The Labour Fund Tamkeen has launched the NextGen Board, a youth-led body that tasks under-30 employees with proposing and delivering innovation projects while joining management meetings for hands-on exposure. The initiative was announced on October 9, 2025, with full details in the Tamkeen announcement and confirmed by Bahrain News Agency coverage.

Tamkeen frames the move as structured career acceleration for emerging talent. Members will be empowered through targeted training and participation in leadership forums to deepen knowledge exchange and professional growth, with an explicit remit to improve sustainability practices and expand staff participation in socially impactful projects, as stated in the official release.

Public stakeholders welcomed the launch. The Minister of Youth Affairs called the NextGen Board a pioneering step that reflects confidence in Bahraini youth and broadens opportunities to develop businesses and contribute to their sustainability.

Tamkeen’s internal message underscores why this matters now for teams and the wider economy. “The launch of this initiative at Tamkeen stems from our deep belief in the young talents within the organization and our recognition of the unique perspectives this group brings to the decision-making process,” said Eman Al Sharif, Chief Human Resources Officer at Tamkeen. “This initiative reflects our aspirations to establish an institutional model rooted in forward-thinking and inclusivity by giving young employees the opportunity to contribute to shaping strategic directions and building professional networks that support knowledge exchange and enhance collaboration.”

The statement added, “Through Next Gen Board, we aim to empower our young employees and enhance their leadership capabilities, contributing to the preparation of a qualified generation equipped to take on future responsibilities. It also promotes the renewal of ideas and fosters a culture of innovation and creativity in our work – impacting the value we deliver to both the Bahraini community and the labor market.”

For Bahrain’s startup community, the signal is practical. A formal youth board inside a major workforce enabler creates a pipeline of operators who understand governance, project delivery, and stakeholder management. That helps founders who need execution-ready hires and helps investors who prize operational maturity. It also aligns with national efforts to elevate young talent, as reflected in the Bahrain News Agency report and the Minister’s statement.

Next step for founders, HR leads, and ecosystem partners in Bahrain: review the Tamkeen announcement for membership scope and project focus, then track cohort updates via BNA’s item and the Minister’s remarks to identify collaboration or secondment opportunities that bring young Bahraini talent into live product and sustainability initiatives.