A look back on The University of Technology Bahrain (UTB)’s International Conference on Smart Innovations in Management, Digital Transformation, and Emerging Technologies (SIMDTE 2025)
The University of Technology Bahrain (UTB) brought together global leaders, policymakers, corporate executives, and academics for a two-day conference on 14 and 15 October. Key developments were addressed at the International Conference on Smart Innovations in Management, Digital Transformation, and Emerging Technologies (SIMDTE 2025).
The University was joined by HE Dr Diana Abdulkarim Aljahrami, Secretary General of the Higher Education Council, who highlighted the Kingdom’s focus on applied research and practical solutions – efforts that support Bahrain’s national mission of empowering its citizens to be at the forefront of global excellence.
The dialogue revolved around the biggest topics in the technology space today: digital finance, artificial intelligence, sustainability, e-commerce, and innovation.
Dr Aljahrami further stated that innovation is not an option – it is a necessity for resilience, sustainability, and growth. She commended UTB
for pioneering the SIMDTE platform, which fosters dialogue and collaboration towards digital transformation across finance, technology, and business sectors.
Leadership Insights
Dr Hasan Almulla, President of UTB, noted that SIMDTE is not merely an academic gathering but a dynamic platform for knowledge exchange, dialogue, and cross-sector partnerships. “UTB is committed to contributing to Bahrain’s emergence as a hub for digital transformation and sustainable development by nurturing responsible future leaders capable of advancing the nation’s progress,” he remarked.
Abdulwahed Al Janahi, CEO of Benefit, underscored Bahrain’s pioneering role in financial technology. “Bahrain is leading the digital finance agenda regionally, and SIMDTE has proven to be a crucial bridge for collaboration between financial institutions, regulators, and innovators. The insights shared here will help transform vision into tangible results.”
Bader Sater, CEO of FinTech Bay, reflected on the value of collaborative
ecosystems, “SIMDTE highlighted the importance of environments where financial technologies, corporates, and regulators work hand in hand. This approach ensures innovation is accelerated, sustainable, and impactful.”
Building a Strong Digital Future
In addition to keynote sessions, the conference featured industry spotlights from Huawei and the telecom sectors, international expert talks, and research paper presentations on topics including AI’s transformation of business operations, sustainability in SMEs, trends in e-commerce supply chains, and entrepreneurship innovation.
The conference was hailed for convening a dialogue that reinforces Bahrain’s role as a regional hub for digital transformation, fintech, and sustainable practices. UTB is aligning its initiatives with the Bahrain Vision 2030. Its efforts are directed at advancing the quality of education, research, and industry partnerships that contribute to the Kingdom’s aspirations for a sustainable and competitive economy.
OPEN DAY
The American School of Bahrain is inviting prospective parents and students to get a glimpse of what learning looks like in the Riffa campus.
Want to see what sets one of Bahrain’s international schools apart? The American School of Bahrain is holding an open day on Monday, 24 November 2025, at 8:00 AM, giving parents and students a chance to explore the campus and meet the teaching staff.
The school – a part of Esol Education, which has been running schools across the Middle East for 45 years –offers education from Pre-KG through to Grade 12, with students graduating with either American or International Baccalaureate diplomas. Arabic and cultural studies are built into the curriculum alongside the usual athletics and leadership programmes.
Parents can tour the Riffa campus, sit in on classes, and learn about the school’s dual-language programme for younger children.
The Open Day Itinerary
Parents can tour the Riffa campus, sit in on classes, and learn about the school’s dual-language programme for younger children. The Muzdawaj programme teaches Pre-KG through KG2 students in both English and Arabic.
You’ll also get a look at how the school balances its American curriculum with Bahraini cultural education. The campus itself is worth seeing if you’re comparing facilities between schools.
The Details
Date: Monday, 24 November 2025
Time: 8:00 AM
Location: ASB Campus, Riffa
THE DIGITAL INNOVATION LAUNCHPAD
An exclusive conversation with Sahil Dhawan, President and Head of Tech Mahindra’s India, Middle East, and Africa business.
BSahil Dhawan, President and Head of Tech Mahindra’s India, Middle East,
and Africa
Tech Mahindra is in the middle of the action. The Indian company has had its footing in the region for a while, and the expansion continues.
ahrain is punching above its weight in the digital game, and it’s become a strategic testing ground for next-generation platforms – whether the focus is on fintech innovation or cloud regulation. Tech Mahindra is in the middle of the action. The Indian company has had its footing in the region for a while, and the expansion continues.
Sahil Dhawan, President and Head of Tech Mahindra’s India, Middle East, and Africa business, is leading this charge. With 22 years in the technology industry and a track record of turning strategy into results, Dhawan has learned that success in the Middle East isn’t about importing Western solutions. It’s about co-creating locally, training homegrown talent, and turning AI hype into measurable business value.
Visiting the Kingdom for the Gateway Gulf Investment Forum 2025, Dhawan spoke to Gulf Insider about the company’s Middle East strategy, what’s actually working on the ground, and why emerging markets are becoming innovation labs for the world.
What’s been Tech Mahindra’s biggest learning in adapting its approach for Middle Eastern and African clients?
Our most significant learning has been that success in these markets is built on trust, partnership, and contextual innovation. The Middle East and Africa are architects of their own digital destiny. Adapting meant moving from ‘Delivery Models’ to
‘Development Ecosystems’, cocreating with governments, academia, and enterprises aligned to national visions such as ‘Saudi Vision 2030’ and Bahrain’s ‘Economic Vision 2030’. It’s about localising our capabilities from establishing delivery centres and innovation hubs to nurturing local digital talent. The real value lies in translating technology into socioeconomic outcomes like smarter cities, inclusive finance, and resilient digital infrastructure. In many ways, this region has taught us that digital transformation is as much about cultural intelligence and empathy as it is about engineering.
Cutting the clutter on AI hype – what about it is genuinely creating value for businesses in the Middle East today?
The actual impact of AI in the Middle East lies in its institutionalisation, where intelligence becomes a native capability of the enterprise. Across sectors, we are witnessing a shift from experimentation to orchestration as AI embeds itself into energy management, financial ecosystems, and public service delivery. The value creation is tangible: higher productivity, predictive accuracy, and elevated customer experience. However, the real differentiator is governance, which is how responsibly and transparently organisations operationalise AI. The Gulf’s emerging frameworks around ethical AI and data sovereignty are setting new global benchmarks for accountability-led innovation.
At Tech Mahindra, we are helping
enterprises transition from AI adoption to AI assurance, embedding governance, explainability, and bias mitigation into the core architecture. For the region, this convergence of intelligence and integrity will transform AI from a technology of efficiency into a force for sustainable, human-centric growth.
With your two decades of experience, how do you compare the current wave of transformation to previous ones like the advent of the internet?
Each technological epoch has altered the contours of progress, but the current wave represents a paradigm shift in intelligence itself. The internet created connectivity; today’s fusion of AI, 5G, and quantum computing
is comfortable with ambiguity, values learning over perfection, and measures success by adaptability rather than scale. Transformation has transcended its functional meaning to become an organisational consciousness, an enduring state of responsiveness to an ever-changing world.
How do you think tech services will evolve in emerging markets over the next few years?
Emerging markets are becoming innovation originators. The evolution of tech services here will be characterised by hyper-local problem-solving with global relevance, as ecosystems converge around AI, digital public infrastructure, and sustainable transformation. We are moving from
is engineering cognitive enterprises capable of learning, reasoning, and evolving autonomously. This is a transition from process optimisation to organisational self-awareness. What distinguishes this era is its fluidity. Transformation is continuous, adaptive, and systemic. Innovation has also become profoundly democratised, no longer orchestrated from the centre, but emerging from ecosystems that blend human insight, machine intelligence, and societal purpose.
For leaders, the question is how to govern the flow of intelligence. True transformation lies in building organisations that think systemically, act ethically, and evolve continuously. It demands a new kind of leadership that
linear delivery models to platformcentric, outcome-driven ecosystems, where technology’s value lies in inclusion, resilience, and human impact.
Tech Mahindra views these markets as living ecosystems for responsible AI, digital inclusion, and co-creation, where partnerships drive scale and purpose in equal measure. The next frontier is about more innovative enterprises and digitally empowered societies where innovation is measured as much by its empathy as by its efficiency.
Tech Mahindra has had a subsidiary in Bahrain for a while – what role is the Kingdom playing in your larger regional strategy?
Bahrain represents the confluence
of vision and velocity, a market where policy innovation meets digital ambition. For Tech Mahindra, our Bahrain presence is a strategic anchor in the Gulf, enabling us to serve regional customers with agility while co-creating localised solutions in telecom, BFSI, and the public sector. The Kingdom’s forward-leaning approach to cloud regulation, fintech modernisation, and data localisation has allowed us to pilot and scale next-generation platforms that later extend across the Middle East and Africa.
Bahrain’s role as an innovation testbed, a space where collaboration between government, academia, and enterprise is seamless, makes it integral to our regional strategy. This aligns with our vision of delivering future-ready experiences today by blending human insight with technological foresight. As we look ahead, Bahrain will continue to serve as a launchpad for new-age digital capabilities that redefine how the region connects, innovates, and grows sustainably.
You’re here for Gateway Gulf – what do you hope to take away from the conference this year?
Tech Mahindra’s opportunity is to align public ambition with private execution to accelerate the region’s transformation from resource-based to knowledge-led economies.
We aim to deepen engagement around AI for public good, cross-border digital trade, and sustainable inclusion, advancing what technology can and should do in the context of long-term societal value.
I also look forward to listening and truly understanding each nation’s unique priorities and aspirations as it defines its digital identity.
We have seen in Oman, for instance, how Tech Mahindra is enabling local talent development, co-innovation, and value creation through its partnerships. Gateway Gulf reminds us that transformation is a shared journey: not simply adopting technology but designing futures together.
GCC VISA TRANSFORMS TRAVEL
The new unified visa scheme is set to reshape how GCC residents explore the Gulf and insure their trips.
TIndustry experts believe the scheme, dubbed the GCC Grand Tours Visa, will transform how people move between Gulf nations.
he upcoming Unified GCC Visa is about to make regional travel considerably easier, and the ripple effects extend beyond just tourism. For UAE residents, it means simpler cross-border movement. For insurers, it signals a major shift in how travel coverage works across the Gulf.
Seamless Gulf travel
Industry experts believe the scheme, dubbed the GCC Grand Tours Visa, will transform how people move between Gulf nations. Travel sector sources compare the initiative to Europe’s Schengen model, suggesting it will encourage more spontaneous crossborder trips across the region.
This new freedom is expected to spark more frequent weekend getaways and multi-destination trips across GCC cities.
One region, one policy
The biggest change? Region-wide insurance plans. Travel insurance
providers point out that as travellers gain the freedom to move seamlessly across Gulf countries, buying separate policies for each destination no longer makes practical sense.
Insurers are already developing GCCwide policies to meet this demand. Some brokers are exploring travel insurance solutions that include all six member states within one policy, industry sources confirm.
What travellers need to know
Before booking that road trip to Oman or weekend break in Bahrain, UAE residents should verify their insurance covers all GCC destinations. Key considerations include checking geographical coverage, ensuring medical emergencies and trip disruptions are included, and confirming 24/7 assistance across borders.
Travel insurance experts emphasise that good policies should be simple, region-inclusive, and reliable, giving travellers peace of mind no matter how freely they move within the GCC.
WINNING STREAK
Bahrain concludes the 3rd Asian Youth Games with 13 Medals, ranking second among all Arab Nations.
The Kingdom of Bahrain wrapped up its campaign at the 3rd Asian Youth Games with an impressive haul of 13 medals, securing second place among Arab nations in the overall standings.
Held under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Games saw Bahraini athletes bring home five gold, five silver, and three bronze medals across multiple sporting disciplines.
Gold standard performances
Bahrain’s gold medal success came primarily from weightlifting and mixed martial arts, with two golds in the former and three in the latter. These victories highlight the Kingdom’s investment in structured youth training programmes and its commitment to developing homegrown talent.
The silver medals were spread across a diverse range of sports: 3×3 basketball, endurance, weightlifting, mixed martial arts, and pencak silat. Meanwhile, bronze medals came from handball, jiu-jitsu, and Muay Thai, demonstrating the breadth of Bahrain’s sporting capabilities.
Endurance test
Bahrain’s gold medal success came primarily from weightlifting and mixed martial arts, with two golds in the former and three in the latter.
One of the standout performances came in the endurance event, where Bahrain’s team secured silver after completing a gruelling 119-kilometre course in 15 hours, 58 minutes, and 28 seconds. The riders showed impressive teamwork and tactical nous throughout the demanding race.
Building for the future
These results reflect the vision of His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, First Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, President of the General Sports Authority, and President of the Bahrain Olympic Committee. His continued support for young athletes has been instrumental in fostering sporting excellence across the Kingdom.
As the Games drew to a close, Bahrain’s strong showing reinforced its growing reputation as a competitive force in Asian sport and validated the effectiveness of its national sports strategy in preparing the next generation of international competitors.
TEXT SCAMS ON THE RISE
Scammers are getting smarter, and your phone might be their next target
The National Cybersecurity Centre has sounded the alarm about a worrying surge in text message scams.
Fraudsters are increasingly pretending to be official organisations to trick people into handing over money or sensitive personal details.
Here’s how it works: you receive what looks like a legitimate message from a government agency or trusted institution. It might ask you to pay a fee, verify your identity, or update your banking information. The message typically includes a link that, at first glance, seems genuine. But click through and you’ll find yourself on a fake website designed to look almost identical to the real thing.
The goal? To steal your personal information or drain your bank account.
Officials are urging everyone to stay vigilant. If you receive an unexpected text message asking for personal details or payment, stop and think before you act.
What you need to know
Officials are urging everyone to stay vigilant. If you receive an unexpected text message asking for personal details or payment, stop and think before you act. Don’t click on any links, and definitely don’t enter your information.
It’s worth remembering this golden rule: legitimate government agencies will never ask you to provide personal or banking information through text messages. If you’re unsure whether a message is genuine, contact the organisation directly using official channels rather than responding to the text.
The centre’s message is clear: when it comes to unexpected texts, a healthy dose of scepticism could save you from becoming the next victim.
A GLOBAL EXPO
Saudi Arabia is expecting participation of 197 countries for Expo 2030 Riyadh, with an anticipated 42 million visitors.
Saudi Arabia is preparing to welcome the world in 2030, with plans to invite 197 countries to participate in Expo 2030 Riyadh and an ambitious target of 42 million visitors.
Talal Al-Marri, CEO of Expo 2030 Riyadh, unveiled the scale of the project at the 9th Future Investment Initiative conference in Riyadh. The event will occupy roughly six million square metres, with various facilities set to be completed ahead of schedule.
A City Transforming
“Riyadh is an ideal location to lead this challenge and transform into a meeting point to support human connection,”
Al-Marri confirmed that infrastructure work will begin before the end of this year. The capital’s expanding metro network will play a crucial role, connecting different parts of Riyadh to the Expo site to ensure smooth visitor access.
He also noted that other major projects across the city, including Diriyah and Qiddiya, will be ready in time for the event.
Why Riyadh?
According to Al-Marri, Riyadh’s geographical position gives it a distinct advantage. The city sits within a fivehour flight of approximately 50% of the world’s population, making it highly accessible for international visitors.
“Riyadh is an ideal location to lead this challenge and transform into a meeting point to support human connection,” he said. “In 2030, we will give a new meaning to humanity,
as Riyadh is witnessing continuous development and is considered the most transformed capital.”
More Than Just an Exhibition
Al-Marri emphasised that Expo 2030 is about more than infrastructure. The vision centres on technological transformation, sustainable solutions, and developing human capital through education.
“Expo is of great importance in bringing people together in one place and providing them with opportunities for genuine human interaction,” he explained. “Expo 2030 was designed to be a strategic platform for the future and to contribute to global change.”
With massive infrastructure projects already underway across airports, transport networks, and various economic sectors, Al-Marri is confident: “Without a doubt, Riyadh will be the ideal host for Expo 2030.”
