In 1989, Citi Bahrain became the first international institution to set up an Islamic bank in the Arab world. More than 30 years later, Citi Bahrain will launch a global technology hub. Citi's move goes against the grain, while international institutions tend to operate their regional hubs to the UAE.
The hub spurs from a partnership between the government agency Tamkeen and Bahrain's Economic Development board. The main objective set by Citi Bahrain is to employ over 1,000 coders over the next decade to aid the country's technological transformation.
Why it matters
Citi will be investing in the local Bahraini population by hiring and training new coders who will then work for either City Velocity or City Fx Pulse.