H.E. Mr. Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce, inaugurated the first branch of "Padel Kingdom", in Ramli, in the presence of Mr. Abdulla Ali Yateem, owner of Padel Kingdom companies, and a number of officials.

A friendly match was held on the sidelines of the opening ceremony, followed by an awarding of the winners. H.E. the Minister expressed the importance of supporting the private sector to expand the scope of existing projects in the Kingdom, and diversify their fields to keep pace with the different interests of society members, including sports projects, which are getting notably popular among different ages.

HE Mr. Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce affirmed the importance of developing the business sector in the Kingdom of Bahrain and attracting more local and international investments by easing procedures and developing laws and legislations that support conducting business in a way that ensures growth and sustainability.

This came during the launch of the 2024 MESAC Family Business Summit, which will be hosted by KPMG in the Middle East, South Asia and the Caspian Sea region, in the Kingdom of Bahrain on February 13 and 14, 2024 under the slogan "Preserving the Legacy" in family businesses across the region.

The summit will address important topics including preserving and renewing the legacy of family businesses, reinventing family businesses, the role of women in preserving family heritage, diversification while upholding family values, and emerging entrepreneurship that drives digital innovation within family businesses.

On the sidelines Summit, Mr. Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce, said that with their long history, family businesses represent an important part of the national economy and have a positive impact on the comprehensive development in the region, pointing to the constant keenness to provide support for small and medium enterprises and improve their strength and productivity, considering their prominent role in the national economic development.

His Excellency concluded "We are honored to host the Family Business Summit 2024, and we hope that this will be an opportunity to share leading practices across the region and beyond, and we look forward to continue building new partnerships and friendships that support the business sector."

Reflecting on the importance of Family Businesses within the global marketplace, Harish Gopinath, Head of KPMG Enterprise in the MESAC region stated, "The challenges and opportunities faced by family businesses in this region are unique and require tailored strategies to provide an intricate balance for business leaders to leverage their success for future growth, while also looking to sustain the legacy of their enterprise for future generations. The summit will provide a platform for participants to share insights and strategies, ensuring that they have a virtuous network to be support them in sustainable growth of their family legacies."

Generational transition and innovation; Women empowerment in Family Businesses; ESG integration in family business practices; Leveraging the Start-up/ Entrepreneurial mindset to drive Digital Innovation; and Cross-border collaborations are some of the key areas that reflect the most recent trends and diverse dynamics within family businesses in the MESAC region.

Jamal Fakhro, Managing Partner, KPMG in Bahrain stated, ‘We are truly honored to host the 2024 MESAC Family Business Summit in Bahrain this year. We look forward to welcoming the family members and senior business leaders who represent some of the largest and most progressive family businesses across the region. It is also an opportunity for us to recognize, showcase and engage with some of the leading Bahraini Family business leaders to understand how they have addressed specific challenges within their operations, and leverage critical growth opportunities to foster a platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange within the national marketplace."

 The 2024 MESAC Family Business Summit will take place at the Gulf Convention Centre, in the Kingdom of Bahrain and is scheduled for the 13-14 February 2024. It will be an opportunity for participants to learn from insightful presentations and discussions focusing on the latest trends and opportunities for family businesses; interact and engage with advisors and leaders from family-owned companies; connect and network with leaders of family businesses from across the region and like-minded professionals. The summit is particularly beneficial for owners of family-owned businesses, young emerging leaders taking on greater responsibilities within their family businesses, and directors or senior management of family-owned companies.

H.E. Minister of Industry and Commerce Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro stressed the role of the private sector and its initiatives and contributions in achieving economic growth.

This came during the inauguration of "Matrix" Gaming Zone in Juffair Mall in Manama, in the presence of MP H.E. Hasan Bokhamas and a number of officials.

The minister toured the location and listened to a detailed explanation of the technologies used in the center. His Excellency praised the high-quality technical level it offers in its gaming variety, with high international standards for family entertainment while providing diversity in recreational sports activities.

HE Mr. Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce, met with HE Eng. Ahmed Samir, Egypt's Minister of Industry and Trade, on the sidelines of the meetings of the Supreme Committee for Integrated Industrial Partnership for Sustainable Economic Development, currently being held in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

HE Fakhro stressed the depth of bilateral relations between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Arab Republic of Egypt, noting the importance of enhancing prospects of cooperation and joint work in various sectors, including enriching the economic sectors and exchanging expertise in the industrial and commercial fields.

The meeting also reviewed the support and efforts of both countries towards the development of the industrial and commercial sector, in addition to identifying the steps and programs being implemented in cooperation with the private sector to support this field and its growth.​

H.E. Mr. Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce, met with H.E. Mr. Yousef Mahmoud Al-Shemali, Jordanian Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply, on the sidelines of the meetings of the Supreme Committee for Integrated Industrial Partnership for Sustainable Economic Development, currently held in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

The Minister of Industry and Commerce affirmed the depth of bilateral relations between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, pointing to the importance of expanding cooperation and joint work, especially regarding supporting the economic sectors in general.

The meeting also discussed a number of issues of common interest, especially those focusing on joint economic relations, and ways to enhance and develop them to achieves common goals.​

Within the framework of the meetings of the Supreme Committee of the Integrated Industrial Partnership for Sustainable Economic Development in the Kingdom of Bahrain, the meeting of the Executive Committee of the Integrated Industrial Partnership was held today, chaired by H.E. Ms. Eman Ahmed Al-Doseri, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, with the participation of Committee members and chairmen, in addition to representatives of industrial companies in the Kingdom of Bahrain, the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, and Morocco.

The meeting included workshops and discussions on the topics of metals and automobiles, agriculture and food, petrochemicals, and pharmaceuticals. As well as a number of proposals and projects to prepare the final report to be presented to the Supreme Committee, regarding the latest achievements and proposals to develop and empower the industrial sector in these countries.​

H.E. Mr. Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro Minister of Industry and Commerce stressed the depth of the historical relations between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the UK, stressing the importance of enhancing cooperation in trade and investment by expanding trade exchange to develop competitiveness and trade and investment relations.

This came during a meeting between the Minister of Industry and Commerce Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro and RT Hon Greg Hands, British Minister of State for Trade Policy, and his accompanying delegation, in the presence of the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce Ms. Eman Ahmed Al Doseri, and a number of officials from both sides.

The Minister stressed Bahrain's keenness to enhance aspects of bilateral cooperation with the UK in all fields, especially trade, pointing to the important role of the private sector in both countries, which contributes significantly to achieving common goals.

For his part, the British Minister of State for Trade Policy praised Bahrain's role as a prominent economic center in the region and expressed his desire to further enhance bilateral cooperation.​

​The Joint Economic Committee between the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry held its 42^nd meeting at the BCCI headquarters, where the Ministry's side was chaired by H.E. Mr. Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce, and the BCCI's side was chaired by its Chairman H.E. Mr. Sameer Nass, in the presence of a number of officials and members of the Joint Economic Committee from both sides.

On this occasion, His Excellency Fakhro stressed the great role played by the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, pointing out that the meetings of the joint economic committee come from the Ministry's adopted approach in cooperation, coordination, and consultation with the Chamber in all common topics. Expressing his continuous support for all initiatives that contribute to developing the economic sector in the Kingdom of Bahrain, with constant coordination with the Chamber as a representative of the sector.

For his part, H.E. Mr. Sameer Nass, Chairman of Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, affirmed that concerted efforts between the public and private sectors are the best way to enhance various development paths and increase contribution to the national economy, indicating that the Chamber's Board of Directors and its permanent committees are keen to cooperate with various ministries and government bodies related to economic affairs to achieve interdependence and integration to reach the desired goals of comprehensive economic development, noting the efforts of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce in serving the commercial street by developing its system and updating initiatives according to the latest global economic standards.

Furthermore, the meeting discussed a number of topics, including: the Green Factory Seal, developments of the Integrated Industrial Partnership Meetings hosted by the Kingdom of Bahrain, as well as a visual presentation on the Implementation Lab project, and a number of topics of strategic importance to promote the industrial and commercial sectors in Bahrain and achieve sustainable growth, in addition to recommendations that will enhance the business environment, attract investments and promote trade.