Al-Jaidah delivers a speech during the networking event.

The Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) recently hosted its “14th Networking Event for Business and Financial Professionals,” in partnership with the Qatari Businesswomen Association (QBWA), the Alfardan Group, and the Swiss Business Council.

The QFC said the event gathered several hundred professionals from QFC firms and the wider business community to network and explore mutual commercial interests.

QFC chief executive officer Yousuf Mohamed al-Jaidah said as the private sector continues to expand in Qatar, the QFC recognises the importance of offering the nation’s burgeoning business community “a valuable opportunity” to connect and foster relationships.

“The fastest and surest way to build solid business contacts today is through networking. But networking is not only about making new connections, it is also about building lasting and mutually beneficial business relationships,” al-Jaidah said.

He said over the past decade QFC was involved in many professional local and international gatherings and various networking events for QFC firms.

“However, this is the first time that non-QFC firms join one of our networking events and I am confident that this collaboration with our event partners will further contribute to diversify and grow Qatar’s business community,” he explained.

During the event, al-Jaidah joined QBWA board member Amal al-Athem and Swiss Business Council Qatar founding member Catrine Sutter in welcoming guests and participants.

Al-Athem said: “The QBWA believes that these events help all of us build stronger networks and therefore, learn, exchange and create valuable partnerships that support our country.”

Omar Alfardan, Managing Director of Alfardan Corporation, said: “Alfardan Corporation and the Qatar Financial Centre share the common aspiration of building a world-class local financial and business environment through various strategic initiatives such as those aimed at helping shape and nurture the country’s future business leaders. The recently concluded 14^th Networking Event for Business and Financial Professionals was the embodiment of this ideal and more. Its success has helped bolster Qatar’s ongoing efforts towards becoming the region’s premier business destination. Furthermore, it provided an ideal venue for significant local, regional and global growth by catering to the needs of the country’s ever-evolving business and financial services communities. We extended our support to the event and its goals as our full recognition of its many benefits and positive impact on the local economy, and it was a privilege to be part of this endeavour.”

Sutter added: “We are happy to have been able to get a legal status as a non-profit organisation in Qatar through the QFC. We are grateful to see the support the QFC offers the professional community of women in business in Qatar and the Gulf. Only with their support can we gain the confidence and recognition needed to continuously grow.”