The third edition of Gateway Gulf 2025, hosted by the Bahrain Economic Development Board (Bahrain EDB), has concluded with landmark partnerships and agreements valued at over $17 billion. Stemming from more than 60 deals made over the two-day flagship investment forum, the event reinforces the Kingdom’s position as a strategic hub for investment and innovation in the Gulf.
Held under the theme “Rethinking Global Investment for New Trade Dynamics,” the forum attracted over 200 ministers and global business leaders to explore vast investment opportunities in the Kingdom and the wider region. In his welcome remarks, Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa, Minister of Finance and National Economy, positioned the island nation as a ‘bridge between East and West’ confidently stepping into “the age of intelligence.”
Golden Licenses Accelerate Strategic Projects
A central highlight of the forum was the Golden License initiative, which saw four strategic projects awarded the special status designed to fast-track significant investments. The new recipients include:
- Beyon and Oracle: A partnership to launch a sovereign cloud data centre for clients using Oracle applications.
- Binaa Al Bahrain: Strategic urban living developments aimed at supporting Bahrain’s sustainable progress and modernization ambitions.
- Arla Foods: A new product line expansion for the multinational dairy company, positioning it as the second-largest dairy maker in the region.
- Foulath: An expansion of an existing facility to develop a solar project, led by the industrial holding company.
Additionally, previously awarded Golden License projects provided key updates, with the National Bank of Kuwait announcing the groundbreaking of its first international headquarters in the Kingdom and Bahrain Titanium commencing construction of its titanium production facility.
Key Partnerships and Announcements
The forum served as a platform for a series of monumental announcements across Bahrain’s five non-oil priority sectors: Financial Services, ICT, Manufacturing, Logistics, and Tourism.
Notable agreements included Capital A signing a Letter of Intent to explore establishing Bahrain as AirAsia’s Middle East hub, and Aluminium Bahrain (ALBA) forming a strategic partnership with Shandong Innovation Group (SIG) and BlueFive Capital to strengthen the GCC-Asia trade corridor.
Other significant announcements featured Investcorp completing USD 1.2 billion in investments in the first quarter of fiscal year 2026, Al Salam Bank celebrating a year of significant growth in Assets Under Management for its ASB Capital arm, and Beyon Solutions partnering with Gulf Air Group and Oracle to fast-track a unified ERP strategy and launch Bahrain’s first AI-ready Sovereign HyperCloud.
About Gateway Gulf
Gateway Gulf is a flagship investment forum hosted by the Bahrain Economic Development Board. It serves as a crucial platform to showcase Bahrain as an agile, business-friendly gateway to the wider Gulf region by bringing together key decision-makers, global business leaders, and investors to explore high-growth opportunities in the Kingdom and beyond.
Source: Zawya
