Interviews

Khalid Al Rumaihi is the Executive Chairman of the Amriya Group W.L.L. based in Bahrain.

Al Rumaihi begins his interview by describing his childhood and education. After completing his studies in the United States, he joined Chase Manhattan, and in 2000, he moved back to Bahrain while continuing his job at JP Morgan. In 2002, he joined the institutional sales division of the private equity firm Investcorp but, after a decade, left this job to redevelop his father’s hotel business. Describing the hotel's features, he shares insights into the hotel’s expansion and customer base, which is dominated by Saudi tourists.

The interview moves to Al Rumaihi’s public service in Bahrain. In 2015, he took on the role of CEO of the Economic Development Board, developing it to attract foreign direct investment into the country. In 2019, he became the CEO of the sovereign wealth fund, managing investments for Bahrain’s economic development. He discusses how the availability of local workforce and marketing the country as a gateway to the region helped overcome the challenge of its relatively smaller size and population. Around this time, Al Rumaihi also became the Chairman of the Bahrain Development Bank, which extended credit to small businesses. As the Chairman, he created a technology fund to support technology startups. In the interview, Al Rumaihi also shares his thoughts on the country’s technology sector and the contemporary youth’s gravitation towards entrepreneurship.

Discussing the effect of the geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, Al Rumaihi shares how Bahrain’s smaller size makes it attractive as a neutral gateway to the region. Talking about women in Bahrain’s workforce, he explains that the country’s policies make it feasible for them to work, and their competency and work ethic make them highly employable. He further discusses the challenges and opportunities he experienced during his tenure at the sovereign wealth fund. The COVID pandemic began shortly after Al Rumaihi began his tenure, and the fund needed to utilize its wealth in smarter investments for the country’s economic development. He then talks about the jobs in Bahrain’s oil and gas sector and the exploration of green technology, particularly solar energy.

Discussing his leadership style, Al Rumaihi says that he limits his involvement to 4 or 5 boards and engages in executive and non-executive roles differently, delegating tasks efficiently. He concludes the interview by sharing his views on the responsibility of business to society which, in his view, consists of ensuring the well-being of his guests and employees and making meaningful societal contributions.

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