Riyadat Mall upgrade will include new businesswomen’s incubator

Edamah Property Management Company (EPMC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Edamah, has been appointed by the Bahrain Development Bank (BDB) to revitalize Riyadat Mall in A’Ali. Established by the Supreme Council for Women (SCW) and BDB, the mall’s mission is to empowers female entrepreneurs.

The agreement, which is EPMC’s second such strategic partnership with BDB, aims to reposition the mall to better serve its surrounding community and to improve its financial sustainability while fulfilling its founding mission. Under the new management structure, Riyadat will be operated as a commercial mall to serve its catchment area by introducing new concepts and services that will attract visitors around the day. A new co-working space will also be introduced on the Mall’s second floor to enhance Riyadat’s strategic impact and financial sustainability whilst continuing to deliver support to Bahraini female entrepreneurs and women-led business.

EPMC General Manager Waleed Adel Ali remarked on the new engagement noting, “Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030 places a strong emphasis on entrepreneurship and innovation, and is particularly focused on empowering women led-businesses. We are pleased to support the BDB and the SCW in re-introducing Riyadat Mall and developing this unique initiative so that Riyadat can continue to serve a new generation of women entrepreneurs, as well as the wider public.”

Riyadat’s Co-working spaces will reposition Riyadat as an entrepreneur’s creative hub and meeting place where like-minded people come together to create, innovate and share ideas. While the commercial offering will position is as a social hub for a neighborhood in need of social activities.

The project, which will be spearheaded by the BDB in association with EPMC, will offer entrepreneurs multi-tiered participation options and access to a comprehensive package of support services from BDB.

SWC Secretary-General Hala bint Mohammed Jaber Al-Ansari said, “The Government of Bahrain is committed to making it easier than ever for women to participate in the Kingdom’s vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem. Riyadat, one of our key initiatives, offers early-stage businesses a safe space to experiment with new ideas and develop the confidence to transition to the next phase of their growth journeys. We are excited about this partnership, which will introduce a range of services relevant to women-led startups.”

BDB Group CEO Sanjeev Paul said, “This move is in line with our new development objective to enhance Riyadat’s strategic impact and improve its financial sustainability. We aim to achieve this through a strong tenant mix and the development of concepts to support Bahraini women entrepreneurs. The revitalization will also result in a better-looking mall with more up to date facilities.”