18 October 2022, Doha – Qatar: The Qatar Financial Centre (QFC), a leading onshore financial and business centre in the region, held a business dinner in Washington, D.C., USA, on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Summit. The dinner was hosted in partnership with the Embassy of Qatar in the United States, the US-Qatar Business Council (USQBC) and the US Chamber of Commerce.

The event came as part of the QFC’s outreach initiatives in the US, aimed at showcasing Qatar as a prime business location in the Middle East and positioning the QFC as the preferred platform to operate in the market. The QFC underlined the extensive investment opportunities in Qatar and its resilient economy, spurred by diversification efforts and friendly government policies that enable long-term partnerships and innovation.

The event saw the attendance of dignitaries and C-level executives from notable US companies operating in various sectors. It featured eminent speakers, including Sheikha Alanoud bint Hamad Al-Thani, Deputy CEO and Chief Business Officer, QFC; Fahad Mohammed Al-Dosari, Commercial Attaché, Embassy of the State of Qatar in the United States; Scott Taylor, President, US-Qatar Business Council (USQBC); and Khush Choksy, Senior Vice President for Middle East Affairs, US Chamber of Commerce.

Led by Mohammed Barakat, Managing Director and Treasurer of the Board of Directors of USQBC a fireside chat, featuring Pawel Chudzicki, Principal Managing Director, Miller Canfield; and Jahaan Johnson, Senior Vice President, Citibank; also took place during the event, offering an engaging discussion on companies’ success in Qatar.

Sheikha Alanoud Bint Hamad Al-Thani, Deputy CEO and Chief Business Officer, QFC, said: “The US and Qatar share a long history of strategic partnership and have strengthened this relationship over the years with mutually beneficial collaborations, enhanced trade agreements, and active government to government engagements. This business dinner illustrates the QFC’s commitment to building on these strong ties by facilitating access for US companies to explore the vast potential investment opportunities in Qatar, a country powered by rapid diversification and sustainable economic policies. We are eager to see new partnerships and businesses entering Qatar under the QFC platform.”

The US and Qatar have solid diplomatic ties spanning over 50 years. This is characterised by a thriving commercial relationship that represents more than $200 billion in value across industries.

“2022 is another remarkable year for the Qatari-American business relationship. Qatari and American companies constantly establish new partnerships, explore new business sectors, and create and maintain thousands of high-paying jobs,” said Fahad Al-Dosari, the Commercial Attaché of the State of Qatar in the United States. “US companies can benefit from our stable business environment and the unmatched financial and regulatory incentives offered by the Qatar Financial Centre, as well as the special economic zones Qatar has created to achieve the diversification goals set in the Qatar National Vision 2030.”

In his remarks, Scott Taylor, President, USQBC, noted: "The State of Qatar represents one of the world's most attractive investment destinations. US companies will find it very easy to establish themselves in Qatar along with pro-business reforms, incentives and necessary infrastructure to get their business off the ground quickly and efficiently. The Qatar Financial Centre is leading the way.”

“The US Chamber of Commerce’s US-Qatar Business Program is honoured to partner with the U.S.-Qatar Business Council to host Sheikha Alanoud bint Hamad Al-Thani, Deputy CEO and Chief Business Officer at QFC, for this dinner at our headquarters in Washington,” said Khush Choksy, Senior Vice President for Middle East Affairs, US Chamber of Commerce. “The US and Qatar have an incredibly strong relationship spanning fifty years, and the economic ties between our two countries only continue to grow with new opportunities for investment and partnership regularly arising. The QFC has played a key role in developing these opportunities by serving as a platform for US companies to enter the Qatari market, including one of the Co-Chairs of our Program Inventus Power, and we are grateful for their part in helping to strengthen the US-Qatar relationship.”

Qatar is one of the largest foreign investors in the US and has pledged to invest over $45 billion in the Western market over the coming years. Today, more than 850 US companies operate in Qatar in SportsTech, FinTech, construction, engineering, medicine and scientific research, and other fields.