Business – PowerUp City Magazine

Qatari “Himyan” Card Support Expands to Bahrain Retail and Tourism Sectors

Riza Castillo — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 12:15:56 +0000

MANAMA, Bahrain. Qatari visitors to Bahrain can now use their national debit card for retail purchases and cash withdrawals across the kingdom, following a new regional payment integration.

The Qatar Central Bank announced Thursday that its national payment card, Himyan, is officially accepted at all Bahraini points of sale and ATMs.

The expansion aims to simplify cross-border transactions and encourage regional travel and commerce within the Gulf Cooperation Council. Bahrain is the second GCC nation to support the card, following a similar rollout in Kuwait.

For local businesses and premium brands in Bahrain, the integration opens up a smoother shopping experience for Qatari tourists, who represent a significant segment of the kingdom’s luxury and hospitality market.

The Himyan card is Qatar’s first homegrown payment brand, designed by its central bank to provide secure digital transactions.

Faalyat and Casta Diva Forge Strategic Partnership

Carl John Violeta — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 07:03:17 +0000

A new chapter in the region’s experience economy has begun as Faalyat and Casta Diva Group announce a strategic partnership that brings together regional expertise and global creative excellence to redefine how immersive experiences are conceived, designed, and delivered across the GCC.

The collaboration marks a significant milestone for both organisations, combining Faalyat’s deep understanding of regional markets, strong executional capabilities, and established presence across the Gulf with Casta Diva Group’s internationally recognised creative network, award-winning storytelling expertise, and global experience in delivering world-class productions.

Built on a shared vision for innovation, creativity, and meaningful audience engagement, the partnership aims to elevate the standards of experience architecture throughout the region. Together, the two organisations will develop and deliver transformative experiences that connect brands, communities, and audiences through powerful storytelling and innovative event solutions.

As the GCC continues to emerge as a global hub for tourism, entertainment, culture, and major international events, the demand for impactful, memorable, and immersive experiences has never been greater. Through this partnership, Faalyat and Casta Diva Group are positioned to meet that demand by combining local insight with international perspective, creating experiences that resonate both regionally and globally.

Faalyat’s proven track record in delivering large-scale events and strategic initiatives across Bahrain and the wider GCC provides a strong foundation for the collaboration. Paired with Casta Diva Group’s global creative expertise and extensive international network, the partnership creates new opportunities for innovation, cross-border collaboration, and creative excellence.

Beyond event delivery, the alliance represents a commitment to pushing the boundaries of experience architecture. By integrating strategic thinking, creative storytelling, audience engagement, and flawless execution, the partnership seeks to create moments that leave lasting impressions and generate meaningful impact.

The collaboration also reflects a broader ambition to contribute to the evolution of the region’s creative and experiential landscape. Through shared knowledge, international best practices, and a forward-looking approach to innovation, Faalyat and Casta Diva Group aim to help shape the future of live experiences, destination activations, cultural initiatives, and brand engagement across the GCC.

As both organisations look ahead, this strategic partnership stands as a testament to the power of collaboration in driving growth, creativity, and transformation. With a shared commitment to excellence and a vision for what the future of experiences can be, Faalyat and Casta Diva Group are poised to deliver a new generation of immersive, world-class experiences that inspire audiences and redefine expectations throughout Bahrain and the wider region.

Together, they are not only creating events; they are building the future of experience architecture in the GCC.

Inside the New BBK Sustainability Report and What it Means for Local Business

Riza Castillo — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 13:12:12 +0000

MANAMA, Bahrain. The Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK) has released its 2025 Sustainability Report, detailing significant strides in environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices and signaling a clear change in the kingdom’s corporate landscape.

The Green Standard for Premium Brands

Modern luxury requires strong value alignment. Premium brands increasingly prefer to partner with socially responsible institutions. BBK’s latest milestones highlight the growing influence of sustainable finance in Bahrain, empowering eco-conscious travelers, corporate professionals and local merchants to make informed business choices.

Impact and Innovation

BBK Group Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer Mohamed Alaali noted the past year brought strengthened governance and expanded digital capabilities. Standout achievements include 188 million Bahraini dinars in sustainable finance assets, a 39% reduction in paper consumption and a 2.4 million dinar investment directly into local community initiatives.

Fostering Inclusive and Local Growth

The institution is taking direct action on inclusive growth. Women now make up 42% of the workforce, and independent directors account for roughly 60% of the board. To ensure seamless service continuity, the bank also recently integrated employees from the former HSBC Bank Middle East retail branch.

Community development remains a clear priority. Over the last year, BBK engaged 640 local suppliers and broke ground on a new health center in Galali.

Powering Up Environmental Action

BBK launched a Sustainable Finance Framework designed to align its funding with international standards. This initiative directly fuels renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure projects across Bahrain. The bank also recently issued its first Climate Risk Position Statement and collected 755 kilograms of electronic waste through an internal campaign, reinforcing a strong commitment to green finance.

The full report is available on BBK’s website at [www.bbkonline.com/sustainability].

The Power of Showing Up

Brent Domingo — Fri, 15 May 2026 07:39:44 +0000

In a recent conversation with Mr. Wassim Elsayegh, founder of Kickstart Bahrain and Melqart Co., the focus shifted quickly from business to perspective. Against the backdrop of ongoing tension in the region, he spoke about something quieter but more defining: the discipline of showing up and why continuity matters most when conditions are uncertain.

There is a moment every founder recognizes, though few speak about it. It is not the launch day or the funding announcement. It is the slower stretch in between, when emails stall, approvals take longer than expected, and momentum feels just out of reach. Nothing is broken, yet nothing moves quickly. In Bahrain, where business culture has long favored patience over spectacle, this moment is not seen as a failure. It is part of the process, one that quietly shapes how businesses endure.

For the team behind Kickstart and Melqart, that space is where the real work happens. “Continuity is not something big or dramatic,” he says. “It’s actually very simple; it’s showing up every day and making sure things keep moving.” In a landscape often dominated by the language of scale and speed, this perspective feels almost countercultural. Yet it reflects a deeper truth: progress is rarely loud. More often, it is built through consistency, through systems that hold even when momentum slows.

Clarity over Complexity

What emerges is not just a workspace or a service model but an ecosystem designed to remove friction. Kickstart becomes the visible layer, the energy, the conversations, and the daily presence of founders building side by side. Melqart operates behind the scenes, handling the structures that make businesses real.

“Most founders don’t wake up thinking, ‘I need an office,’” he explains. “They’re thinking about how to start, how to grow, how to make things work.” When both sides are connected, the path forward becomes clearer, less fragmented, and far more human.

What has shifted in recent years is not ambition, but intention. Founders are thinking differently now, more measured, more deliberate. “There’s less talk about scaling fast and more about staying sustainable,” he notes. It shows in the way decisions are made, less experimentation, more purpose. Less urgency for speed, more focus on building something that lasts.

"Composure, not chaos, defines the modern builder."

A NEW FOUNDER MINDSET

Scaling fast to building sustainably
Chasing momentum to creating structure
From noise to clarity and control

“Continuity is quiet progress, even when things aren’t perfect.”

The Discipline of Continuity

In this environment, the role of an incubator evolves. It is no longer just a launchpad. It becomes a constant, a place that supports founders not only in moments of growth but also in moments of uncertainty.

“Sometimes what founders need most is not acceleration, but reassurance and guidance,” he says. That shift, subtle but significant, changes what success looks like. It becomes less about how quickly something rises and more about how well it holds. And perhaps that is where Bahrain distinguishes itself. There is a calmness in how businesses take shape here, a sense of practicality that resists excess. “It’s not about chasing hype,” he reflects. “It’s more about building something real, something stable, something that can last.”

In the end, continuity is not a strategy. It is a discipline. A decision made daily, often without recognition. But over time, it becomes the difference between something that starts and something that stays.

Bahrain’s Online Influence Landscape Shifts With Instagram’s New Changes

Carl John Violeta — Thu, 07 May 2026 16:34:44 +0000

Instagram is continuing its push toward a more authentic and healthier digital environment through the rollout of new moderation tools and stronger action against fake accounts and automated bots. One of the platform’s most talked-about developments is the addition of a private dislike button for Instagram comments. However, the feature remains under limited testing and has not been fully released to all users worldwide. The move comes alongside broader efforts by Meta to reduce spam, improve conversation quality, and encourage more genuine engagement across the app.

Unlike traditional dislike systems on other social media platforms, Instagram’s feature applies only to comments and not to posts themselves. Users can privately indicate that a comment may be irrelevant, misleading, toxic, or unhelpful without showing a visible dislike counter to the public. The goal is to improve moderation and comment ranking while avoiding unnecessary public negativity or targeted online attacks.

For Bahrain, where Instagram has become deeply connected to lifestyle culture, food trends, entertainment, tourism, influencer marketing, and local businesses, these updates could play an important role in shaping healthier and more authentic online communities.

The comment dislike feature could help reduce spam comments, scam promotions, fake giveaways, and harmful interactions that often appear under viral content, public pages, and business accounts. For Bahraini users, this may create cleaner discussions and a more positive experience across the platform.

At the same time, Instagram has intensified efforts to remove fake accounts and automated bot networks. These accounts are commonly used to inflate follower counts, manipulate engagement statistics, and create artificial online influence. By reducing fake activity, Instagram aims to prioritize creators and businesses that build real audience trust and meaningful community engagement.

For Bahraini businesses, this shift could offer significant advantages.

Restaurants, cafés, gyms, fashion brands, startups, and local entrepreneurs across Bahrain rely heavily on Instagram to connect with customers and market their products and services. A stronger focus on authentic engagement may allow smaller businesses to compete more fairly instead of being overshadowed by accounts boosted through artificial interactions and inflated numbers.

The changes may also strengthen confidence in Bahrain’s growing influencer and digital marketing industry. Brands and advertisers are increasingly prioritizing creators who generate genuine audience interaction rather than simply large follower counts. This could help encourage a more sustainable creator economy centered around quality content, trusted communities, and long-term credibility.

For Bahraini content creators, Instagram’s evolving systems may reward originality, consistency, and audience connection. Creators who focus on authentic storytelling and community-driven content could benefit as users become more selective about the accounts they choose to follow and engage with.

The impact could extend beyond Bahrain into the wider Gulf region.

Neighboring countries such as Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Qatar continue investing heavily in tourism, entertainment, technology, and creator-focused industries. Social media platforms remain central to shaping consumer trends, digital business growth, and public engagement across the region.

As Instagram strengthens moderation systems and anti-bot enforcement, businesses throughout the Gulf may increasingly prioritize audience trust, engagement quality, and long-term brand reputation over inflated metrics and viral numbers alone.

Another major factor is the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and automated online behavior. As AI-generated content becomes more widespread globally, platforms like Instagram are under increasing pressure to protect authentic human interaction. Bahrain’s growing digital economy could benefit from a cleaner and more transparent online environment that values credibility and genuine engagement.

The private nature of the comment dislike feature may also help maintain healthier conversations without encouraging public hostility. Since dislike counts are not visible, the system focuses more on improving discussion quality rather than publicly embarrassing users or fueling online pile-ons.

Ultimately, Instagram’s latest changes reflect a broader shift taking place across the digital world. Authenticity, transparency, and meaningful interaction are becoming increasingly important in a social media landscape once dominated by inflated numbers and artificial engagement.

For Bahrain, these developments could help strengthen online communities, support local businesses, and encourage a more trustworthy creator ecosystem built on real audience connection and genuine influence.

BRAVE CF Launches “BRAVE Hearts” Initiative to Support Local Businesses

Carl John Violeta — Tue, 05 May 2026 15:54:23 +0000

BRAVE Combat Federation is stepping beyond the cage and into the business community with the launch of “BRAVE Hearts,” a new initiative focused on supporting local businesses through free professional services and consultations.

Known globally for putting Bahrain on the international MMA map, BRAVE CF is now channeling its platform and network toward entrepreneurship, innovation, and community development. The initiative aims to help small and medium-sized businesses strengthen their operations by providing access to expertise in marketing, finance, IT, business strategy, and consultation services which is all free of charge.

The program is designed to assist businesses that may have strong ideas and products but limited access to professional support systems. Through BRAVE Hearts, participating businesses will receive guidance from experienced professionals who can help improve visibility, operational efficiency, branding, and long-term sustainability.

The move reflects a broader vision from BRAVE CF to create impact outside of sports. While the organization has built its reputation through international events, athlete development, and global expansion, BRAVE Hearts signals a growing commitment to community-focused initiatives that directly benefit Bahrain’s local economy and entrepreneurial ecosystem.

In recent years, Bahrain has continued encouraging innovation, startups, and SME growth as part of its wider economic diversification goals. Initiatives like BRAVE Hearts align with that direction by creating practical support opportunities for businesses navigating competitive markets and rapid digital transformation.

The initiative is also expected to create stronger connections between sports, business, and community development. By using its brand reach and professional network, BRAVE CF is positioning itself not only as a sports organization, but also as a platform capable of creating meaningful social and economic impact.

For many local businesses, access to expert consultation services can often come with high costs. BRAVE Hearts removes that barrier and opens the door for entrepreneurs and business owners to gain insights that could help them scale, modernize, or improve their market presence.

As BRAVE CF continues expanding internationally, BRAVE Hearts adds another dimension to the organization’s identity which is one focused on giving back, strengthening local businesses, and building long-term community value beyond fight night.

Non Oil Sector Leads Bahrain’s 2025 Economic Growth

Riza Castillo — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 17:03:38 +0000

Manama, Bahrain | April 13, 2026

Bahrain’s non oil sector continued to drive economic growth in 2025, according to the latest Economic Report released by the Ministry of Finance and National Economy and published on its official website (www.mofne.gov.bh).

According to preliminary national accounts data from the Information and eGovernment Authority, Bahrain’s GDP at constant prices grew by 3.5 percent year on year in 2025, supported by a 4.1 percent increase in non oil activities, while oil related activity recorded a slight decline of 0.3 percent.

At current prices, GDP rose by 3.7 percent, with non-oil sectors expanding by 5.3 percent, offsetting a 5.7 percent contraction in the oil sector.

Growth accelerated toward the end of the year. In the fourth quarter of 2025, GDP at constant prices increased by 4.6 percent year-on-year, driven by a 7.4 percent rise in non-oil activities. During the same period, oil activity declined by 12.3 percent.

📈 Non-Oil Sector Strengthens Its Share

Non-oil activities continued to play a leading role in Bahrain’s economy, accounting for 85.8 percent of GDP at constant prices in 2025.

Several sectors recorded notable gains:

Professional, scientific, and technical activities: +6.4%
Accommodation and food services: +6.4%
Financial and insurance activities: +5.6%
Construction: +5.0%
Transportation and storage: +4.7%
Real estate: +4.3%
Wholesale and retail trade: +4.2%
Education: +4.0%
Manufacturing: +3.7%

The report also highlighted a 1.8 percent year-on-year increase in inward foreign direct investment in Q4 2025, bringing total FDI stock to BHD 17.7 billion.

🌍 Global Rankings Reflect Economic Progress

Bahrain continues to advance across global economic and digital competitiveness indicators.

The Kingdom ranked first globally in e-commerce legislation in the Network Readiness Index 2025, published by the Portulans Institute.

It also placed third globally in the Business Incentives pillar of the Innovators Business Environment Index 2026, released by StartupBlink.

In addition, Bahrain maintained its Group A classification in the GovTech Maturity Index 2025 issued by the World Bank Group, ranking 15th globally out of 197 countries.

UAE–Bahrain Currency Swap: A Quiet Power Move

Carl John Violeta — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Not every major financial move makes noise. Some work in the background shaping stability, trade, and how money flows across borders.

The Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates and Central Bank of Bahrain have signed a AED 20 billion ($5.4 billion) currency swap agreement, allowing both countries to exchange dirhams and dinars over five years.

At its core, the deal strengthens liquidity and supports smoother trade. But its real value goes beyond that.

What It Means for the Region

This agreement helps both countries:

Support each other during financial pressure
Enable more transactions in local currencies
Reduce reliance on the US dollar
Strengthen overall economic stability

It is less about immediate change, more about long-term resilience.

What It Means for Residents

You will not feel it overnight, but the impact builds over time:

💸 Lower transfer friction between UAE and Bahrain
🛍️ Smoother cross-border payments and trade
📈 Stronger business environment and opportunities
🏦 Better financial protection during uncertainty

This is not a loud move, but it is a strategic one.

It strengthens the financial system, supports growth, and builds a more stable foundation for both countries — quietly shaping the future of how the region operates.

BFLC Seals Truffle Deal After Green Light

Riza Castillo — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 14:45:45 +0000

Manama, Bahrain – 6 April 2026:

Bahrain’s food and hospitality scene is stepping into something bigger.

Bahrain Family Leisure Company (BFLC) has officially approved a deal to bring Truffle Hospitality into its business after getting the green light from regulators.

This isn’t just another business deal. It’s about building something stronger, together.

With this move, more than 20 food brands now sit under one group. That includes everything from casual dining spots and cafés to food production and catering. Instead of operating separately, they will now run as one system.

And that’s where the real shift happens.

Behind the scenes, a shared platform will handle things like finance, hiring, and supply chains. It may sound simple, but this kind of setup helps businesses run smoother, cut waste, and grow faster without losing control.

For Truffle, joining a listed company gives them a more solid structure and room to expand across the region. For BFLC, it’s a step toward building a bigger, more connected food business that can keep up with demand.

At the heart of it, this is about moving forward without starting over.

Instead of building new brands from scratch, they are combining what already works and making it stronger. It’s a reminder that growth isn’t always about doing more. Sometimes, it’s about doing things better together.

And in a fast-changing industry like hospitality, that kind of steady, smart growth is what lasts.

Bapco Energies Activates Contingency Plans After Refinery Attack

PowerUpAdmin — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 10:45:11 +0000

Bapco Energies, the Kingdom of Bahrain’s integrated energy company, has declared a force majeure on parts of its group operations following the recent attack on its refinery complex amid the ongoing regional tensions in the Middle East.

The announcement comes after the refinery facilities were impacted during the escalation, prompting the company to activate emergency response and contingency measures to protect operations and ensure supply continuity.

Despite the disruption, Bapco Energies confirmed that fuel and energy supplies for Bahrain’s domestic market remain fully secure, thanks to proactive planning and strategic reserves designed to safeguard the Kingdom’s energy needs during unforeseen circumstances.

According to the company, the contingency plans already in place have ensured that local demand continues to be met without interruption, allowing essential services, industries, and transportation networks across Bahrain to operate normally.

Bapco Energies emphasized that the declaration of force majeure is a standard contractual measure used during extraordinary events that may temporarily affect operational obligations. The move allows the company to manage supply commitments while addressing operational challenges caused by the regional situation.

As Bahrain’s national energy company, Bapco Energies plays a critical role in managing the Kingdom’s refining, energy transition initiatives, and fuel supply infrastructure. The company operates one of the region’s most strategic refinery complexes in Sitra and continues to lead several modernization and sustainability projects within Bahrain’s energy sector.

The company also reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining strong relationships with its partners, customers, and stakeholders during this period.

Bapco Energies stated it will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updates as more information becomes available, while working to maintain operational resilience and energy security across the Kingdom.