Executive Management

Professor Ciarán Ó Catháin

Chief Executive Officer

 Prof. Ciarán Ó Catháin is the Chief Executive Officer at Bahrain Polytechnic. He is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin and Dublin Institute of Technology and holds a Doctorate in Management from the University of Ulster. He is a visiting professor at the Capital University of Economics and Business, Beijing. He also holds honorary professorships at both Beijing Union University and Beijing Information Science and Technology University.

Prof. Ó Catháin has spent his career in numerous leadership roles across academia, tourism, and sport at a local, national, and regional level. He was notably the former President of Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT), where he presided over the instrumental development of the institute over the past 21 years. During his tenure as President, he transformed AIT from a fledgling RTC to Ireland’s leading institute of technology which now welcomes students from 84 nations worldwide.

Additionally, he is former Chairman of the Technological Higher Education Association, former President of Athletics Irelands and former member of the executive board of the Olympic Council of Ireland.

Committed to the value of regional development, Prof. Ó Catháin has championed the Midlands’ commercial, social and cultural development. He was Midlands Gateway Ambassador in 2012 and served as President of the Midlands Gateway Chamber for the towns of Athlone, Tullamore and Mullingar in 2008-2009.

Osama Al-Sayed

Deputy CEO of Resources & Quality

Osama Al-Sayed is a strategy and business development specialist with a career spanning over 20 years in various sectors such as Aviation (National Carrier), Islamic Investment Banking, Real Estate Development, and Aviation Training (MENA Region).  He is a graduate with an MBA in Business Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Florida).

In 2002, Osama joined the National Carrier and was responsible for Commercial, Strategic, and Corporate Planning. He was part of a team which was part of a company-wide ‘turnaround strategy’ to align the national carrier with profitability.

In 2006, Osama went on to work for an Islamic investment bank,  where he introduced, developed, and maintained successful relationships between the bank and investor clients across GCC markets who invested and utilized the offered products and services.  He also successfully compiled and maintained core business manuals for the main functions of the bank.

In 2010, Mumtalakat invited Osama to build the Gulf Aviation Academy (GAA) as a serious and prominent contender in the regional aviation training sector.  This was achieved in a combined yearly target of US$ 16MN in revenues, a customer base of 30-50 clients at any given time, expanding the range of training offered, and Board approved 2021-2025 Business Strategy.

He brings with him a wealth of experience and knowledge, based on both local and GCC business experience from these sectors, to be utilized in applying a creative approach to partnerships with the Private Sector.

Dr. Louise O’Nolan

Deputy CEO of Academic Affairs and Registrar

Dr. Louise O’Nolan has joined the Polytechnic from the Office of the Supreme Council for the Development of Education and training, serving as a director of education performance, where she focused on national strategy, education policy, funding and a number of restructuring projects.

Dr. Louise previously worked at the Polytechnic in a number of different posts, including as a faculty member, a quality manager, an advisor to the CEO on strategy and academic affairs, and more recently as an advisor to the Board of Trustees. She has worked previously in international strategy and consulting and started her career in the tech industry working at Google for a number of years.

Dr. Louise holds a BSc. In Computer Science and Software Engineering, an MA in International Security and Conflict Studies and a DBA in Business Administration with a focus on Strategy in Higher Education.

She also holds a position as adjunct faculty with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland teaching and supervising students on a Management in Healthcare Masters programme.

Dr Louise is highly accomplished, receiving many awards throughout her career for her achievements and contributions.

Dr. Rawya Al-Mannaei

Deputy CEO of  Corporate Affairs

Dr Rawya Al-Mannaei has more than 20 years of experience in strategic planning, academia, and consultancy, in addition to project management. Throughout her career, she held several leadership positions in the Ministry of Municipalities and Agriculture Affairs as Director of Projects Management, Director of Urban Development, Technical Affairs Advisor, and finally Assistant Undersecretary of Common Municipal Services. She has previously worked as a teaching assistant at Bahrain University.

She holds a PhD in Innovation Management from the Arabian Gulf University and a master’s degree in 3D Design from the University of Kent. She has also obtained several professional certificates, including a professional certificate in commercial and engineering arbitration. In addition to the Professional Certificate in Planning and Management of Green Spaces and the professional certificate in investment and analysis of commercial real estate from MIT University.

Dr. Raweya has been a member of numerous national boards and committees, such as the Engineering Professions Regulatory Council, and the Supreme Committee for the Care of Persons with Disabilities. She is listed expert in the field of engineering within the National Platform for Bahrain Experts. Dr. Raweya has won several awards for her contributions and accomplishments over her career.