Banks in Bahrain are Changing… What Does that Mean for You?

Banks in Bahrain are Changing… What Does that Mean for You?

Gulf Insider speaks with Jean-Christophe Durand, Chief Executive Officer of National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) on innovation, and the future of the banking industry.

Established in 1957, the National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) is the Kingdom’s first locally owned bank. It is a multi-award-winning financial powerhouse, with the largest branch and ATM network across the Kingdom. The bank is also currently operating in KSA and the UAE.

NBB is the first bank in the Middle East to earn the Gold status by Investors in People, placing them amongst the top 17% of global institutions to receive the accreditation.

NBB recently ranked 1st in Bahrain and 2nd in the Arab World in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Scores for Banking Services Companies. How did you achieve this?

Our success is due to the commitment and hard-work of our team. We made ESG a part of our day-to-day activities by supporting the community, giving to charity, and educating youth, among many more initiatives. Our board members adopted and embraced the ESG journey very early on in the process, which contributed to our successful rankings. Governance is implemented within the bank to ensure that the international standards are understood and abided by.

ESG is multifaceted. It encompasses a