TCIG’s offices are now fully operational and the group has launched a number of new and innovative concepts and partnerships in Bahrain and the region as a whole. TCIG’s CEO Hyder Cohen and MD, Ali Cohen, will both be based and will operate out of Bahrain.
Established in 1991 in the United Kingdom the group now operates four divisions boasting a team of thousands of employees and affiliates. Bahrain will act as a MENA region hub for TCIG, with offices located in the Seef District.
“Bahrain is an excellent base for our company setup. And after extensive research in the region we felt this was the place we wanted to be. In addition the support from the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) has been paramount and the ease of setup is truly magical. Our plans are intense and 2013 will see the TCIG operations at full throttle,” Hyder Cohen, Chairman and CEO, The Cohen International Group, said.
“From my experiences to date I am pleasantly surprised at the calibre of the Bahraini Nationals and their warmth and hospitality. Our commitment to Bahrain and creating jobs in Bahrain are paramount and we will be embarking on a mass employment campaign in 2013 by relocating some of our Divisional Support functions from London to Bahrain. The inauguration of our office is an exciting and a step in the right direction and we are confident that it will pay dividend. ”
Majd Tawfeeq Hejair, Group Head of Business Development and Operations, will manage a team of Bahrain based staff in the Creative Hub Division of the Group. TCIG operates a globally renowned, award winning and reputable International Creative Agency dealing both with online and offline strategies.
“TCIG Creative Hub specialises in performance business solutions for Arabic and English markets with a focus on identifying and nurturing brand new business concepts to reality, and Bahrain has the technology infrastructure, domestic economy opportunities and regional connections to help our business expand. We are embarking on a strategy to revitalise the online presence of companies and organisations by creating effective, modern and revolutionary websites and online concepts that will support businesses in Bahrain and beyond,” Majd Hejair said.
“We are delighted to welcome The Cohen International Group to Bahrain. Entrepreneurial businesses will have an important role to play in the long term future of the Bahraini economy and we are committed to doing everything we can to help such businesses,” Vivian Jamal, Executive Director Business Development at the EDB, said.
“I am delighted The Cohen International Group have decided to enter the Bahrain market. The UK is committed to doubling the number of SMEs exporting from the UK by 2015. It’s good to see an innovative SME such as The Cohen International Group seeking the significant business opportunities available in Bahrain and using Bahrain as an operating base for this dynamic region,” British Ambassador Iain Lindsay OBE said.
Bahrain provides a range of support for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Tamkeen has set aside BD 10 million to support training at around 2,000 companies and Bahrain Development Bank’s support to SME’s in 2011 totalled around BD 258 million, supporting more than 8,000 projects and creating 25,000 job opportunities.
TCIG joins a number of other international businesses to have opened offices in Bahrain in the last year. In 2011, according to UNCTAD, Bahrain attracted $780 million of FDI and in 2012, EDB helped 40 firms arrive in 2012, including business such as Pinebridge Investments and Thomson Reuters.