VETERAN businessman and former Shura Council member Darwish Ahmed Al Mannai has released his comprehensive memoirs, ‘A Journey of Giving’, a landmark personal history chronicling the economic and legislative foundation of modern Bahrain.
In an exclusive interview with the GDN, Mr Al Mannai detailed why the book – now translated into English for global accessibility – is a crucial public record. The book, which he believes will appeal to business readers, documents his simultaneous service across government, economic, and social sectors. A significant portion details his work within the Shura Council, particularly his tenure on the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee. It highlights his role in shaping national economic policy and legislation by detailing specific proposals and debates he was involved in.
“I am a witness to the beginnings of the establishment of the modern Bahraini state,” Mr Al Mannai said, recalling his return home in 1971, the same year Bahrain joined the United Nations. He emphasised that his life’s philosophy is rooted in dedication to nation-building and combining professional expertise with ethical service.
Mr Al Mannai’s path was set early when he experienced the loss of his father at a young age, an event he says “did not stop me from continuing the path of success.” This personal determination led him to pursue higher studies in the UK, Egypt, and, later, National Economic Management at the World Bank in the United States during the early 1970s.
He takes pride in his foundational role in building the modern state by “laying many of the first foundations for the state,” specifically by establishing financial and accounting frameworks. He achieved this by transferring the “best global experiences in management and accounting to Bahrain,” and the impact was immediate.
Mr Al Mannai recalled that he kickstarted financial reforms by taking over the Budget Department from a British official and successfully suggested the state budget cycle be extended from one year to two – a system that “continues to be applied to this day.”
As the first Bahraini chief accountant in the Electricity and Water Department, he demonstrated remarkable foresight by designing an electronic bill that combined electricity, water, and municipality rates into a single, efficient ‘Three Rates’ bill. The author also became the first Bahraini Fellow Member of the Chartered Management Institute – Britain in 1986.
After launching Al Mannai Trading and Investment Company in 1976, he became an innovator in the private sector: he was the first to introduce bowling equipment and pioneered modern hydroponics farming systems for crops in the 1980s. He also established two major industrial facilities that became leaders: an aluminium factory and GlassTech Industries, the largest glass tempering plant in Bahrain.
Rooted in a distinguished family – which includes his grandfather, the late Salem bin Darwish Al Ajmi Al Mannai, the head of the Al Mannai tribe, allied with the Al Khalifa family – Mr Al Mannai views his entire career as a continuous “journey of giving.” This commitment culminated in the establishment of the Darwish Al Mannai Charitable Foundation in 2019. The book also documents his involvement with the Bahrain Chamber and his emphasis on social initiatives and volunteer work, reinforced by certificates of appreciation and photographs.
Following the original Arabic edition’s launch in December 2024, Mr Al Mannai was encouraged to translate the book into English for a wider readership. He utilised an AI-based tool for the initial translation but meticulously reviewed the text to ensure clarity, correct interpretation, and the right cultural context. The document is not a casual biography but an invaluable archival document and reference text, containing reproduced letters, certificates, and minutes from meetings that provide verifiable evidence of his roles and recognition.
avinash@gdnmedia.bh
&uuid=(email))