Boston Analytics, a global research and analytics company based in the US, has announced plans to open its first Middle Eastern office in Bahrain as part of its global expansion strategy.

Announcing the launch at an event hosted by the Bahrain Association of Banks (BAB), Dr Inder Thukral, CEO of Boston Analytics, said: “To expand our business footprint in the GCC, we will be setting up a knowledge centre in Bahrain to provide business research and analytics services to clients in Bahrain and other parts of the GCC.'

'Bahrain was selected for the availability of qualified and motivated workforce and its business friendly environment,' he remarked.

The US company will be working with government agencies, academic institutions and industry associations, to identify and train Bahrainis to serve the local market as well as the wider GCC.

Bahrain office will service the GCC market and will have a particular focus on consumer goods and services, financial services, public sector (education and healthcare), manufacturing and selected segments of infrastructure, including clean technology, telecoms and IT.

'The Bahraini workforce is recognised as one of the most highly skilled in the Gulf, and this will be reflected in the workforce of the new Boston Analytics office, which is due to open in December. The office will ultimately employ 200 researchers, of which the majority will be Bahraini graduates,' he added.

Kamal bin Ahmed, the Minister of Transportation and Acting Chief Executive of the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB), said: “We are delighted that Boston Analytics are planning to set up in Bahrain. With the company planning to service clients in the whole of the GCC, the decision to establish a base in the Kingdom is a positive endorsement of the diversity and strength of the Bahraini economy.'

'We are particularly pleased that Boston Analytics feel that Bahrain will be able to provide their business with the skilled local labour it needs to meet demand,' he remarked.

Commenting on the move, Rajeev Vaid, COO of Boston Analytics, said, “A critical element of providing such knowledge services is the availability of talent. Boston Analytics is working with government agencies, academic institutions and industry associations, such as BAB, to identify and train people to serve the local market as well as the wider GCC market.”

The EDB – which played a pivotal role in Boston Analytics’ setting up process – is a dynamic public agency with an overall responsibility for attracting inward investment into Bahrain, and is focusing on target economic sectors in which the Kingdom offers significant strengths.

The EDB had played an instrumental role in attracting over $300 million of investment from international businesses across a wide range of sectors in 2011.-TradeArabia News Service