Telefat receiving the award from Meed Events chairman Edmund O’Sullivan in the presence of Ghandour.

Qatar’s “sizeable” investment opportunities make it one of the most attractive markets for doing business and the government is committed to developing infrastructure despite the falling crude, according to International Bank of Qatar (IBQ).
This was aired by IBQ managing director Jabra Ghandour at the Meed Qatar Projects conference, which concluded yesterday. He said Qatar’s banking sector has also become the fastest-growing in the region and has continued to show strength.
“With Qatar’s project market experiencing an explosion in construction and real estate, IBQ has been able to support the demand for the much-needed corporate banking solutions,” he said at the Meed gala dinner hosted by the bank, where this year’s Qatar Leadership Award was presented to Qatar Foundation, represented by Jassim Telefat, group executive director.
Although oil prices have dropped considerably from their highs, he said the government is committed to delivering on its infrastructure plans.
QNB CEO Ali Ahmed al-Kuwari told the conference that the government has embarked upon a mammoth public investment spending, which is slated to grow at compound annual growth of 5.8% during 2014-17, totalling more than QR260bn in four years, as part of the diversification drive. “With Qatar’s project market experiencing a boom in infrastructure, energy and construction, including the most extensive urban railway network, QIC has the capacity and underwriting expertise to handle the insurance requirements related to $200bn infrastructure developments planned for the next ten years,” said Ali al-Fadala, senior deputy group president and CEO of Qatar Insurance Company, which was also one of the sponsors.