The Bahrain Insurance Association should ensure that there are enough providers, diversity and depth of knowledge for the staff of its members to be able to have choice and find the right level of training from local institutions with international accreditation. The BIA would not be working towards the interest of all its members if it does not encourage choice and even more worse if it attaches itself to one institution. The Authorities should ensure freedom of choice but impose that education and training are provided. Investing in people will always bare fruit and it should be a pride for any insurance company to be able to demonstrate that it has a high percentage of qualified employees.

5. What are your plans for 2010?

BNI will continue to invest in its resources and continue to build a geographically spread portfolio. Growth demands that the Group looks outside Bahrain especially if the indigenous market continues to entertain very low unsustainable prices. We will continue to bring to the market new comprehensive packaged products easy to sell and develop other distribution methods which are more amenable to our present and potential clientele. We want to differentiate ourselves not only by price but by the quality of service and promptness and equitability of servicing our claimants. We will continue to pursue the more difficult areas of professional liability insurances. Our capacities have been expanded to territories outside the GCC including in some cases North Africa and we will be prudently exploiting opportunities in these regards. Needless to say Bahrain does remain an important market for us and we will continue to assert our leadership.

6. Reflecting on the Gulf Insurance Forum held in Bahrain, would you like to see more insurance conferences being held in the Kingdom? It is no secret that contrary to the lack of participation at some events in other parts of the region, every conference held in Bahrain seems to always be a hit and well attended. Why is that do you believe?

It is important that we do not inundate ourselves with too much conferences, speaking and delving on the same topics, issues or solutions. It is well known that regular and numerous conferences have a reputation of offering only executive holidays to the participants and no other added value. I hope that Bahrain will not fall in the same league. The events in Bahrain are successful and well attended as they are well spread, well organized and not too frequent. Besides being a beautiful island its hospitality industry is on of the best in the Gulf and has an attraction for international expatriates.

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