Banking

Bahrain’s banking sector has managed two years of a challenging low oil-price environment without seeing significant deterioration in its financial stability indicators. Conventional lenders and Islamic financiers operating within the kingdom’s famously robust regulatory framework have also managed to maintain profitability throughout this period thanks to efficiency drives and continued government spending on large infrastructure projects. However, with the industry facing a third successive year of low oil prices, efforts to maintain growth margins are becoming more challenging.

This chapter contains an interview with Jean-Christophe Durand, CEO, National Bank of Bahrain.