Howden eyes major expansion in the Gulf with launch of Howden Bahrain

International insurance broker  Howden has received a regulatory license from the Central Bank of Bahrain to establish operations in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The move represents a significant step in Howden’s strategic growth ambitions for the Gulf region.

The establishment of Howden Bahrain adds another key territory to Howden’s footprint in the Gulf, with existing operations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Oman. It will provide a full range of insurance broking and risk advisory services across multiple risk sectors including aviation, construction, energy, financial institutions, marine, property & casualty, employee benefits and specialty lines.

“Howden has operated in the Gulf for over a decade, and we were attracted to the Kingdom of Bahrain due to its reputation for being business friendly, combined with its comprehensive regulatory environment and the availability of experienced and talented local individuals,” said David Howden (pictured), chief executive officer of Howden.

“Our goal is to provide choice for clients in Bahrain and the wider Gulf region. We are eager to grow our existing territorial presence and develop a range of specialist solutions, and look forward to building one of the leading brokers in the region, combining our international platform with local expertise,” he added.

Adam Knights, executive director and chief executive officer of Howden Bahrain, said: “I am delighted to be involved in this new and exciting venture here in Bahrain, which has been my home for 26 years. Howden Bahrain will provide Bahraini clients with personalised insurance solutions bolstered by Howden’s specialist expertise, data and analytics and technological capabilities. Our engagements with multiple renowned Bahraini enterprises have encouraged us that there is ample opportunity for an alternative insurance broker to provide services in the Kingdom, and our strategy will be to grow a sizeable market share by adding value to Bahraini clients using our international capabilities and by attracting and developing local talent.”

Dalal Buhejji, executive director of business development for financial services at the Bahrain Economic Development Board, commented: “We are thrilled to see Howden enter the market benefiting from Bahrain’s earned reputation as the region’s most established financial hub with a forward-looking business ecosystem. In line with the Financial Services Sector Development Strategy under the Kingdom’s Economic Recovery Plan which outlines an overall objective to increase the financial services sector’s contribution to GDP to 20% by 2026, further developing Bahrain’s insurance subsector is a vital deliverable alongside five priorities. Attracting leading players in the likes of Howden to set up operations in Bahrain is another positive step towards realising this target.”

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