Doha

International Bank of Qatar (IBQ) has announced its support for the “2nd Entrepreneurship in Economic Development Forum” as Silver Sponsor of the event, which is scheduled from March 2 to 3 at the Sheraton Doha Resort and Convention Hotel.
IBQ managing director Jabra Ghandour said, “We believe SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) are keys to sustainable economic development and for nurturing a generation of young entrepreneurs.  
“The forum also highlights the importance of developing an entrepreneurial economic culture that can enhance and further develop the business environment in the future. This perfectly aligns with IBQ’s approach as we’ve recently set up a special Commercial Banking Unit to cater for the needs of this important segment of medium-sized enterprises.”
IBN CEO Raed Chehaib said the forum will be an effective platform for discussing the entrepreneurial culture in Qatar and the wider Gulf in addition to the latest trends and strategies in this field.
“We are hoping to inspire and encourage the young generation in Qatar and other GCC countries to develop their entrepreneurial skills. At the same time, we are also aiming to emphasise the importance of well-co-ordinated action among key public and private sector organisations in facilitating entrepreneurship,” Chehaib said.
“Having IBQ on board reflects the importance of the forum and the role of the bank in supporting the entrepreneurial sector in Qatar. The banking sector in Qatar has witnessed a phenomenal growth and banks are playing a major development role through such initiatives, therefore we thank IBQ for sponsoring this event,” he added.
The forum will also showcase success stories in the creation of enterprise cultures in Sweden, Malaysia, and Singapore and draw attention to the link between fostering innovation and entrepreneurship and key enabling factors to consider.  
Aside from promoting and developing the next generation of entrepreneurs in Qatar and the Gulf, it will also highlight the importance of an enterprise culture in developing the private sector in Qatar to diversify the economy in line with the National Development Strategy 2011-2016.