• I I

    • Independent director

      Determination by the Board. Under Module HC an 'independent director' is a director whom the board has specifically determined has no material relationship which could affect his independence of judgment, taking into account all known facts. The board should consider that, although a particular director meets the formal requirements, he may not be independent owing to specific circumstances of the person or the licensee, ownership structure of the licensee, or for any other reason. The board's determination should be a good faith finding after diligent review and full discussion.

      Formal Requirements. 'Independent director' means a director of the licensee who, or whose family shareholders either separately or together with him or each other, does not have any material pecuniary relationships or transactions with the licensee (not counting director's remuneration for this purpose) and in particular who, during the one year preceding the time in question met all the following conditions:

      (a) Was not an employee of the licensee;
      (b) Did not:
      (i) Make to, or receive from, the licensee payments of more than 31,000 BD or equivalent (not counting director's remuneration);
      (ii) Own more than a 10% share or other ownership interest, directly or indirectly, in an entity that made to or received from the licensee payments of more than such amount;
      (iii) Act as a general partner, manager, director or officer of a partnership or company that made to or received from the licensee payments of more than such amount;
      (iv) Have any significant contractual or business relationship with the licensee which could be seen to materially interfere with the person's capacity to act in an independent manner,
      (c) Did not own directly or indirectly (including for this purpose ownership by any family member or related person) 5% or more of the shares of any type or class of the licensee;
      (d) Was not engaged directly or indirectly as an auditor or professional advisor for the licensee;
      (e) Was not an associate of a Director or a member of senior management of the licensee; and
      (f) Was not an associate of a Director, member of senior management or board member of the licensee’s controller.

      For purposes of this definition, the 'payments' referred to in paragraph (b)(i), (b)(ii) and (b)(iii) do not include monies received from dividends and credit facilities arising from the licensee's normal business activities, but instead ordinarily refer to monies received (and/or payable during the period in question) for services rendered to the licensee by the director or company concerned, or paid (or payable) by the concerned director or company to the licensee for services provided by the licensee. The CBB may in its absolute discretion vary any such requirement (and /or restrictive effect thereof) in writing on a case-by-case basis. Dividends and credit facilities are to be considered under item (b)(iv) of this definition.

      For the purpose of the definition of "independent director":

      (a) Where the term "family" or "family member or related persons" is used reference is made to: spouse, father, mother, son(s) or daughter(s); and
      (b) Where the term "associate" is used reference is made to:
      (i) Spouse, father, mother, son(s) or daughter(s); or
      (ii) A person who is an employee or partner of the Director or of the firm represented or owned by the Director.
      Amended: October 2020
      Amended: July 2020
      Added: January 2013

    • Insurance licensees

      An insurance firm, insurance broker, insurance consultant, insurance manager or an insurance exchange operator who has been granted a licence by the CBB to undertake regulated insurance services as defined in Section AU-1.4 of Volume 3 (Insurance).

    • Intra-group outsourcing

      Intra-group outsourcing is an arrangement in which one company within a group of companies provides services for another company within the same group that could also be or usually have been provided in-house.

      Added: January 2014

    • Investment firm licensee(s)

      A person licensed under Volume 4 of the CBB Rulebook to undertake regulated investment business services.

    • Islamic bank licensees

      A bank licensed by CBB under Volume 2 of the CBB Rulebook, and generally operating according to Islamic finance principles (as opposed to operating in accordance with conventional finance principles).

    • Islamic retail banks licensee(s)

      Banks which undertake the regulated banking services of (a) to (n) in Paragraph LR-1.3.1 for both residents and non-residents of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

      Added: December 2018