issue 26 ceo’s message highlights
TRANSCRIPT
Bahrain Bourse | P.O. Box: 3203 Manama - Kingdom of Bahrain | Phone: +973 17261260 | Fax: +973 17256362
-
Bahrain Bourse and
Israel Diamond
Exchange Sign an
MoU Page 2
Bahrain Bourse
Achieves Excellence
in Customer Service
Award via the
National Suggestions
& Complaints System
‘Tawasul’ Page 3
Bahrain Bourse
Adopts Women
Empowerment &
‘’Working From
Home” InitiativesPage 4
Bahrain Bourse
Participates in
IOSCO’s 2020 World
Investor Week to
Promote Investor
Education Page 6
PERIODICAL PUBLICATION ISSUED BY BAHRAIN BOURSEISSUE 26 DECEMBER 2020
bahrainbourse.com
HIGHLIGHTSCEO’S MESSAGE
2020 has been an unprecedented
year full of challenges and
opportunities across all sectors.
Despite the challenges, Bahrain
Bourse has been able to navigate
throughout the year smoothly
with key milestones achieved
including, the offering of
Virtual AGM Management
Service for listed companies
through Bahrain Clear, holding
our first virtual roadshow, launch
of Sukuk-based Murabaha
Service, achievement of excellence
in service award via “Tawasul”, the
20
20
KE
Y A
CH
IE
VE
ME
NT
S
Bahrain Clear Announces Offering of Virtual AGM Management Service for Listed Companies
Bahrain Bourse Establishes ‘Amanat’ Investor Protection Funds Program
Bahrain Bourse Holds Virtual Roadshow
Bahrain Bourse Adopts New Procedures for Listed Companies with Accumulated Losses
Bahrain Bourse Launches Murabaha Service
Bahrain Bourse Achieves Excellence in Customer Service Award via ‘Tawasul’
2 0 2 0 M A R K E T P E R F O R M A N C E H I G H L I G H T SValue
BD212.80 M 1.21 B
Volume
19,309
Transactions
1,489.78 (-7.48%)
Bahrain All Share Index
BD9.28 B
Market Capitalization
1.0 X
Price to Book Value
1,668.66 (23rd February 2020)
Bahrain All Share Index 52-Week High
issuance of the first ESG voluntary
guideline to listed companies, and
the launch of ‘Amanat’ Investor
Protection Funds Program.
Throughout the year, we have been
able to deliver and participate
in more than 15 virtual events.
We look forward to another
successful year full of growth
and innovation in the capital
market in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
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Issue 26 - DECEMBER 2020 www.bahrainbourse.com
BAHRAIN BOURSE AND ISRAEL DIAMOND EXCHANGE SIGN AN MOU
BAHRAIN BOURSE ELECTED BY THE CONSENSUS AS MEMBERS OF THE ARAB FEDERATION OF EXCHANGES BOARD OF
DIRECTORS
Bahrain Bourse announced signing
a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with Israel Diamond
Exchange (IDE) on Thursday,
3rd Dec. 2020 to explore areas
of mutual interest and joint
cooperation between the two
exchanges, and to develop channels
of communication and foster the
relationship between Bahrain
Bourse and Israel Diamond
Exchange . The MoU was
signed by Shaikh Khalifa bin
E b r a h i m A l K h a l i f a ,
Chief Executive Officer of
Bahrain Bourse and Mr. Yoram
Dvash, President of Israel
Diamond Exchange (IDE).
Bahrain Bourse participated in the
meeting of the General Assembly of
the Arab Federation of Exchanges
(AFE), which was held virtually
with the participation of the Chief
Executive Officer of Bahrain
Bourse, Sh. Khalifa bin Ebrahim
Al-Khalifa and Chief Operating
Officer of Bahrain Bourse, Narjes
Farookh Jamal along with various
CEOs of stock exchanges and Arab
clearing and depository companies.
During the meeting, Bahrain
Bourse was elected by the
consensus of the members, in
addition to the Saudi Stock
Exchange (Tadawul) as members of
the Federation’s Board of Directors,
representing the Arab Gulf Region.
Amman Stock Exchange and
Beirut Stock Exchange were elected
to represent the Levant region,
and the Egyptian Exchange and
the Casablanca Stock Exchange
to represent the Arab African
countries. Misr for Central
C lear ing , Depos itor y and
Registry and Kuwait Clearing
Company were elected to represent
Arab clearing houses. In addition,
Damascus Securities Exchange,
Muscat Clearing and Depository,
and the Khartoum Stock Exchange
were elected as members of the
Audit and Governance Committee.
It is worth mentioning that the
AFE was established in June 1978
to be the guiding body for the
Arab stock exchanges, under the
recommendation of the Arab
Central Banks Conference, held
under the auspices of the General
Secretariat of the League of Arab
States in the Hashemite Kingdom
of Jordan. The Federation aims to
create a transparent environment
for the Arab capital markets,
develop market members and
reduce the barriers of security
trading across the countries
through establishing harmony
across the laws and regulations of
the Arab countries, adopting new
technologies and advanced trading
and clearing settlements. The
federation currently has 21 members
representing around 17 stock
exchanges and 4 clear ing
c o mp a n i e s , i n a d d i t i o n
to a number of brokerage
companies in the Arab region.
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Issue 26 - DECEMBER 2020 www.bahrainbourse.com
BAHRAIN BOURSE AND THE SUPREME COUNCIL FOR ENVIRONMENT SIGN AN MOU
Bahrain Bourse announced signing
a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with the Supreme Council
for Environment to enhance areas
of joint cooperation and issues
of mutual interest between the
Bourse and the Supreme Council
for Environment in areas related
to environmental conservation and
protection. The MoU was signed
by Shaikh Khalifa bin Ebrahim
Al Khalifa, Chief Executive
Officer of Bahrain Bourse and
H.E. Dr. Mohamed Mubarak Bin
Daina, Chief Executive of the
Supreme Council for Environment.
The MoU aims to encourage listed
companies to comply with the
env i ronmenta l r u l e s and
requirements and to dis-
close information related to
environmental compliance in its
issued reports. The MoU also aims
at establishing a joint committee
between the two parties to
prepare a business plan and a
timeframe to achieve the set
objectives. It is worth noting
that Bahrain Bourse issued its
Environmental, Social and
Governance (ESG) Voluntary
Reporting Guideline for listed
companies in June 2020. Bahrain
Bourse also joined the United
Nat ions Sustainable Stock
Exchanges (SSE) init iat ive
to demonstrate its voluntary
commitment to promoting
sustainable and transparent capital
m a r k e t s i n c o op e r a t i on
with listed companies and
other related stakeholders.
BAHRAIN BOURSE ACHIEVES EXCELLENCE IN CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD VIA THE NATIONAL SUGGESTIONS & COMPLAINTS SYSTEM ‘TAWASUL’
Bahrain Bourse announced achiev-
ing “Excellence in Customer Service
Award” via the National Suggestions
& Complaints System ‘Tawasul’,
for its exceptional performance
and efficient response via the
Na t i on a l Su g ge s t i on s &
Complaints System ‘Tawasul’.
His Royal Highness Prince
Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa,
the Crown Prince, Deputy
Supreme Commander, and First
Deputy Prime Minister, awarded
the top twenty performing
government entities within the
National Suggestion & Complaint
System ‘Tawasul’ in 2020 through
a virtual awarding ceremony.
On this occasion, Shaikh Khalifa
bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa, Chief
Executive Officer of Bahrain Bourse
thanked HRH Prince Salman
bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the
Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme
C o m m a n d e r, a n d F i r s t
D e pu t y P r i me Mi n i s t e r,
for the trust provided to
Bahrain Bourse by receiving this
award for the first time since
joining ‘Tawasul’ earlier this year.
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Issue 26 - DECEMBER 2020 www.bahrainbourse.com
AHLI UNITED BANK LAUNCHES BAHRAIN TRADE UNDER ITS AUB TRADER PLATFORM
BAHRAIN BOURSE ADOPTS WOMEN EMPOWERMENT & ‘’WORKING FROM HOME” INITIATIVES
Ahli United Bank Bahrain (AUB),
the Kingdom’s largest banking
institution, has announced
the launch of Bahrain Trade
As part of its gender equality
i n i t i a t i v e s , a n d a s p e r
recommendations presented
by Bahrain Bourse ‘Gender Equality
Committee’, Bahrain Bourse
(BHB) adopts a number of women
empowerment & “Working From
Home” initiatives to promote and
empower employees across the
organization, particularly female
professionals in the workplace.
The initiatives adopted aim to
u n d e r i t s AU B Tr a d e r
Platform by adding Bahrain
Bourse under the list of electronic
markets avai lable on AUB
foster a healthy work-life balance
for female professionals within the
organization through adopting
flexible “Working From Home”
measures. The initiative aims to
promote “Working from Home”
targeted towards female employ-
ees within their 3rd trimester,
flexibility of female employees
to “Work from Home” for up to
one year post-natal period, and
a flexible “Working From Home”
Trader, its online trading platform.
First launched in 2006, AUB
Trader is noted for being the first
online stock trading service in
the kingdom of Bahrain to offer
access to GCC, US, and major
European s to ck marke t s .
A U B T r a d e r s e r v e s
customers by facilitating the
process of electronic trading
through a smartphone application
available on Android and iOS,
linking them directly to the
trading floor and allowing them
to benefit from all the investment
schedule for all other employees
for a period of up to one month.
It is worth noting that Bahrain
Bourse has adopted a number
of initiatives to promote gender
equality including establishment
o f t he G ender E qua l i t y
Committee spearheaded by
Supreme Council for Women
since 2019, voluntary commitment
towards the UN’s Sustainable
Stock Exchanges “SSE” initiative
opportunities available via the
financial instruments listed on
the exchanges available. They
can also select what best suits
their objectives without the
need for dealing with a broker.
Even better, customers can get
real-time quotes, buy and sell
stocks on the go, access news
and announcements, and benefit
from a wide range of analytical
tools to help them make smarter
and better-informed decisions.
in 2019, issuance of voluntary
Environmental, Social, and
Governance Guidelines targeted
towards listed companies, and its
annual participation in the “Ring
Bell for Gender Equality” events
since 2019. In addition, female
employees today account for 41%
of Bahrain Bourse workforce
a n d f e m a l e s o c c u p y i n g
leadership roles represent 30%.
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Issue 26 - DECEMBER 2020 www.bahrainbourse.com
BAHRAIN BOURSE REPRESENTATIVE APPOINTED AS BOARD MEMBER IN THE HOPE FUND
BAHRAIN BOURSE JOINS MIDDLE EAST INVESTOR RELATIONS ASSOCIATION (‘MEIRA’) BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Bahrain Bourse (BHB) announced
the appointment of its Chief Risk
and Compliance Officer, Mr.
Bahrain Bourse announced the
appointment of Mrs. Marwa
AlMaskati, Director of Marketing
& Business Development and Head
of MEIRA Bahrain Chapter, as a
Director in Board of Directors in
the Middle East Investor Relations
Association “MEIRA” during the
Association’s quarterly Board
meeting which was held virtually
on 9th December 2020. The
AbdulRahman Abdulla Al-Shafei
as a Board Member in the Hope
Fund for a term of four years
appointment follows efforts of
Bahrain Bourse in promoting
and developing best practices
in Investor Relations (IR) and
enhance transparency across
the Kingdom’s capital markets.
Commenting on this occasion,
Mrs. Marwa AlMaskati stated,
“Investor Relations plays a
significant role in the success of a
listed company. Since the launch
following the issuance of an edict
by His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin
Hamad Al Khalifa, HM the King’s
Representative for Humanitarian
Works and Youth Affairs, to form
the Board of Directors of the Hope
Fund which is chaired by Youth
and Sport Affairs Minister, H.E.
Ayman bin Tawfeeq Al Moayed.
The Hope Fund aims to support
youth projects and initiatives
through discovering, mentoring
and highlighting growing youth
talents and enabling them to
achieve long-term success and
sustainability which will reflect
positively on the Kingdom’s
of Bahrain MEIRA Chapter last
year, both Bahrain Bourse and
MEIRA have been fully committed
to developing and further
advancing the IR profession in
the Kingdom of Bahrain. Our
role as Bahrain Bourse has been
mainly focused on enhancing best
practices and advancements of
Investor Relations in Kingdom of
Bahrain’s capital market and raise
awareness across listed companies.”
Andrew Turbak, MEIRA Chair
said, “At MEIRA, we take our
responsibility as the region’s
professional body for Investor
Relations very seriously and 2020
provided us with the opportunity
to refresh and renew our leadership
team. I am delighted to see the
calibre of MEIRA come through
in the Nomination Committee’s
slate of new directors. Together,
we will continue to promote
diversity and inclusion, while
economy. The establishment
of the Hope Fund is a turning
point in the progress of the
Kingdom of Bahrain’s focus
towards youth talents and
creative youth projects and guiding
them towards production. The
Fund also aims to assist the
launch of youth projects towards
globalization by developing plans
to involve Bahraini competencies
in all sectors to become strategic
partners in addition to undertaking
investment in youth projects and
achieving revenues to develop,
support and sustain the youth sector.
driving stakeholder value for
all our members, partners and
supporters, as MEIRA fulfils its
mission to champion best practice
as an integral part of capital markets
development in the Middle East.”
It is worth noting that Bahrain
Bourse and the Middle East
Investor Relations Association
(MEIRA) has officially launched
the MEIRA chapter in Bahrain
during April 2019 with the aim
of developing and enhancing best
practices in Investor Relations (IR)
across the Kingdom of Bahrain.
The founding members of
MEIRA chapter in Bahrain
include Aluminium Bahrain
(‘ALBA’), Bank ABC, Bahrain
Telecommunications Company
(‘Batelco’), Bahrain Bourse,
Ithmaar Holding, National Bank
of Bahrain, and SICO BSC (c).
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Issue 26 - DECEMBER 2020 www.bahrainbourse.com
BAHRAIN BOURSE PARTICIPATES IN IOSCO’S 2020 WORLD INVESTOR WEEK TO PROMOTE INVESTOR EDUCATION
Bahrain Bourse (BHB), an affiliate
member of the International
Organization of Securit ies
Commissions (IOSCO), has
announced its participation
in the fourth annual World
Inve s tor We ek ( “WIW ”)
from 5 to 11 October 2020.
As part of its participation
in the WIW, Bahrain Bourse
virtually rang the market-opening
bell for financial literacy to join
over 35 other global exchanges
to mark the occasion over a week
of bell-ringing activities. The
bell-ringing event, which is a
global initiative by the IOSCO and
the World Federation of Exchanges
(WFE), aims to bring together
stakeholders to celebrate the
progress that has been made
and l o ok ing to p ar tne r
on the road ahead. Over the
years, Bahrain Bourse has
expanded its awareness programs
to reach out to a greater number of
beneficiaries, from students to
professionals, through TradeQuest,
the Smart Investor Program, and
the Investment Academy. The
TradeQuest program has been
expanded to serve more than 200
students per annum across 21
e du c a t i on a l i n s t i t u t i on s ,
encompassing pr ivate and
public schools as wel l as
un ivers i t i e s . Whi l e the
Smart Investor program has
benefited more than 15,000
students since its launch. As for
the Investment Academy, more
than 2,000 beneficiaries were
trained since the launch of the
academy, including more than 400
professional certifications awarded.
The WIW is a week-long global
c a m p a i g n p r o m o t e d b y
IOSCO to raise awareness of the
i mp o r t a n c e o f i nv e s t o r
educat ion and protec t ion
and highlight the various
i n i t i a t i v e s o f s e c u r i t i e s
regulators in these two critical
areas. The campaign also has
the support of international
organizat ions such as the
G20. IOSCO members on six
continents offered a range
o f a c t i v i t i e s , i n c l u d i n g
investor-focused communications
and services, contests to increase
awareness of investor education
init iat ives , workshops and
c o n f e r e n c e s a n d l o c a l /
national educational campaigns.
Many members leverage the
event to organize fur ther
investor education activities
t h r o u g h o u t t h e y e a r .
BAHRAIN BOURSE IN COOPERATION WITH MEIRA HOLD A MEETING FOR MEIRA CHAPTER MEMBERS
Bahrain Bourse in cooperation
with Middle East Investor
Relations Association “MEIRA”
held a virtual meeting on 4th Nov.
2020 for Middle East Investor
R e l a t i o n s A s s o c i a t i o n
“MEIRA” Bahrain Chapter
m e m b e r s t o u p d a t e
them on Bahrain’s Chapter
and recent trending IR topics.
The meeting discussed the
infrastructure behind Investor
Relations, and the increasing
i m p o r t a n c e o f d i g i t a l
t r ans format ionin IR . The
m e e t i n g a l s o p r e s e n t e d
an effective methodology for the
reporting cycle of the Annual
Report, and concluded with
an open discussion addressing
questions from the attendees.
Bahrain Bourse and the Middle
East Investor Relations Association
(MEIRA) has officially launched
the MEIRA chapter in Bahrain
during April 2019 with the aim
of developing and enhancing best
practices in Investor Relations (IR)
across the Kingdom of Bahrain.
The founding members of
MEIRA chapter in Bahrain
include Aluminium Bahrain
(‘ALBA’), Bank ABC, Bahrain
Telecommunications Company
(‘Batelco’), Bahrain Bourse,
Ithmaar Holding, National Bank
of Bahrain, and SICO BSC (c).
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Issue 26 - DECEMBER 2020 www.bahrainbourse.com
Activities
Bahrain Bourse Concludes its Participation as a Partner in the 3rd Virtual GCC ePay Summit
Bahrain Bourse and Bahrain Clear Honor Long Serving Employees Virtually
Bahrain Bourse concluded its participation as “Partner” in
the 3rd GCC E-Payments and Online Banking Summit which
was held virtually under the patronage of the Central Bank of
Bahrain and Chairmanship of Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, Chairman
of Bahrain Bourse. The event was attended by more than 900
leading players within banking, FinTech, ecommerce, retail and
telecom enterprises. The ePAY Summit covered various topics
including the increase of digital and contactless transactions since
COVID-19, private digital currencies vs. Central Bank backed
digital currencies, the rise of AI in payments, alternative payment
method trends shaping future e-commerce in the GCC, and new
approaches in online and mobile, fraud detection and prevention.
BHB & BHC FAMILY
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Issue 26 - DECEMBER 2020 www.bahrainbourse.com
BHB & BHC FAMILYBahriani Woman’s Day Celebrated
Bahrain Bourse and Bahrain Clear Celebrate Bahrain National Day
Mohannad Mousa Alatari
Project Management Director
Bahrain Clear
Happy Occassions
Engagements• Ghadeer Abdulkarim Buallay, Senior Administrator of Financial & Accounting Affairs
• Sayed Ali Saleh Alawi, Administrator of Central Depository, Bahrain Clear
New Joiners
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Issue 26 - DECEMBER 2020 www.bahrainbourse.com
interactive VIDEOS
The Basics of Investing Live SessionBahrain Bourse and the Supreme Council for Environment Sign an MoU
TradeQuest program throughout the years
CEO of Bahrain Bourse’s Interview in the F1 Documentary
Bahrain Bourse & Bahrain Clear 2020 Recap
Bahrain Bourse Participates in IOSCO’s 2020 World Investor Week to Promote Investor
Education
New Joiners