Doing Business with Bahrain (Global Market Briefings)

Book Cover......Page 1
Title......Page 3
Copyright......Page 4
Contents......Page 5
List of Contributors......Page 22
Part One Country Background......Page 30
1.1 Geography and History......Page 32
1.2 The Political System......Page 35
1.3 Bahrain’s Economy......Page 40
1.4 Foreign Trade......Page 50
1.5 The Bahrain–US Free Trade Agreement......Page 59
Part Two The Investment Climate......Page 68
2.1 Current Strategies in Attracting Investment and Fostering Development......Page 70
2.2 Investment Flows in Bahrain......Page 77
2.3 The Development of Corporate Governance in Bahrain......Page 87
2.4 Living and Working in Bahrain......Page 93
2.5 Market Research in Bahrain......Page 98
Part Three Bahrain: The Regional Financial Hub......Page 104
3.1 Bahrain: The Financial Capital of the Middle East......Page 106
3.2 The Regulatory Framework for the Financial System......Page 113
3.3 Bahrain as an International Centre for Islamic Banking......Page 122
3.4 Retail Banking in Bahrain: An Overview......Page 132
3.5 Bahrain Financial Harbour: Reinforcing Bahrain’s Position as the Financial Capital of the Middle East......Page 138
3.6 Company Profile: Gulf Finance House......Page 145
3.7 Company Profile: Stratum......Page 149
Part Four Prospective Sectors for Investment......Page 154
4.1 The Oil and Gas Sector......Page 156
4.2 Bahrain’s Electricity Sector......Page 164
4.3 Bahrain’s Aluminium Industry......Page 167
4.4 Company Profile: Midal Cables......Page 176
4.5 Company Profile: Bahrain Atomisers International BSC......Page 181
4.6 Bahrain’s Telecommunications Sector......Page 187
4.7 Bahrain’s Telecommunications Sector: The Regulatory Framework......Page 193
4.8 Tourism Development......Page 199
4.9 The Residential Property Market......Page 208
4.10 The Commercial Property Market......Page 213
4.11 The Insurance Environment......Page 218
4.12 Company Profile: The Bahrain International Circuit......Page 227
Part Five Bahrain Business Guide......Page 232
5.1 The Legal Regime and Regulatory Environment for International Business......Page 234
5.2 Business Structures and Company Incorporation......Page 243
5.3 Accounting, Auditing and Taxation in Bahrain......Page 251
5.4 Employment Law and Work Permits for Foreigners......Page 259
5.5 Commercial Agency Agreements......Page 264
5.6 Legal Regulation of the Ownership of Land and Real Estate......Page 269
5.7 The Legal Environment and Settlement of Disputes......Page 271
5.8 Forms of Intellectual Property and their Registration......Page 275
Part Six Appendices......Page 282
Appendix I Transport Infrastructure......Page 284
Appendix II Contributor Contact Details......Page 290
Index......Page 298
Index of advertisers and sponsors......Page 308