Commenting on the signing of the MoUs, Yousuf Mohamed Al-Jaida, CEO, QFC, said: “Being a business and innovation enabler, QFC used the opportunity presented at SPIEF 2021 to help enable a future constant flow of expertise and innovation between the two incredibly innovative business landscapes in Russia and Qatar. The agreements signed at the forum will help expand our global network of stakeholders, play a vital role in building lasting bonds between our organisations, and pave the way for more Russian firms to join Qatar’s flourishing business landscape.”

Al-Jaida continued: “In a bid to foster stronger relationships between our business ecosystems and entrepreneurs, we held fruitful dialogues between QFC and potential partner organisations in Russia. The meetings provided us with a chance to enhance the prospects for expertise, knowledge, and innovation exchanges, and to help promote mutual investment, trade, and cultural engagement opportunities.”  

Members of the QFC delegation to the forum shared insights on the trade developments in Qatar, the bilateral trade ties between the two friendly countries, the outlook of the global economy and growth opportunities in the post-COVID-19 environment, and ways through which businesses from both countries can build durable partnerships.

On the sidelines of SPIEF 2021, QFC held a focused event in partnership with Business Russia entitled, “Digital Transformation of Business,” to shed light on the developments in the global digital sector in light of the pandemic, its implications on businesses, and the plethora of opportunities available in Qatar for Russian companies to leverage by venturing into the country.

Sheikha Alanoud Bint Hamad Al-Thani, Managing Director of Business Development, QFC, attended a panel discussion, “Gender Equality in Corporate Governance: Sustainable Development and Profit Growth,” and shed light on how Russian and Qatari business entities can support companies in their growth journey in an event held by Invest Qatar during the forum. 

Henk J. Hoogendoorn, Managing Director of Financial Sector Office, QFC, spoke at the opening panel of the forum, “IFC + ESG: Rethinking the Mission of Financial Centres,” and spoke at another session entitled, “The Industrial Revolution in the Financial Sector: Tokenised Assets, Digital Financial Assets, and Digital Currencies for Central Banks.”

Sarah Al-Dorani, Chief Marketing Officer, QFC, participated at the TEDxStPetersbug event, which was held on the sidelines of SPIEF 2021, highlighting the evolution of cross-cultural communication in light of the changes brought about by the pandemic and the ongoing digital transformation in the business world. 

Additionally, as part of the “Innovative Financing and Partnerships for Education” session, organised by Education Above All (EAA), Sheikh Fahad bin Jassim Al-Thani, Vice President, Financial Sector Office, QFC, discussed the latest developments in education financing, the role of the financial sector at large, and how regulations could help enhance the state of financing education globally.