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nineDots, which identifies itself as Bahrain’s only pure technology recruitment and outsourcing agency, has planted a deep regional flag in the kingdom, with founder and chief executive Cian Crosse affirming Manama as the ideal base for its Middle East expansion.
In an exclusive interview with the GDN, Mr Crosse – a third-generation family member born and raised in Bahrain – shared that the move was driven by the country’s unique blend of culture, government support, and market accessibility.
He highlighted that Bahrain’s appeal lies in its founder-friendly regulatory environment and size, which allows companies to build “relationships that matter”.
“The market’s collaborative, not cut-throat,” he added, noting that Bahrain reminds him of Ireland where reputation and good work travel fast.
Mr Crosse stressed the firm’s commitment to playing a “genuine part” in helping local companies grow and ensuring Bahrainis have access to global and local tech opportunities.
Key factors supporting nineDots’ decision to base its regional operations in Bahrain include the ability to prove a concept locally before scaling across the entire GCC.
The move is also bolstered by the strong foundation created by supporting organisations like the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB), Tamkeen, Bahrain FinTech Bay, and StartUp Bahrain. Furthermore, the company was attracted to the “shared sense of responsibility” across the ecosystem, where building successful businesses goes hand in hand with contributing to the kingdom’s wider progress.
To effectively bridge the operational and cultural gaps between Europe and the Gulf, nineDots onboarded Adam Kamal as regional manager for the Middle East.
Mr Kamal’s half-Bahraini, half-Irish background is described by Mr Crosse as a “cheat code” for translating the pace and communication nuances of both regions.
“To us, Bahrain is home, and we’re here to build something long-term, grounded in real relationships,” Mr Crosse said.
The firm plans to build a local team of around ten people over the next two years, with a major focus on hiring local university graduates to develop genuine tech industry careers within the recruitment sector.
Looking ahead over the next 12 to 24 months, Mr Crosse identified several key sectors driving the highest demand for tech talent.
Fintech, cloud, and cybersecurity are leading demand across the region, as modernisation efforts immediately create a need for strong security infrastructure.
There is also a significant surge in specialist engineering roles, including DevOps, platform, and API integration, which are essential for improving modern banking experiences.
In the realm of data and AI, demand for data engineers and machine learning operations talent is “quietly exploding” as most firms prioritise organising their data before fully implementing AI solutions.
Furthermore, many companies are now adopting flexible talent solutions, shifting towards staff augmentation and tech outsourcing to quickly secure specialist contractors for product builds without compromising quality.
Finally, the blockchain conversation has matured, moving away from previous speculative hype to focus on practical applications like tokenisation, compliance, and digital identity.
Mr Crosse concluded that the region’s appetite for innovation remains massive, but it is becoming “smarter and more grounded”.
avinash@gdnmedia.bh
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