BBK- Bahrain’s pioneer in Retail and Commercial Banking- was awarded and recognized for excellent corporate governance practices at the “Hawkamah Bank Corporate Governance Awards 2012” ceremony held on 12th June 2012 during Banker Middle East’s Industry Awards held in Dubai. Mr. Mahmood A.Aziz Al Meer, Assistant General Manager Operations – BBK, received the award on behalf of the Bank.

For the third consecutive year, BBK has received  the Corporate Governance award and the recognition. This year it competed with banks from 9 countries in the MENA region. Hawkahmah’s Bank Corporate Governance Award recognizes banks for exhibiting high levels of commitment to good corporate governance practices and ongoing enhancements in the area.

Dr. Nasser Saidi, Executive Director of Hawkamah Institure congratulated the winning banks and thanked them for entering a very competitive selection process. The criteria on which the jury based its decision included evaluating responses to extensive questionnaire, interviews with Senior Management and the quality of the winners’ annual reports.

On this occasion, Mr. Murad Ali Murad, Chairman – BBK expressed his pleasure at this achievement by saying, “BBK strongly believes that distinguished corporate governance practices is a key element for trust with all its stakeholders. This award illustrates once more the commitment of the Bank to apply modern, transparent and effective governance principles with its customers, employees, shareholders and the general public. We would like to thank Hawkamah Institute for   recognizing our approach to corporate governance. We will continue to strive for attaining higher standards and to set new benchmarks in this important area”

“We are very proud to receive such an honorable recognition consecutively for the past 3 years and to be appreciated for maintaining the highest levels of commitment to corporate governance. BBK practices high governance standards and transparency in conduct of its activities at all levels throughout the Bank.” added Mr. Abdulkarim Bucheery, CE – BBK.

This year’s international jury panel comprised: Mr. Charles Freeland, Retired Deputy Secretary General of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision at the Bank for International Settlements in Basel, Switzerland. Prof. Andrew D. Chambers, the Specialist Advisor to the House of Lords’ Economic Affairs Select Committee’s Inquiry into Auditors: market concentration and their role. Andrew has been a member of the UK FRC’s Auditing Practices Board (2006-9). He is Deputy Chair of Fédération des Experts Comptables Européen’s (FEE’s) Corporate Governance and Company Law standing Working Party (Brussels). Dr. Grant Kirkpatrick, Deputy Head of the Corporate Affairs Division of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Directorate for Financial and Enterprise Affairs and Dr. Rainer Geiger, Professor of International Economic Law, and Ex -Senior Regional Advisor, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).