The Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF) signed a cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia's Bank Albilad to deliver specialised artificial intelligence training.

According to BIBF’s press release, the programme will be delivered under the bank's "Albilad AI" programme, as Gulf financial institutions accelerate investment in digital workforce development.

Under the agreement, BIBF will design and deliver training programmes aligned with global best practices, equipping Bank Albilad employees with applied skills in AI across banking and finance functions. The programme targets operational efficiency, product innovation and customer experience as its primary areas of application.

"We are delighted to collaborate with Bank Albilad on this unique initiative, which reflects both institutions' commitment to developing human capital and empowering it to leverage the advanced capabilities offered by artificial intelligence," BIBF CEO Dr Ahmed Al Shaikh said in a press statement.

Yasser Sulaiman Al-Dakhil, General Manager of Human Resources Excellence at Bank Albilad, framed the partnership within the bank's broader institutional strategy, stating that "investing in developing the capabilities of our employees is a fundamental pillar of Bank Albilad's strategy towards innovation and institutional excellence."

The agreement positions BIBF as a regional training partner for Saudi financial institutions at a moment when AI adoption across the GCC banking sector is accelerating. Bank Albilad, one of Saudi Arabia's leading retail banking groups, joins a growing list of Gulf lenders restructuring their workforce development strategies around emerging technology competencies.

For BIBF, the deal extends its footprint beyond Bahrain and reinforces its positioning as the region's primary provider of specialised financial and banking training, supporting Saudi Arabia's broader digital transformation objectives under Vision 2030.