KPMG in Bahrain supporting locals to achieve professional qualifications

KPMG in Bahrain has celebrated its 99th local staff-member achieving professional auditing and accounting certification with the support of the firm’s Jassim Fakhro Fund.

Founded in 1968, KPMG in Bahrain was according to the company (in its original Fakhro Establishment for Accounting and Auditing guise) the first national accounting and auditing firm established in the country. Over the past 50 years, it has grown to house over 380 professionals and partners today, of the some 200,000 employed by KPMG’s network worldwide.

And while the local branch counts 17 separate nationalities among its workforce, 60% of its headcount is comprised of Bahraini nationals, including many in senior leadership positions. Among them is KPMG Bahrain’s Managing Partner, Jamal Fakhro, who, in addition to being a respected legislator in Bahrain and a 35 year industry-veteran, was the founder of the firm’s Jassim Fakhro fund.

Named for the firm’s co-founder Jassim M. Fakhro, the fund functions to support young locals in achieving professional qualifications, and has since 2001 provided financial and mentoring support for young Bahraini talent to the tune of BD 426,000 – with 99 local employees having now completed their professional qualifications. “This milestone showcases the progress of the firm’s flagship personal development initiative, designed to support the professional growth of young Bahraini talent,” the firm said on the occasion of its latest batch of beneficiaries receiving their professional certifications.One such beneficiary, Ahmed Abdulla, Associate at KPMG in Bahrain, said; “It is an honor for me to start my career working with KPMG in Bahrain. I have always believed that a professional certificate provides a pathway to explore opportunities in local and global markets, develop expertise and accelerate career growth. The financial and mentoring support I received from the firm enabled me to obtain the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification and make necessary steps towards achieving my career aspirations.”

Providing audit, tax and advisory services for clients across numerous sectors, the firm considers its recruitment approach grants it a competitive edge, enabling it to “combine the strength of KPMG's considerable global capabilities with local professionals, deeply aware of the opportunities and challenges relevant to Bahrain.” The firm adds; “We believe our commitment to investing in local talent is not just good for KPMG, it is good for the community… The skills and experience, which our people acquire at KPMG, are helping drive Bahrain's economy and ensure the country's future.”

KPMG's support and development of local staff is in line with the aims of multiple governments of the Middle East for greater workplace nationalisation, forming part of a series of national transformation programmes underway in the region. In the UAE, the government is hoping to boost private sector employment for Emratis by a factor of ten - an agenda supported by 'Emritisation' consultancy TBH, which has just recently received backing from global firm Aon.