The latest batch of Golden Licenses covers diversified sectors, namely technology, real estate and green manufacturing, thereby contributing to economic diversification and growth.
MANAMA, Bahrain, November 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The island nation of Bahrain has reported a total of $4.4 billion in investments from the latest batch of four new Golden License projects. The four new large-scale projects, which are expected to generate over 1,100 employment opportunities, will contribute to the growth and diversification of the national economy due to their multi-sectoral impact that spans technology, real estate and green manufacturing.
The announcement was made during Gateway Gulf, held on November 2-3, 2025 at the Four Seasons Hotel, Bahrain Bay, where the invitation-only event brought together over 200 distinguished guests, including global investors, business leaders, policymakers, government officials and industry visionaries, to explore high-value investment opportunities and partnerships in the Gulf.
The newly awarded Golden licenses announced to Gateway Gulf are as follows:
- A partnership between Oracle as a technology provider and local technology group, Beyond, to launch a sovereign cloud data center to host customers using Oracle applications.
- The Bahrain-United Arab Emirates real estate partnership Binor All Bahrainpowered by Eagle Hills, is shaping the future of urban living in the island nation with strategic developments, supporting Bahrain’s broader ambitions for sustainable progress and modernization.
- The expansion of the new product range of the Bahrain-based factory Arla Foods – the multinational dairy company headquartered in Denmark. This significant milestone positions Arla as the region’s second-largest dairy producer, playing a central role in Bahrain’s food security and increased export ambitions. With this new expansion, Arla will export to new markets including: EU, Africa, China, Japan and Indonesia.
- Foulath Holding – an industrial holding company with significant investments in steel and the parent company of Bahrain Steel & SULB – for its expansion to an existing facility to develop a solar project by constructing a specialized hangar structure.
“As a trusted destination for global business investment, thanks to an agile government and a highly skilled talent pool, the island nation of Bahrain has proven its strength as a place where business ambitions meet opportunities. The Golden Licenses awarded to these four crucial projects add to the diversity of projects that have been awarded since the initiative’s initial launch in April 2023, bringing the total investment value to more than $6 billion for the cumulative portfolio. saidHE Noor bint Ali Alkhulaif, Minister of Sustainable Development and Director General of the Bahrain Economic Development Board (Bahrain EDB), adding: “The Golden License is more than an initiative: it reflects our Bahrain team’s approach and our unwavering commitment to simplifying growth, accelerating success and collaborating with businesses to build a prosperous economic future.
Emblematic of Team Bahrain’s approach, which champions close collaboration between the private and public sectors to create an innovative environment for businesses to succeed by investing in the development of a robust, digital-ready economy and constantly pioneering regulatory policies and legislative frameworks. The Bahrain EDB plays a vital role in this framework, serving as a bridge between the government and investors.
Bahrain continued to prioritize digital transformation, economic growth and investing in the sustainability of its bilingual and highly skilled workforce. The island nation has made progress in its diversification journey, with non-oil GDP contributing 85.3% of total GDP in 2024. The financial services sector is the largest contributor to GDP with 17.2%, followed by the manufacturing sector with 15.1% in 2024.
Recent achievements include an increase in FDI stock to $45.5 billion, resulting in an FDI stock-to-GDP ratio of 96.5% in 2024, well above the global average rate of 45.8%, demonstrating the strong confidence international investors have in the island nation.
SOURCE Gulf Gateway
