QFC Highlights Qatar Business Opportunities to Spanish Industry Leaders
Doha, Qatar
The Qatar Financial Centre, one of the world's leading and fastest growing onshore business and financial centres, hosted an Investment Roundtable in Madrid, Spain on Thursday, 14 November.
The Investment Roundtable, which builds on the successes of the 2018 event, was organised to facilitate strategic cooperation across business activities and knowledge-sharing in an aim to develop closer relations with Spain's business community and provide access to investment opportunities in Qatar's market through the QFC platform. The QFC is already home to four Spanish companies: PanData Tech LLC; Acciona Producciones y Diseño; Rexton Holdings LLC and Elements Global Services LLC.
The event's participants included senior Qatari representatives from the QFC, who met with Spain's leading business and industry leaders, including representatives of the Madrid Chamber of Commerce and the Spanish Chamber of Commerce.
Additionally, and as part of the Madrid visit, the QFC also hosted the prestigious Global Annual Summit's 'The Capital' Gala Dinner, which was held on Thursday 14 November at Casa de America/Palacio de Linares. The event saw in attendance more than 40 high-level guests including wealth philosophers, government officials, family business leaders, technology entrepreneurs, philanthropists, impact investors and region heading executives.
Sheikha Alanoud bint Hamad Al-Thani, Managing Director of Business Development, QFC Authority said
The QFC considers Spain a key market and our Investment Roundtable event was an excellent opportunity for Spanish companies to discuss doing business in Qatar with our investment team. Our mission is to facilitate the strengthening of our international economic partnerships through providing an effective and efficient framework for commercial enterprises. Our onshore capabilities also allow us to serve as a springboard for investors who wish to tap into regional markets, and we believe that we provide the best platform for firms to expand to Qatar and beyond.
Al-Thani added: "In addition, it was an honour to attend this year's Global Annual Summit and host senior business leaders at 'The Capital: Gala Dinner'. The Global Annual Summit provides an important framework for insightful discussion on key trends, issues and opportunities in the area of private wealth. As a platform which offers solutions to this key vertical, QFC is privileged to be part of the conversation."
Mr. Ghanim Al Madeed, Charge D'affaires, Qatari Embassy in Madrid said
"It was an honour to be part of the Qatar Financial Centre's Investment Roundtable in Madrid. The event was yet another excellent opportunity to showcase the many benefits of investing in Qatar through the QFC platform. Already a growing number of Spanish companies are taking advantage of the QFC's offering, as well as the opportunity to expand their business in the Middle East and beyond."
Elsa Salvadores Janssen, Deputy Director of Madrid Official Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services
"We believe Qatar is a thriving country and example of international expansion. Therefore, the QFC Investment Roundtable was an opportunity to highlight the importance of Qatar to the Spanish market."
The Madrid visit also came as part of the QFC's efforts to highlight the strong and healthy economic and bilateral trade relations that exist between Spain and Qatar. In December 2018, Qatar and Spain agreed on a treaty on the avoidance of double taxation to enhance mutual trade, which is already rising significantly. Bilateral trade between the two countries grew by 5% to €1.2 billion, as of October 2019. The two nations also share economic ties that extend far beyond trade and Qatar has become one of the leading gas import destinations for Spanish companies.
