31-07-2025
BisB Becomes First Bank in Bahrain, GCC, and Middle East to Win 'ISACA' Cybersecurity Award
Bahrain Islamic Bank (BisB), the leading provider of innovative Islamic financial solutions for simplifying money matters in the Kingdom of Bahrain, has been honoured with the 'Most Innovative Solution Award' as part of the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) Global Achievements Awards 2025. The award recognised the Bank's Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), Mohammed Isa Hammad, for leading a series of pioneering initiatives that significantly enhanced Bahrain's cybersecurity capabilities in combating financial fraud.
Ms. Fatema AlAlawi, Chief Executive Officer of BisB stated, 'This esteemed title from ISACA is a proud moment for both BisB and the Kingdom of Bahrain. It reflects our steadfast focus on strengthening financial resilience across the national and regional financial landscape. Through collaborations with regulators, government bodies, and financial sector partners, we have helped shape policies, controls, and platforms that safeguard the digital wellbeing of our citizens and residents. This award validates our leadership in driving these impactful initiatives from the heart of the Middle East.'
The accolade marks the first time an organisation or individual from Bahrain, the GCC, and the wider Middle East has received such an honour from ISACA, the world's foremost authority in information security, IT audit, risk management, and data privacy. Established in 1967, ISACA boasts over 185,000 members globally, and the Global Achievement Awards represent the highest level of recognition it confers after a rigorous international evaluation process.
Spearheaded by Mr. Hammad, the awarded initiatives reflect BisB's unwavering commitment to ensuring a safer and more secure digital infrastructure across the Kingdom's banking sector. These efforts involved cross-sector collaborations with regulators, governmental entities, and financial institutions to develop unified policies, controls, and strategic platforms aimed at reducing fraud, enhancing resilience, and fortifying Bahrain's cybersecurity framework.
The accomplishment builds upon BisB's track record of being among the sector's leaders, exhibiting foresight in information security, privacy, and operational continuity. Over the past five years, the Bank has achieved several firsts in the region, including certifications and awards that underscore its proactive approach to innovation-led risk mitigation. The certifications include being the first bank in Bahrain to obtain ISO 27001:2022 information security standard, first Islamic bank in Bahrain to obtain ISO 27701:2019 data privacy standard, first bank in Bahrain to obtain to obtain ISO 22301:2019 business continuity standard, first bank in Bahrain to obtain PCI-DSS 4.0 card security standard, and its ongoing compliance with SWIFT CSCF payment security framework.
