Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK) and Sustainability Forum Middle East (SFME) hosted a high-level roundtable on sustainable finance at the Sheraton Bahrain Hotel in Manama on 3 November 2026, and used the event to announce a free SME Toolkit for small and medium-sized enterprises. The session, titled “Mobilizing Sustainable Finance: Delivering Resilient Growth and Bahrain’s Green Transition,” brought together stakeholders from Bahrain’s financial sector, government and real economy. Its central question was how sustainable finance can speed up national development priorities and build long-term economic resilience. The programme combined an opening address, a fireside chat and two panel discussions, with speakers from BBK, HSBC Bank Middle East Limited, Bahrain Development Bank, Tamkeen and other organisations. For BBK, the roundtable offered a public stage to link its Sustainable Finance Framework with Bahrain’s ambition to reach net-zero emissions by 2060.

A Programme Built Around Net Zero

Yaser Alsharifi, Group Chief Executive Officer of BBK, opened the roundtable by emphasising the bank’s ongoing commitment to embedding environmental and social priorities within the financial system. He pointed to the bank’s Sustainable Finance Framework and its expanding portfolio of sustainable finance solutions. A fireside chat followed, titled “From Ambition to Action: The Role of Finance in Advancing Bahrain’s Net-Zero Commitment.” It featured Mohamed Alaali, Group Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer of BBK, and was moderated by Jevaypriya Partiban, Partner, Head of Advisory and Head of Risk Consulting at KPMG Bahrain.

The roundtable presented sustainable finance as a strategic enabler of economic growth, business resilience and environmental stewardship. Discussions focused on practical pathways to strengthen competitiveness, unlock transition-related investment opportunities and advance sustainable economic development across the Kingdom.

Yaser Alsharifi, Group Chief Executive Officer of BBK, said:

“Advancing sustainable finance requires a shared commitment to turning ambition into meaningful action. Through this roundtable, we brought together leaders from across the financial sector, government, and business community to explore practical opportunities for supporting Bahrain’s economic resilience and sustainability goals. At BBK, we believe financial institutions have an important role to play in enabling this transition by directing capital towards sustainable growth, supporting businesses, and creating long-term value. We remain committed to strengthening partnerships and developing financial solutions that contribute to a more resilient and sustainable economy.”

Panels on Scale and Impact

Two panel discussions formed the core of the afternoon. The first, “From Frameworks to Action – Strategies for Achieving Scale and Impact,” featured Joseph Ghorayeb, Chief Executive Officer and Head of Banking, Bahrain at HSBC Bank Middle East Limited; Zeeba Askar, Chief Executive Officer of Bahrain Association of Banks; Dr. Ahmed Taqi, Chief Retail Banking Officer at BBK; and Razan Bucheeri, Assistant Manager at SAFA. Naren Pasupalati, Manager, ESG at KPMG, moderated. The discussion examined strategies for scaling sustainable finance, strengthening collaboration and translating sustainability frameworks into practical action.

The second panel, “Financing SMEs for Sustainable Growth and National Development,” brought together Dalal AlQais, Group Chief Executive Officer of Bahrain Development Bank; Ebrahim Mashal, Group Chief Risk Officer at BBK; Mohamed Al A’Ali, Managing Director at United Enterprises; and Khalid AlBayat, Deputy Chief Executive of Program Design and Delivery at Tamkeen. Basim AlSaie, Chairman of the Board at Ghitha, moderated. Speakers focused on tailored financing solutions, advisory and capacity-building support, and practical approaches to strengthening SME financing in support of Bahrain’s economic diversification and sustainability objectives.

A Free Toolkit for Smaller Businesses

During the roundtable, BBK announced the launch of its free SME Toolkit, a new initiative aimed at supporting small and medium-sized enterprises in Bahrain. The announcement sits within the bank’s wider efforts to advance sustainable finance and contribute to the country’s economic development. It also reflects a theme that ran through the second panel: smaller firms need financing, knowledge and advisory support if they are to grow sustainably.

Mohamed Alaali, Group Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer at BBK, shared:

“This roundtable provided an important platform to move beyond discussion and focus on the practical steps needed to advance sustainable finance in Bahrain. A key priority is ensuring that businesses of all sizes, particularly SMEs, have access to the financial solutions, knowledge, and support needed to grow sustainably. The announcement of our free SME Toolkit reflects BBK’s commitment to strengthening the SME ecosystem and supporting businesses as they navigate an evolving economic landscape. By encouraging collaboration and innovation, we aim to help create new opportunities for sustainable growth across the Kingdom.”

Collaboration Across the Sector

The roundtable was organised as a joint effort between a bank and a sustainability platform, and its structure reflected that approach. Financial institutions, policymakers, business leaders and advisers shared a single stage, each addressing the same question from a different position: how to direct capital towards a greener, more resilient economy. With Bahrain’s 2060 net-zero ambition as the backdrop, the conversation stayed on practical steps rather than headline targets.

Laila Danesh, Chairperson of Sustainability Forum Middle East, stated:

“Accelerating Bahrain’s green transition requires strong collaboration between financial institutions, policymakers, and the private sector to translate sustainability ambitions into practical outcomes. This roundtable highlighted the importance of bringing these stakeholders together to exchange perspectives, identify opportunities, and address the challenges associated with financing sustainable growth. We are pleased to have partnered with BBK on this important initiative, which reflects our shared commitment to advancing meaningful dialogue and encouraging solutions that support economic resilience, innovation, and long-term sustainability in the Kingdom.”

The event leaves two concrete outcomes: a cross-sector discussion on scaling sustainable finance, and a free toolkit aimed at the smaller businesses that underpin Bahrain’s economic diversification.