Despite the tensions of war, ex-Barclays CEO Bob Diamond is long Gulf. Here’s why

Despite ongoing regional tensions during the Gulf War, former Barclays CEO Bob Diamond believes the Gulf region remains a thriving hub for business. Diamond, speaking from Bahrain at the Gateway Gulf investment conference, observed that the conflict has not deterred people from conducting their daily activities, such as attending school and working in offices. He emphasized that the region is not hiding in bunkers, but instead engaging in business as usual.

Diamond's firm, Panmure Liberum, has expanded its presence in the Gulf by opening its first regional office in Bahrain. The advisory firm, which specializes in middle-market companies, will serve the entire region and increase deal flow. Diamond noted that the U.K. market has seen a decline in deal activity, with a 13% decrease in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period last year.

He believes that the Middle East is a more attractive destination for deal-making due to its growing economy and reduced regulatory burden.

Bahrain's attractiveness to investors lies in its agile regulatory environment and streamlined processes. Mastercard recently expanded its collaboration with Infinios, a Bahrain-based fintech company, to support business-to-business travel payments. Additionally, Kimberly-Clark, a partnership between Saudi Arabia and a tissue paper production giant, plans to expand production at its Bahrain paper mill.

Diamond highlighted the potential for Bahrain and the Gulf Cooperation Council to develop stablecoin payment systems, which would offer faster, more secure, and cost-effective transaction settlement methods.