Despite a very challenging environment, Bahrain’s financial sector showed an increase of 1.5% in employment with total number rising to 14342 in 2010 compared with 14137 in 2009, according to the Central bank of Bahrain survey.
The survey findings which made public by the CBB, the Bahraini workforce employed in the financial services sector reached 9467 in 2010, an increase of 154 compared to 2009.
“The main driver of job growth was the non-bank financial sector, comprising insurance firms, money brokers, money changers, financing companies, investment business firms, and other no-bank financial institutions) which added 356 new jobs, an increase of 7.5%, taking the number to 5077 employees. Job growth in the insurance sector hit 11.5% to 2297 jobs in 2010 from 2060 in 2009,” the CBB in a statement added.
It was revealed that the banking sector underwent a slight decrease in employment as the total employment in the banking sector reached 8782 at end-2010 compared with 8946 at end-2009.
“This result reflects the successful implementation of the CBB’s policy in ensuring a well-diversified financial sector and in bolstering non-bank financial services in a way that provides for balanced development of this sector,” the CBB statement added.