French banking giant BNP Paribas is implementing significant structural changes in its Middle East operations, including eliminating Bahrain as its regional headquarters for the Middle East and Africa. Instead, regional offices will now report directly to Paris.
The move signals the bank’s shift toward centralizing its decision-making and streamlining operations to adapt to the increasingly competitive financial landscape in the region. Rival cities like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Riyadh have been vying to become the leading financial hubs in the Middle East.
As part of this restructuring, BNP Paribas plans to cut jobs in Bahrain while focusing its resources on key markets such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia, where economic growth remains robust.
While these changes reflect an effort to improve efficiency and profitability, they also highlight the challenges financial institutions face in maintaining a balance between regional presence and operational scalability. Analysts will be closely watching the bank’s performance in the Middle East as it implements these changes.
