He balances that with being unshakeably committed to state-owned enterprises, too

An analysis of several Arab states' past efforts to privatise certain industries and the obstacles that they encountered.

Economic reform is key to the future of a region which needs to diversify away from dependency on oil, or a reliance on international funding. There has been both resistance and progress so far.

Bahrain's oil sector is relatively small for the Gulf. So, the kingdom has been an early adopter of economic diversification and has harnessed the advantage of a well-developed education sector.