Manama, Bahrain - 7 November, 2016

INJAZ Al-Arab, a member of Junior Achievement (JA) Worldwide, announced the Kingdom of Bahrain as the host country for the 10th chapter of the annual INJAZ Al-Arab Young Arab Entrepreneurs Competition. To be held at the ART Rotana Hotel in Amwaj Islands, the prestigious event will see 20 teams, made up of young Arab entrepreneurs from across the MENA region compete to win the highly coveted title of “University Company of the Year” and “High School Company of the Year” in addition to seven other awards. Previously held in Oman, Kuwait, Doha, Jordan, Morocco and Lebanon, this year’s edition of the high-profile competition marks the Kingdom’s first time as host.

The event brings together teams, comprised of high school and university students, from 13 Arab countries who previously won INJAZ Al Arab’s National Company Program Competition in their respective countries, to compete with regional contenders. The competition is a culmination of six months of experiential business learning alongside corporate mentors.

Participating teams will be assessed by a prominent panel of judges based on four criteria: their written company report, a public presentation, their trade fair booth and a panel interview.

The esteemed judging panel will feature 13 judges from various backgrounds: Mr. Ramzi Abdel Jaber (InvestCorp Bank), Mr. Fadhel Alansari (Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC)), Dr. Abdul Malek Al Jaber (Peppers & Rogers Group (Teletech)), Ms. Mariam Farag (MBC Group), Mr. Bashar Al Khadhi (H+K Strategies), Mr. Mazen Manaa (Credit Agricole CIB), Dr. Abdulla Bader Al Sada (Tamkeen), Mr. Sjoerd Leenart (JP Morgan), Mr. Neeraj Agrawal (Crescent Group), Mr. Omar Bennis (Coca-Cola), Ms. Nadera Abuali (Citi Bank), Mr. Mohammad Zhort, (FedEx), Mr. Kamal Najjar (FedEx).

Commenting on the annual event, INJAZ Bahrain Executive Director Shaikha Hessa Bint Khalifa Al Khalifa said: “We look forward to welcoming all the participating students joining us from across the MENA region to Bahrain, in its role as first-time host. This competition provides Arab youth with the opportunity to learn real-life business practices and applications. Every stage in this competition seeks to instil students with confidence and prepare them to compete in the global market. We believe that their boundless talent and potential will take them far.”

INJAZ Bahrain Chairman, Dr. Abdulrahman Jawahery said, “We are exceptionally proud as a nation and as a youth­ centred organization, to be hosting this year's YEC Competition in the beautiful Kingdom of Bahrain.  As Chairman of INJAZ and, as one of our esteemed sponsors of this occasion, I know that bringing together over 120 young future leaders from across the entire region, is the opportunity to showcase the immense and remarkable talent we have in this part of the world. Our future prosperity is only as good as our youth are today, so we welcome the opportunity to be a part of shaping the minds of these incredible individuals.”

Mr. Akef Aqrabawi, INJAZ Al-Arab’s President and CEO commented “We are eager to embark on a two-day entrepreneurial journey filled with innovation and creativity. This year, we are humbled and proud to be hosted by Bahrain to celebrate 10 years of achievements in financial literacy and entrepreneurial education. As of now, our YEC platform is fully equipped to embrace the presence of business leaders, entrepreneurial mind-sets and empowered youth from 13 countries across the region.”

The 20 teams will be competing to win in the following award categories: University Company of the Year, High School Company of the Year, University Product of the Year, High School Product of the Year, University Company for Best Social Impact, High School Company for Best Social Impact, 2016 FedEx Access Award, Citi Client Focus Award and the MBC Al Amal Best PSA of the Year Award.

The regional competition will be conducted in partnership with a variety of esteemed sponsors such as GPIC, Tamkeen, EDB, Banagas, Bapco, Batelco, MBC Al Amal, Citi Foundation, FedEx, Ithmaar Bank, Alba, Gulf Air, Khaleeji Commercial Bank, Al Salam Bank, Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait, Bahrain Ministry of Education, Sadiq Transport and Bahrain Airport Company.

The annual INJAZ Al-Arab Young Arab Entrepreneurs Competition follows the completion of individual country rounds and closes six months of training in work readiness, financial literacy and entrepreneurship based on INJAZ Al-Arab’s internationally acclaimed Company Program©. In total 20 teams from Bahrain, UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Palestine, Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Pakistan will showcase their business insight, financial knowledge, marketing support and feasibility studies. The event will be attended by over 400 guests including government officials, ambassadors, business leaders, and regional board members.

-Ends-

About INJAZ Bahrain:
The purpose of INJAZ Bahrain is to inspire and prepare young Bahrainis to succeed in a global economy. With the support of positive adult role models who volunteer their time, INJAZ Bahrain enables young students understand business, citizenship, economics, entrepreneurship, ethics/character, financial literacy, and work-readiness. INJAZ programs also encourage confidence and motivate young people to achieve their personal, educational, and career goals. These learning experiences establish the foundation upon which today’s students can acquire the skills and aptitudes necessary to succeed in a fast-changing world.

INJAZ Bahrain volunteers are supported by 18 committed community leaders who serve on the board of directors. These professionals provide the organization with valued guidance and support. In addition, INJAZ Bahrain works with a number of local collaborations and affiliations. These relationships ensure that efforts are not duplicated and that available resources are used in the most effective ways possible. Non-profit INJAZ Bahrain began serving the community in 2005. It is supported by funds generously granted by foundations and area businesses. Individuals also contribute to the organization, and they assist with fund-raising activities throughout the year. The organization is part of Junior Achievement Worldwide that has a presence in more than 119 countries around the world

For more information on INJAZ Bahrain, please call Hana Sarwani on 17225050 or visit www.injazbh.org

Media Contacts:
Mohammad Almail
Mohammad.Almail@hkstrategies.com
17-539 506

INJAZ Al-Arab & Junior Achievement Worldwide
Operating in 14 countries across the Middle East and North Africa, INJAZ Al-Arab is the only non-profit organization in the region that harnesses the mentorship of business leaders to help inspire a culture of entrepreneurship and business innovation among Arab youth.

Partnering with leading companies in the private sector, INJAZ Al-Arab equips Arab youth to drive the economies of the Arab World forward through training designed to inspire them to develop ambition, entrepreneurship and professional skills.

Named one of the top 100 NGOs in the world by Global Journal for two consecutive years (2012, 2013), INJAZ Al-Arab has influenced the lives of over 1.5 million students since its inception in 2004. INJAZ Al-Arab is a member of Junior Achievement; the world’s largest and fastest-growing youth business organization dedicated to educating students about workforce readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy through experiential, hands-on programs.

© Press Release 2016