BAHRAIN Trends and Developments Contributed by: Noor Hassan Radhi, Fatima Al Ali and Saifuddin Mahmood, Hassan Radhi & Associates
to the global business community. International legal experts specialising in commercial laws sit as judges in this court. Notably, the BICC allows appeals to be heard by a designated body of the Singaporean judici - ary, providing an additional layer of judicial oversight. The BICC operates under optional jurisdiction, allow - ing parties to contractually agree to submit their dis - putes to its jurisdiction. It is worth noting that in 2009, the Bahrain Chamber for Dispute Resolution was established as a specialised court with mandatory jurisdiction handling disputes exceeding a specific threshold involving international commercial matters. Additionally, in 2015, Bahrain adopted the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration aligning with international arbitration standards, while it has been a signatory to the New York Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards since 1988. Bahrain continually revises the laws with the aim of enhancing commercial dispute resolution mecha - nisms, to increase familiarity and predictability and to strengthen investor confidence. Current M&A Landscape in Bahrain Bahrain’s M&A sector has been experiencing dynamic activity, with an increase in M&A, including cross-bor - der M&A, IPOs and deal-making, particularly in the financial services sector, which has witnessed signifi - cant consolidation efforts to enhance operational effi - ciency and market share. M&A transactions continue to maintain strong momentum. Some notable recent M&A deals in Bahrain are outlined below. Insurance sector In 2024, Solidarity Bahrain B.S.C. completed the acquisition of 100% of the issued and paid-up ordi - nary shares of Al Hilal Life B.S.C.(c) and its subsidiary, Al Hilal Takaful B.S.C.(c), from Ahli United Bank B.S.C. In 2025, Solidarity Bahrain B.S.C. and Bahrain Nation - al Holding Company (BNH) signed sale and purchase agreements for Solidarity Bahrain to acquire 100% of the issued share capital of BNH’s wholly-owned sub - sidiaries Bahrain National Insurance Company (BNI) and Bahrain National Life Assurance Company (BNL).
Accordingly, Solidarity Bahrain B.S.C. completed the acquisition of 100% shares in Bahrain BNI and BNL in April 2025. These transactions strengthen the company’s position in the insurance and takaful industry, and contribute to the overall stability and competitiveness of Bahrain’s financial services sector. Banking sector Kuwait Finance House (KFH) successfully acquired Ahli United Bank in 2022, resulting in a combined entity with an expanded presence in 12 countries. Fol - lowing the acquisition, KFH merged with Ahli United Bank Kuwait in February 2024. In May 2024, Al Salam Bank completed the acquisi - tion of Kuwait Finance House Bahrain (KFH Bahrain) from Kuwait Finance House Group. The consolida - tion of KFH Bahrain resulted in accelerating market share acquisition and enhanced the bank’s offerings. The transaction underscores the commitment towards bolstering Bahrain’s position as a leading Islamic financial centre in the region. HSBC completed divestment of its Bahrain retail banking operations to Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK) in 2025. This is a strategic restructuring move that highlights consolidation in the banking sector. The National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) and BBK have embarked on discussions regarding a potential merg - er. A successful merger would create a significant banking entity in Bahrain. This consolidation aligns with Bahrain’s efforts to strengthen its banking sector. As per the latest public discloser on 2 February 2026, BBK, together with the NBB, announced the appoint - ment of a joint commercial due diligence adviser in connection with the potential merger between the two institutions. Industrial sector In February 2025, the Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma’aden) completed the acquisition of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation’s (SABIC) 20.62% stake in Alu - minium Bahrain (Alba).
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