The Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF) hosted its annual insurance roundtable last week.
The event brought together more than 70 professionals from across the sector.
The event, held at the institute’s premises in Bahrain Bay, focused on identifying future skills gaps as the industry faces rapid changes in digital transformation, risk management, sustainability, and leadership.
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Industry leaders flag skills gaps in AI and data analytics
Manal Mashkoor, Head of the Insurance Centre at BIBF, opened the roundtable with a presentation that broke down what she called the “Insurance Skills Gap: From International to Local.” Her talk highlighted specific areas where the industry needs to build capacity, including artificial intelligence, data analytics, and cyber risk management — along with softer skills like analytical thinking and adaptability. “Developing the insurance sector requires a clear understanding of the skills the market will need in the next phase, particularly in light of rapid digital and regulatory transformation,” Mashkoor said. She added that this gathering created a direct channel for the industry to tell the institute what training programs actually need to look like.
Interactive sessions put the industry’s needs on the table
Attendees took part in focus group discussions, an interactive feedback session.
Designed to validate its ongoing skills needs study.
The goal was straightforward.
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Identify current capability gaps, prioritize future workforce requirements, and recommend new areas for development that could strengthen the competitiveness of insurance institutions.
It wasn’t just about identifying what’s missing.
It also aimed to make sure its training programs actually match what employers need, rather than what trainers assume they need. Mashkoor noted that the organization’s Insurance Centre will use the outcomes to adjust its offerings in line with industry priorities and labor market demands. The organization continues to offer specialized programs in insurance, takaful, risk management, regulation, and leadership. The organization’s work in this area supports the development of national talent and the sustainable growth of the insurance sector in Bahrain, according to the gathering’s organizers.
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One gap stood out in the conversations
While digital skills like AI and data analytics got plenty of attention, sustainability also emerged as a recurring theme. The industry, like many others, is figuring out how to build expertise around environmental risk and regulatory governance — areas that didn’t dominate insurance training conversations even a few years ago.
The timing matters.
With Bahrain’s financial services sector under pressure to keep up with global standards, the insurance industry needs training that moves faster than the market does. The organization’s approach — bringing in many people from across the industry to argue about what’s missing — suggests the organization is betting on collaboration over guesswork.
