Gulf Insider - December 2022

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INNOVATION RECOGNISED AT BAHRAIN EDUCATION AWARDS!

Education_bh: Innovation and Excellence 2022, a first-of-its-kind initiative, is informing educators, students, and parents of the most important educational innovations across Bahrain’s schools and universities.

Twenty-three innovations from schools and universities across the Kingdom were awarded at a private event hosted by Gulf Insider in association with Batelco on Wednesday, 2nd November at Al Areen Palace and Spa. Members of different schools and universities shared best practices with fellow educators. It was an evening of coming together as a fraternity in recognition of the contributions of educational institutions in the Kingdom.

Nicholas Cooksey, Gulf Insider’s CEO, said of the event; “Education_bh: Innovation and Excellence provides Bahrain’s schools and universities with an opportunity to share significant innovations that improve the educational experience of students. It aims to inform parents and students and encourage institutions to meet and share ideas and best practices.”

In 2020, Gulf Insider’s management became increasingly concerned over how Covid lockdown restrictions were affecting student education and its potential long-term consequences. With invaluable guidance from leading educators, Gulf Insider created Education_bh: Innovation & Excellence, a unique platform for educational institutions to share innovations, ideas, and best practices.

All the innovations were featured in Gulf Insider’s special November 2022 print issue and are available online on www.gulf-insider.com.

To learn about the innovations, visit: www.gulf-insider.com/education-bh

Education_bh: Innovation & Excellence, a unique platform for educational institutions to share innovations, ideas, and best practices.

FINDING A PATH FOR PRIVATE EQUITY IN THE NEW MARKET ENVIRONMENT

By Yves Bonzon, Group Chief Investment Officer at Swiss Wealth Manager Julius Baer.

free money has come to an end, private markets still offer many advantages; they can be especially beneficial to investors in times of increased uncertainty.

The beauty of illiquidity

The world has entered a new paradigm. Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, geopolitics, rather than economics, have been in charge. For investors, this means bracing for higher average inflation, as well as higher volatility. Portfolios that have been positioned for disinflation and relative political stability for 30 years will now have to shift gears to successfully navigate this new environment.

With inflation becoming a more persistent feature, fighting against capital erosion is more important than ever. The key to surviving an inflationary investment environment is to favour real assets over nominal claims in a portfolio.

One category of investments that could be considered in the context of a well-diversified portfolio, particularly in

the current economic and geopolitical landscape, is private assets, most particularly the subset private equity. The relentless hunt for returns in an ultra-low yield environment has made the rise of private markets one of the biggest trends in finance over the last decade. Although the economic playing field is rapidly changing and the era of

Besides the challenges posed by high valuations and the prospect of structurally higher interest rates, private equity still harbours plenty of advantages for investors: increasing accessibility, a broadened investment universe and the possibility to invest sustainably via impact investing are likely to increase interest in the asset class. And while the notorious illiquidity of its investments may be a deterrent to some, it may actually be an asset. We know that the average investor tends to underperform a long-term buy-andhold strategy because they trade too frequently, incorrectly rebalance their portfolios, and/or fail to time the market successfully.

Private equity illiquidity may mitigate the effects of these behavioural pitfalls. The illiquid nature and less frequent pricing information of private equity funds protects investors from themselves, helping them to stay invested and, in the end, reap the gains of their long-term investments.

Selection is key

If there is one key takeaway for investors when it comes to private equity, it’s that manager selection is paramount. Top managers who have a knowledge advantage about a particular industry and significant resources within their firms have an increased chance of outperforming public markets. Relying on mediocre private equity managers or,

While the notorious illiquidity of private market investments may be a deterrent to some, it may actually be an asset.

Yves Bonzon

In general, investors involved in venture capital funds should be prepared for a greater return dispersion among managers than those involved in, for example, larger buyout funds.

even worse, selecting bottom-quartile managers will most likely lead to a significant underperformance.

It is true that the most prominent estimates suggest that average global private equity returns have either been in line or have somewhat surpassed public market performance, depending on the investment period and public benchmark taken. ‘Average’ is the key word here, as there is substantial performance dispersion across

spreads for public equity funds at around 10%, or one third of the spread in private equity.

The considerable spread between the top and bottom performances of private equity managers can be largely attributed to the managers’ capabilities and their respective investment processes. In the end, the returns in this space are significantly dependent on the sector in which they are active, the size of the portfolio companies

geographies and between private equity managers, much more so than among public equity funds.

To illustrate just how substantial the performance dispersion is, we show the performance distribution of public and private equity managers in the US and Europe across the 15-year period from July 2005 to June 2020.

While top-quartile private equity managers in the US were able to generate annualised returns of over 28%, the bottom quartile failed to even achieve positive returns. Over the same period, the S&P 500 returned approximately 9% per annum. Also worth mentioning is that return dispersions in public markets are significantly lower than those in private equity funds, with top-to-bottom quartile

they target, their overall investment selection, as well as the timing of investments and exits. Notably, return dispersion also greatly differs among the various private equity strategies.

As a rule of thumb, the earlier the stage of investment, the higher the risk/return trade-off and the higher the return dispersion between top- and bottom-quartile managers. This means that, in general, investors involved in venture capital funds should be prepared for a greater return dispersion among managers than those involved in, for example, larger buyout funds.

Julius Baer – Bahrain is located on the 3rdflooroftheBMBBuilding,Diplomatic Area. For more information, visit www.juliusbaer.com/international/en/

TRAINING FOR THE FUTURE:

AN INTERVIEW WITH AYMAN ALBASRI OF MUTAMAHIN

Mutamahin is readying university students for the workplace.

The Mutamahin graduate program was launched in 2014 with the main aim of cultivating a cultural transformation for workplace readiness among university students. Named after the word “apprentice” in classical Arabic was designed to integrate thought-provoking and interactive activities that provide high-value training in areas that are not typically covered in a university curriculum but are nonetheless necessary for a student’s emergence in a dynamic and highly competitive industry.

The program is initiated by the CFA Society Bahrain, the Kingdom’s pre-

eminent association for local investment professionals.

We spoke with Ayman Albasri, Mutamahin Chair to find out all about this unique program that’s upskilling Bahraini youth.

Tell us a little about Mutamahin’s background.

Mutamahin was developed with a long-term vision of producing a dedicated generation of professionals, by nurturing university students to develop a series of soft skills required to surface in Bahrain’s ecosystem.

With the intention of bridging the gap between employers and students, the

program promotes and maintains the highest standards of professionalism and contributes towards the development of the local workforce as a testimony of its dedication to the country’s society.

How does Mutamahin ensure the upskilling of its participants?

The program works closely with employers to identify skills most sought after in the market and ensures Mutamahin graduates leave fully equipped, by designing the program accordingly. Through specific workrelated challenges and merit-based screening, Mutamahin’s graduates

are well-trained to better understand the beginning of their careers and participate at higher levels by showcasing their employability skills to esteemed organizations.

Led by experts in the region, candidates are provided with intensive training in many modules over the course of several weeks to better arm them with the skills necessary to succeed in a work environment. To further differentiate itself from other educational programs, the organizing team consists of alumni Mutamahin

for workshops, discussions with industry experts, and job shadowing sessions with leading establishments where they were introduced to potential employers and given a chance to expand their professional network.

To fully engage students and further broaden their understanding, the program is moving back to physical workshops to encourage team building amongst the candidates and partake in interactive sessions with speakers and industry players.

Mutamahin

graduates with the relevant knowledge to arrange seamless and engaging experiences for the students.

How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect the program?

Following through with its commitment to provide students the chance to gain financial and professional skills, the program was later delivered entirely online during the 2020 global pandemic to accommodate students through the COVID restrictions and received over 200 applications. Every week, candidates virtually joined from all over Bahrain and neighboring countries

What is the overall impact of the program offered by Mutamahin?

Mutamahin has now benefited over 500 students and has been a one-ofa-kind opportunity to gain meaningful experiences. Since its launch, the program has partnered with top Bahraini institutions to secure over 400 internship positions for graduates and has led to multiple full-time careers in various fields by empowering and investing in the country’s youth.

For more information on Mutamahin, visit https://www.mutamahin.org

was developed with a long-term vision of producing a dedicated generation of professionals.

HOW IMPORTANT ARE EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AT SCHOOL FOR YOUR CHILD?

Whether it be in arts, sports, or academics, developing extracurricular skills is an integral part of an ASB student’s typical day at school. We recently spoke with Athletic & Activities Director, Michael Balo, on the important role extracurricular activities (ECAs) play in a child’s education, how it enables them to become well-balanced individuals, and the diverse range of activities offered at the school.

You mentioned that you firmly believe that ECAs are the second half of education. Why and how so?

A comprehensive ECA programme is the second half of education because it focuses on developing skills and giving students additional learning opportunities that might not be offered in a regular curriculum. Hence, it is an extension of the classroom. By being an active participant in an activities programme, students will

Gulf Insider speaks with Michael Balo, the Athletic & Activities Director at the American School of Bahrain (ASB).

Michael Balo

learn important life skills that they will use in their adult lives. These skills include, but are not limited to, communication, perseverance, risk taking, sportsmanship, how to win and lose, overcoming challenges, time management, stress relief, and many others.

At ASB, all ECA’s are tied directly to our school pillars. By participating in ECA’s, students are happy, exposed to international mindedness, lead balanced lifestyles, are part of our ASB community, and develop leadership skills. This is what we do in the

from Kindergarten to Grade 11. Participation is optional; however, it is strongly encouraged by the school. All of our activities fall in four categories: Leadership, Creativity, Academics, and Wellbeing. Most of our activities are free of charge for ASB students, but we do have outside providers come into the school and offer activities at a cost. This is only done when we are not able to offer them internally.

Finally, you have been an international educator for over 28 years. What is your personal motto for success?

classroom each day, so we extend that to our activities programme.

What are the key components of a successful ECA programme and how are these implemented into ASB’s curriculum?

The key components of any ECA programme are a variety of offerings which are in line with the schools’ mission and vision. We strive to offer a balance of activities which meet the needs of all students. Each student is unique, has different interests and learns in their own way, and our programme aims to meet those needs.

What ECA offerings are available at ASB currently? Are these open to all students?

We offer activities to all ASB students

My passion is offering a comprehensive activities programme to every student at ASB. It is very important to me to give students choices, challenge, and push them to excel in whatever they choose to do. My aim is to offer a wide variety of activities which meet the needs of every student. Each student is different, learns differently and has different interests. A strong ECA programme meets those needs and that is my aim!

For more information about ASB, call 1721 1800 or visit www.asb.bh

The key components of any ECA programme are a variety of offerings which are in line with the schools’ mission and vision.

WHY CHOOSE A WOMEN’S UNIVERSITY?

By Prof. Yusra Mouzughi - President, Royal University for Women

Allowing women access to education has been firmly established as a fundamental human right in countries across the globe, and the importance of women’s education as a lever for economic development is being reinforced day by day in many studies indicating the crucial role women play in contributing to an effective workforce.

Further, despite the fact that women only actively joined Higher Education Institutions since the 1950s and 1960s, their levels of enrolment in universities have exceeded that of men and their average levels of attainment have also been higher than their male counterparts. In fact, the commonly known ‘7 sisters’ was a group of women’s only colleges in the Northeastern USA set up to compete with the Ivy League highly ranked and selective male-dominated universities to serve aspiring women who demanded a high-quality education. These are all interesting indicators of women’s appetite for education, their eagerness to utilize their hard-earned rights, and their commitment to fully leveraging their opportunities.

Education in general, and higher education in particular, is a lifetime investment. It is a passport to a career, financial independence, and effective contribution to larger societal goals. Hence, so much is riding on making the ‘correct’ decision when choosing a university. We all know how difficult it is to choose a university. This has been made even more challenging given the number of institutions available, and the amount of information

Prof.Yusra Mouzughi

that we are required to digest from university websites, regulator reports, and accreditation body rankings – all easily accessible at our fingertips through smart devices. This wealth of information, though wonderful in terms of creating options, can also be very daunting. How do we know what we are supposed to be looking for, and how do we compare universities? The increased student mobility for education purposes has further complicated

way they learn. Universities have been set up for over a thousand years and have changed very little in that period, whilst women’s involvement in these established structures, both as students and academics, has only really taken place in the last half-century.

A women’s university is a whole ecosystem of education that creates a safe space for women to go on a journey of self-exploration and allows women to ‘sound out’ their voices in

matters and has meant that the choice is not only limited to your geographic region, but your choices could be in farflung places, thousands of miles away from the comfort of what is known and familiar.

Whilst the majority of universities are co-educational, there is definitely space in the higher education landscape for women’s only institutions as they provide a different type and style of learning experience that is necessary to complement the general higher education ecosystem. Like everything in life, there is a richness in diversity, and strength in choice. Universities dedicated to the education of women have at their very core a focus on how women learn. Scientifically, it has been proven that women learn differently from men, yet our educational establishments have historically been created to accommodate men and the

a collaborative environment and learn true leadership amongst similarly minded inspired and aspirational peers. This ecosystem creates a lifetime network of supporters and a sense of mission wrapped around the belief that empowering others is critical to empowering yourself.

We are conscious that making a university choice is a very personal decision, one affected by many factors, and we are also very aware that a women’s university is not the right choice for every girl but for some –who wish to join an institution “where women excel”, Royal University for Women may be just the right choice for you.

For more information on the Royal University forWomen, visit /www.ruw.edu.bh/

If you educate a man, you educate an individual, but if you educate a woman, you educate a nation.

HIGHLIGHTS 2022

January 2022

Bahrain tops the global COVID recovery index published by NIKKEI Asia for the first time since the launch of the report. As on December 2021, Bahrain’s recovery rate was at 82%. The Kingdom’s rapid and successful COVID response was later hailed by the World Health Organization.

A new working week in UAEResidents started the year with an entirely new way of working. From January 2022, employees across the country began to work Monday to Friday after years of working Sunday to Thursday.

February 2022

Bahrain introduces Golden Visa for expatriates as part of its Economic Recovery Plans.

Kuwait celebrated its 60th National Day Museum of the Future in Dubai welcomed visitors – the one structure that reshaped and re-energised the city’s architecture.

Kuwait set a new Guinness record for raising the biggest Kuwaiti flag (2,742 square meters) on the summit of Oman’s Jebel Shams, the highest mountain in the Arab World.

Saudi Arabia celebrated its first ever ‘Founding Day’ holiday marking three centuries since the first Saudi state was established in 1727 by Imam Mohammed ibn Saud.

March 2022

Bahrain hosted the Formula 1 Grand Prix race 2022 at the Bahrain International Circuit where Ferrari marked a historic moment - completing the race in the first and second positions.

The NFT MENA Exhibit, the first-of-itskind exhibition to promote NFTs, web3 and new media was hosted in Bahrain.

Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority opened the Manama Gold Festival at Souk Al Manama.

Bahrain Food Festival was hosted in the Kingdom with more than 100 food vendors and live entertainment attracting a record number of visitors since COVID-19.

Saudi Arabia won the best pavilion award at Dubai Expo in the ‘large suites’ category, with honorary awards for best exterior design and best display from EXHIBITOR magazine. Visitors from near and far queued up to experience the record-breaking Saudi pavilion.

April 2022

The 48th Bahrain Annual Fine Arts Exhibition was hosted by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, promoting local and international artists, traditional art forms, and galleries.

Kuwait launched an online work visa issuance service for the private sector as an alternate for printing work visas.

May 2022

Sheikh Mohamed became president of the UAE in May after the death of Sheikh Khalifa. Sheikh Khalifa had been president since 2004, when Sheikh Zayed died. Sheikh Khalifa oversaw vast economic growth during his tenure. As a mark of his leadership, leaders from across the world came to the UAE to offer condolences.

GCC Games began in Kuwait. Bahrain’s athletes and teams won nearly 60 medals at the tournament, bagging second place for the Kingdom at the games.

July 2022

Bahrain Beach Festival began at Bilaj Al Jazayer, Water Garden City Beach, and Marassi Beach.

Bahrain’s COVID response was recognised and documented in a World Health Organization case study.

President Joe Biden visited Saudi Arabia for the first time for his first meeting with the Kingdom’s Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman.

August 2022

Bahrain announced visa-free entry to GCC Nationals.

Bahrain announced the launch of a 100% Bahraini-built Satellite Project to be ready by the end of 2023.

September 2022

Bahrain bans single-use plastic.

Saudi Arabia witnessed the largest ever celebrations in the history of the Kingdom to mark the occasion of the 92nd National Day on 23 September.

October 2022

Bahrain International Circuit became the world’s first international racing circuit to accept crypto payments.

Bahrain hosted Comic-Con for the first time since the COVID-19 outbreak with a number of international TV and film personalities making an appearance as guests.

November 2022

Pope Francis visited Bahrain on a 4-day Apostolic Journey to attend a forum for dialogue between East and West for human coexistence.

Gulf Insider hosted The Bahrain Education Awards 2022 to recognize educational innovation and excellence across schools and universities in the Kingdom.

Oman celebrated its 52nd National Day

Bahrain International Airshow began after a two-year break, attracting hundreds of visitors and commercial establishments for three days of flying displays.

General elections were held in Bahrain to elect the 40 members of the Council of Representatives.

The Final Formula 1 Grand Prix race was hosted at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi with Red Bull Racing making history.

FIFA World Cup 2022 kicked off in Qatar on 20 November. Saudi Arabia marked a momentous achievement by beating Argentina in the group match.

December 2022

The United Arab Emirates celebrated its 51st National Day on 2 December.

Bahrain celebrated its 51st National Day on 16 and 17 December.

Qatar celebrated its National Day on 18 December.

Qatar 2022 was named the ‘best World Cup of the century’. Football fans worldwide favored Qatar’s World Cup as the greatest tournament in the 21st Century. Qatar delivered a football legacy that ended with Lionel Messi earning his World Cup glory by defeating a contesting France squad 3-2 on penalties.

The first China-Arab States Summit and the 43rd Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit were held in Riyadh on 9 December 2022.

FERRARI FINALLY DID IT

Last month, I was invited by Ferrari to visit their hometown and factory location –Maranello in Italy. Located 30 minutes from Bologna, Maranello is a smallish town with not much going on – other than Ferrari, of course.

This was my second visit to Maranello, and I really admire how proud the local people are to be from the home town of one of the most recognized and coveted car brands in the world. The town is littered with Ferrari flags, and there is no shortage of Ferraris on the roads.

When I was last in Maranello, in

September 2019, it was to attend the launch of the F8 Spider and 812 GTS. This time it was for something very different; the international launch and reveal of the Ferrari Purosangue (meaning; thoroughbred/ full-blooded), the company’s first ever 4-door, and their first SUV – though Ferrari do not like to call it an SUV.

All us motor journalists had been kept in suspense before the launch. From the moment the company announced its plan to launch an SUV, how it would look had been a well-kept secret. I was lucky to be amongst the first in the world to see the Purosangue up close.

Entering the press conference, the

soon to be launched Purosangue was hidden under a large black cover. I was trying to imagine how it would look judging by its size and curves.

Before the reveal we heard talks from some of Ferrari’s passionate senior executives including CEO Benedetto Vigna, Chief Product Development Officer Gianmaria Fulgenzi, Chief Marketing Officer Enrico Galleria, and Chief Design Officer Flavio Manzoni.

And then, to much fanfare and excitement, the car was revealed to us.

My first impression was that this is a very big Ferrari. After my entire life of only seeing 2-door Ferrari’s on the roads, in films… and on the posters on

The first Ferrari SUV, the first Ferrari with 4 doors, and one of the fastest SUVs ever made - By Charlie H. Cooksey

My first impression was that this is a very big Ferrari. After my entire life of only seeing 2-door Ferrari’s on the roads.

my bedroom wall, to then see a giant 4-door sporty SUV with the prancing horse logo seemed strange. I never even imagined the day when a Ferrari SUV would be a reality.

So, what can I say about it? Well, to start with – and as you would expect, it is beautifully designed. A work of art in fact.

It is powerful. A naturally-aspirated 6.5 litre V-12 engine capable of 715 horsepower, 528 pound-feet of torque, and able to propel its occupants from zero to 100 kph in just 3.3 seconds with a top speed of 309 kph, makes it one of the fastest SUVs ever made.

Ride-and-handling should benefit from its active suspension system that will ensure it drives as a Ferrari should. An adaptive suspension system with electric motors at each corner will apply force to the dampers when cornering so controlling body roll and making the need for anti-roll bars redundant.

The interior is filled with the most luxurious quality fittings and materials. Most controls are operated through

the steering wheel. There’s a 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster and a separate 10.2-inch screen for the front passenger. Optional extras include massaging front seats and an electrochromic glass roof.

As this is the only current Ferrari to offer room for four adults, rear-hinged “suicide” rear doors make it easier to access the back seats while preserving a sleek appearance. Both front and rear seats, covered in soft leathers, are individual buckets separated by a center console – so no bench in the back for a fifth passenger. The overall layout couldn’t look more exotic if it tried.

The Ferrari Purosangue will be internationally available from 2023.

I look forward to driving this exciting new car. If it drives as great as it looks, this latest Ferrari will be a major success for the company.

For more info call Euro Motors, Bahrain’s official Ferrari dealership, on +973 17734734 or visit www.euromotors.com.bh

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