Sheikh Khalifa bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, CEO, Bahrain Bourse on leveraging capital markets to facilitate economic recovery

Sheikh Khalifa bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, CEO, Bahrain Bourse on leveraging capital markets to facilitate economic recovery

By In what ways can the BHB enhance its contribution to the country's post-pandemic recovery? SHEIKH KHALIFA BIN EBRAHIM Al KHALIFA: The most impactful way the BHB can support the economic recovery is by focusing on its core mission: to facilitate the raising of capital. At a time when banks are being much more selective and cautious in terms of lending to businesses, stock exchanges are in a position to serve as a well-structured alternative to meet funding and capital growth requirements. As important as government stimulus packages have been to maintaining economic stability, public support alone cannot lead to sustainable growth. The BHB can help fill this gap by expediting the privatisation of the economy, as we expect to see more initial public offering activity in the future. Stock exchanges are sources of not only capital, but also expertise. For example, certain types of investors can provide a wealth of non-financial resources to back growth strategies via exports. Why is the BHB adopting the Global Industry Classification Standard for listed companies, and how will the re-classification reflect positively on the market? SHEIKH KHALIFA: The move aims to introduce a global industrial classification standard – developed by index providers