Under the agreement, Tamkeen will provide financial support to GE Security to train and employ Bahrainis in business management and high-value technical jobs in fire detection, access control, video surveillance and integrated security systems and other areas. The contract was signed by Tamkeen's Chief Executive, Mr. Abdulellah Al Qassimi, and GE Security's President for Europe, Middle East & Africa, Mr. Bart Otten. Also present at the signing were Mr. Sharif Ahmadi, Vice chairman of Tamkeen's Board of Directors, Mr. Akram Hamad, GE President and National Executive for the Gulf region, Mr. Kamal Ahmed, Chief Operations Officer, EDB and other officials.

The establishment of GE Security's Middle Eastern hub and Training University is a project backed by the EDB for its potential to fit into a larger vision to make Bahrain a regional industrial and services training hub. GE Security is expanding its business and activities in the Middle East and this new hub will serve as the main office for the Middle East and North Africa region for customer service, sales and technical support. The hub is expected to employ 25 Bahrainis by 2012.

"We see this partnership with GE Security as a key element in the overall vision supported by our leadership and by the EDB to tap the potential of Bahrain to become a business hub while also supporting the generation of value added employment opportunities for Bahrainis in new and emerging industries," said Tamkeen chief executive Mr. Al Qassimi. "As the region's industrial and business requirements continue to grow and evolve, a key requirement for technical home, business and industrial security applications will increasingly be required and the availability of qualified, trained Bahraini professionals who are able to handle such applications and products will represent a key growth opportunity for Bahrain. Bahrainis have a good opportunity to develop careers in the vast residential, business and industrial security segments. GE Security's Training University will facilitate such an opportunity."

To this, Bart Otten, the President of GE Security Europe, Middle East and Africa, said, "We are delighted that Tamkeen is supporting us in this strategic venture and decided to invest in Bahrain for its business friendly climate, strategic location and large talent pool. This new hub will benefit the local economy through increased employment and travel. The founding of a Training University, in Manama, is an expansion of a proven GE Security concept in Brussels and Johannesburg, that will contribute to making Bahrain one of the major technical training centres of the region."

Jurgen Timperman, GE Security's Regional General Manager Middle East and Africa, stated, "The signing of this agreement is a major milestone in our plans for continued expansion of GE Security's business and activities in the Middle East. The new regional headquarters in Bahrain will serve as a hub for customer service, sales and technical support and will also host a new Training University which will provide world-class professional skills and product training for both employees and business partners in the region."

GE Security's new Middle Eastern hub and Training University are part of GE's strategy to expand its local operations and knowledge transfer initiatives in the Kingdom of Bahrain as it has been around the region. These localisation initiatives complement the recently inaugurated GE office, a GE Energy Customer Application Center and a Pro Express showroom opened by GE Security and Security 1, a one-stop shop in a business-to-business service outlet, offering a selected range of electronic security products. Through the new office and facilities, GE will be able to more effectively expand its Power, Water, Oil & Gas, Aviation, Security and Consumer & Industrial businesses while providing enhanced levels of service and support for customers in the Kingdom of Bahrain and around the region. At present, GE has over 100 people working in Bahrain.

With regional activity since the 1930's, GE's presence today comprises an array of established projects via strategic partnerships, investments, and solutions, with a focus on infrastructure development and major challenges such as cleaner energy and transportation, water scarcity and improved healthcare systems. GE currently employs over 1,700 personnel across the Middle East with over 10 on the ground facilities and several more currently under development.