Bahrain aviation investment opportunities highlighted to leading British companies

Manama, Mar. 31. (BNA) -- At a briefing arranged by UK Trade & Investment and the British Aviation Group (BAG) in London last week, HE Kamal bin Ahmed, Minister of Transportation and Acting Chief Executive of the Economic Development Board (EDB), spoke to over fifty British companies about the opportunities in Bahrain in the aviation and transportation sectors. The briefing, arranged in collaboration with the Bahrain Airport Company, included speeches and presentations by Alan Lamond, BAG Deputy Chairman; Mohamed Al Bin Falah, CEO of Bahrain Airport Company; Russ Dixon, Deputy Head of Mission - British Embassy in Bahrain; and Emma Parsons, Business Development Manager, EDB. The one-day event also included a series of one-to-one meetings with UK-based companies. The day aimed to familiarise British companies with the opportunities available in the Kingdom, particularly related to ongoing investment in the Kingdom’s aviation sector. HE Kamal bin Ahmed, Minister of Transportation and Acting Chief Executive of the EDB, said: "This event provided a strong platform to engage with key British businesses and showcase Bahrain’s unparalleled regional connectivity by road, sea, and air, as well as the opportunities created by the Kingdom’s ongoing investment in our core transport infrastructure. Our strategy will ensure that Bahrain continues to provide excellent connectivity across the region to support international investors looking to access the $1.5 trillion Gulf market." Russ Dixon, Deputy Head of Mission - British Embassy in Bahrain: "In 2016 we will be marking the 200th anniversary of friendship and strong bilateral relations between the United Kingdom and Bahrain, and UK companies have made a significant contribution to the advancement of key sectors such as logistics, engineering and aerospace. Today 7,000 Britons work in Bahrain, making it the largest European community of expatriates, and events such as this will help attract even more British companies to Bahrain." One of the most recent deals signed between Bahrain and UK in the aviation sector includes the signing of a $100million contract with Rolls Royce, to provide engine and maintenance support for Gulf Air’s existing fleet of Airbus A330’s. At the Bahrain International Airshow in January 2014, Bahrain’s Ministry of Transportation signed a BD 13 million agreement with Aéroport de Paris Ingérierie (ADPi) to serve as the design and engineering consultant for the Airport Modernisation Programme which, when completed, is expected to increase the airport’s capacity to 13.5 million passengers per year. Running alongside the Bahrain International Airshow was Great British Week, which saw 200 delegates and exhibitors participate with support coming from leading British companies such as Rolls Royce (Aero), BAE Systems and McLaren Automotive.