ALUMINIUM Bahrain (Alba) reaffirmed its support to the responsible use of natural resources and to furthering the interests of small and medium enterprises by providing sponsorships to two events held in Bahrain – the first Energy Management Conference and Exhibition and the fourth Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Conference and Exhibition.

Platinum sponsorship of BD7,500 was provided for the energy management conference. The SME event received sponsorship of BD3,000.

Held under the patronage of Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Minister of Finance and Minister in charge of Oil and Gas Affairs, the energy management conference was organised by the Bahrain Society of Engineers and held at the Gulf International Convention Centre, Gulf Hotel.

The event focused on energy management, the potential of renewable energy in the Arab World, energy policies, energy efficiency programmes in sustainable development and sustainable energy strategies among other topics.

Alba CEO Tim Murray remarked: “The 1st Energy Management Conference & Exhibition 2013 is a significant step towards sustainability and prosperity. Alba is committed towards developing cleaner technology, investing in greener initiatives and spreading environmental awareness as they are necessary for achieving sustainable development. We are proud to be at the forefront of promoting initiatives that offer viable alternatives for businesses to thrive, in turn bolstering the economy and prosperity of the country.”

An Alba team comprising chief financial officer Ali Al Baqali, director of power and utilities Amin Sultan, acting director for administration Abdul Rahman Janahi, and acting manager for human resources and public relations Hamad Alshaibeh presented the cheque to Bahrain Society of Engineers’ president Abdulmajeed Al Qassab and events manager Jameel Al Alawi.

The SME conference and exhibition was held at Crowne Plaza Hotel – Conference Centre Held under the patronage of Dr Hasan bin Abdulla Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce, and organised by the Bahrain Small and Medium Enterprises Society, its theme was “Entrepreneurial Ecosystem for SMEs in the GCC”. 

Commenting on the sponsorship, Alba chief financial officer Al Baqali said: “Since Alba’s inception, we have supported the Bahraini economy and today around 50 per cent of our products are sold to downstream industries alone. Alba is proud to support significant initiatives such as the fourth SMEs Exhibition and Conference, which provide a platform for all SMEs in Bahrain to showcase the country’s industrial growth.”

The cheque was presented by Janahi and the manager for procurement and warehousing Fadhel A Wahab to the president of the society, Dr Abdul Hassan Al Dairi, and chairman of the event, Abdulrahim Abdullah Fakhro.