Salam International chairman and CEO Issa Abdul Salam Abu Issa receiving the Belgian honorary title of “Commander in the Order of Leopold II” from Princess Astrid at a special ceremony at the Gate Mall in Doha on Monday. PICTURE: Thajuddin

Salam International chairman and CEO Issa Abdul Salam Abu Issa received the Belgian honorary title of “Commander in the Order of Leopold II” at a special ceremony held at the Gate Mall in Doha on Monday.
The award was bestowed upon him by Princess Astrid on behalf of Belgain King Philippe.
The award recognises his significant contribution to the Belgian presence and activities in Qatar, strengthening the co-operation between the two countries. The ceremony was held on the occasion of the Belgian economic mission to Qatar and was attended by both Qatari and Belgian dignitaries.
As part of the event, several B2B meetings were held with Salam subsidiaries, which saw the participation of some 109 companies.
As chairman and CEO of Salam International, Abu Issa has been instrumental in diversifying the family business portfolio by establishing strategic partnerships with several reputable international firms.
One of the strongest and most successful collaboration has been with Barco — a display hardware and software manufacturer founded in Belgium. Salam Technology, one of Salam International’s business units, has more than “80 installations” of Barco products in the country, with more than 1,000 users a day, resulting in an annual revenue generation of $5mn.
Salam International has also been working closely with other Belgium-based companies across a variety of sectors including: Luciad (Technology), Harco Group (Technology), KCC (Entertainment) and Stolz (Interior).
On the award, Issa said, “I am greatly humbled by this honourable felicitation. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to HRH Princess Astrid and His Majesty Philippe, King of the Belgians, for recognising Salam International’s role in fortifying ties between Belgium and Qatar.
“Through the wise leadership of HH the Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, and HH the Father Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, Salam International has developed strong alliances with some of the leading companies in Belgium. This has successfully helped us penetrate the European market, which in turn has brought the latest in technology and innovation to Qatar. We are deeply committed to expand and nurture our collaborations to revolutionise the trade between the two major economies.”
Expressing her delight with the award ceremony, Princess Astrid said, “It is our honour to bestow upon Abu Issa the prestigious “Commander in the Order of Leopold II” title. Issa has played a tremendous role in facilitating trade relations between the Kingdom of Belgium and Qatar. It is under his leadership that Salam International has successfully opened up new avenues for commercial activities and strategic collaborations between the two nations.”
The Order of Leopold II award was established in August 1900 by King Leopold II. The order is awarded to both Belgians and foreigners in recognition of their commendable services to the Sovereign of Belgium.