APCO Worldwide has expanded its presence in the MENA region with the opening of a new office in Manama, Bahrain.
Jolyon Kimble, an eight-year veteran of the firm, is leading the Bahrain office as general manager. Kimble is a former political journalist and communications expert specialising in developing media relations and stakeholder engagement programs.
He has counseled clients in a wide variety of sectors, and has experience working on behalf of clients for APCO in London, Brussels and Asia.
"Bahrain is one of the fastest growing of the Gulf economies and its effort to channel its long history of regional financial services leadership into a compelling fintech offer is winning increasing global recognition," said APCO Worldwide CEO Brad Staples.
"At APCO, we’ve seen a tremendous amount of growth throughout the Middle East and opening an office in Bahrain is the next step in our plan to strengthen our presence in this critical region for our clients."
APCO’s new office in Manama is its first in Bahrain, but the firm has assisted clients in the country since 2015. The Bahrain office is APCO’s fourth in the Gulf Cooperation Council region, adding to the firm’s established presence in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Riyadh.
"Bahrain is a place that is in step with the shifts in the global economy allowing for innovation and development across sectors," said Mamoon Sbeih, president of MENA for APCO Worldwide.
"This bodes well for the future of the country. We are proud to open the Manama office and look forward to working with Joe and his team to continue building and growing our presence in Bahrain."
APCO’s Bahrain office, led by Kimble (pictured right), is supported by a group of senior leaders and specialists. This includes Sbeih; Elizabeth Sen, chief client officer, MENA; Liam Leduc Clarke, managing director, Saudi Arabia; Muhannad Al Badri, managing director, Abu Dhabi; Faten AlMasri, senior director; Samer El Hachem, head of project management in the region; Nicholas Labuschagne, senior strategy director; and Imad Lahad, global co-head of digital for APCO.
"This is an incredibly exciting time to set up an office in Bahrain as it fosters one of the leading tech ecosystems in the region," said Kimble.
"I look forward to leveraging APCO’s global team for the benefit of clients here in Bahrain, and for those looking to capitalize on the growing opportunities in the country."
APCO’s office in Bahrain comes during a ‘banner year’ for the company with 2019 representing the 35th anniversary year of the firm’s founding.
