A high-level British business delegation will arrive in the kingdom this week to participate in Fintech Forward 2026 (FF26), scheduled to take place on Wednesday and Thursday.
The visit, organised by the Bahrain Economic Development Board (Bahrain EDB) in collaboration with the UK’s Department for Business, Science, Innovation and Trade (BIST), marks the second consecutive year of UK delegation participation at the forum.
Led by Gemma Stevenson, His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for the Middle East and Pakistan at BIST, the delegation includes over 20 venture capital firms, fintech companies, ecosystem supporters and official UK leaders. This marks Ms Stevenson’s first official visit to the region.
Building on longstanding bilateral ties, the delegation will meet key Bahraini ecosystem leaders, including representatives from the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB), the Labour Fund (Tamkeen), and Bahrain Fintech Bay (BFB). Delegates will also take part in a cultural tour of the Muharraq Pearling Path.
“The UK and Bahrain share a longstanding relationship, with strong connections across financial services, investment and innovation,” said Ms Stevenson.
“Our participation in Fintech Forward for the second time reflects the significant opportunities for businesses to engage with Bahrain and the wider region.”
Hosted by the Bahrain EDB and supported by CBB, Tamkeen, BFB, and the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), FF26 is programmed by Forbes Middle East under the theme ‘Finance in the Age of Intelligent Infrastructure’.
As part of the event’s agenda, Katie Ramsey, head of the Global Venture Capital Unit at the UK Government’s Office for Investment, will join BFB chief executive officer Bader Sater and Bahrain CFI Trade country chief executive officer Yaseen Al Samerrai for a panel discussion titled ‘The Great Convergence: Banks, Fintechs and the Partnership Economy’.
The forum continues to drive tangible cross-border investment, following the entry of UK fintech firms Umazi, Valexa, and AMAN powered by Themis into the Bahraini market after their participation in the 2025 edition.
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