment. The units in the projects are now ready for handover.

The project is comprised of 82 townhouses consisting of 3 bedrooms each in addition to 2 living rooms and a domestic servant’s room. The built up areas range between 160-229 square meters distributed across 2 floors and a car park. In addition, the townhouses come with superb interior and exterior design to specifically cater to all the needs of the Bahraini family. The project is located just behind the Aqua Park on the Sheikh Isa bin Salman Highway and is only about 15 minutes away from the Bahrain International Airport and seven minutes away from Manama.

On this occasion, Mr. Axel Hofmann, BBK’s Assistant General Manager of Retail Banking stated that: “BBK ensures that it provides mortgage loans at very competitive and flexible terms and pricing to suit all kinds of its customer needs and to help make their dreams of owning a home a reality. BBK has hence made numerous agreements with most of the real estate projects and developers in the Kingdom Bahrain including “Jeyoun” to ease the process of owning a home, providing variety of choice and catering to all the needs of the middle income segment and other segments. The Bank has also ensured that it establishes a dedicated Real Estate department in the Retail Banking Division consisting of real estate sales consultants and an external sales team to ease the process of obtaining finance and owning a home. In addition to mortgage finance, BBK provides comprehensive insurance solutions for homes and life insurance for the loans under the “Secura” range of products to cater to all the needs of the clients under one roof in BBK.” For more information on mortgage loans, please contact BBK on 17207777 or email Realestate@bbkonline.com

On the other hand, the General Manager of ALARGAN Bahrain, Mr. Khalil Saleh announced that: “Despite the hard circumstances that the Kingdom has gone through recently, we have ensured that we have fulfilled our promises to our clients in having the residential units ready for handover in the specified time. The company will also soon start constructing the commercial and retail area of the project named “Jeyoun Al Qarya” as we believe and strive to offer a complete project where the entire Bahraini family can spend an enjoyable time and pursue all sorts of leisure and entertainment activities in.”

Those who are interested in purchasing a property in “Jeyoun” may visit the show villas now in the project in the area of Bugowa adjacent to Sheikh Isa bin Salman Highway towards the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The project website www.jeyounbahrain.com also provides more information on the project.

BBK Donation- Sh. Ebrahim bin Mohamed Centre for Culture & Research

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 05:47:29 GMT

As part of BBK’s continuous support for Shaikh Ebrahim Bin Mohammed Al-Khalifa Centre for Culture & Research, BBK’s Chief Executive, Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery visited to the Centre where he was welcomed by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Centre, HE Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al-Khalifa. During the visit, Mr. Bucheery was briefed on the various activities carried out by the Centre, the latest of which was Mahmoud Darwish’s Mural produced by the Centre through the latest multimedia and interactive art installation as an unprecedented step in its history.

Mr. Bucheery presented the annual support to the Centre during the visit, hailing the dedicated role assumed by the Centre in spreading the culture and its noble mission as part of the aspired goals & objectives of the Centre which it has managed to achieve over a span of 10 years since it has commenced its activities.

HE Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al-Khalifa expressed her sincere thanks & appreciation for the valued support provided by BBK, lauding the significant role assumed by the Bank in fostering the wide spectrum of activities carried out by the Centre which aim at spreading the culture and enriching the intellect of the community.

BBK Honors 63 employees as part of its annual Service Award Ceremony

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 05:21:49 GMT

On the occasion of Labor Day, BBK celebrates the loyalty of 63 long-standing employees at a ceremony headed by the Chief Executive Mr. A.Karim Bucheery which was hosted at the Gulf Hotel Convention Centre on the 29th of April, 2012.

The 63 BBK employees were awarded for their 35, 30, 25, 20, 15 and 10 years of service with cash prizes and recognition plaques. Following the honoring ceremony a luncheon was held in their honor, attended by the Executive Management team.

Addressing the group, Mr. Bucheery said: “We believe our people are our number one asset with the highest degree of competence, integrity and professionalism. In 2011, BBK was able to produce an acceptable financial performance thanks to the excellence of the people that we work with. The Bank is proud to embrace a team of experts and of high caliber standard individuals, and will continue to invest in its employees capabilities through specialized training programs within and outside the Kingdom.”

Mr. A.Hussain Bustani, Assistant General Manager, Human Resources and Administration also stressed that the Bank’s priority is talent retention especially in light of the growing competition and added: “The Bank always strives to reward its employees in various ways through schemes such as the Employee of the Month, Star Service Excellence Award, as well as the years of Service Award.”

The award ceremony, which is held on an annual basis, is part of BBK’s approach to reward its employees’ dedication and appreciate their continuous efforts and loyalty.

Al Hayrat April Winners

Sun, 06 May 2012 06:46:30 GMT

Name

Amount

Mohamed Gulamreza Abdulrahman Jarjalih

$5,000

Mariam Salah Omran Alashoor

$5,000

Hasan Mohammed Ali Dawood

$5,000

Nuha Abdulla Jassim Mohd

$5,000

Adel Khalifa Sultan Hamad

$5,000

Sayed Abbas Marghoob Rizvi S.Hasan R

$5,000 Ghaida Abdulamir Abdulrasool Hasan $5,000 Husain Saeed Hubail Abdulnabi Ali Alghat $5,000 Jameela Isa Ahmed Al Mutawah $5,000 Abdulqader Rashid Alrowaie $5,000 Farah Mohamed Rafeea Bastaki $5,000 Samer Waheed Mahmood Zainal $5,000 Enas Abdulhameed Isa Alqulaihi $5,000 Sabah Abdulwahab Ahmed Buhiji $5,000 Yahya Ali A.Rahman Buali $5,000

BBK announces the launch of the “SECURA” Bancassurance product range

Wed, 09 May 2012 05:31:16 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, announces the launch of a comprehensive range of new products under its Bancassurance brand “SECURA”.

BBK has been active in the field of Insurance for over a decade through its continuing partnership with Bahrain Kuwait Insurance Company and was one of the first banks in the region to sell motor, home and travel insurance policies throughout its branches in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
The launch of the new protection and savings products is made possible through BBK’s close collaboration with a second partner, Medgulf Allianz Takaful.

BBK customers can now enjoy a wide range of SECURA protection and saving plans from Medgulf Allianz Takaful to meet all of their savings and insurance needs:

EducateSecura: a savings plan designed to cater for childrens’ education and marriage expenses while at the same time providing protection for the parents.
WealthSecura: a single pay savings and insurance plan with a focus on saving for the future and on maximising returns.
FamilySecura: a savings plan which offers higher protection limits to customers and their families.
InvestSecura: an accumulation savings plan with a focus on saving regularly for a secure future.

There are also three “Over-the-Counter” products from Medgulf Allianz Takaful which can be purchased instantly at BBK’s counters:

ProtectSecura: a renewable plan which provides cover against the risk of 11 different critical illnesses, accidental death, and permanent partial and total disability due to accident.
ExpressSecura: a low-cost life insurance and customisable protection plan with annual premiums starting from only BD 20/-. The plan has an advantage of being simple, instant and hassle free.
AccidentSecura: a tailored, annually renewable, instant insurance product which provides cover for loss of life and disablement due to accident for individuals and/or family members at very low premiums.

All Medgulf Allianz Takaful products now available under BBK’s SECURA brand are Islamic and Shariah-compliant.

Announcing the launch of the new SECURA bancassurance product range, Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, BBK’s Chief Executive, said: “the launch of the new SECURA bancassurance products and our partnership with Medgulf Allianz Takaful is part of BBK’s continuing effort to provide our customers with a comprehensive range of products and services which satisfy all of their financial needs. We are proud to be in partnership with Medgulf Allianz Takaful and are confident that the SECURA range of bancassurance products is unmatched in the local market.”

Mr. Ayman El Hout, Managing Director of Medgulf Allianz Takaful, said: “we are delighted to be partnering with BBK and offering our comprehensive range of insurance and savings solutions under the “SECURA” brand. BBK is a quality name in the local banking market and their customers demand the best products. It is our firm belief that the new SECURA product range will prove very popular in the market. We have worked together closely to ensure that there is a product to suit every BBK customer need.”

“SECURA”, the premium bancassurance brand of BBK, has been given a sleek new look to reflect the significant enhancement of the bank’s insurance and savings product range.

BBK will continue to offer a range of general insurance products (Motor, Home and Travel) with partner Bahrain Kuwait Insurance Company.. Further exciting enhancements are being made to these products and new products will be introduced as well. An announcement about this will be made by the Bank soon. BBK will now have two quality insurance partners for SECURA - BKIC and Medgulf Allianz Takaful.

BBK announces a new drive through ATM at Sanad

Thu, 10 May 2012 05:40:53 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, announces the introduction of a new offsite drive through ATM near Ruyan Pharmacy in Sanad. BBK has one of the largest ATM networks in Bahrain and is committed to maintaining its market-leading position by adding new BBK ATMs in suitable locations to provide additional services and added convenience for its customers.
The new ATM is located near Ruyan Pharmacy in Sanad and close to Yum Yum Tree restaurants.

BBK ATMs in Bahrain provide a wide range of services, including:

Cash withdrawals
Account balance enquiries
Printing of mini statements
Transfer of funds between linked accounts maintained with BBK
Cheque book requests
Batelco bill payments and prepaid top-ups
Zain bill payments and prepaid top-ups
Electricity bill payments
CrediMax Credit Card bill payments and PIN change
Al Hayrat top up

BBK Announces 2012 Summer Loan Festival

Mon, 14 May 2012 06:54:43 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, announces the launch of its 2012 Summer Loan Festival which will run from 15th May to 15th September. The Summer Loan Festival features reduced interest rates on Consumer Loans, Mortgage Loans and Car Loans and will give 50 lucky new loan customers the chance to win each BD500 in CrediMax Prepaid Cards for a total of BD 25,000.

Applying for a BBK Consumer, Mortgage or Car Loan is very straightforward and all BBK loans offer flexible repayment terms and highly competitive interest rates. Loan approval is also a speedy process, so getting away for a fun summer vacation, buying the perfect home or driving the dream car out of the showroom couldn’t be easier. This summer there is also a chance for 50 new BBK loan customers to win BD 500 in CrediMax Prepaid Cards with a total value of BD 25,000

There will be two BBK Summer Loan Festival draws for the CrediMax Prepaid Cards prizes:

Consumer, Mortgage, and Car Loan customers with loans booked between 15th May and 14th July 2012 will be eligible to enter the first draw which will be held in July 2012.

Consumer, Mortgage, and Car Loan customers with loans booked between 15th July and 15th September 2012 will be eligible to enter the second draw which will be held in September 2012.

Announcing the launch of the 2012 Summer Loan Festival, Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, BBK’s Chief Executive, said: “At BBK we always strive to offer our customers the best products with a range of competitive features and benefits. We know that customers of loan products are looking for flexible repayment terms, competitive rates and fast approval, so our 2012 Summer Loan Festival offers all of these, plus the chance for 50 customers to win CrediMax Prepaid Cards worth BD 500 each in our draws for a total value of BD 25,000. It’s the best time to apply for a BBK Consumer, Mortgage or Car Loan.”

The two prize draws which will take place as part of BBK’s 2012 Summer Loan Festival will be conducted under the supervision of Bahrain’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce.

To apply for a loan, please visit any BBK Branch or call 17 207777.

BBK Staff Social Committee New Members (2012 – 2014)

Mon, 14 May 2012 07:26:09 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in commercial and retail banking, held a dinner function on the 24th of April at the Gulf Night Out at the Gulf Hotel Bahrain, to thank the exiting members of BBK Staff Social Committee who served during the term of 2010 – 2012 and to welcome the new members on board for the new term 2012- 2014.

Present at the function were A.Karim Bucheery, BBK Chief Executive along with other members of the Executive Management, both previous and new Committee members and the Corporate Communications team.

The committee consists of ten members who have nominated themselves for the new term. With an aim to bring the employees together and enhance the “one family” culture the Committee is responsible for organizing various activities entertaining the employees and their families.

The 2012 – 2014committee consists of the following members:

President: A.Rahman Hussain
Vice President: Aisha Al Hassan
Head of Culture: Fatima Fakhro
Head of Entertainment: Fatima Abu Al Fath
Head of Sports: Khalid Jaber
Treasury: Mohammed Bucheery
Secretary: Rana Mandeel

In addition to three other members:

Hisham Sanad
Mohammed Al Buflasa
Wanas Al Shater

BBK donates BD 25,000 in support of the National Campaign "Wehda Wahda"

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:14:27 GMT

Stemming from its belief in its humanitarian role in serving the community welfare and in line with its strategies and programs of providing generous donations, BBK, Bahrain pioneer in retail and commercial banking presented a cheque of BD 25,000 on April 2nd, 2012 as a gesture of support to the Caravan of Goodness, which is an initiative, part of the national campaign "Wehda Wahda" launched by the Ministry of Human Rights & Social Development to foster national unity & citizenship among members of the Bahraini society.

The cheque was presented by BBK’s Chief Executive Mr. A.Karim Bucheery to Her Excellency the Minister of Human Rights & Social Development, Dr. Fatima Mohammed Al-Baluchi, in the presence of Ministry Undersecretary for Social Development, Mrs. Hanan Mohammed Kamal, and Assistant Undersecretary for Community Development, Mr. Khalid Ishaq. Also present at the cheque presentation ceremony were representatives from Mayasem Co. for Communication Consultancies, in charge of implementing the national campaign. Present from BBK were Mr. Reyadh Sater, General Manager - Shared Services Group, Mr. Abdul Hussain Bustani Assistant General Manager - Human Resources & Administration, and Mrs. Rafa Kaddoura - Corporate Communication Manager.

Her Excellency the Minister expressed her thanks & appreciation to BBK for its generous support towards the national campaign, hailing the role of the Bank as a successful example in the field of social partnership through its ongoing interest in financing the various projects of the Ministry. The Minister said the active participation of the private sector in various social development projects is a vivid reflection of an advanced vision in social responsibility.

Commenting on this occasion, Mr. Bucheery expressed BBK's pride in presenting this type of support, praising the importance of social solidarity & national unity among members of the Bahraini community.

The Bank's contribution is channeled for supporting the Caravan of Goodness which is a huge competitive work of art embodying large camels in their natural size with creative colors according to the vision of young artists aged between 12 to 18 years old from all segments of the society, and led by a Bahraini artist for each camel. The Camels will be displayed as memorial in public areas throughout the Kingdom and each one will be named after the sponsoring company / organization which supports the initiative.

Being one of the largest financial institutions in the Kingdom, BBK offers numerous contributions in support of humanitarian & social causes. The Bank provides substantial support to various organizations, including clubs, charity funds, and various social agencies, through initiatives which drive to achieve a brighter future vision & a more promising society in Bahrain.

Al Hayrat announces the winners of the April draws

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:33:45 GMT

BBK , Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, has recently announced the names of the Al Hayrat April winners of $75,000.
The April Al Hayrat winners of $5,000 each are:

Mohamed Gulamreza Abdulrahman Jarjalih, Maram Salah Omran Alashoor, Hasan Mohammed Ali Dawood, Nuha Abdulla Jassim Mohd, Adel Khalifa Sultan Hamad, Sayed Abbas Marghoob Rizvi S.Hasan, Abdulamir Abdulrasool Hasan, Husain Saeed Hubail Abdulnabi Ali Alghatam, Jameela Isa Ahmed Al Mutawah, Abdulqader Rashid Alrowaie, Farah Mohamed Rafeea Bastaki, Samer Waheed Mahmood Zainal, Enas Abdulhameed Isa Alqulaihi, Sabah Abdulwahab Ahmed Buhiji, and Yahya Ali A.Rahman Buali.

The cheques were handed over to the winners by Axel Hofmann, Head of Retail Banking.

The ceremony was also attended by Mr. Reinaldo Moarry, Head of Retail Marketing, and Ms. Nada Bubshait, Marketing communications Manager.
The winners have also expressed their thanks to BBK for providing them with excellent and highly beneficial products and services, namely, Al Hayrat, Which allows them to continue saving while getting the chance to win wonderful prizes at the same timeThe Al Hayrat draw took place on May 2nd in the main branch lobby under the supervision of Mr. Soud Saif the ministry of commerce and industry representative, in addition to BBK’s Internal Audit, Internal control and Retail Marketing and Retail Banking representatives.

It’s worth mentioning that the second quarterly draw of Al Hayrat 2012 program worth $75,000 to one lucky winner will take place in June. In addition to the regular 15 monthly prizes of $5000 each.

BBK sponsors the re-building and renovation of the Khalifiya Library in Muharraq

Sun, 20 May 2012 07:09:44 GMT

As part of the private sector support for cultural development and heritage conservation projects, BBK- Bahrain pioneer in retail and commercial banking- is sponsoring the re-building and renovation of the Khalifiya Library in Muharraq, as part of the programme of “Manama, the Capital of Arab Culture 2012”. Contributing BD420,000 to this important re-building project in the heart of old Muharraq, the Khalifiya Library will be restored as a public library for local residents.

One of the first public libraries in Bahrain, it was established by the royal family in the 1950s. Although an important urban structure and gathering place for residents in the historical centre of Muharraq, urban development of the surrounding area in the 1980s altered both the neighbouring buildings and destroyed part of the library building. With the help of BBK however, the library re-construction will take place as part of the overall re-development of the entire area. The re-structured Khalifiya Library building will be approximately 400m2 in size and shall include a reading room, storage area, prayer rooms and office space.

'These projects represent an integral component of the diverse programme of the Capital of Arab Culture this year,' explained HE Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, the Minister of Culture. 'By bringing one of the country's first public libraries back to life, BBK's support will help revitalise an important area in Muharraq, both physically and intellectually.'

Commenting on the development project, Chief Executive of BBK, Abdulkarim Bucheery, said, 'We are very pleased to be supporting the Muharraq community and aiding a Bahrain heritage project. We hope that the new construction will, alongside the locality's redevelopment, restore some of the original social fabric of the traditionally inter-connected community and promote a dynamic public discourse.'

Undertaken by the Arab League under the auspices of the UNESCO Cultural Capitals Programme, every year a different Arab capital is awarded the opportunity to engage in a cultural dialogue with local and regional audiences. Manama was elected as the Capital of Arab Culture in a meeting of Arab ministers of culture in 2004. The Bahrain Ministry of Culture has developed an innovative agenda for the year, which seeks to invite Arabs to discover the cultures, heritages and identities of different parts of the Arab world. The year-long programme for Manama, the Capital of Arab Culture 2012 is broken up into 12 different cultural themes according to the months of the year and is designed to foster an environment of multi-disciplinary learning with an appeal to all sectors of society.

Further information can be obtained at www.manamaculture2012.bh

BBK contributes over BD 76,000 to the Bahraini community

Mon, 21 May 2012 09:37:47 GMT

In line with BBK’s strategic initiatives for a brighter community and its monthly support to various entities, Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, BBK’s Chief Executive, welcomed at the Bank’s Headquarters, representatives from different societies to receive BBK's contributions for their requests submitted in March and April 2012. The handover ceremony was attended from BBK side by Mr. Reyadh Sater- General Manager- Shared Services Group, Mrs. Rafa Kaddoura- Corporate Communication Manager and Ms. Abeer Swar- Corporate Communications Officer.

The entities that have benefited from the BBK support to fulfill their various humanitarian initiatives were: Zaka Fund, Mohammed Bin Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa Cardiac Centre, Bahraini Association for intellectual Disability and Autism, Muharraq Social Welfare Centre, Bahrain Young Ladies Association, Discover Islam Centre, The Friendship Society for the blind and Bahrain Association for Parents and Friends of the Disabled.

On this occasion, Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, BBK Chief Executive stressed on the keenness of the Bank to always support such entities given the significant role they play in the progress of the Kingdom.”

BBK shows support towards diabetic children by participating in the 6 –A- Side football tournament

Tue, 29 May 2012 06:31:29 GMT

In line with its strategic initiative for a brighter community, BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking handed over a cheque of BD 1,000 as a gesture of its support towards the Rotary Club of Manama in their initiative to create awareness on diabetes. The cheque was handed over by Mr. Reyadh Sater, BBK’s General Manager – Shared Services Group to Mr. Raj Damani, Rotary Club of Manama past President and Mr. Robert Timmers, Rotary Club of Manama in coming President and 6 - A -Side Committee member with the presence of Mrs. Rafa Kaddoura, BBK’s Corporate Communication Manager and Mrs. Alya Khunji, BBK’s Corporate Communication Officer.

Taking place at the Bahrain Rugby and Football Club in Saar, with the aim of raising funds to support children who are diagnosed with diabetes, BBK participated in the 6 - A - Side football tournament with a full fledged team on April 27th. The Rotary Club of Manama managed to raise a total of BD 21,000 with more than 300 players from different nationalities participating in this charitable event.

On co sponsoring this event, Mr. Reyadh Sater said: “Showing BBK’s support towards the community and increasing the level of awareness on the disease of diabetes is considered part of our social responsibility. The aim of this event was one of a humanitarian one, we couldn’t miss out on.”

Thanking BBK for its generous support, Mr. Robert Timmers added: “The money we have raised will be used to educate children and their families on the treatment of diabetes. We are coordinating with the Bahrain Diabetes Society and Al Kindi Hospital in its charity effort to help with this very important issue.”

BBK organizes a seminar related to diabetes and nutrition in association with the Royal Bahrain Hospital

Mon, 04 Jun 2012 06:02:15 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, hosted a seminar related to diabetes and nutrition. The seminar took place on May 31, 2012 at BBK’s headquarters in association with the Royal Bahrain Hospital.

With the aim of sharing the benefits of a healthy lifestyle incorporating healthy eating habits, the Royal Bahrain Hospital registered dietician explained to the employees of the Bank, general health and diabetes information via an interactive presentation.

After completing the seminar, the employees were treated to a complimentary vital check with on spot recommendations based on their vital reviews. The reviews were counselled by a team of nurses from the Royal Bahrain Hospital.

To ensure the employees continuation of being healthy, a variety of fruits was available to enjoy as a healthy snack. Topping the healthy snack, several raffle draws were conducted towards the end of the seminar.

BBK and BMI Bank Announce Major Syndicated Financing Facility for Arabian Sugar Company B.S.C.

Tue, 05 Jun 2012 06:33:58 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, along with BMI Bank, a Bahraini retail and commercial banking institution through its Islamic Banking Division, recently signed an agreement to provide a syndicated Murabaha financing facility for Bahrain based Arabian Sugar Company amounting to BHD 18 million. As part of the agreement, BBK will be acting as the facility agent bank whilst BMI Bank would be the security agent, documentation bank and investment agent for the facility. The agreement was signed at a ceremony held on May 7th 2012 at BBK’s headquarters in Manama.

Arabian Sugar Company will be a computerised, state-of-the-art sugar refinery. When the first phase of the project is fully operational the facility will produce over 600,000 tons of high quality sugar per annum. The project aims to supply the Bahraini and GCC markets. This is an important food security project for Bahrain and one which is fully in line with the Kingdom’s 2030 Vision. It will provide a secure source of sugar as well as ensuring price stability for this important commodity.

The project will create 140 new jobs, of which the majority will be for Bahrainis. A specialised training programme has already been devised by Arabian Sugar Company which will allow the company to increase its jobs for Bahrainis as they take over more senior positions within a specific time frame.

Raw sugar for the plant will be transported by a fleet of specially adapted barges which will be unloaded at the plant’s own private jetty. The refining process which will be used in the new plant will enable the highest quality of sugar to be produced. Sugar is a commodity which is much in demand across the GCC region and also by global food giants such as Pepsi, Coca Cola, Kraft Foods and many others.

Commenting on reaching agreement to provide these credit facilities, Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, BBK’s Chief Executive, said: “We are very pleased to have signed this agreement along with BMI Bank to provide a significant credit facility to Arabian Sugar Company. This project is a very important one for the Kingdom of Bahrain. Not only will it create a significant number of new jobs for Bahrainis but it will also take the Kingdom further down the path of being able to provide food security for its citizens. BBK, as one of the leading banks in the region, is keen to play a major role in funding Bahrain’s industrial development projects. We wish the management and employees of Arabian Sugar Company every success in developing their business and achieving further growth.”

Signing the agreement, Mr. Eyad Satter General Manager Support Services at BMI Bank said: “Sugar is the world’s predominant sweetener and is undeniably an important part of today’s worldwide human food balance diet. Global sugar consumption has continued to increase despite the continuing economic difficulties in many developed countries. Additionally rapid economic growth and urbanization trends have promoted the industrial use of sugar in food manufacture and preparations. As a result, the world has been witnessing a gradual increase in sales of white sugar by some traditional sugar exporters as well as from new destination refineries in the Middle East and Africa.”

He added: “As a responsible local Bank we are committed to address and support socially and environmentally sustainable business practices in an effort to enhance our performance as a financial institution. Furthermore, this synergetic partnership further boosts BMI Bank’s endeavour to champion our nation’s Vision 2030 initiatives to support local industrial projects and help them achieve their strategic goals for a better tomorrow.”

Mr. Fuad Jalal, Chairman of Arabian Sugar Company said: “With our strong shareholders and state of the art project, we have concluded the circle with strong banks such as BBK & BMI Bank that will enable us to finalize this project before the end of this year. This project will produce over 600,000 tons per year of top grade Sugar which conforms with the region’s food security requirements and will be a major exporter to the region, in line with Bahrain’s vision.”

Mr. Anmar Al Arrayed, Managing Director of Arabian Sugar Company said: “Arabian Sugar Company would like to thank our financing partners in this prestigious project, BBK & BMI Bank for their commitment and belief in our shared vision to set up a state of the art manufacturing facility in Bahrain which would benefit Bahrain and provide job opportunities and careers to Bahrainis and add to the strength of the Bahraini economy.”

Closing of branches on June 7, 2012

Wed, 06 Jun 2012 06:19:36 GMT

Dear Customers,

In order to provide you with the best levels of service, kindly note that BBK will be maintaining and upgrading its system, therefore all BBK Branches and Financial Malls will be closed at 2:30 pm on Thursday 7th of June.

Thank you for understanding and we apologize for any inconvenience caused!

BBK contributes over BD 61,000 to the Bahrain Community

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 11:32:14 GMT

In line with BBK’s strategic initiatives for a brighter community and its monthly support to various entities, Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, BBK’s Chief Executive, welcomed at the Bank’s Headquarters, representatives from different societies to receive BBK's contributions for their requests submitted in May 2012. The handover ceremony was attended from BBK side by Mr. Reyadh Sater- General Manager- Shared Services Group, Mrs. Rafa Kaddoura- Corporate Communication Manager and Ms. Abeer Swar- Corporate Communications Officer.

The entities that have benefited from the BBK support to fulfill their various humanitarian initiatives were: Bahrain Society for Children with Behavior and Communication Difficulties, Bahrain Down Syndrome Society, Um Al Hassam for Parents Care, UCO Parents Care Center, Public commission for the protection of marine resources, environment and wildlife, Al Rahma Centre for Youth Care, Bahrain Mobility International.

BBK rewards diligence at work

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 04:58:00 GMT

Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK announced the winner of the Employee of the Month for the month of April 2012 at their headquarters in Manama.

Each month, BBK honours one team member for his performance, positive attitude and pro-activeness under the Employee of the Month scheme. Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, Chief Executive of BBK handed over the certificate and the cash prize to the employee of the month, Mr. Husain Abdulmajeed Toorani from Fixed Income Department- Treasury & Investment Division at a special ceremony in appreciation for his achievements.

Al Hayrat announces the 15 winners of the May monthly draw

Sun, 17 Jun 2012 05:20:09 GMT

BBK , Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, has recently announced the names of the May monthly prize winners of $75,000.
The May Al Hayrat winners of $5,000 each are:

Dr.Ahmed Mahmood A.Rahmin, Mohammed Abdulrahman Alkhaja, Jaffar Ali Mohd Alasfoor, Batool S.Hashim Husain Almukhtar, Hayat Ali Salem Al Arayedh, Hussain Yousif Yaqoub Yousif, Salman Ali Mohd, Hussain Ahmed Salman Ahmed, Akbar Ali Akbar Haji, Lama Adel Mahdi, Mahmood Mohammed Alarrayedh, Fadheela Ebrahim Alsaegh, Abdulkarim Mohammed Fashoori, Zahra Mahdi Abdulla and Saeed Madaher Alsamahij
The cheques were handed over to the winners by Ghazi Ahmed, Head of Business development. The handover ceremony was attended by Reinaldo Moarry, Head of Retail Marketing, Khalid Alkhatib, head of customer service and special projects and Nada Bubshait, Marketing Communications manager.

The winners expressed their thanks to BBK for providing them with excellent and highly beneficial products and services, namely, Al Hayrat, Which allows them to continue saving while getting the chance to win wonderful prizes at the same time.

The Al Hayrat draw took place on May 30th at the BBK head quarters under the supervision of Mr. Suod Saif the ministry of commerce and industry representative, in addition to BBK’s Internal Audit, Internal control and Retail Marketing and Retail Banking representatives.

BBK and non-BBK customers can open Al Hayrat saving account, starting from BD50; and they can withdraw their cash anytime at their convenience.

To be eligible to win any of the great prizes, customers need to invest their money in Al Hayrat account to any of the BBK branches for at least one month.

It is worth mentioning that Al Hayrat’s upcoming Quarterly draw will take place in June whereby a lucky winner will be receiving $75,000 in addition to the normal monthly prizes.

For the holy month of Ramadan, BBK will be running a promotion for the Sixth year in a row, whereby instead of the regular monthly draws, weekly draws are held, with the prize money growing in size as each week progresses and a final Eid draw with a bumper cash prize of $50,000. Furthermore, the eligibility period will be one week instead of the usual one month during the rest of the year.

Everybody can now also give their loved ones the gift of winning with Al Hayrat gift certificate. Whether it’s for a Birthday, a graduation, a wedding or the birth of a baby. Al Hayrat Gift Certificate is the perfect solution for any occasion.

Visa Summer 2012 travel campaign

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 12:11:20 GMT

We are pleased to announce the Visa Summer Travel Campaign, Use your BBK Visa Debit card abroad this June 1st to July 20th, and win one of 50 tickets to anywhere you’d love to go.

Whichever landmark you want to explore, whatever you want to experience, let Visa help make the best of your journey across borders

Visa is accepted at millions of merchants and 1.9 million ATMs in more than 200 countries and territories around the world.

50 days, 50 winners, 50 flights.

One winner every day - any destination, any time

For more information and terms and conditions click here

BBK conducts Crisis Management Simulation exercise

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 12:19:38 GMT

For the third consecutive year, BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in Retail and Commercial Banking, conducted a Crisis Management Simulation Exercise on June 23rd, 2012, The aim of the exercise is to invoke the bank-wide Business Continuity Plans (BCP) to ensure that critical banking services are recovered and available to customers in the shortest possible time in case of an unforeseen incident.

“In its ceaseless quest to improve standards, BBK, has been actively pursuing its Business Continuity Management program and enhancing its capabilities” commented by Mr Murad Ali Murad, BBK Chairman on this occasion. He congratulated the management on successfully conducting the Business Continuity exercise on such a large scale and added: “Stemming from our belief in the highest principles, we are committed to ensure continuity of business in any unforeseen event and to fully comply with corporate governance and regulatory requirements.”

BBK has been carrying this exercise involving all the executive management for the last two years. This year BBK Board members also participated in this exercise, assuring that the Board is overseeing all the critical activities, especially as the Board is the ultimate responsible for continuity of services and hence complying to the principles of corporate governance. BBK is one of the first banks in the Kingdom of Bahrain to have its own custom built, dedicated, fully equipped and functional Business Continuity Center. This provides assurance to customers with a continuity of critical banking services and at the same time secures its vital assets in the event of any unexpected events, leading to disruption of normal operations.
Upon the completion of the exercise, Mr. Bucheery commended the entire team that made this exercise a success and expressed his satisfaction by saying: “BBK has been conducting this exercise periodically and each time we are stepping ahead in the maturity of managing unforeseen crisis situations. From the safety and security of an individual, to the interest of all stakeholders and finally to meet the regulatory requirements; BBK is fully committed. We worked hard and are proud to be resilient to manage any unforeseen incident”.

In this exercise, which is managed and coordinated by the Bank’s dedicated Business Continuity Management & Governance Team, the Chairman of the Board Mr Murad Ali Murad, some Board members, all the members of the Executive Management along with over 100 employees from various areas of the Bank participated. From the time of the sudden initiation of the crisis situation, to the actual recovery and availability of critical banking services to its customers; the entire process was executed seamlessly within the targeted time frame. During this exercise all critical components of the BCP were tested successfully.

BBK awarded for Honorable Corporate Governance practices

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 05:01:02 GMT

BBK- Bahrain’s pioneer in Retail and Commercial Banking- was awarded and recognized for excellent corporate governance practices at the “Hawkamah Bank Corporate Governance Awards 2012” ceremony held on 12th June 2012 during Banker Middle East’s Industry Awards held in Dubai. Mr. Mahmood A.Aziz Al Meer, Assistant General Manager Operations – BBK, received the award on behalf of the Bank.

For the third consecutive year, BBK has received the Corporate Governance award and the recognition. This year it competed with banks from 9 countries in the MENA region. Hawkahmah’s Bank Corporate Governance Award recognizes banks for exhibiting high levels of commitment to good corporate governance practices and ongoing enhancements in the area.

Dr. Nasser Saidi, Executive Director of Hawkamah Institure congratulated the winning banks and thanked them for entering a very competitive selection process. The criteria on which the jury based its decision included evaluating responses to extensive questionnaire, interviews with Senior Management and the quality of the winners’ annual reports.

On this occasion, Mr. Murad Ali Murad, Chairman – BBK expressed his pleasure at this achievement by saying, “BBK strongly believes that distinguished corporate governance practices is a key element for trust with all its stakeholders. This award illustrates once more the commitment of the Bank to apply modern, transparent and effective governance principles with its customers, employees, shareholders and the general public. We would like to thank Hawkamah Institute for recognizing our approach to corporate governance. We will continue to strive for attaining higher standards and to set new benchmarks in this important area”

“We are very proud to receive such an honorable recognition consecutively for the past 3 years and to be appreciated for maintaining the highest levels of commitment to corporate governance. BBK practices high governance standards and transparency in conduct of its activities at all levels throughout the Bank.” added Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, CE – BBK.

This year’s international jury panel comprised: Mr. Charles Freeland, Retired Deputy Secretary General of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision at the Bank for International Settlements in Basel, Switzerland. Prof. Andrew D. Chambers, the Specialist Advisor to the House of Lords’ Economic Affairs Select Committee’s Inquiry into Auditors: market concentration and their role. Andrew has been a member of the UK FRC’s Auditing Practices Board (2006-9). He is Deputy Chair of Fédération des Experts Comptables Européen’s (FEE’s) Corporate Governance and Company Law standing Working Party (Brussels). Dr. Grant Kirkpatrick, Deputy Head of the Corporate Affairs Division of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Directorate for Financial and Enterprise Affairs and Dr. Rainer Geiger, Professor of International Economic Law, and Ex -Senior Regional Advisor, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Al Hayrat June Winners

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 05:48:05 GMT

Congratulations to Al Hayrat sea voyage June winners

The winners of US$ 5000 monthly prizes each in addition to the Quarterly prize winner of $75,000 are:

Name	Amount
Hussain Salman Abdulla	$75,000
S.Mohammed Habib Makki	$5,000
Saad Majeed Sajjan	$5,000
Ebrahim Mohammed BuHassain	$5,000
Osama Abdulla Al Jawder	$5,000
Mohammed Hasan Al Doseri	$5,000
Abdulaziz Hubail Al Ghatam	$5,000
Saeed A.Nabi A.Ridha	$5,000
Saeed Ahmed Hussain	$5,000
AlHosn AlHaseen Construction	$5,000
Thuraya Rashed Alobaidan	$5,000
Douglas James Bitcon	$5,000
AlMansoori Dental Center	$5,000
Tareq A.Hussain AlQassab	$5,000
Ahmed Abdulla AlZayed	$5,000
Fadhel Abdulhusain Mohammed	$5,000

Al Hayrat Quarterly winner of $75,000: “This prize will change many things”

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 04:44:32 GMT

BBK , Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, has recently announced the names of the Al Hayrat June winners of $150,000, including the quarterly prize of $75,000 which was won by Mr. Hussain Salman Abdulla.

The 15 monthly Al Hayrat winners of $5,000 each for the month of June are:

S.Mohammed Habib Makki Hashim, Saad Majeed Sajjan, Ebrahim Mohammed Jassim BuHassain, Osama Abdulla Ahmed Al Jowder, Mohammed Hasan Salim Hasan Al Doseri, Abdulaziz Hubail Ali Al Ghatam, Saeed A.Nabi Hussain A.Ridha, Saeed Ahmed Abdulla Hussain, AlHosn AlHaseen Construction, Thuraya Rashed Saleh Amer Alobaidan, Douglas James Bitcon, AlMansoori Dental Center, Tareq A.Hussain Ebrahim AlQassab, Ahmed Abdulla Khalifa AlZayed, and Fadhel Abdulhusain Mohammed Khalil

The cheques were handed over to the winners by Reinaldo Moarry, Head of Retail Marketing, and attended by Nada Bubshait, Marketing Communications Manager.

Mr. Hussain Salman Abdulla, the winner of the $75,000 prize exclaimed that this prize could not have come at a better time, and that it would change many things.

He went on to explain that the prize amount will go into his children’s education, namely, his daughter’s college tuition, which he values above all.

Mr. Hussain, who has been a loyal customer of Al Hayrat’s since its initial inception in 2001, expressed his thanks and gratitude to the bank for recognising its customers through such programs as Al Hayrat.

The winners of the monthly prizes have also expressed their thanks to BBK for providing them with excellent and highly beneficial products and services, namely, Al Hayrat, Which allows them to continue saving while getting the chance to win wonderful prizes at the same time.

The Al Hayrat draw took place on June 27^th in the main branch lobby under the supervision of Mr. Yasser Buallay the ministry of commerce and industry representative, in addition to BBK’s Internal Audit, Internal control and Retail Marketing and Retail Banking representatives.

For the holy month of Ramadan, BBK will be running a promotion for the Sixth year in a row, whereby instead of the regular monthly draws, weekly draws are held, with the prize money growing in size as each week progresses and a final Eid draw with a bumper cash prize of $50,000. Furthermore, the eligibility period will be one week instead of the usual one month during the rest of the year.

BBK reports net profit of BD 23.3 million for the first half of 2012

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 05:54:30 GMT

Mr. Murad Ali Murad, Chairman of BBK Board of Directors, announced that the bank’s board of directors has yesterday reviewed and approved the financial results for the six months ended 30th June 2012. The bank reported a net profit of BD 23.3 million for the 1st half of 2012 compared to BD 23.1 million for the same period of last year.

Mr. Murad Ali Murad Chairman of the Board of Directors said “We are satisfied with these good results which BBK reported for the first half of 2012. BBK has stood through the financial crisis and has been recording a steady performance over years. We are confident that BBK will continue its prominent performance in the future by adopting flexible strategies that acclimate to changes in the market, and through the ongoing support received from its loyal customer, supportive shareholders, dedicated management, and experienced employees”

The bank’s positive performance compared to last year was driven by commendable growth in core banking activities, which resulted in an increase in net interest income of 8.8% to reach BD 31.4 million, and an increase in fees and commission income of 12.9% to reach BD 14.2 million, compared to BD 12.6 million for the same period of last year. The bank also reported FX & Investment income of BD 5.5 million compared to BD 7 million in June 2011, which included BD 0.3 million of gain on partial redemption of subordinated debt (current year: nil).

The net profit for the three months ended June 2012 stood at BD 11.3 million compared to BD 11.4 million for the same period of last year. Net interest income for the quarter increased by 9.6% to reach BD 16.3 million, while other income, including fees and commission and FX and investment income increased by 7.2% to reach BD 9.9 million. Provision requirements for the 2nd quarter of 2012 amounted to BD 1.9 million, compared to BD 0.9 million for the same period of last year.

Mr. A.Karim Bucheery, Chief Executive; said “the bank has taken several initiatives during the year that enabled it to record these pleasant results. The initiatives included launching various campaigns on loans and deposits, introducing new products, such as “SECURA” Bancassurance products range, launching enhanced SMS banking service, and adding three additional ATMs at new locations”. The investments in these initiatives beside others resulted in increasing the operating costs to BD 24.8 million.

Following conservative approach to provisions, the bank has increased its provisions reserve by BD 2.4 million, (June 2011: BD 1.9 million).

Comprehensive income has increased from BD 21.2 million in June 2011 to BD 32.6 million in June 2012; mainly due to improvement in investments valuation reserves, as a result of management strategy to continuously improve and maintain the quality of the investment assets.

BBK’s balance sheet has witnessed a rapid growth of 13.2% to stand at BD 2,903 million, compared to BD 2,564 million reported in June 2011. The balance sheet growth compared to last year was driven by 14.0% growth in loans and advances to retail and corporate customers, increasing total loans to BD 1,460 million. Non trading investment assets have also increased by 49% to reach BD 695 million. Customer deposits have grown by 15% to reach BD 2,065 million, maintaining comfortable liquidity levels, with loans to deposits ratio at 62.1%.

Ramadan Branch Timings

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 09:53:14 GMT

Dear Customers,

Please note below our branches timings during the holy month of Ramadan:

Main Branch:
8:30 am to 2:00 pm
City Centre Branch:
8:30 am to 2:15 pm
Budaiya Financial Mall:
8:00 am to 2:45 pm
All other Branches and Financial Malls:
8:00 am to 1:45 pm

Ramadan Week One Winner

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 07:29:24 GMT

The winner of Al Hayrat week one draw of $20,000 is

Fadheela Mosa Jaffar Ahmed Khamis

BBK contributes over BD 52,000 to the Bahraini community

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 07:25:40 GMT

In line with BBK’s strategic initiatives for a brighter community and its monthly support to various entities, Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, BBK’s Chief Executive, welcomed at the Bank’s Headquarters, representatives from different organizations to receive BBK's contributions for their requests submitted in June 2012. The handover ceremony was attended from BBK side by Mr. Abdul Hussain Bustani- Assistant General Manager- Human Resources & Administration, Mrs. Rafa Kaddoura- Corporate Communication Manager and Ms. Abeer Swar- Corporate Communications Officer.

The entities that have benefited from the BBK support to fulfill their various humanitarian initiatives were: University of Bahrain, Bahrain Institute for special education, The Saudi-Bahraini Institute for the Blind, Middle 4 Youth Society, Riffa Cultural & Charity Society and Bahrain Deaf Society.

BBK rewards diligence at work

Sun, 29 Jul 2012 07:04:31 GMT

Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK announced the winner of the Employee of the Month for the month of June 2012 at their headquarters in Manama.

BBK contributes over BD 10,000 to the Bahraini community

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 07:05:55 GMT

In line with BBK’s strategic initiatives for a brighter community and its monthly support to various entities, Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, BBK’s Chief Executive, welcomed at the Bank’s Headquarters, representatives from different societies to receive BBK's contributions for their requests submitted in July 2012. The handover ceremony was attended from BBK side by Mr. Reyadh Sater- General Manager- Shared Services Group and Ms. Abeer Swar- Corporate Communication Officer.

The entities that have benefited from the BBK support to fulfill their various humanitarian initiatives were: Al Kawther Society for Social Care, Bahrain National Hereditary Anaemia Society, Hewar Society and Muharraq Parents Care Home.

Ramadan Week Two Winner

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 12:01:45 GMT

The winner of Al Hayrat week one draw of $25,000 is

Mohd Shaikh Ebrahim Naser Al Mubarak

Ramadan Winner Week Three

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 08:02:40 GMT

The winner of Al Hayrat week three draw of $30,000 is

Sabah Hajih A.Rahman Bahman

BBK Announces 25 Prize-winners in the first of its two 2012 Summer Loan Festival Draws

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 12:39:23 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, announces the prize-winners in the first draw of the 2012 Summer Loan Festival. The promotion, which started on 15th May and runs until 15th September, features reduced interest rates on Consumer Loans, Mortgage Loans and Car Loans, and also gives 50 lucky new loan customers the chance to win CrediMax Prepaid Cards worth BD 500 each, for a total of BD 25,000.

Customers who booked Consumer, Mortgage or Car Loans during the BBK 2012 Summer Loans Festival between May 15th and July 14th were eligible to enter the first of two draws which took place on July 18th and 25 lucky BBK customers each won a CrediMax Prepaid Card worth BD 500, for a total value of BD 12,500.

The draw took place in the BBK Main Branch under the supervision of the Bahrain Ministry of Industry and Commerce representative Mr. Saud Saif, and BBK representatives from Internal Audit, Internal Control, Retail Banking and Retail Marketing departments.
The presentation of the CrediMax Prepaid Cards to the lucky winners took place on July 29th, and was made by BBK’s Head of Retail Banking, Mr. Axel Hofmann, Head of Retail Marketing, Mr. Reinaldo Moarry, and Retail Marketing Products Manager, Ms. Manal Al-Khan.
The 25 prize-winners were as follows:

Bader Al Fedhala, Ebrahim Jaafar Al Noaimi, Ahmed Ebrahim Ali Hasan, Yunes Alhusaissy, Talal Jawher, Makki Nasser, Husain Abdulla, Khalid Almezaiel, Ghassan Aldoseri, Ziyad Alrowaie, Ali Hamad Munekhr Almarri, Hasan Ali Abdulla Hasan, Isa Alnoaimi, Amina Najem, Hasan Alabd, Fatema Alhayki, Yahya Nooruddin, Zainab Ali Hasan A.Hasan Mohd, Khaled Zuman, Shahyan Javed, Abdulsaheb Mohsen, Hussain Ghuloom, Suhair Alrayes, Yousif Alshakhoori, Muna Mubarak Abdulla.

Speaking at the presentation of prizes to the winners, Mr Axel Hofmann, BBK’s Head of Retail Banking, said: “at BBK we always aim to give our customers great service and great offers. The 2012 Summer Loan Festival is proving to be very popular and on behalf of everybody at BBK I’m delighted for the 25 customers who have each won BD 500 CrediMax Prepaid Cards today. The promotion runs until September 15th and I look forward to presenting prizes to another 25 BBK customers following the second draw in September.”
The prize-winners expressed their happiness at winning a prize in the BBK 2012 Summer Loans Festival and said that they were looking forward to using their CrediMax Prepaid Cards which will be very helpful during Ramadan and Eid. They thanked the Bank for its excellent customer service and for the attractive offers and promotions.

BBK customers who book Consumer, Mortgage or Car Loans between July 15 and September 15 will be eligible to enter the second draw and have a chance to be one of the 25 winners winning CrediMax Prepaid Cards worth BD 500 each.

To apply for a loan, please visit any BBK Branch or call 17 207777.

Al Hayrat Eid winner

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 12:42:17 GMT

The winner of Al Hayrat Eid winner of $50,000 is

Hamad Obaid AlMahal Almas

Get 80% bonus credit when you refill your SimSim line through BBK’s e-channels!

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 10:54:40 GMT

Get 80% extra bonus credit when you refill your SimSim line with BD1, BD3, BD5, BD10, BD20, and BD30 through BBK’s e-channels: Internet Banking, Telebanking, Mobile and SMS Banking and ATMs.

SimSim Voucher	Main Credit	Bonus Credit
BD 1	BD 1	BD 1.800
BD 3	BD 3	BD 5.400
BD 5	BD 5	BD 9
BD 10	BD 11	BD 19
BD 20	BD 22	BD 38
BD 30	BD 35	BD 54

Click here to learn more of the promotion offering and the terms and conditions.

Lucky serendipity fulfils dreams to winner of Al Hayrat’s Eid Grand prize of $50,000

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 05:03:30 GMT

Bahrain’s pioneer in commercial and retail banking, BBK, recently announced the names of their four lucky Al Hayrat Ramadan weekly winners which took place during the holy month of Ramadan. The winners received the prize money at a special handover ceremony where the cheques have been handed over by Reinaldo Moarry, Head of Retail Marketing.

The handover ceremony was also attended by Nada Bubshait, Marketing Communications Manager.

For the holy month of Ramadan, BBK ran a promotion for the sixth year in a row, whereby instead of the regular monthly draws, weekly draws were held, with the prize money growing in size as each week progressed and a final Eid draw with a bumper cash prize. Furthermore, the eligibility criterion of making the deposits a month before the draw date was reduced to a week during this promotion.

Ms. Fadheela Mosa Jaafar, the winner of the first weekly prize of $20,000 expressed her thanks to the bank for offering these special prizes on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan, and expressed her intention to continue saving in hopes of winning the Grand Prize of $500,000.

Mr. Mohd Shaikh Al Mubarak, winner of the second weekly prize of $25,000, stated that BBK has always been his Main bank, as he prefers its superior services and products on offer.

Ms. Sabah Hajih Bahman, winner of the third weekly prize of $30,000, brought along her Son Rakan Al Mulhem to receive the prize.
She could not believe the news of her win and attributed it to the blessings of the holy month.

The grand Eid prize winner of $50,000 was Mr. Hamad Obaid AlMahal Al Mas. Mr. Hamad, who brought along his sons Saif, Hamza and Ayoub for the handover ceremony, was simply ecstatic at winning.

Mr. Hamad, who has been a loyal customer of BBK’s for the past 25 years, exclaimed that he had almost withdrawn his Al Hayrat deposit right before Eid with the intention to buy a new car for his family, however, he had reconsidered and decided to wait till after Eid. Luckily for him, Mr. Al Mas will now be able to buy his choice of dream car with his Al Hayrat winnings.

What’s more, he also plans to use the prize money to marry off his eldest son Saif.

BBK and non-BBK customers can open Al Hayrat saving account, starting from BD50; and they can withdraw their cash anytime at their convenience.
To be eligible to win any of the great prizes, customers need to invest their money in Al Hayrat account to any of the BBK branches for at least one month.
Everybody can now also give their loved ones the gift of winning with Al Hayrat gift certificate. Whether it’s for a Birthday, a graduation, a wedding or the birth of a baby. Al Hayrat Gift Certificate is the perfect solution for any occasion.

In addition to the monthly prizes, it’s worth mentioning that Al Hayrat will conclude the year with its annual Grand Cash prize draw of $500,000.

Al Hayrat August winners

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 09:26:27 GMT

Congratulations to Al Hayrat sea voyage August winners

We are pleased to announce the names of Al Hayrat August winners of $5,000 each:

Name	Amount
Ali Ahmed Almarri	$5,000
Hasan Mohammed Hasan Salman	$5,000
Waseela Ebrahim Abdulla Kadhim	$5,000
Abdulla Ebrahim Ahmed Hussain	$5,000
Hassan Ali Mubarak Al-Noaimi	$5,000
Mahmoud Sleiman Bouraad	$5,000
Padath Sajan Paul	$5,000
Khadija Ahmed Yousif Alqadhi	$5,000
Mahmood Ghuloom Hasan Shamsi	$5,000
Ali Husain Abdulqader Abuzeyad	$5,000
Janet Muneer Beniamin	$5,000
Bader Ali Majed	$5,000
Ali Ahmed Yousif Alsaegh	$5,000
Abdulredha Ali Mohamed Haqiqi	$5,000
Noora Ghuloom Ali Abbas	$5,000

Al Hayrat announces the 15 winners of the August monthly draw

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 06:09:51 GMT

The August Al Hayrat winners of $5,000 each are:

Ali Ahmed Al Marri, Hasan Mohammed Hasan Salman, Waseela Ebrahim Abdulla Kadhim, Abdulla Ebrahim Ahmed Hussain, Hassan Ali Mubarak Al Noaimi, Mahmoud Sleiman Bouraad, Padath Sajan Paul, Khadija Ahmed Yousif Al Qadhi, Mahmood Ghuloom Hasan Shamsi, Ali Husain Abdulqader Abuzeyad, Janet Muneer Agaiby Beniamin, Bader Ali Majed, Ali Ahmed Yousif Al Saegh, Abdulredha Ali Mohamed Haqiqi and Noora Ghuloom Ali Abbas, who each received a cheque worth $5,000,

The cheques were handed over to the winners by Mr. Axel Hofmann, Assistant General Manager – Retail Banking Division. The handover ceremony was attended by Mr. Reinaldo Moarry, Head of Retail Marketing, Mr. Mazin Dhaif, Head of Distribution Network and Miss Nada Bubshait, Marketing Communications Manager.

The winners expressed their thanks to BBK for providing them with excellent and highly beneficial products and services, namely, Al Hayrat, which allows them to continue saving while getting the chance to win wonderful prizes at the same time.

Mr. Al Marri, said that this prize has come right on time especially as he had almost given up on winning when he received the happy news.
Another winner, Ms. Waseela Ebrahim said that she had a feeling she was going to win that day as she was seeing the winners names of a previous draw in the paper. She dedicates the win to her daughter Sara and will be sure to open an Al Hayrat account for her.

The Al Hayrat draw took place on August 29th in BBK’s Head Office , under the supervision of Mr. Yasser Buallay the Ministry of Commerce and Industry representative, in addition to BBK’s Internal Audit, Internal Control and Retail Marketing and Retail Banking representatives.

BBK and non-BBK customers can open Al Hayrat saving account, starting from BD50; and they can withdraw their cash anytime at their convenience.
To be eligible to win any of the great prizes, customers need to invest their money in Al Hayrat account to any of the BBK branches for at least one month.
Everybody can now also give their loved ones the gift of winning with Al Hayrat gift certificate. Whether it’s for a birthday, a graduation, a wedding or the birth of a baby. Al Hayrat Gift Certificate is the perfect solution for any occasion.

In addition to the monthly prizes, it’s worth mentioning that Al Hayrat will conclude the year with its annual Grand Cash prize draw of $500,000.

Al Hayrat September Winners

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 06:05:35 GMT

Congratulations to Al Hayrat sea voyage winners!

We are pleased to announce the names of Al Hayrat September winners of $5,000 each:

Name	Amount
Waleed Mohd A. Al Ezoobi	$5,000
Hasan Jasim Ali Al-Qumaish	$5,000
Rashid Abdulla Rashid Helal Rashid Isa	$5,000
Fathi Isa Abdulla Mansoor Nayem	$5,000
A.Amer Mohd Hassan Mansoori	$5,000
Sultan Mubarak Ali Bader Al Doseri	$5,000
Layla Abdulkarim Mohamed Alarayedh	$5,000
Abdulhameed Ebrahim Yousif Fakhroo	$5,000
Mohammed Nasser Mohammed Altouq	$5,000
Mohamed Jaffar A.Redha Mohsen	$5,000
Dawood Saleh Taj Mohamed	$5,000
S.Majeed Ali Majed Ebrahim	$5,000
Kifah Mohsin Mohd Mothana	$5,000
Qassim Mohd Jaffar Fadhul	$5,000
Sassan Sarkoob	$5,000

BBK Announces 25 Prize-winners in the second of its two 2012 Summer Loan Festival Draws

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 06:14:01 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, announces the prize-winners in the second draw of the 2012 Summer Loan Festival. The promotion, which started on 15th May and ran until 15th September, featured reduced interest rates on Consumer Loans, Mortgage Loans and Car Loans, and also gave 50 lucky new loan customers the chance to win CrediMax Prepaid Cards worth BD 500 each, for a total of BD 25,000.
Customers who booked Consumer, Mortgage or Car Loans during the BBK 2012 Summer Loans Festival between July 15th and September 15th were eligible to enter the second of two draws which took place on September 25th and 25 lucky BBK customers each won a CrediMax Prepaid Card worth BD 500, for a total value of BD 12,500.

The draw took place under the supervision of the Bahrain Ministry of Industry and Commerce representative Mr. Yasser Buallay, and BBK representatives from Internal Audit, Internal Control, Retail Banking and Retail Marketing departments.
The presentation of the CrediMax Prepaid Cards to the lucky winners took place on October 7th, and was made by BBK’s Head of Retail Banking, Mr. Axel Hofmann, Head of Retail Marketing, Mr. Reinaldo Moarry, and Retail Marketing Product Manager, Ms. Manal Al-Khan.
The 25 prize-winners were as follows:

Ali Almarri, Abdulwahab Yusuf, Husain Mohamed, Mohamed Ahmed, Marwa Alhosani, Ali Mohammed, Sayed Fadhel Mahfoodh, Kamel Ali, Mooza Abdulrazzaq, Mohammed Ebrahim, Yusuf Alasfoor, Husain Saleh, Ronza Saif, Yousif Mohamed, Nader Alansari, Ahmed Alqallaf, Mohammed Abdulla, Arif Mohammed, Hamad Mesameh, Sadiq Kol Awadh, Nasser Ahmed, Waleed Fakhroo, Abbas Humaidan, Mohamed Alkaabi, Noora Rashed

Speaking at the presentation of prizes to the winners, Mr. Axel Hofmann, BBK’s Head of Retail Banking, said: “at BBK we always aim to give our customers great service and great offers. The 2012 Summer Loan Festival has been very popular and on behalf of everybody at BBK I’m delighted for the 25 customers who have each won BD 500 CrediMax Prepaid Cards today.”
The prize-winners expressed their happiness at winning a prize in the BBK 2012 Summer Loans Festival and said that they were looking forward to using their CrediMax Prepaid Cards for various shopping purposes. They thanked the Bank for its excellent customer service and for the attractive offers and promotions.

New appointments in the Executive Management Team

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 05:57:19 GMT

BBK, Bahrain pioneer in commercial banking, announced new appointments in its Executive Management team. Mr. Abdul Hussain Bustani has been appointed to lead a team of consultants in the project management office that has been established to implement a strategic project recently approved by the Board of Directors. This strategic project aims at optimizing the performance across the BBK group, involving the Bank, its subsidiaries and overseas branches, with the ultimate objective of enhancing efficiency and service quality.

As a successor to Mr. Abdul Hussain Bustani, Mr. Hassaan Mohammed Burshaid has been promoted to Assistant General Manager – Human Resources and Administration. Mr. Burshaid joined BBK in 1998 and enjoys 18 years of experience in the field of Human Resources. He graduated from Oregon University in the United States, with a PhD in Human Resources Administration from DePaul.

Commenting on these appointments, Mr. A.Karim Bucheery, BBK Chief Executive said; “These senior executive appointments in the Bank stems from our belief and commitment in capitalizing on the competencies and leadership skills of the Bahrain nationals to take the Bank forward. Mr. Bustani who has been entrusted with the responsibility of implementing this important project, is a qualified civil engineer from Nottingham university, with 37 years of experience in metal and banking industries. I am equally pleased that he will be succeeded from within the management cadre by Mr. Hassaan Burshaid who is a highly qualified HR professional.”

Mr. Bucheery expressed his joy at the new appointments and wished both Mr. Bustani and Mr. Burshaid success in their new respective assignments, stressing on the Bank’s dedication to always ensure the best for its employees, customers and shareholders.

Al Hayrat announces the 15 winners of the September monthly draw

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 06:26:32 GMT

BBK , Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, has recently announced the names of the September monthly prize winners of $75,000.
The September Al Hayrat winners of $5,000 each are:

Waleed Mohd A. Al Ezoobi, Hasan Jasim Ali Al-Qumaish, Rashid Abdulla Rashid Helal Rashid Isa, Fathi Isa Abdulla Mansoor Nayem, A.Amer Mohd Hassan Mansoori, Sultan Mubarak Ali Bader Al Doseri, Layla Abdulkarim Mohamed Alarayedh, Abdulhameed Ebrahim Yousif Fakhroo, Mohammed Nasser Mohammed Altouq, Mohamed Jaffar A.Redha Mohsen, Dawood Saleh Taj Mohamed, S.Majeed Ali Majed Ebrahim, Kifah Mohsin Mohd Mothana, Qassim Mohd Jaffar Fadhul and Sassan Sarkoob.

The cheques were handed over to the winners by Axel Hofmann, Head of retail banking. The handover ceremony was attended by Reinaldo Moarry, Head of Retail Marketing, and Nada Bubshait, Marketing Communications manager.

Mr. Fathi Nayem, received the news of his win while preparing to leave for Haj. He expressed his awe and appreciation of God’s blessings and their impeccable timing as the prize came in at just the right time.

Mr. Sultan Al Doseri happily shared the news with his family and vowed to reward them each with a share of the prize.

The winners all expressed their happiness at receiving this prize so close to Eid. They all vowed to reinvest their winnings in Al Hayrat in order to improve their chances of winning the upcoming Grand Prize of $500,000.

The Al Hayrat draw took place on October 9th, under the supervision of Mr. Yasser Buallay the ministry of commerce and industry representative, in addition to BBK’s Internal Audit, Internal control and Retail Marketing and Retail Banking representatives.

Everybody can now also give their loved ones the gift of winning with Al Hayrat gift certificate. Whether it’s for a Birthday, a graduation, a wedding or the birth of a baby. Al Hayrat Gift Certificate is the perfect solution for any occasion.
In addition to the monthly prizes, it’s worth mentioning that Al Hayrat will conclude the year with its annual Grand Cash prize draw of $500,000.

BBK contributes over BD 19,000 to the Bahraini community

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 06:08:15 GMT

In line with BBK’s strategic initiatives for a brighter community and its monthly support to various entities, Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, BBK’s Chief Executive, welcomed at the Bank’s Headquarters, representatives from different societies to receive BBK's contributions for their requests submitted in September 2012. The handover ceremony was attended from BBK side by Mr. Reyadh Sater- General Manager- Shared Services Group, Mr. Hassaan Mohammed Burshaid- AGM- Human Resources and Administration, Mrs. Rafa Kaddoura- Manager- Corporate Communication and Ms. Abeer Swar- Corporate Communication Officer.

The entities that have benefited from the BBK support to fulfill their various humanitarian initiatives were: Al Sanabel Orphans Care, Child Care Home, Indian Ladies Association, Sitra Parents Care, Bahrain Cancer Society and Bahrain Deaf Sport Club.

Al Hayrat October Winners

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 10:58:47 GMT

Congratulations to Al Hayrat sea voyage winners!

We are pleased to announce the names of Al Hayrat October winners of $5,000 each:

Name	Amount
Sabah Hajih A.Rahman Bahman	$5,000
Hasan A.Hussain khalil	$5,000
Najla Alawi Alalawi	$5,000
Jalal Abdulhussain Al Qassab	$5,000
Mohd Arif Haditulla Hussain	$5,000
Seham Ahmed A.Rasool Ahmed	$5,000
Yaser Jaffar Ismail Ali	$5,000
Mona Abdulhasan Mahdi Naser	$5,000
Abdulkhaleq Helal Al Shehabi	$5,000
Rashid A.Rahman Abdulla	$5,000
Hasan Ali Taher	$5,000
Husain Mohamed Ali Isa	$5,000
AlMansoori Dental Center	$5,000
Latifa Yusuf Ahmed Bujandal	$5,000
Faisal Ali Mohamed Al Mutawa	$5,000

BBK reports a net profit of BD 32.1 million, up 18.2%, for the nine months ended 30th September 2012

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 11:22:32 GMT

BBK Board of Directors yesterday reviewed and approved the financial results of the bank for the nine months ended 30th September 2012. Mr. Murad Ali Murad, Chairman of the Board of Directors, announced that the bank’s net profit for the period further improved to reach BD 32.1 million, an increase of 18.2% when compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.

Expressing his satisfaction on the achieved results, Mr. Murad Ali Murad said “BBK's fundamental strengths, along with its clear strategic vision, robust risk management practices and sustainable financial performance underpins the bank's ability to generate solid performance and consistent growth despite the challenging operating environment”.

The main contributors to such improvement in the underlying profitability were the robust growth in net interest income, coupled with healthy increase in other income. Net interest income grew remarkably by 11.4% to amount to BD 48.4 million, compared to the same period ended September 2011, which included BD 0.5 million of gain on partial redemption of term borrowings (as at 30 September 2012: nil). The improvement in net interest income was a result of the increase in the bank’s net loans and advances and non-trading investments portfolios. Further, this was a reflection of the successful strategic implementation of re-compositioning of the bank’s loans and investments portfolios. The bank’s fees and commission income also registered a growth of 11.1% amounting to BD 21.7 million. FX & Investment income reported a steady income of BD 9.5 million. The bank’s continuous investments in latest technologies, distribution networks, and its human resources resulted in increasing the operating cost by 4.1% compared to the period ended September 2011. Nevertheless, the cost to income ratio was improved from 49.3% to 46.8%.

Net profit for the three months ended September 2012 stood at BD 8.8 million compared to BD 4.0 million which was reported in the three months ended September 2011. Net interest income for the quarter of BD 17.0 million increased by 16.7%, while other income, including fees and commission and FX and investment income have grown by 18.7% to reach BD 11.4 million. The bank reported BD 7.3 million as provision requirements for the third quarter of 2012, compared to BD 7.7 million compared to the same period of last year.

Mr. A.Karim Bucheery, Chief Executive; said “The bank’s core profitability is on an upward positive trend along-with improved cost efficiency, and business volumes are showing signs of improvement across the region”.

The bank has recently received the Hawkama Award for Corporate Governance. On this, Mr. Bucheery commented “BBK continues to commit itself to apply modern, transparent and effective governance principles with its customers, employees, shareholders and general public. We are very proud that BBK was able to maintain high levels of commitment on that aspect and to receive the honorable “Hawkamah Bank Corporate Governance Award” for the past 3 years consecutively.

Comprehensive income has increased by BD 41.1 million to reach BD 52.2 million in September 2012; this was mainly driven by the improvement in the market value of the non-trading investments and as a result of the bank strategy to continuously improve the quality of its investment portfolio.

BBK’s balance sheet grew remarkably to amount to BD 2,981 million, an increase of 9.1% when compared to 30th September 2011. This has reflected a strong underlying business growth driven by increases in customer assets and deposits. Loans and advances stood at BD 1,464 million, registering an increase of 5.4%, resulted mainly from the increase in retail and corporate loans. Non trading investment assets have witnessed a rapid growth of 42.9% to reach BD 723 million as of 30th September 2012.
During the year BBK has managed to keep liquidity parameters at a very comfortable level with loans to deposits ratio standing at 61%.

BBK contributes over BD 10,000 to the Bahraini community

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 06:35:10 GMT

The entities that have benefited from the BBK support to fulfill their various initiatives were: Bahrain Women Union, Writers & Literature Association and Bahrain Journalist Association.

BBK rewards diligence at work

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 08:35:09 GMT

Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK announced the winners of the Employee of the Month for the months of November & December 2012 at their headquarters in Manama.

Each month, BBK honours one team member for his performance, positive attitude and pro-activeness under the Employee of the Month scheme. Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, Chief Executive of BBK handed over the certificates and the cash prizes to the employees of the month, Mr. Yousif Hassani from Operations Division for the month of November 2012 and Mr. Zakariya Al Busta from the Information Technology Division for the month of December 2012 at a special ceremony in appreciation for their achievements.

BBK reports 33.3% net profits growth for year ending December 2012

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 06:06:27 GMT

Click here to view the Financial Statement.

BBK Board of directors were pleased yesterday to declare a new profit record of BD 42.4 million in 2012, compared to BD 31.8 million in 2011.

On this occasion, Mr. Murad Ali Murad, Chairman of the Board of Directors, expressed his pleasure of the achieved results stating: “We are very proud of the bank’s outstanding performance, both in financial terms as well as in achieving the main corporate goals that were set out in our 2010-2012 Strategic Plan. The fact that the bank has been able to produce consistent, rather than volatile, profit growth, against a backdrop of challenging market conditions both internationally and domestically, speaks of BBK’s strong position being Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking and reflects its commitment to serve all its stakeholders with diligence”.

Commenting on the bank’s strategy going forward, Mr. Murad Ali Murad said “Through our new 2013-2015 Strategic Plan we will seek to build upon what has been achieved over the last three years. Challenging new objectives will be set for all our business units, both locally and in the other markets in which the bank operates, as we pursue growth opportunities and build on our strengths. The bank shall also closely monitor and control its internal operating cost structure along with its overall level of efficiency. Hence going forward, a key objective is to improve economy of scale for the bank.”

Some excellent decisions were made during the year in respect of BBK’s Treasury and Investment portfolio, particularly in the case of fixed income opportunities, which resulted in remarkable growth in net interest income from investments, as well as in FX and other investment income. For the year ended 31st December 2012, the bank reported a robust growth in net interest income of 11.6% to reach BD 65.8 million compared to BD 58.9 million reported in 2011. FX and investment income stood at BD 13.9 million compared to BD 20.6 million reported in the same period of last year. Nevertheless, 2011 FX and investment income included non-recurring income of BD 9.2 million that arose from the exchange of BBK subordinated debt notes to senior debt notes , and a gain on sale of sub-debt of BD 0.6 million. Excluding such non-recurring income, FX and investment income would have grown by 21.9%. Net Fees and Commission income grew by 10.3% to reach BD 29.0 million compared to BD 26.3 million reported in December 2011.

Operating costs grew by 5.5% to reach BD 50.6 million. Loans and investment provisions requirements has decreased from BD 25.5 million to reach BD 15.0 million in December 2012, reflecting management conservative approach and better quality control over assets.

Based on the above performance, the Board of Directors has decided to raise its recommendation to the shareholders’ at the general assembly, profit distribution of 20%, comprising of 10% cash dividend per share, and 10% stock dividend per share.

For the three months ended 31st December 2012, BBK reported a net profit of BD 10.3 million compared to BD 4.7 million for the same period of last year, with net interest income of BD 17.4 million an increase of 12.1% (2011: BD 15.5 million). Other income including fees and commission, FX and investment income stood at BD 11.7 million in December 2012. The bank reported provision charges net of recoveries of BD 5.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2012, compared to BD 15.8 million reported for the same period of last year.

Mr. A.Karim Bucheery, Chief Executive said: “2012 was the final year of BBK’s “2010-2012” Strategic Plan. A number of strategic initiatives were implemented throughout 2012 which contributed in strengthening BBK’s relationship with its customers and enabled it to achieve these astonishing results. Those new initiatives included launch of the new premium banking service, Al Wajaha, which offers a bouquet of financial privileges and unrivalled package of features and benefits specially tailored to meet the banking, travel, and lifestyle needs of BBK’s most discerning customers; and the launch of the revamped SECURA brand, offering a new range of insurance and saving products, designed to meet all the insurance needs of our customers. It also included a number of initiatives aimed at enhancing the service delivery to our customers such as the launch of special services to cater the needs of special needs customers where certified sign language speaking employees made available to serve hearing-impaired customers and dedicated parking and wheel chair access assigned at all of its financial malls. It also included the launch of SMS banking, eStatements on mobile phones and the upgrading of Telebanking. Those initiatives reflect BBK’s commitment to create ideal banking experience and ensure the wellbeing for all the citizens of the Kingdom”.

Mr. Bucheery also commented: “Notwithstanding the fact that the bank had successfully implemented almost all of the key growth initiatives outlined in its corporate strategic plan. We have also been heavily involved in investing in other strategic initiatives of the Bank such as the appointment of the highly respected consulting firm, Booz & Company, to undertake a “Performance Optimization Review” of all our businesses, aiming to boost the performance and enhance the efficiency across the BBK group”.

Comprehensive income has witnessed a robust growth from BD 20.6 million to reach BD 72.5 million in December 2012; this was mainly driven by the improvement in the market value of the non-trading investments as a result of the bank strategy to continuously improve the quality of its investment portfolio.

Fuelled by strong growth in net loans & advances as well as the boost in non-trading investment portfolio; BBK’s balance sheet as of 31st December 2012 registered a growth of 12.4% to reach BD 3,108 million, compared to 2011. Net loans & advances grew by 6.5% to reach BD 1,499 million, Non-trading investment portfolio stood at BD 717 million compared to BD 564 reported in December 2011. Customer deposits continued with its upward positive trend and grew during the year by 6.2% to reach BD 2,205 million. BBK managed to keep its liquidity and funding positions at very comfortable levels with loans to deposits ratio standing at 60.9%.

Shaikha Ali Saleh, 22 year old med student wins the BBK Jackpot of $500,000

Sun, 10 Feb 2013 05:59:13 GMT

Al Hayrat, BBK’s unique savings account that presents exciting opportunities for its customers to win prizes while they save, has made the announcement everyone has been waiting for, the winner of the Grand Prize draw of 2012. The draw offered the single lump sum cash prize of $500,000 and was carried out on the 23rd of January 2013 under the supervision of Mr. Yasser Buallay Ministry of Commerce Representative and bank officials.

Ms. Shaikha Ali Saleh, a Bahraini med student, was announced as the lucky grand prize winner. She received the star treatment, commencing with being collected, along with her family, in a stretch Hummer limousine and was presented with the cheque for $500,000 by Mr. A. Karim Bucheery, CE of BBK in the Main Branch on 5th of February during a special handover ceremony. The reception was attended by GM Sh. Rashed Al Khalifa and Mr. Reyadh Sater, alongside senior management from the Bank.

The grand prize draw represented the culmination of a year’s worth of prizes totalling $1,500,000. All investments made by 20th December 2012 were eligible for the draw. The greater the amount invested, the greater are the chances of winning.

Upon receiving the news of her win, Ms. Shaikha was in awe and disbelief and wondered if the Bank was absolutely sure she was indeed the winner! Ms. Shaikha, a Muharraq resident, is a fifth year med student who was in the middle of doing rounds when she received the call to inform her of her amazing win, said “This is unbelievable! I thank God for this blessing, and I would like to extend my appreciation to BBK for this incredible news! I haven’t decided what to do with the money yet, but it will surely go into securing my future.”

Ms. Shaikha’s parents, Mr. Ali Saleh, and Mrs. Salwa Al Mahmeed, were quite ecstatic as they were the ones who deposited a small amount into Al Hayrat in their only daughter’s name as a minor, over nine years ago when Shaikha was just 13 years old, in hope of winning one day and securing her future.
Mrs. Salwa Al Mahmeed, the winner’s mother, expressed her sincere thanks and appreciation to the BBK Management and staff under Mr. A.Karim Bucheery’s leadership; she has explained that their family has always believed in Al Hayrat despite never having won before in the past nine years! However, they have maintained their deposits hoping that they would win big with Al Hayrat.

Mr. A. Karim Bucheery, CE of BBK said: “I would like to take this opportunity to wish Ms. Shaikha and her family my warmest congratulations on her amazing win. We are proud to offer Al Hayrat which has been and still is a really exciting prize winning journey for our customers for the past 11 years.”

“On this happy occasion, It brings me great pleasure to reveal the 2013 Al Hayrat prizes scheme, which we have amped up especially to cater to our customer’s dreams of winning a life changing prize, such as the Instant millionaire grand prize which is the first of its kind in Bahrain, in addition to the $500,000 prize in May, which takes place just three months away from our 2012 Grand prize winner announcement.”

Al Hayrat 2013 scheme promises a total prize value of $2,500,000, including another draw for $500,000 in May, and an incredible Grand prize of $1,000,000 to a lucky instant millionaire by the end of the year, among many other amazing surprises to Al Hayrat customers throughout the year, such as the Ramadan weekly draws totalling $150,000, and 20 monthly prizes of $100,000, not to mention the loyalty prizes of $50,000.

BBK announces a new ATM machine at King Hamad University Hospital

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 11:41:35 GMT

BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, announces the introduction of a new offsite ATM opposite at King Hamad University Hospital. With the addition of this new ATM, BBK’s network has increased to 47 ATMs across the Kingdom of Bahrain. BBK has one of the largest ATM networks in Bahrain and is committed to maintaining its market-leading position by adding new BBK ATMs in suitable locations to provide additional services and added convenience for its customers.

BBK ATM machines in Bahrain provide a wide range of services, including:

Cash withdrawals
Account balance enquiries
Printing of mini statements
Transfer of funds between linked accounts maintained with BBK
Cheque book requests
Batelco bill payments and prepaid top-ups
Zain bill payments and prepaid top-ups
Electricity bill payments
CrediMax Credit Card bill payments and PIN change
Al Hayrat top up

To view a map showing the location of the new ATM and all of BBK’s other ATM locations in Bahrain please click here.

BBK rewards diligence at work for the year 2012

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 06:42:29 GMT

BBK- Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking- has announced the 2012 winners of the STAR Service Excellence Award, within the category of the Best employee in each frontline role within its Retail Banking Division for 2012.

All Retail Banking employees who had direct contact with customers throughout 2012, had the chance to vie for this honor, where the key criteria are Excellence in customer service, outstanding business results, reinforcing BBK brand values and superior service quality.

Mr. AbdulKarim Bucheery, Chief Executive of BBK handed over trophies and a cash prize to the winners in appreciation of their exceptional efforts at a special ceremony that took place on Sunday, 24th of February at BBK Headquarter in Manama. Ali Yusuf Khadem from Adliya Financial Mall won the “Best Teller 2012”, Najiya Yousif Al- Asam from the Muharraq Financial Mall- “Best Sales Consultant 2012”, Isa Yaqoob Showaiter from Budaiya Financial Mall- “Best Customer Service Representative 2012”, Jassim A.Rahman Al- Shirawi from the Main Branch- “Best Team Leader for the Sales/ Customer Service 2012” and finally Makki Jassim Ali from Isa Town Financial Mall won the “Best Team Leader for the Cash Operations 2012”.

In addition to the yearly awards, 102 employees were recognized and rewarded throughout the year from different branches for their excellence in customer service based on fulfilling the wining criteria of customer commitment, zest for building relationships, motivation to further develop the business and positive impact and influence on staff and co-workers.

Annual Report 2012

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 12:50:35 GMT

Please click here to view 2012 Annual Report

BBK rewards diligence at work

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 07:18:01 GMT

Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK announced the winner of the Employee of the Month for the month of January 2013 at their headquarters in Manama.

Al Hayrat announces 10 winners of its Loyalty prize, in addition to 20 winners of the Monthly draw in February

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 05:09:34 GMT

BBK , Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, has recently announced the names of the 10 loyalty prize winners of $5,000 each. The winners have each maintained their deposits with Al Hayrat for at least one year prior to the draw.
The 10 loyalty prizes winners were:

Sabah Hajih A.Rahman Abbas Bahman, Sahrifa Sayed Ali Khadhem Sharaf, Alfateh Hamad Rashed Edwairji, Mohammed Fankheer Khulaif Juma, Mahdi Abdulla Ahmed Al Baghali, Jamal Yousif Mohammed Hasan, Fatima Makki Hasan Fakhar, Mohammed Khalil Ali Al Sayed, Zahra Mahdi Ahmed Al Sammak and Lamiaa Ahmed Hamayel Abouelenein.

The bank has also announced the names of the 20 lucky winners of Al Hayrat monthly prizes of $5,000 each as follows:
Zahra S.Mohsen Javedan Mowlaei, Abdulredha Ali Mohamed Haqiqi, Zahra Ahmed Ali Ahmed, Saeed Abdulnabi Dhaif Abdulhussain, Noor Alawi Hasan Alalawi, Mohd Ahmed Hassan Al Moamen, Aesha Mohammed Saleh Khunji, Musayeb Abbas Husain, Mahmood Ghuloom Hasan Shamsi, Mahdi Abdulla Ahmed Al Baghali, Ghada Amin Mohammed Ahmed Helewa, Layla Masood A.Hussain Amiri, Abeer Mayoof Abdulla Al Romaihi, Ahmed Salah Abdulla Sanad, Khalifa Abdulla Khalifa Al Yahya, Rahma Ammar Ali Yusuf Al Asfoor, Lamees Abdulelah Yaqoob Al Selais Alotaibi
The cheques were handed over to the winners by Nada Bubshait , Marketing Communications Manager.

The Al Hayrat draw took place on February 27th, under the supervision of Mr. Suod Saif the Ministry of Industry and Commerce representative, in addition to BBK’s Internal Audit, Internal control and Retail Marketing and Retail Banking representatives.

The winners expressed their appreciation and gratitude for winning the cash prizes, and vowed to redeposit their winnings back into Al Hayrat in hopes of winning another one of the Al Hayrat amazing prizes throughout the year, namely, the half yearly prize of $500,000 in May or the Grand “Instant Millionaire” prize at the end of the year worth $1,000,000 in cash!

It’s worth mentioning that this draw represents the first draw of Al Hayrat 2013 exciting prizes worth a total of $2.5 million! Everybody can look forward to winning the $500,000 half yearly prize in May. Customers who deposit at least one month prior to the draw will be eligible.

BBK contributes over BD 47,000 to the Bahraini community

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 06:11:44 GMT

In line with BBK’s strategic initiatives for a brighter community and its monthly support to various entities, Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, Chief Executive-BBK and Mr. Reyadh Sater- BBK’s General Manager- Shared Services Group-BBK, welcomed at the Bank’s Headquarters, representatives from different societies to receive BBK's contributions for their requests submitted in February 2013. The handover ceremony was attended from BBK side by Mr. Hassaan Mohammed Burshaid- AGM- Human Resources and Administration and Ms. Abeer Swar- Corporate Communication Officer.

The entities that have benefited from the BBK support totaling BD 47,000 to fulfill their various initiatives are: Cerebral Palsy Friendship Society, Bahraini Association for intellectual Disability and Autism, Batelco Care Centre for Family Violence Cases, Bahrain Association for Parents and Friends of the Disabled, Bahrain Parents Care Home and The Bahrain Historical & Archaeological Society.

Government Securities

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 08:13:05 GMT

Please note that the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) will be issuing Bahraini Dinar denominated Government Securities, both conventional and sukuks. The CBB has recently opened the participation to retail customers.

In accordance with guidelines issued by the CBB, it is now possible for BBK clients to participate in the primary issuance of these securities.

The Bank will purchase Treasury Bills, Government Bonds and Islamic Securities issued by the CBB on behalf of participated customers on fiduciary basis (acting as an agent). Customers can bid for a minimum amount of BHD 10,000 or its multiples, and subject to BBK terms & conditions.

The Bank can also offer customers credit facility against their holding in the Government Securities. This shall be subject to the Bank’s terms and conditions.
For more information, please visit the Bank’s main branch or call us on 17 20 7777

Al Hayrat March Winners

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 09:27:03 GMT

Congratulations to Al Hayrat sea voyage winners!

We are pleased to announce the names of Al Hayrat winners of $5,000 each:

Name	Amount
ALMANSOORI DENTAL CENTER	$5,000
RASHID ABDULLA RASHID HELAL	$5,000
YASMEEN ELZALDEEN TAWFEEQ	$5,000
SH.MOHAMED SALMAN KHALID ALKHALIFA	$5,000
RIDHA ATIYAH JASSIM HASAN	$5,000
ADEL MOHD HASSAN KAMAL	$5,000
S. ALI HASHIM ABDULLA YASEEN	$5,000
SAYED AHMED SALMAN NASER	$5,000
MOHMMED RASHEED MOHD ALFAWAZ	$5,000
ISHAQ GHULOOM ALI MOHAMMED	$5,000
EBRAHIM AHMED EBRAHIM ALMARSHAD	$5,000
FOWZIA MAHMOOD SHAKEEB	$5,000
FADHEELA ABDULLA HASAN QAWAZ	$5,000
EMAN ALI ASGHAR	$5,000
MOHAMMED KHALID EBRAHIM	$5,000
DHIYA MOHAMMED ALDOY	$5,000
ZAMZAM ALI JANAHI	$5,000
SHAFEEQ ABDULRASOOL MOHAMED	$5,000
S.MOHAMMED SAEED MOHAMMED	$5,000
ALI AHMED ABDULLA RADHI	$5,000

BBK rewards diligence at work

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 05:48:10 GMT

Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, BBK announced the winners of the Employee of the Month for the months of February & March 2013 at their headquarters in Manama.

Each month, BBK honours one team member for his performance, positive attitude and pro-activeness under the Employee of the Month scheme. Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, Chief Executive of BBK handed over the certificates and the cash prizes to the employees of the month, Mr. Saeed Abdulla Saeed Al Haddad from the General Services Department- Human Recourses & Administration Division for the month of February 2013 and Mr. Ali Abdulla Al Alawi from the Retail Banking Division for the month of March 2013 at a special ceremony in appreciation for their achievements.

BBK reports net profit of BD 13.1 million for the first quarter of 2013

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 06:26:17 GMT

Click here to view the Financial Report.

Mr. Murad Ali Murad, the Chairman of the Board of Directors announced yesterday that the Board approved on its meeting the Financial Results for the first quarter of 2013; where the Bank registered a net profit of BD 13.1 million, a growth of 9% compared to BD 12.0 million reported for the same period last year; with earnings of 14 fils per share for the first quarter of 2013 (2012: 13 fils per share).

Expressing his satisfaction of the achieved results, Mr. Murad Ali Murad said: “As we progress into 2013, we will continue our renewed commitment to deliver the best services to our customers through maintaining the positive momentum achieved across all our business units as reflected in both our net profit for the first quarter 2013, as well as in our core growth in market position as a key player amongst local retail and commercial banks in the country”.

The increase in net profit was mainly fuelled by the growth in net interest income and FX and investment income. The Bank reported net interest income of BD 17 million, a growth of 12.2% when compared to first quarter of 2012. Well-crafted investment strategies resulted in boosting FX & Investment income by 92.6% to reach BD 6 million in March 2013 (2012: BD 3.1 million). Fees & Commission income stood at BD 6 million compared to BD 6.7 million which was reported for the same period last year.

As BBK continues following a prudent provisioning policy, the total loan provision reserve which includes an integral part classified as voluntarily general provision has increased to BD 3.2 million to cater for the unexpected business events that may occur due to market turbulence, compared to BD 0.5 million reported as at end of March 2012.

While the total comprehensive income continued to show positive fair value of the investment portfolio, slow movement in the market prices for bonds and equity investments, resulted in recording a comprehensive income for the quarter of BD 17.0 million compared to BD 24.3 million which was reported in similar period last year.

Commenting on the bank’s performance, Mr. A.Karim Bucheery, Chief Executive, said “Our 2013-2015” strategic plan is the main pillar on which we will build our future growth. BBK’s good results for the first quarter of 2013 are testament to the health of our strategic directions and our success and commitment in implementing the various initiatives and plans. The first quarter’s results attests to the solid foundations on which the bank is built, and will continue to build upon in the future”.

Despite the bank’s continuous investment in human capital, infrastructure, and customers’ service, the group’s operating costs were well controlled and raised within a reasonable range of 2.7% to amount to BD 12.4 million (2012: BD 12.0 million). Nevertheless, the cost to income ratio has improved significantly from 48.2% as of March 2012 to 42.6% as of March 2013 mainly on account of the 16.4% growth registered in the total operating revenues. It is worth mentioning that BBK has one of the biggest branches and ATM networks in the Kingdom with seven financial malls, eight branches, and 53 ATMs, the latest of which was added during the first quarter of 2013 at King’s Hamad University Hospital in Busaiteen.

BBK’s balance sheet has registered a robust growth of 14.3% from BD 2,800 million as of 31st March 2012, to reach BD 3,200 million as of 31st March 2013. This was mainly driven by the improvements in net loans & advances portfolio by 8.8% to amount to BD 1,540 million, and a remarkable growth in non-trading investment securities portfolio by 10.3% to reach BD 718 million, that was supported by implementing sophisticated successful investments strategies. Taking advantage of the diversified basket of products offered by the bank, customer deposits grew by 12.7% to reach BD 2,216 million in March 2013.

Liquidity position continued to remain at very comfortable levels with liquid assets (Cash and balances with central banks, treasury bills, Financial assets at fair value through statement of income, and Deposits and due from banks and other financial institutions) to total assets standing at 25.5% (March 2012: 22.4%), and loan to total deposit ratio at 60.7% (March 2012: 62.5%).

Al Hayrat announces the winners of the Al Hayrat March draw of $100,000 as anticipation rises over the upcoming $500,000 prize in May

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 07:14:29 GMT

BBK , Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, has recently announced the names of the 20 winners of the March draw of $5,000 each.
The winners were as follows: Almansoori Dental Center, Rashid Abdulla Rashid Helal (minor), Yasmeen Elzaldeen Tawfeeq, Sh.Mohamed Salman Khalid Alkhalifa, Ridha Atiyah Jassim Hasan, Adel Mohd Hassan Kamal, S. Ali Hashim Abdulla Yaseen, Sayed Ahmed Salman Naser, Mohmmed Rasheed Mohd Alfawaz, Ishaq Ghuloom Ali mohammed, Ebrahim Ahmed Ebrahim Almarshad (minor), Fowzia Mahmood Shakeeb, Fadheela Abdulla Hasan Qawaz, Eman Ali Asghar (minor), Mohammed Khalid Ebrahim(minor), Dhiya Mohammed Aldoy, Zamzam Ali Janahi, Shafeeq Abdulrasool Mohamed, S.Mohammed Saeed Mohammed and Ali Ahmed Abdulla Radhi.

The cheques were handed over to the winners by Reinaldo Moarry, Head of the Retail Marketing department, and the ceremony was attended by Mazin Dhaif, Head of the Distribution network and Nada Bubshait , Marketing Communications Manager.

The Al Hayrat draw took place on April 3rd, under the supervision of Mr. Suod Saif the ministry of commerce and industry representative, in addition to BBK’s Internal Audit, Internal control and Retail Marketing and Retail Banking representatives.

BBK contributes over BD 14,000 to the Bahraini community

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 06:50:11 GMT

In line with BBK’s strategic initiatives for a brighter community and its support to various entities, Mr. Reyadh Sater- BBK’s General Manager- Shared Services Group, welcomed at the Bank’s Headquarters, representatives from different societies to receive BBK's contributions for their requests submitted in March 2013. The handover ceremony was attended from BBK side by Mrs. Rafa Kaddoura- Corporate Communication Manager.

The entities that have benefited from the BBK support totaling BD 14,500 to fulfill their various initiatives are: Al Manar for Parents Care, Bahrain Medical Society, Middle 4 Youth Society, Aisha Yateem Family Counseling Centre and Al Hamala Social, Charity, Cultural Society.

On this occasion, Mr. Reyadh Sater- BBK’s General Manager- Shared Services Group stressed on the keenness of the Bank to always support such entities given the significant role they play in the progress of the Kingdom.”

Al Hayrat announces the winners of the Al Hayrat April draw of $100,000- $500,000 Mid Year prize in May

Mon, 20 May 2013 05:51:57 GMT

BBK , Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, has recently announced the names of the 20 winners of the April draw of $5,000 each.

The winners were as follows: KHALIL NADER DAWANI; AHMED ALI ALSHARYAN; YAHYA ALI BUALI; AHMED RADHI ABDULHUSSAIN; AKBAR ALI AKBAR; AHMED MOHAMED ALHARMI; MARWAH ALI HAJI ALANSARI (MINOR ); BATOOL SALMAN ALI; MANAL MOHAMED ALSAWY; ISMAIL GHULOOM KARIMI; YOUSIF JASSIM ISA; NOORA YUSUF ABDULLA (MINOR); ISMAHAN ABDULRAHMAN ALSAAD; A.BAQI SALMAN ALI; HALA ABDULLA MOHAMMED; SUMAYA GHULAM RIDHA; MUNA A.RASOOL AL-SAKRI; ABDULSAMAD AHMED EBRAHIM; ABDUL QADIR NAYYER MOHAMMAD and KHAMIS ALI EBRAHIM.

The cheques were handed over to the winners by Ghazi Ahmed, Acting Head of Retail Banking. The ceremony was attended by Reinaldo Moarry, Head of the Retail Marketing department, Mazin Dhaif, Head of the Distribution network and Nada Bubshait , Marketing Communications Manager.
The Al Hayrat draw took place on April 30th, under the supervision of Mr. Yasser BuAllay the ministry of commerce and industry representative, in addition to BBK’s Internal Audit, Internal control and Retail Marketing and Retail Banking representatives.

The winners were all excited about winning , especially those who have been Al Hayrat customers for many years, some of whom have been customers of Al Hayrat since the program inception in 2001, and have waited patiently to win! Everybody has got their eyes on the big prize in May as its fast approaching, where one lucky winner will receive $500,000 in cash from Al Hayrat.

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BBK shows support towards Bahrain Red Crescent Society - donates BD 10,000

BBK supports Bahrain Society for Children with Behavioral & Communication Difficulties

BBK announces the 15 winners of Al Hayrat April draw

BBK shows support towards Aisha Yateem Family Counseling Centre

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Deactivation plan for magnetic stripe debit cards

Capinnova invests US$20 Million in EBLA Computer Consultancy

More than 10% appreciation in BBK- ING MENA fund

BBK Rating affirmed with a stable Outlook

BBK announces the launch of a new investment product

BBK offers Personal Loans to Tamkeen’s On-Job-Training Scheme Graduates

Anticipation grows as BBK gets ready to announce their second quarterly winner for Al Hayrat 2009

BBK records a net profit of BD 12 million in the first Quarter 2009

15 lucky winners from Al Hayrat in May, $150,000 to be won in June

BBK shows support towards Bahrain Institute for Special Education

BBK reduces rates on Mortgage, Car and Consumer loans

Bahraini wins $75,000 with Al Hayrat!

BBK reports net profits of BD 23.4 million for the 2nd Quarter 2010 with 38.6% growth in its operating revenues

BBK rewards diligence at work

BBK rewards diligence at work

BBK Honors 48 Employees as part of their annual Service Award Ceremony

BBK launches Exhibition Road Financial Mall

Travel Finance from BBK and Dadabhai Travel

BBK launches Al Hayrat Ramadan Campaign with amazing weekly prizes

For the eighth year in a row BBK honours its staff's children

BBK shows support towards Mohammed Bin Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa Cardiac Centre - donates BD 30,000

BBK shows support towards Bahrain Disabled Sports Federation - donates BD 4,000

BBK shows support towards Muharraq Social Welfare Centre - donates BD 6,000

BBK shows support towards Al Baraka Society - donates BD 10,000

BBK shows support towards Bahrain Deaf Society - donates BD 5,000

BBK shows support towards Steps Rehabilitation Center

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Al Hayrat Ramadan Winner Week 1

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BBK announces 15 lucky winners for July and offers prizes worth US$125,000 for Ramadan with Al Hayrat

New Design Cheque Book

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BBK Employees Visit the Salmaniya Medical Complex Pediatric Ward

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Batelco Network Planned Outage

New Isa Town Financial Mall

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