08 Qatar Today September 2017

inside this issue September 2017 / Vol. 43 / Issue 8

COVER STORY

20 SUKUK MARKET GROWING STRONGER

After three successive years of decline, the global sukuk market has started looking up with the issuances touching $74.8 billion (QR272.27 billion) in 2016, registering an impressive growth of 13.2% compared to the previous year.

14 CREATING A NEW BUSINESS ORDER

In an exclusive interview with Qatar Today, Manateq CEO Fahad Al Kaabi talks about the company’s Special Economic Zones – Ras Bufontas, Um Alhoul and Al Karaana.

28 EXPAT EXODUS

For generations, the Gulf has been one of the prime expat destinations. Various reports conducted by consultancy groups, in the last year or so, show foreign workers increasingly leaving the region.

This trend could have quite an impact on local economies.

inside this issue September 2017 / Vol. 43 / Issue 8

SPOTLIGHT

34 STRIKING THE RIGHT NOTE

Blockade or not, a number of developments in recent months has once again proved that the education sector in Qatar continues to blossom.

18 PREVENTION BETTER THAN CURE

Healthy lifestyle promotion will be a key component of Qatar’s new six-year health strategy, as it takes proactive measures to reduce the prevalence of non-communicable diseases.

26 SENIOR JOBSEEKERS: CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS

Bayt.com talks about the difficulties faced by candidates applying for a senior post and offers advice on how to overcome them.

54 CONFECTING PERFECTION

Chocolate chef Jean Galler provides an insight into the confectionery market of the country.

and regulars 08

NEWS BITES

11

REALTY CHECK

12

BANK NOTES

13

OIL & GAS REVIEW

48

TECH TALK

50

AUTO NEWS

52

MARKET WATCH

58

DOHA DIARY

PUBLISHER & EDITOR IN CHIEF YOUSUF JASSIM AL DARWISH MANAGING DIRECTOR & CEO JASSIM YOUSUF AL DARWISH MANAGER DR FAISAL FOUAD EDITORIAL CHIEF EDITOR IZDIHAR IBRAHIM DEPUTY ASSISTANT EDITOR OLA DIAB SENIOR CORRESPONDENTS UDAYAN NAG KARIM EMAM ART SENIOR ART DIRECTOR MANSOUR ELSHEIKH DEPUTY ART DIRECTORS AYUSH INDRAJITH HUSSEIN ALBAZ

/

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from the desk It goes without saying that the saving grace for Qatar in these troubled times has been its expatriates, who have rallied behind the nation and have hardly let any opportunity go by to express their solidarity for the nation. And the efforts have not gone unnoticed, with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani acknowledging in his speech that “all those who live in this country have become spokespersons for Qatar”.

So, what lies ahead for the expat population (in Qatar) in the months ahead? Have they been backed up by the country, which many refer to as their “second home”? In a move aimed at helping employees, Sheikh Tamim issued Law No. 13 of 2017 under which a Labour Dispute Resolution Committee will be formed. The law provides that a dispute between an employee and employer first needs to be considered by the Department of Labour Relations, which must settle the dispute within seven days.

However, what does the current job market have to offer the expat population in the country, which makes up the bulk of Qatar’s workforce? Various reports, conducted by consultancy groups in the last year or so, show foreign workers increasingly leaving the Gulf. This trend, which some call expat exodus, could have a tremendous impact on local economies, raising the question of whether the GCC can manage without them and how hard it would be to replace them?

Our Cover Story analyses the global sukuk market, which after three successive years of decline has started looking up with issuances touching $74.8 billion (QR272.27 billion) in the previous year. Apart from that, in an exclusive interview with Qatar Today, Manateq CEO Fahad Al Kaabi talks about the company’s Special Economic Zones – Ras Bufontas, Um Alhoul and Al Karaana.

In a story which is sure to tickle your taste buds, chocolate chef Jean Galler provides us with an insight into the confectionery market of the country, and last but by no means least, the Spotlight in this edition explores the education sector in Qatar, which seems to be going from strength to strength with every passing year.

Happy reading!

affairs > local

QATAR WELCOMES BACK SHEIKH TAMIM

In an act of solidarity for its ruler, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, a huge gathering of Qataris and expatriates gathered at the corniche in Doha following his return from the UN General Assembly.

S

heikh Tamim returned after concluding his first foreign trip since the Saudi Arabia-led blockade on Qatar in June.

Sultan Barakat, director of Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies at the Doha Institute, said that it felt "as if half of Doha" was on the street.

"Publicly, seeing the images today will push them (the blockading countries) to think twice about this particular issue," he added.

Earlier, Sheikh Tamim had met German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin, where he said that he is ready for negotiations in an effort to solve the regional crisis.

QATAR REACHES OUT TO ROHINGYA VICTIMS

“QATAR’S OIL, GAS SHIPMENTS NOT AFFECTED”

Q

atar has not missed any oil or gas shipments since the blockade imposed on it by its GCC neighbours and Egypt, said Qatar’s energy minister Mohammed Al Sada.

“During this blockade we have never missed a single shipment of oil or gas to any of our consuming partners.”

“That shows how committed Qatar is, not only to our economy here and reliability but also to the consuming countries because this is a very strategic commodity,” said Al Sada.

The Qatar-Gulf crisis has entered its fourth month after Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt cut off all diplomatic and economic ties with Qatar on June 5.

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Qatar Fund for Development has joined hands with the Qatar Red Crescent in support of the humanitarian crisis resulting from the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya escaping the escalating violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine state.

Qatar Red Crescent, meanwhile, is preparing to launch an urgent campaign to support the basic needs for refugees in the areas of health, shelter, food and non-food supplies.

Qatar Fund for Development said that Qatar was among the first countries to immediately provide assistance and support after the outbreak of violence in Myanmar, because of the deteriorating humanitarian conditions and increasing number of refugees fleeing to Bangladesh.

General Manager of Qatar Fund for Development, Khalifa bin Jassim Al Kuwari, said this support stems from Qatar’s commitment towards vulnerable people who need quick humanitarian support.

HUMAN CAPITAL INDEX

SAUDI NO MATCH FOR QATAR

CAIRO MEET: QATAR-GULF CRISIS FLARES UP Tempers rose at the Arab League meeting in Cairo, where diplomats from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt participated.

D

uring his opening speech, Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Soltan bin Saad Al Muraikhi, referred to Iran as an “honourable country” and said ties had strengthened with them since the blockade.

In response, Ahmed Al Kattan, Saudi Arabia’s envoy to the Arab League, said: “Congratulations to Iran and soon, God willing, you will regret it.”

Meanwhile, UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Anwar Gargash, said the Gulf crisis continued “due to Qatar’s unwillingness for peace”.

Muraikhi responded by saying that the crisis started when Qatar News Agency was hacked by UAE-backed perpetrators who attributed false statements to Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar.

QATAR LAUNCHES ETA SYSTEM

Qatar features well ahead of Saudi Arabia in the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Human Capital Index, which has in fact ranked Qatar as one of the best in the region. The Middle East and North Africa region has an overall average score of 55.91. Qatar, with a score of 55, outperformed Saudi Arabia (82).

W

ith only 62% of the world’s human capital stock fully developed, the US and Germany feature in the top ten list, which is otherwise dominated by smaller European countries.

“The ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’ does not just disrupt employment, it creates a shortfall of newly required skills,” said Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum.

“Therefore, we are facing a global talent crisis. We need a new mindset and a true revolution to adapt our educational systems to the education needed for the future workforce,” he added.

Q

atar’s Ministry of Interior (MoI) and Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) made an announcement in September that Qatar will now make Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) available to visitors of all nationalities who hold valid residence permits or visas from either the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Schengen countries, or the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

This new system, effective from September 27, 2017, will allow eligible visitors to obtain an ETA by completing a simple online application prior to travel at www.qatarvisaservice.com.

As part of the application, applicants will be required to provide proof of accommodation (e.g. hotel booking), details of their return (or onward) travel, a copy of their passport with a minimum validity of six months, and a copy of their residence permit or visa to the aforementioned countries, with a minimum validity of 30 days.

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affairs > local

SHOT IN THE ARM FOR QATAR-CHINA TIES

F HAMAD PORT

QATAR’S RE-EXPORT HUB

A

ccording to market experts in the country, having started several direct shipping lines from the newly-opened Hamad Port to major sea ports in India, Pakistan and Turkey, and nearly a dozen more destinations in the pipeline, Qatar will soon tap the port’s ‘re-exporting potential’.

Ranjeev Menon, Group CEO of GWC, said that Qatar’s state-of-the-art port is certainly going to act as a catalyst to the country’s economic diversification.

“Hamad Port’s strong capabilities, modern facilities, and advanced systems are leading to position Qatar as a re-export hub in the region, increasing the volume of trade between Qatar and the rest of the world. The port will allow private sector businessmen to increase the flow of goods to and from the country, facilitating both trade and advancing entrepreneurship for the savvy trader.”

He added: “Qatar has witnessed multiple improvements and innovations in this field, some being the PPP projects awarded by the government. GWC Bu Sulba Warehousing Park is a successful example of modern government developmental strategies, and private sector’s deploying international standards and local knowledge to its best application.”

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ollowing the signing of a bilateral agreement between Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) and China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), Qatar has now become an approved destination for Chinese tourists.

In a statement by QTA in September, the agreement grants Qatar an ‘Approved Destination Status (ADS),’ allowing it to receive Chinese tourists and hold tourism promotional activities within China.

CNTA Chairman Li Jinzao said: “We are delighted to welcome Qatar to the list of countries that have ADS. This system aims to guarantee safe and reliable tourism services for Chinese customers from both local travel agencies and international tour operators.”

Meanwhile, Qatar’s ambassador to China, Sultan Salmeen Al Mansouri, said that the QTA-CNTA agreement embodies Qatar’s support for the ‘One Road, One Belt Initiative,’ the Silk Road Economic Belt.

TRAINING COURSES FOR WC WORKERS Workers building stadiums for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar will soon begin a bespoke training programme designed to introduce them to life in Qatar, improve technical capabilities, enhance job performance, and increase productivity and safety.

The programme has been fostered by SC and Qatar International Safety Centre (QISC). SC recently signed a one-year partnership with QISC to pilot this training programme for workers currently engaged in World Cup 2022-related projects.

As part of the first phase rollout, workers will be offered a smooth transition into working and living in Qatar by being taught about basic knowledge such as how to use an ATM, learning key English and Arabic phrases, and how to get around Qatar. They will also receive refresher tutorials on health and safety standards, the SC’s Workers’ Welfare Standards, the SC’s available grievance mechanisms, and other SC initiatives and programmes they can benefit from.

WORKERS TO BENEFIT FROM AMENDED LABOUR LAW

I

n a move aimed at helping employees, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani issued Law No. 13 of 2017 under which a Labour Dispute Resolution Committee will be formed. The committee will be established within the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs.

The new law has been issued after amending some provisions of the Labour Law promulgated by Law No. 14 of 2004 and No. 13 of 1990. The law amended some provisions of some articles in the previous law.

The law indicated that a dispute between an employee and employer first needs to be considered by Department of Labour Relation which must settle the dispute within seven days. If the department failed to settle the dispute within the designed period then the department must transfer the case to the dispute committee within three working days.

business > realty check LURE OF EUROPE

“There are many real estate investment opportunities in Europe these days, especially at the current Euro/US dollar exchange rate and relatively inexpensive external financing.”

HOUSSAM KHARBOTLI TFI (a subsidiary of Barwa Bank Group) CEO

“CONSTRUCTION SECTOR UNAFFECTED BY BLOCKADE” According to Qatari real estate company SAK Holding Group, the embargo imposed on Qatar by its GCC neighbours has been a failure.

I

n its monthly ‘Market Watch Bureau’ report, SAK claimed that the key infrastructure, real estate, construction and industrial sectors were able to resist the blockade, adding that imports from the siege countries are less than 25% of Qatar’s total demand.

“There were apprehensions that our trade and business may be affected by the closure of land borders and sea and air

ports,” said SAK Holding Group Deputy CEO Abdulrahman Al Najjar.

He added: “This belief is wrong, because according to documented studies on the extent of our reliance on imports from neighbouring countries in the past, we found that they do not exceed 25% of the imports coming into Qatar through Doha Sea Port, which can be easily overcome.”

EZDAN RE COMPANY STARTS NEW DIGITAL SYSTEM In an effort to further enhance its customer care services, the Ezdan Real Estate Company recently launched a new digital system at the two “Sakin” centres in Doha and Al Wukair. The move is aimed at evaluating customer satisfaction, facilitating communication with them, and receiving their feedback and suggestions.

Acting General Manager of Ezdan Real Estate, Omar Al Yafey, said: “The objective of this initiative is to establish a more effective (means of) communication with the tenants of Ezdan villages and residential units by assessing their satisfaction with Ezdan Real Estate services, receiving their feedback, and responding quickly to any queries in order to provide them with all the information they need”.

Ezdan had recently launched its “Ezdan WhatsApp” service for immediate response to customers via the contact number 50612121. The service enables residents and potential tenants to send their inquiries and requests, with supported images and videos, to a dedicated customer relations team.

QCB’S RE INDEX RISES IN Q2

Q

atar Central Bank’s (QCB) latest data on real estate reflects a marked reversal of fortune in June following a slump in the first quarter this year. Its real estate price index hit 280.90 points in June 2017, a month-on-month growth of 2.01%, compared to the lowest point for the year in May, which registered 275.35 points.

According to QCB, Qatar’s real estate prices hit the 282.96 mark in January 2017, before witnessing a slowdown.

The numbers slipped to 277.87 points in February, and edged up in March and April.

According to Ezdan’s research team, the country’s real estate transaction value jumped to QR1.8 billion in July 2017, compared to QR1.2 billion from the same month in 2016. The report pointed out that this growth in transactions confirms the recovery of real estate transactions. The market’s positive performance is expected to continue in the coming months, the Ezdan report said.

13 > QATAR TODAY > SEPTEMBER 2017

business > bank notes FOREIGN FUNDING ON THE CARDS Doha Bank CEO Dr R Seetharaman has said that the bank is talking to foreign lenders about the possibility of raising long-term funding either through a private placement or public debt sale.

“QATAR’S BANKING SECTOR RESILIENT” Qatar Central Bank Governor Sheikh Abdulla bin Saoud Al Thani has said that the country’s banks are capable of withstanding the pressure of the blockade imposed by other Arab states after Fitch Ratings lowered Qatar’s credit rating by one notch to AA-minus with a negative outlook.

Earlier, Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s had also downgraded Qatar’s rating.

I

n an exclusive interview with QNA, Al Thani said the banks are highly solvent and profitable. The deposits in the banks are in excess of QR39.3 billion. On the decision of Moody’s lowering the credit rating of Qatari banks, Al Thani said that the current geopolitical risks were a big factor in the agency’s decision. QCB believes the agency will amend that change in the near future.

In terms of banking regulations, the central bank is strictly following international standards, especially in capital adequacy and liquidity. In addition, QCB has taken precautionary measures in the face of the negative impact of the embargo.

“BARWA, MASRAF, IBQ MERGER IN FINAL PHASE”

DOHA BANK HAILS QATAR, UK TIES Doha Bank CEO Dr R Seetharaman has drawn parallels between the economic blockade on Qatar and the Brexit faced by Britain, adding that both countries have flourishing bilateral trade and business relations.

“Despite the Brexit development impacting the UK and the economic blockade impacting Qatar, the UK has always remained an important trade and investment destination for Qatar and will remain so, and hence Qatar and the UK can continue to explore the growing synergistic opportunities between them,” said Seetharaman.

“Qatar-UK trade is worth more than £5 billion. Food imports from the UK have come to Qatar after the recent economic blockade. Nearly a third of UK gas imports come from Qatar,” he added.

He further said that Qatar has a reserve of $340 billion including assets of its Sovereign Wealth Fund, QCB reserves in cash, and gold. “Together, Qatar’s reserves are more than 200% of its GDP.”

14 > QATAR TODAY > SEPTEMBER 2017

A

ccording to Barwa Bank Group CEO Khalid Al Subeai, its merger plans with Masraf Al Rayan and International Bank of Qatar are progressing at a rapid pace. He added that once the bank completes its legal and financial studies, the report will be submitted before the board of directors and the shareholders.

In December 2016, all three banks had jointly announced that they had entered into initial negotiations regarding a potential merger to create a larger and stronger financial institution.

Addressing the launch event of Barwa Bank’s special edition of ‘Al Mjd’ debit and credit cards, Al Subeai said: “It is our utmost pride and honour to launch this unique initiative, which comes as part of Barwa Bank’s national initiatives supporting the Qatari society in all its segments, citizens and residents.”

business > oil&gas COMING TOGETHER

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov meets Qatari counterpart Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, says both countries will continue to coordinate in energy and oil production.

QATAR EXPLORES PAK OPTION TO COUNTER BLOCKADE LANDMARK ACHIEVEMENT FOR QATARGAS In a major shot in the arm for Qatargas, the world’s largest LNG company achieved a worldclass safety milestone when its operations group completed two years and 30 million man-hours, without a lost time injury (LTI) in the company’s onshore and offshore assets.

“This world-class achievement is testament to the dedication and focus of our employees and contractors to operating Qatargas’ assets safely, efficiently and reliably,” said Qatargas CEO Khalid bin Khalifa Al Thani.

“I would like to congratulate the entire Qatargas Operations Team for this notable accomplishment and extend my appreciation for their devotion to safety. This feat once again underscores our commitment to an incident and injury-free culture,” he added.

As Qatar seeks to establish new trade routes amid a land, air and sea embargo imposed on it by its Arab neighbours, a Qatari shipping company is set to launch ‘the fastest direct service between Doha and the Pakistani port city of Karachi’.

M

ilaha (Qatar Navigation) is overseeing the venture. Its president and CEO, Abdulrahman Essa Al Mannai, said: “We have been vigorously ramping up our operations between Qatar and key Asian markets in response to growing demand from traders, importers and exporters on both sides.”

Before the Gulf crisis took effect, most of Doha’s shipments to and from Pakistan docked at Dubai’s Jebel Ali port – a regional hub. However, with the Emirati port now out of bounds as a trans-shipment centre, Qatari companies are increasingly exploring alternative links to penetrate the Asian market.

MAERSK, QP END HISTORIC PARTNERSHIP

T

he tie-up between Maersk Oil Qatar (MOQ) and Qatar Petroleum (QP) that operated the country’s largest offshore oil field, Al Shaheen, ended after 25 years.

Since 1992, the partnership between MOQ and QP was involved with five major

Field Development Plans involving the installation of 33 offshore platforms and drilling of more than 350 wells. The field now produces 40% of Qatar’s oil.

“Al Shaheen is one of Qatar’s great assets, which over the past 25 years has demanded constant innovation, collaboration and

expertise to overcome its complexities and build it into what it is today,” said Lewis Affleck, Managing Director, MOQ. The Al Shaheen oil field will now be operated by a joint venture comprising QP and renowned French oil and gas company Total.

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development > listening post

CREATING A NEW BUSINESS ORDER

IN AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH QATAR TODAY, MANATEQ CEO FAHAD AL KAABI TALKS ABOUT THE COMPANY’S SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONES – RAS BUFONTAS, UM ALHOUL AND AL KARAANA.

BY UDAYAN NAG 16 > QATAR TODAY > SEPTEMBER 2017

M

anateq recently signed back-to-back deals for its Ras Bufontas Economic Zone. A deal with Ismail Bin Ali Group for building labour accommodation which will house more than 8,700 workers was followed by a signing ceremony for the development of two hotels and three hotel apartment complexes. It was seen as another milestone in Manateq’s drive to secure private sector investment in Qatar.

So, how are these private sector investment initiatives going to benefit Qatar in the years to come?

“Both deals were landmark agreements as they emphasize the strong bond between the public and private sectors in the development of Qatar,” says Fahad Al Kaabi, CEO, Manateq.

“Going forward, initiatives such as these demonstrate the opportunities available to other private sector organisations to make a major contribution to the economy as the country continues to drive towards Qatar Vision 2030 as a more diverse economy.

Our economic zones play a crucial role in transforming Qatar into a global industrial and logistics hub, and the initiatives we have in place offer huge incentives to local and foreign investors.”

One of the steps taken by Manateq was to offer 100% ownership in the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in an effort to attract more foreign direct investment (FDI). On whether there have been further developments regarding FDI in the Special Economic Zones, Al Kaabi says that the implementation of 100% ownership in the SEZs came about because of Manateq being aware of the complexities faced by foreign entities in trying to set up business in Qatar.

He further says: “In addition to the 100% ownership, we also provide investors with

a dedicated personal point of contact to facilitate registration and licensing, which allows them to focus on getting down to business. This unique, dedicated approach makes investing much easier and more attractive to FDI.” Among Manateq’s Special Economic Zones, Ras Bufontas is scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter of 2018, while Um Alhoul phase 1 is set to open in the second quarter of 2018. Al Kaabi confirms that the work is going according to plan. “Manateq is committed to securing private investment in Qatar; we’ve already had great success in this area, and Ras Bufontas, Um Alhoul and Al Karaana SEZs will strengthen our ability to appeal to foreign investors across a host of different sectors.” The location of the Al Karaana Economic Zone is very strategic because it’s on the border of Saudi Arabia. Once complete it will add to Manateq’s portfolio of specialized zones catering to foreign companies looking to start operations in Qatar and local investors looking to expand operations across the country.

“The strategic location of Al Karaana will serve as an overland gateway to investors for moving goods across the country with ease, and the blockade will not affect the zone’s development. With access to over 100 million customers, Al Karaana will provide all the required infrastructure for successfully servicing the global markets.”

Recently, SMEET Ready Mix opened its new plant in Ras Bufontas, which Al Kaabi describes as a major milestone.

The move is expected to play a significant role in the development of Ras Bufontas’ infrastructure sector. “The opening of the SMEET Ready Mix plant demonstrates our vision to attract private sector entities. SMEET Ready Mix has earned the reputation as a trusted source for its quality

“OUR ECONOMIC ZONES PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN TRANSFORMING QATAR INTO A GLOBAL INDUSTRIAL AND LOGISTICS HUB, AND THE INITIATIVES WE HAVE IN PLACE OFFER HUGE INCENTIVES TO LOCAL AND FOREIGN INVESTORS.” FAHAD AL KAABI CEO, Manateq

17 > QATAR TODAY > SEPTEMBER 2017

development > listening post

“THE STRATEGIC LOCATION OF AL KARAANA WILL SERVE AS AN OVERLAND GATEWAY TO INVESTORS FOR MOVING GOODS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH EASE.”

THE AGREEMENT TO DEVELOP THE HOTEL AND HOTEL APARTMENT COMPLEXES IN RAS BUFONTAS WILL BRING PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENT WORTH

QR338.5

MILLION

18 > QATAR TODAY > SEPTEMBER 2017

product throughout the region and will be a key player in the development of Ras Bufontas’ infrastructure as we develop an efficient, sustainable business hub.”

Manateq has been in the news recently mainly for the Ras Bufontas Special Economic Zone (SEZ), but what about the Um Alhoul SEZ, which has a waterfront like Ras Bufontas? What are the common features it shares with the other two economic zones (Ras Bufontas and Al Karaana), and how is it different from them?

“Work is pressing ahead in the Um Alhoul SEZ. It has similar features to our other SEZs in terms of 100% ownership and the various benefits of a personal point of contact to help with registration and licensing,” says Al Kaabi. “The location of Um Alhoul gives us the advantage of diversifying and further appealing to various sectors. Um Alhoul SEZ is perfect for those specialising in marine industries, the automotive sector, building materials, and food processing.”

Zukhrof Trading and Contracting was part of the deal that Manateq recently signed for the development of two hotels

and three hotel apartment complexes in its Ras Bufontas SEZ. Jaafar Ali Jaafar Al Sarraf, board member of Zukhrof Trading and Contracting, had said that “increased development in the country’s 4-star hotel segment will help sustain Qatar’s hospitality sector because it caters to both the business sector and leisure tourism.”

Does Manateq share Al Sarraf’s views on 4-star hotels? What are Manateq’s plans regarding 4-star hotels?

“We strive to create a world-class business environment,” says Al Kaabi. “The agreement to develop the hotel and hotel apartment complexes in Ras Bufontas will bring private sector investment worth QR338.5 million. It is a clear indication of the commitment of our team to meet our mandate to establish a wider range of business sectors for the growth of the economy, and provide world-class services and infrastructure for investors across ambitious projects. Furthermore, going forward, with changing market dynamics and consumer trends, it is becoming increasingly important to be able to offer accommodation that covers the full spectrum of customer preferences.”

health > viewpoint

PREVENTION BETTER THAN CURE

QATAR’S LATEST HEALTH STRATEGY STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING A PROPER LIFESTYLE.

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ealthy lifestyle promotion will be a key component of Qatar’s new six-year health strategy, as it takes proactive measures to reduce the prevalence of non-communicable diseases and lighten the burden of tertiary care.

The National Health Strategy 2017-22 – to be published by the end of this year following a public consultation process that began in May – aligns with the overarching National Vision 2030, which states that a healthy population is crucial for the future success of Qatar.

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One in six adults in Qatar suffers from diabetes, costing the healthcare system some QR1.8 billion ($494.3 million) per year, according to Dr Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari, Minister of Public Health.

“Without changes, the number of people with diabetes will potentially double over the next 40 years, impacting more people and their families and putting more pressure on the health system,” she told Oxford Business Group (OBG). “However, this is not inevitable: by creating public health programmes that encourage young people to live healthier lifestyles, we can help more people avoid diabetes.”

APART FROM PROMOTING HEALTHIER LIFESTYLES, QATAR’S NEW HEALTH STRATEGY WILL FOCUS ON EXPANDING MEDICAL FACILITIES AND DELIVERING POLICIES THAT IMPROVE THE QUALITY, SAFETY AND EFFICIENCY OF CARE.

Government efforts to tackle so-called lifestyle diseases, Al Kuwari said, will include working with schools to create better awareness of healthy eating and exercising, delivering more programmes to help people quit smoking, supporting young people to have better oral health and working with other government ministries to reduce instances of asthma by improving air quality.

Rise in non-communicable diseases A report published in 2015 by the thenSupreme Council of Health named five main non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that will affect Qatar: cardiovascular diseases, mental health and behavioural disorders, cancer, respiratory diseases and diabetes.

It attributed the rise of NCDs largely to changing demographics and shifting lifestyle habits such as poor diet and insufficient exercise.

A separate study published in 2013 by Strategy&, a subsidiary of consultancy PwC, calculated that treating these five NCDs could cost Qatar $2,778 per capita by 2022, compared to $758 in Saudi Arabia and $603 in Oman.

More recent figures from PwC showed that Qatar spends more per head than any other country in the region, with NCDs accounting for 22% of total health spending last year, compared to averages of 7-11% for Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Ramping up development Apart from promoting healthier lifestyles, Qatar’s new health strategy will focus on expanding medical facilities and delivering policies that improve the quality, safety and efficiency of care.

Central to this will be an overhaul of first-tier provision: Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), a government-run network, plans to build 20 new health centres, subject to budget approvals, and

either replace or refurbish the existing ones, bringing the total to 33 by the end of 2021.

The goal is to shift towards a new model focused on prevention, according to Mariam Ali Abdulmalik, CEO of PHCC. “Primary care will promote good health and reduce the need for hospital admissions by helping patients to live well, diagnosing risks and conditions earlier, supporting patients in managing their own care and, when needed, actively managing their conditions in their homes and communities,” she told OBG. As part of this strategy, PHCC began running ‘Smart’ health checks in January to identify risk factors and diagnose previously undetected medical conditions.

Following an evaluation of the pilot programme, a plan will be developed to roll out this service at primary healthcare centres nationwide.

Private sector involvement PHCC is also looking at the possibility of using public-private partnerships (PPPs) to open some of the new primary health centres already in the pipeline.

“The PPP model being developed for the education sector could also apply to health care,” Abdulmalik told OBG. A proposed law regulating PPPs in Qatar is expected to be published by the end of this year, according to local media reports.

PHCC initially planned to transfer management and operation of two of its largest primary health centres to a third party in 2014, but the government decided that PPPs should be restricted to new health centres in order to generate greater interest from private investors.

Nonetheless, PHCC has already transferred two health centres to Qatar Red Crescent, a charitable organisation, and has introduced new services such as cancer screening in collaboration with private sector partners

BY OLIVER CORNOCK Managing Editor, Middle East Oxford Business Group

This Qatar economic update was produced by Oxford Business Group.

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COVER STORY

MAKING A STRONG RECOVERY

SUKUK MARKET

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SUKUK MARKET

MAKING A STRONG RECOVERY

AFTER THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS OF DECLINE, THE GLOBAL SUKUK MARKET HAS STARTED LOOKING UP WITH THE ISSUANCES TOUCHING $74.8 BILLION (QR272.27 BILLION) IN 2016, REGISTERING AN IMPRESSIVE GROWTH OF 13.2% COMPARED WITH THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

BY VL SRINIVASAN

23 > QATAR TODAY > SEPTEMBER 2017

COVER STORY

MAKING A STRONG RECOVERY

SUKUK MARKET

Of

this, corporate issuers dominated the market with $47.3 billion (QR170.28 billion) of issuance volume, a share of 63.2%, and these were mainly from the financial services sector, which accounted for 80.7% of total corporate issuances.

The biggest corporate sukuk issuances were $1.5 billion (QR5.46 billion) from IDB Trust of the Islamic Development Bank, $1.2 billion (QR4.36 billion) from Dubai’s DP World, $1 billion (QR3.64 billion) from Emirates Islamic Bank, $500 million (QR1.82 billion) from Qatar’s Ezdan Holding Group, and from several financial institutions in Malaysia.

In fact, Malaysia continued to be the main driver for sukuk issuance for the year with a market share of 46.4% of total issuances, followed by Indonesia and the UAE which accounted for 9.9% and 9% of the market share, respectively. Turkey too issued a record sukuk of $4.1 billion (QR14.92 billion) in 2016 and even countries such as Senegal, Jordan, Ivory Coast and Kuwait also raised money through sukuk issuances.

Despite the adverse economic conditions around the world, the global sukuk market has been growing as the demand for sharia-compliant assets continues to outpace supply, albeit at a slower rate, as highlighted by the Kuala Lumpur-based Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB).

The inclusion of sukuk in the global bond index in 2016 has also improved the pool of demand and the Sovereigns' need to plug the deficit gap from lower oil revenue led to

GLOBAL SUKUK ISSUED IN 2016 BREAKDOWN BY STRUCTURE Sukuk Structure

Amount Issued ($ Million)

Number of Sukuk

Wakalah

$12,136

23

Murabahah

$11,201

116

Ijarah

$7,269

26

Musharakah

$2,725

21

Modarabah

$2,537

66

Al- Wakalah Bel-Istithmar

$1,945

3

Al Salaam

$699

79

Mudarabah-Murabahah

$533

1

Al-Istithmar

$267

1

Ijarah-Musharakah

$267

1

Bai Inah

$242

2

24 > QATAR TODAY > SEPTEMBER 2017

bigger funding requirements including sukuk, and the dominance of Sovereign sukuk in H1 2017 is expected to continue for the remaining part of the year – from Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait.

Sukuk has been included in the Emerging Markets Bond Index (EMBI) and JP Morgan Asia Credit Index (JACI) indices published by investment banker JP Morgan later this year. This is viewed as a positive development as more global debt investors from around the world will focus their attention on the different kinds of sukuk, and it would increase the liquidity of sukuk instruments.

Though the US Federal Reserve has raised the rate twice this year (three times since December 2016), with another hike likely by the year-end and plans to reduce its holdings in Treasuries – it is expected to hypothetically drive yields.

Nonetheless, corporate issuers may stay on the sidelines or look for alternative funding avenues, including local currency sukuk, loans or equities.

Significant growth in GCC In the GCC region, the total issuances stood at $19.6 billion (QR71.34 billion) during the year, compared with $18 billion (QR65.52 billion) the previous year, due to higher issuances from Sovereigns, indicating that sukuk remained a major source to meet the budgetary deficits of the region’s governments in a scenario of low oil prices and a fall in export earnings.

This was primarily due to the jumbo local and foreign currency issuances by some GCC governments, including the $9 billion (QR32.76 billion) sukuk issued by Saudi Arabia in April, which is said to be one of the largest sukuk issued globally so far.

Explaining the reasons behind the growth, Hani Ibrahim, Managing Director and Head of Debt Capital Markets at QInvest, says while the Middle East faced adverse economic conditions due to the decline in oil prices over the last two years, the oil price and the financial markets started to stabilise in the recent past.

Though the liquidity positions of regional banks which are the main investors in sukuk declined due to the economic conditions, they are keeping more of their liquidity in cash and liquid instruments due to tighter underwriting standards and slower growth in the loan market. For Islamic banks in particular this has meant that the amount of liquidity available to them to go into sukuk has remained strong.

“In addition, many of the regional Sovereigns continue to post deficits which are partly funded through the issuance of bonds and sukuk, both local and international.

Many of the sukuk issued in 2017 have been large Sovereign transactions to address this funding gap. Combining this with the fact that globally there continues to be a strong demand for emerging market credit assets, a 37% increase in sukuk issuance between H1 2016 and H1 2017 has been recorded,” says Ibrahim.

A good year In a report, global ratings agency Standard & Poor’s says while this growth augurs a good year for sukuk, it represents

an exception rather than a new norm as some of the large issuances of 2017 are unlikely to be repeated in 2018.

The total global sukuk issuance is also expected to be around $75 billion - $80 billion (QR273 billion-QR291.2 billion) in 2017, up from previous expectations of $60 billion-$65 billion (QR218.4 billion-QR236.6 billion).

On the upward revision in its forecast, the ratings agency says there were two main reasons. While the governments were not under pressure to raise funds quickly and wanted to diversify their investor base, the other reason has been the regional and global liquidity which remained good.

The GCC governments, which were facing a liquidity crisis following a slump in oil prices for more than two years, heaved a sigh of relief as OPEC announced a cut in oil production by about 1.2 million barrels a day, which came into effect from January this year, and this helped in stabilizing the prices.

Even certain policies initiated by the GCC governments, such as cutting down unnecessary expenditure, and issuance of large bonds also helped in easing liquidity pressure. These governments have not only raised money from the conventional sources but also turned to the sukuk market to diversify their investor base to meet the demand for project funding.

The agency, however, still foresees significant financing needs for GCC governments, particularly the UAE and Qatar, which are hosting the World Expo in 2020 and the FIFA World Cup in 2022, respectively, and estimate the same to be around $275 billion (QR1 trillion) between 2017 and 2019 to complete the various mega infrastructure projects.

“We think that around 50% will be debt-financed, through a combination of bonds and sukuk. Governments are likely to continue to prefer bonds over sukuk,” the agency adds.

Dr Mohamed Damak, Senior Director, Global Head of Islamic Finance, S&P Global Ratings, says the strong performance also stemmed from the good liquidity conditions in the GCC and in global financial markets generally.

The GCC investors, particularly the banks in the region, are among the main investors and major players in sukuk but in the last two years the liquidity has come down due to lower deposit inflows. However, this situation started limping back to normalcy in the first half of 2017, thanks to the stabilization of oil prices.

“At the local and regional levels, the banks’ liquidity improved following the stabilization of oil prices and also due to large issuances of conventional bonds by GCC governments, and a part of the proceeds was injected into the local and regional economies. At the global level, liquidity remained abundant in the first half of 2017 and we expect this will continue until the end of the year,” says Damak.

He says even the European Central Bank (ECB)'s Quantitative Easing (QE) programme, the slow increase in the Fed's interest rates, and good liquidity in some Asian countries will continue to support demand for both bonds and sukuk.

“The currently difficult operating environment offers

“THE CURRENTLY DIFFICULT OPERATING ENVIRONMENT OFFERS FEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR LENDING GROWTH, AND SOME BANKS MIGHT INVEST A PORTION OF THEIR LIQUIDITY IN ASSETS THAT GENERATE HIGHER INCOME THAN CASH AND MONEY MARKET INSTRUMENTS. IN THIS CONTEXT, BONDS AND SUKUK APPEAR MORE ATTRACTIVE THAN INTERBANK OR CENTRAL BANK DEPOSITS, DRIVING FURTHER INTEREST IN THE SUKUK MARKET.”

DR MOHAMED DAMAK

Senior Director, Global Head of Islamic Finance S&P Global Ratings

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF ISSUANCE GCC

Malaysia

Other Asia

Other Countries

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 1H 2016 GCC: Gulf Cooperation Council

1H 2017

Source: S&P Global Ratings

25 > QATAR TODAY > SEPTEMBER 2017

COVER STORY

MAKING A STRONG RECOVERY

SUKUK MARKET

“THE GLOBAL MARKETS ARE A VERY DEEP SOURCE OF CAPITAL, BOTH IN BOND AND SUKUK FORMAT, AND WILL FORM A GREATER SHARE OF THE SOURCES OF FUNDING FOR PROJECTS IN QATAR, WHICH CAN BE IN THE FORM OF CORPORATE/ SOVEREIGN BONDS AND SUKUK, OR THROUGH PROJECT-SPECIFIC STRUCTURES SUCH AS PROJECT FINANCE OR PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.”

HANI IBRAHIM

Managing Director and Head of Debt Capital Markets QInvest

few opportunities for lending growth and some banks might invest a portion of their liquidity in assets that generate higher income than cash and money market instruments. In this context, bonds and sukuk appear more attractive than inter-bank or central bank deposits, driving further interest in the sukuk market,” says Damak.

Scenario in Qatar In the wake of the diplomatic rift between Qatar and three other GCC countries, and the demand for project funding on the rise in Qatar, the crisis and political risks may have dampened the demand for Qatar-related sukuk in addition to the rating deterioration despite their relatively strong fundamentals in general.

However, Damak believes liquidity will continue to leak into the sukuk industry from developed markets, although this might be tempered by the recent developments in the GCC. For Qatar, the volume of issuance, both domestic and international, will depend on how the recent events evolve in the coming days.

“We are of the view that recent events will result in a higher nervousness and lower appetite from investors, and higher costs for Qatari issuances. It remains to be seen for how long the current situation will persist and how it will be resolved. In the absence of any significant improvement, we do not foresee large issuance from Qatari issuers.

Financing needs may also decline if non-core projects are delayed,” says Damak.

Hani Ibrahim says that, given the current diplomatic crisis, entities need to carefully consider the diversification of their sources of capital. “The global markets are a very deep source of capital, both in bond and Sukuk format, and will form a greater share of the sources of funding for projects in Qatar, which can be in the form of corporate/ sovereign bonds and Sukuk, or through project-specific structures such as project finance or public-privatepartnerships,” he says.

In order to access these sources of capital, entities need to prepare and be ready for the transparency, disclosure and due diligence requirements of this investor base, he says, adding that many of the GCC sovereigns have already accessed the sukuk market in the first half of 2017.

TOTAL SUKUK ISSUANCE 2011-2017 (BIL $) 160 140 120 100 80

Source: S&P Global Ratings.

60 40 20 0

26 > QATAR TODAY > SEPTEMBER 2017

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

1H2016

1H2017*

"We have used June 15, 2017, as a proxy for the performance of the market during the first half of 2017. This is because the next two weeks will coincide with the end of Ramadan, which is usually a period where sukuk market activity is slow.

“We understand there is a healthy pipeline of transactions which are looking to access the market from September onwards. Many of these are likely to be from governmentrelated entities (GREs) and financial institutions. Focusing on Qatar, we could see some sukuk activity in the rest of 2017 and into 2018 as the entities look to diversify their investor base. A sukuk allows these entities to access the global investor base by using a standardized, globallyrecognised and listed instrument,” he says.

Qatari firm strikes gold Doha-based Ezdan Holding Group, one of the largest real estate development companies in the GCC and ranked 42nd in the all-industries category on the Forbes list of 500 largest Arab corporations in 2015, made its debut in the sukuk market by issuing a $500 million (QR1.82 billion) sukuk, which is the largest real estate capital market transaction from Qatar.

Issued in May 2016, the Ezdan sukuk was the first corporate sukuk in 2016 from Qatar and was well received by investors, despite making its debut, because of the reputation of the company as a leading player in the real estate market, and was oversubscribed 1.67 times by 71 investors. The sukuk is the first tranche of $2 billion (QR7.28 billion) which was approved by the company’s shareholders in April 2016.

The sukuk was subscribed by a good mix of investors both by geographic area and investor type. Investors from the Middle East took the biggest chunk of the sukuk and by investor-type banks took up the offering. The sukuk was issued on May 18 and eventually generated a total order book of around $800 million (QR2.91 billion) by investors from various geographies including MENA, Europe and Asia, demonstrating strong investor appetite for debut issuers with robust credit profiles despite the volatile market environment.

Media reports said that Qatari conglomerate Al Faisal Holding was planning to tap international debt markets for the first time to raise around $200 million (QR728 million) via a US dollar-denominated Islamic bond.

The group has reportedly received banks' proposals for an Islamic bond, or sukuk, and is also said to be considering securing a loan connected to the Islamic debt issuance.

However, the size of the planned loan was not made available.

Besides these two firms, another real estate company , Katara Hospitality, was also said to be seeking to raise US dollar debt.

Major debt instrument Qatar Central Bank considers sukuk as one of the major government debt instruments used by the government to provide the necessary liquidity for project funding and as one of the monetary policy instruments and low-risk investment instruments as well.

Qatar Financial Centre Authority (QFCA) chief economic adviser Dr Haitham Al Salama says Qatar has been among the most active issuers of sukuk, or Islamic bonds, with last year’s sovereign issuance attracting the

“MORE COUNTRIES ARE INTEGRATING SUKUK INTO THEIR TAX CODES, ESPECIALLY AS THE SUCCESS OF SUKUK AND ISLAMIC FINANCE BECOMES MORE APPARENT.”

DR HAITHAM AL SALAMA Chief Economic Adviser QFC Authority

attention of global investors, especially those from Asia.

He says conventional bonds and sukuk have huge potential to support the social and physical infrastructure needs across the Middle East and establishing a robust market infrastructure to support sukuk issuance would be key in making the market more globally accessible.

Addressing a conference entitled “Bonds, Loans and Sukuks Middle East” in Doha recently, he says there is tremendous potential in the sukuk market and as the demographics improve in the Muslim world the sukuk market would evolve and develop.

Emphasizing the importance of the growing sukuk market, Haitham said: “More countries are integrating sukuk into their tax codes, especially as the success of sukuk and Islamic finance becomes more apparent.”

Sukuk as a niche product delivers a more stable return compared to regular bonds, he said, adding that increasing investor demand made countries work on the integration of sukuk into their regulations, including tax regimes.

Major impediment Damak believes standardization to be one of the major impediments to the growth of the sukuk and Islamic finance industry. There has been some progress on reducing the complexity of issuance, but the process for sukuk issuance is still more complex and time-consuming compared with conventional instruments, he feels.

He further says that sukuk issuance in the GCC will remain relatively good for the remainder of 2017. Given the current low interest rates in developed markets, emerging market issuers with good credit stories might still be on investors’ radar, as shown by the significant oversubscription of some recent transactions, he adds 27 > QATAR TODAY > SEPTEMBER 2017

affairs > bottom line

SENIOR JOBSEEKERS

CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS

BAYT.COM TALKS ABOUT THE DIFFICULTIES FACED

BY CANDIDATES APPLYING FOR A SENIOR POST, AND OFFERS ADVICE ON HOW TO OVERCOME THEM.

I

f you look into the near future and find yourself searching for a new job, how do you see yourself going about it? How do you prepare for a fastpaced job market that is constantly changing? And how do you make sure you’re on top of your game, especially if you’re seeking a senior position?

Senior employees can find themselves in need of new positions either because they’re looking for a change, been laid off, or for other reasons that are out of their control.

As senior employees might be doing the hiring and firing at their companies, they might very well know what they want from an employee. But are they prepared for the tables to be turned? Are they ready to be job seekers again?

Being a manager, it is often hard to find a suitable new position that is close to the

one you already have or had. There are a lot of elements that go into being a manager, whether it’s your team, senior management, hiring and firing discretion, budgeting, etc.

An attractive job description, a cool title, and a generous compensation package are not always sufficient for senior employees.

Through its extensive experience in the talent acquisition field, Bayt.com has compiled some of the challenges that most senior employees face when changing jobs, as well as the experts’ advice on how to overcome them.

Your ego and other people’s perception Challenges: You might feel like you’ve lost your self-esteem and identity. You may also think that your situation is an embarrassment and that your image is now tarnished. It is hard to go from taking big decisions and having major control to becoming a jobseeker trying to impress and please.

How to overcome them: Keep your everyday activities going – family life, fitness, hobbies, etc. It is important to recognise your worth outside your job.

Now, it is also vital to be open to learning new things and taking small risks and, most importantly, learn the power of taking baby steps by doing things right over and over again. Don’t forget to ask for support when you need it.

Your age and experience Challenges: You may feel that employers perceive you as being too old or “washedup”. You may fear that you won’t get hired or won’t last for a long time because the company is not willing to invest in you by using terminology that you’re familiar with, e.g., “you’re overqualified”. You’ve been an employer before and you know that a 28 > QATAR TODAY > SEPTEMBER 2017

cultural mismatch can be disastrous, so you worry that you’re now the one not fitting in.

How to overcome them: Draw the attention of your employer towards your exceptional qualifications, proven results, industry contacts and experience – not age. In addition, know the culture of the company (if no one there is over 35, don’t try to get hired at 64). Maintain and demonstrate your health, vitality, energy and enthusiasm, and avoid the “R” word (retirement) in conversations. Last but not least, be tech-savvy, up to date, and well informed about your industry and digital tools that employers and companies use.

More competition at the top Challenge: High-level job openings often get a lot of exposure within your industry.

The more desirable the position, the more people are fighting for it.

How to overcome it: Research a company’s culture and weaknesses, understand both, and sell yourself as the person who will turn weaknesses into strengths. When meeting with the decision makers, you must demonstrate your ability to produce tangible business results by sharing your success stories.

Senior positions are filled internally Challenges: Staff members have been working day and night for years at the company and have “paid their dues”.

They are already in line to get the top jobs, especially if a big company has clear succession planning. Some companies might not want to take the risk of bringing an outsider into such an important position, so they may favour internal candidates.

How to overcome them: Explain how being from outside can be a strength; you can diversify the culture and bring a new perspective. But you must focus your search on companies that have a good track record of successfully bringing in outside management personnel. Another way to target your search is by approaching troubled companies that might need your fresh ideas.

Finding the right contacts Challenges: When it comes to hiring seniors, human resources is of little to no

help in this regard, so the barrier of entry might be much higher. Therefore it is only appropriate to speak and reach out to C-level executives (CEO, COO. CFO, CMO, CTO…etc.), who may feel threatened or look at you as their competition.

How to overcome them: When you manage getting in touch with senior managers, talk to them about ways you can help them reach their business goals. If there isn’t a vacancy at this level, new ones can be created for top talent by people at that level.

It is also prudent to join and engage with executive networking programmes, boards of directors, and venture capital groups.

These relationships can be your leverage with search firms and other professional contacts. Most importantly, focus on the solutions you will be bringing and the added value you offer.

Visit www.bayt.com today and download the white paper to know more about the skills gap crisis in the Middle East.

Maintaining a high salary Challenges: In an unstable economy, you may find it difficult to ask for a huge salary.

Sometimes, companies look at the big number position and get distracted by it so much that they might see no value in hiring you. In addition, hiring someone at a high level with a high salary often requires lots of approvals from the board of directors, so the process can take a while and is not always successful.

How to overcome them: Be sure you talk to the right people since the ultimate decision makers are your go-to people. And when you do talk to them, focus on tangible results that can be measured in financial terms. That way you can demonstrate why you are worth your high salary. When a conversation develops into a salary negotiation, be familiar with the market average and obtain information on salaries paid for people in the position you’re seeking to fill. Moreover, try to negotiate other financial arrangements such as an equity partnership, revenue-based bonus, or a contract with terms that can compensate for lower pay. You can always find a solution that satisfies both parties. If you fail to do so, then that job is not for you.

Bonus tip: Sometimes, one’s lifestyle can be intimidating, so downplay your designer clothes and watch, and try to show hiring managers that money doesn’t define you

ABOUT BAYT.COM Bayt.com is the #1 job site in the Middle East with more than 40,000 employers and over 29,900,000 registered job seekers from across the Middle East, North Africa and the globe, representing all industries, nationalities and career levels.

Post a job or find jobs on www.bayt.com today, and access the leading resource for job seekers and employers in the region.

29 > QATAR TODAY > SEPTEMBER 2017

affairs > tag this

HARD TIMES AHEAD FOR EXPAT WORKERS

BY SASA ZUZMAHOWSKI 30 > QATAR TODAY > SEPTEMBER 2017

VARIOUS REPORTS CONDUCTED BY CONSULTANCY GROUPS IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO SHOW FOREIGN WORKERS INCREASINGLY LEAVING THE GULF. THIS TREND, WHICH SOME CALL EXPAT EXODUS, COULD HAVE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON LOCAL ECONOMIES.

F

or generations, the Gulf has been one of the prime expat destinations for many Asians, Africans, Indians as well as Westerners, who have hugely contributed to the rapid modernisation of the desert sheikdoms and have been rewarded with a standard of living most people can only dream about.

But it looks like the days of fat pay cheques are history for most foreign workers. The fundamental advantages and attractiveness of the region for expats have been fading fast.

The report conducted by Hayes Group International, for example, shows that 4% of expatriate workers lost their jobs in the various Arabian Gulf countries last year, amounting to some 700,000 people of the total expat workforce that once stood at 17 million in the Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) six-country bloc. Needless to say that these emigration flows come as a direct consequence of the corporate budgets tightening in line with the decline in energy prices, which has led to reduced spending on employment and human resources. The free fall in crude prices has led to job cuts and resulted in companies not granting increments.

Although there is no significant change regarding the population number at the moment, uncertain economic and political

conditions in the Gulf may quickly trigger the emigration flow. In the past few years massive layoffs in response to falling oil prices were witnessed. The energy sector has seen significant job cuts in the past two years with Qatar Petroleum laying off about 3,000 personnel. It’s the same story in almost every other sector. Even more worrisome is the fact that many of these people were well-paid professionals with relatively high spending power required to keep many businesses afloat. This has had a knock-on effect on schools, shops and restaurants, which rely on these families for business. In addition, many of those who still persist have faced salary cuts and delayed payments. According to the Hayes Group International report, most of the Gulf companies have adopted an approach that depended on reducing spending on salaries.

GCC: Not so attractive now for expats Not long ago, the GCC states were offering countless opportunities to a veritable army of expats to further their careers, to accelerate their upward career mobility, and accumulate savings while enjoying a luxurious lifestyle. But those times have come to an end. Last year’s InterNations expat survey, for example, shows that GCC countries have slipped down the scale in terms of their desirability. This could partly

explain the decision of some expats to leave the Gulf. A 2016 InterNations survey ranked 67 expat destinations based on factors expats deemed important to their overall standard of living. Saudi Arabia was 63rd, Qatar 60th, UAE 40th, Oman 22nd, and Bahrain 19th on the list of best places to live. Why is this so? According to this study, expats are generally dissatisfied with leisure activities available in the region with only the UAE doing better than the worldwide average, with 38% of expats expressing complete satisfaction with local leisure options. By comparison, only 5% of respondents in Saudi Arabia say the same.

In the Family Life Index, all Gulf States rank in the bottom 15 out of 45 destinations, with the UAE in 33rd position and Saudi Arabia in 44th. Moreover, in the UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar, more than 50% of expats also state that they are dissatisfied with the cost of living, compared to less than a third worldwide (32%). In many cases, this was the reason to leave the Gulf.

Additionally, as Dr Courtney Freer from London School of Economics's Middle East Centre noted, a changed attitude toward expats in some of the Gulf countries may contribute to the decision of staying or leaving the Gulf. “Rhetoric in the Gulf among nationals about expatriates has become more critical, with calls for limits to be placed on how many and which type 31 > QATAR TODAY > SEPTEMBER 2017

affairs > tag this increase in hiring activity throughout 2017, which has already been witnessed across a range of industries. As ever, there continues to be a large volume of candidates available for work, mainly in response to the tax-free environment.

Finally, Priya D'Souza, the founder of D'Souza Consultancy and former Editorin-Chief of BQ Magazine, feels that expat departures (or arrivals) largely depend on the requirements of each GCC state in terms of human resources. While many expats are leaving, jobs are also being created, which will again be taken up by expats. The number of expats in each GCC state greatly outnumbers the projections these countries had made for their population increase, according to demographic projections for the last decade.

D'Souza further says: “In some organizations in Qatar more people than required were hired, and these organizations decided to close some nonproductive centres and departments, so jobs were lost. For instance Qatar Foundation closed several centres in the last two or more years. In the oil and gas sector there have been mergers/ consolidations too, leading to some layoffs.

And this has been happening across Qatar in small and medium businesses as well.

Consolidation of resources and businesses unfortunately results in job cuts.” Greaves noted that “findings from our Hays 2017 GCC Salary & Employment report identified 4% of the GCC workforce to have been made redundant in 2016. The oil and gas sector was most badly hit, but the low energy prices also had a knock-on effect across all other industries in relatively equal proportions.”

UP TO 61% EXPAT INSIDER RESPONDENTS IN QATAR MENTION THE ECONOMY AND LABOUR MARKET AS A POTENTIAL BENEFIT THEY CONSIDERED BEFORE DECIDING TO MOVE THERE. MALTE ZEECK Founder & Co-CEO of InterNations

of expatriates qualify for driving licences, and with support for the establishment of separate hospital facilities in Kuwait to further segregate expatriates and citizens.

In an environment that is becoming more expensive and feels more hostile, expatriates are less likely to want to stay,” she told Qatar Today.

It’s hard to predict whether the trend of mass emigration of expats from the GCC states will continue in the future as experts’ opinions on this vary greatly.

For Dr Freer, the trend of leaving is likely to continue due to layoffs and changing calculations. This is because costs for expatriates have undoubtedly risen with the removal of subsidies on goods and services like fuel, and with the implementation of VAT scheduled to begin in 2018 across the GCC. On the contrary, Chris Greaves, Managing Director, Hays Gulf Region, believes the majority of redundancies have taken place in 2016, and he expects there to be an

REGIONAL REPORT GCC COUNTRIES 19 67

BAHRAIN

22 67

UAE 40

67

OMAN 60

QATAR SAUDI ARABIA KUWAIT

67 63 67 67 67

32 > QATAR TODAY > SEPTEMBER 2017

Impact on media According to Dr Freer, it seems that at least in Qatar, media and culture have been hit first with layoffs in Qatar Museums and Al Jazeera, and Qatar Foundation expected to follow suit.

Many media outlets, like The Edge, have shut down their operations. In Qatar, the recent blockade imposed on the country has put media under additional pressure, limiting the advertisement possibilities within the already small Qatari market.

This might lead to a new wave of layoffs in the media sector. But this is a rather complex issue that cannot be attributed to one single factor.

D’Souza agrees that many publications may close down in the future, adding that much of this is also linked to the lack of awareness of how media is supposed to work. A newspaper or magazine whose majority content is regurgitated press releases, instead of original articles, has more advertisements than intended. Part of the problem is that nobody wants to talk to the media and “the lack of support from the general public makes the media ineffective”. Another problem she brings up is that most of the journalists in Qatar are expats, the majority of whom have not lived in the country for a long time, and hence they are not as interested in the country.

She believes this will change when more Qataris are involved in the media. The Arabic press is certainly bolder than the English media. She thinks that the problem in Qatar also is that most publishers know nothing about media; they treat it, and their staff, like a 9-to-5 business. “In Qatar owning a publishing house is about prestige, and competition (if your friend has one, you want one too), and that

Quality of Life Index

makes it purposeless; it certainly isn’t the fourth estate here,” she points out.

Finally, according to D’Souza it seems that the market is simply correcting itself – there are far too many publications and digital media platforms dedicated to Qatar that are all doing or saying the same thing.

“The same people are interviewed, and the same press releases published. What is the point really? Anybody in Qatar can get everything from Doha News, which is an aggregator that gathers everything, and adds its view (sometimes investigated) to it, and Marhaba or Time Out which are guides.

Ease of Settling in Index

12

There isn’t even a single original lifestyle magazine with dedicated local content.

Which says a lot about even the basics of the current media landscape. Some of the older publications, like Qatar Today, that are surviving the media crisis have the opportunity now to break the mould, and I hope they do.”

Nationalisation: Easier said than done Another pattern that is being followed for some time now is the Gulf’s state-linked companies laying off expatriates in an effort to nationalise

Working Abroad Index

11 19

Family Life Index

17

23 32

32 36

40

52

55 63

50

61 65

39

61 66

67

67

67

67

67

67

67

67

67

67

67

BAHRAIN

OMAN

UAE

QATAR

SAUDI ARABIA

KUWAIT

BAHRAIN

OMAN

UAE

QATAR

SAUDI ARABIA

33

34

42

44

67 67

67

67

67

67

67

67

45

45

45

45

45

KUWAIT

BAHRAIN

OMAN

UAE

QATAR

SAUDI ARABIA

KUWAIT

BAHRAIN

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“THE LACK OF SUPPORT FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC MAKES THE MEDIA INEFFECTIVE”. ANOTHER PROBLEM SHE BRINGS UP IS THAT MOST OF THE JOURNALISTS IN QATAR ARE EXPATS, THE MAJORITY OF WHOM HAVE NOT LIVED IN THE COUNTRY FOR A LONG TIME. PRIYA D’SOUZA former Editor-in-Chief of BQ Magazine

the workforce. But, as Serhat Yalcin, an expert at Germany-based University of Kassel, notes, nationalisation of the labour force in the Gulf region is a very complex matter and should be viewed from different perspectives. He says: “The high number of migrants in the Gulf region which is also often perceived as a national security issue as well as a threat to national heritage and cultural values, and the high unemployment rate estimated to be 35% within the younger population can indeed be considered as two important reasons for forming the basis of nationalisation policies.”

As far as Freer is concerned, how the nationalisation is pursued is less clear. “We see a tendency towards the adoption of long-term plans like Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and the UAE's Vision 2021, which are often drafted with the help of Western consulting firms. Because these are such long-range plans, it is somewhat difficult to track the progress towards the GCC goals of nationalising the workforce and diversifying the economy.”

Despite the long-term vision to employ an ever larger number of nationals, the lion’s share of the labour force is still comprised of foreign workers. While GCC countries have seen unprecedented levels

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of economic growth in the past 15 years and many job vacancies have been created during this period, the question remains: why have companies not filled these with young GCC nationals? Some reports say the Gulf’s youth is not that enthusiastic about working in the private sector. In short, despite enormous efforts and investment, when it comes to knowledge skills and competencies, the GCC is still lagging behind many countries with a far inferior educational infrastructure.

Founder & Co-CEO of InterNations, the largest expatriate global network, Malte Zeeck told Qatar Today that external studies seem to confirm that largely negative

“RHETORIC IN THE GULF AMONG NATIONALS ABOUT EXPATRIATES HAS BECOME MORE CRITICAL...

WITH SUPPORT FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SEPARATE HOSPITAL FACILITIES IN KUWAIT TO FURTHER SEGREGATE EXPATRIATES AND CITIZENS."

perception. In 2015, both Qatar and the UAE participated in the international Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) study for the first time.

However, among the 15-year-old students in either country, the scores for all three main categories (reading, mathematics, science) were clearly below the international average. So, further education reforms and investments in the education sector seem to be necessary.

But statistics do not always paint a clear picture. D'Souza disagrees with this perception, at least in the case of Qatar, saying that she's a bit tired of hearing about unmotivated Qatari youth. Qatar has a huge demographic imbalance when it comes to its local population. She points out that Qataris comprise less than 12% of the population. “Take away the children, the students, the elderly, the entrepreneurs and those in the public sector – the preferred place for them to work – and how many employable Qataris do you really have left?”

Qataris under capable managers, expat and local, are thriving. She adds: “I have worked with them, supervised them, and worked under them. They are interested, work as hard as their colleagues and have very useful contributions to make. It really depends on the boss. Somebody capable of being accountable is capable of delivering results and knows how to inspire and retain good staff. And we are seeing less of this in Qatar at the moment.”

But despite the demands put forward and the policy attempts, nationalisation remains – without denying some success stories – mainly ineffective, according to Yalcin. One of the main reasons for this is the reluctance of businesses to employ nationals as this would increase their labour costs.

“Compared to the public sector where nationals are predominantly employed, working hours, wages and job security in the private sector are less favourable.

Businesses, therefore, prefer to employ migrants who are much cheaper to employ, can be hired and fired more easily, and (thanks to the Kafala system) are easier to control. The 'elastic supply of relatively cheap foreign labour', as the IMF puts it, is therefore considered preferable in economic terms,” he says.

Yalcin further notes that if businesses cannot avoid nationalisation, they often undertake small-scale programmes or resort to what has been known as “phantom employment” or employing “ghost workers”.

Bosses vs employees But we should not forget that there are also cases in which expatriates themselves are reluctant to pass on their knowledge and experience to the nationals because they fear losing their jobs as a consequence.

And much of this is happening in Qatar, according to D’Souza. “These ‘bosses’ are concerned more about saving their jobs than anything else. They are threatened by efficient subordinates, resort to petty office politics, don’t understand how the organisation works, feel they understand Qatar and Qataris and think to make the workplace easy for them is what it is all about. They are certainly in no way capable of guiding or training the Qatari youth for stepping into the job market.

“Besides, bosses are often not paying their staff on time or not paying them for overtime (making them work 12 hours a day, seven days a week), and using coercion, often emotional blackmail if the employee happens to be from the same town as his/ her boss. And I am bringing up expat bosses here because of the sheer number of them in positions of power who choose to abuse it.”

Moreover, D’Souza feels that “while Qatar may have labour laws in place, and on the surface they do make a lot of sense, they still favour the employer, and in many instances, the employer can and does take complete advantage of them”. She adds: “These laws were put in place also to protect the interests of Qatari employers, but unfortunately most mid-sized businesses committing these violations are run by unscrupulous expat bosses. Most times the Qatari partner isn’t even aware of what’s going on in the company.”

A glimpse into the future A decisive push towards diversification and introduction of new technologies and hi-tech industries requires skilled, highly experienced workforce that GCC states still do not have. It is still unclear how the GCC will cope with this challenge, and whether GCC countries may efficiently replace the foreign workers.

According to experts, this will not be an easy task. Zeeck notes that despite its downsides, the labour market of the GCC countries still seems to be a major motivation for moving to the region. Up to 61% of Expat Insider respondents in Qatar, for example, mention the economy and labour market as a potential benefit they considered before deciding to move there. So despite the obvious problems

expats are facing in the Gulf, there are still good economic opportunities for them, according to Freer, and so the GCC states will definitely continue to attract foreigners in the future. According to Greaves, the cost-conscious hiring mentality of employers (as a result of low energy prices), along with the high volume of available candidates in the GCC, means that competition for roles that are available is high. For less experienced candidates it can therefore be more challenging to secure a role than it may have been in previous and more economically buoyant years.

Last but not least, at least 76% of Expat Insider respondents in the GCC states, according to Zeeck, are also highly qualified, having either a bachelor’s or a postgraduate degree. In Saudi Arabia, for example,

THE REPORT CONDUCTED

BY HAYES GROUP INTERNATIONAL SHOWS THAT 4% OF EXPATRIATE WORKERS LOST THEIR JOBS IN THE VARIOUS ARABIAN GULF COUNTRIES LAST YEAR, AMOUNTING TO SOME 700,000 PEOPLE OF THE TOTAL EXPAT WORKFORCE THAT ONCE STOOD AT 17 MILLION IN THE GCC'S SIX-COUNTRY BLOC.

another 6% even have a PhD. Between 46% and 58% of all those who chose employee as their employment status also work in management positions. This doesn’t only show the need for a foreign labour force, but for a well-qualified one as well. Considering the high dependence of the Gulf economies on migrant labour and the preference of the private sector for migrant workers it seems that there can be no quick or trouble-free solution to the replacement of migrant workers by locals.

Finally, let us not forget that many of the expats were born and raised or lived most of their lives in Qatar and other GCC countries, so the exodus may be understood as a waste of human capital. Older expats are invested in the country, and feel a

connection, according to D’ Souza.

“They should be given opportunities to thrive and give back to the community.

Newer expats, the capable ones (and there are many) want to be invested in the country. Some pack up their entire homes and move to Qatar because they want to call this place home.” After all, in these challenging times for the country most of the residents showed their sense of belonging to the community. As D’Souza puts it: “The political situation has brought Qataris and expats together on social media for sure. In its time of crisis and recovery, Qatar needs its population to really come together and make positive contributions as mentioned by the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in his recent speech.”

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BLOCKADE OR NOT, A NUMBER OF DEVELOPMENTS IN RECENT MONTHS HAS ONCE AGAIN PROVED THAT THE EDUCATION SECTOR IN QATAR CONTINUES TO BLOSSOM. THIS TIME IN OUR ANNUAL EDUCATION SPOTLIGHT, WE FOCUS ON WHAT HAS BEEN MAKING THE HEADLINES, AND FEATURE SOME OF THE UNIVERSITIES THAT HAVE REDEFINED THE COUNTRY.

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GOING FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH AS ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS IN YEARS GONE BY, THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER SAW STUDENTS IN QATAR RETURN TO THEIR RESPECTIVE SCHOOLS AFTER A LENGTHY SUMMER BREAK. AND AS ALWAYS, THERE HAS BEEN NO SHORTAGE OF ACTION IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR, RECENTLY AS WELL AS IN THE EARLY PART OF THE YEAR.

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atar’s Public Works Authority, Ashghal, announced the completion of the construction of 13 new schools and two kindergartens for the 2017/18 academic year, with the total value of the new educational buildings amounting to QR878,000,000.

Apart from that, it has been revealed that Qatar Foundation (QF) has given more than $30 million over the past eight years to several schools in the US, which include the public school system of Tucson Unified School District, Oregon, and Washington Latin Public Charter School. The initiatives have been aimed at encouraging the growth of Arabic programmes.

The funding came through Qatar Foundation International, the foundation’s US arm. The organisation gave $3.8 million for 2017-18.

As part of the efforts of the country’s Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) to promote school health services, Dr Badriya Al Malki, Assistant Executive Director for Continuing Care and Integrated Services at PHCC, announced that 266 schools have been included in PHCC’s services. In addition, PHCC has started implementing the Electronic File System at 60 public schools for

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the 2017-18 academic year. The system provides a comprehensive overview of patient history during medical counselling.

In other news, a delegation from UNESCO was welcomed to Education City by HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice Chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, and Omran Hamad Al Kuwari, Executive Director, CEO Office, QF. During the discussion, Sheikha Hind discussed future plans at QF and the potential for collaboration opportunities with the 12-member international delegation.

And finally, indoor edutainment park KidzMondo expects to welcome around 1,200 schools throughout the coming academic year. It is also part of the ‘By Education We Build Qatar’ theme, a part of the ‘Back to School’ campaign. KidzMondo partnered with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education for the 2017/2018 academic year.

The spotlight in this issue of Qatar Today is on Qatar University’s College of Medicine, ACS International School, and Carnegie Mellon University. We analyse what makes the three universities stand out from the rest. Check out the September edition of the magazine to find out more

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SHAPING THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE

SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN NOVEMBER 2014, QATAR UNIVERSITY’S COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (QU-CMED) HAS CONTINUED TO DELIVER ON ITS MISSION AND VISION TO SUPPORT QATAR’S GROWING HEALTHCARE SECTOR AND NATIONAL STRATEGIES IN HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION AND RESEARCH. WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH KEY HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND EDUCATORS, THE COLLEGE IS MAKING VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO STRENGTHENING CLINICAL PRACTICE, MEDICAL EDUCATION AND RESEARCH IN QATAR.

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s part of its vision to be a driving force for innovation across the national healthcare sector, CMED has recruited an impressive number of international faculty members and researchers, as well as experts from leading healthcare organisations in Qatar, which are strong role models and inspirational mentors for Qatar’s future doctors.

In 2016, the college enrolled 93 new students to its batch of 2022, which began its journey towards the MD degree last September. This is an increase of 16% in the number of students who enrolled in 2015. At a rate of 62%, the majority (58) of the new additions are Qatari nationals.

ensure that the students gain practical exposure and a deep understanding of real patients throughout the programme.

Students from the second to the sixth year of the medical programme follow clinical placements complementing their learning within a clinical setting. Such early exposure to the clinical environment is not common. Medical students normally have their first clinical contact in Year 3. These opportunities help the students make sense of the knowledge they have acquired from studying at the university, allowing them to combine theoretical and experiential learning and to develop solid knowledge attainment skills that are rooted in experiential learning and based on a patient-centred approach.

A leading medical education provider

Optimal learning environment

CMED puts the quality of education and its impact at the top of its priorities with the aim of making medical education with all its components and elements reach a level of international standards, and in order to train doctors who are able to achieve the best performance in the medical profession, whether inside or outside Qatar. The college’s learning strategy aligns with the Ministry of Public Health, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) and Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC). It is oriented towards preparing students for clinical practice, with early exposure to the clinical environment to

The learning environment at CMED aligns with international best practices in student-centred learning and promotes opportunities for educational innovation. Students are involved in active learning by enabling them to retrieve the information themselves and by engaging them in lifelong learning. The college adopts an interactive and engaging pedagogy that incorporates team-based learning, problembased learning, self-directed learning and self-reflection, and potentially online and blended-learning ‘flipped classroom’ models, as well as classroom teaching.

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A unique medical programme

CMED adopted an interactive and engaging pedagogy, incorporating technology-based learning, which contributes to preparing students for the future and to shaping doctors for tomorrow. The college is also registered in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) international directory for medical schools; this registration strengthens its reputation and credibility.

One of the main features of the medical programme offered at CMED is its unique student-centred approach of using a blend of teaching and learning approaches that reflects the best practices in medical education, such as PBL, case-based learning, teambased learning, task-based learning and virtual patient learning.

The study programme is divided into three phases: The first phase (Year 1) or ‘The Transition’ (Basic Medical Sciences), which is the interface between high school education and the integrated medical programme. It introduces the students to foundations in Human Anatomy, Physiology, Cell Biology, Biochemistry, IT, Medical English and Terminology and Core Curriculum courses. As an important component throughout a doctor’s career, a ‘medical education’ course that focuses on lifelong learning is also offered in this phase. In the second phase (following 2.5 years) or pre-clerkship phase (Integrated Organ Systems), the focus shifts to the foundations of medical sciences and their application to patients and population care.

Clinical skills are mainly acquired at the clinical skills centre, using simulated patients and high-fidelity simulators for clinical training. In the third phase (last 2.5 years), or ‘clerkship phase’ (hospital training), students rotate in clerkships (hospital training) in order to ensure exposure to clinical situations, patients and population care. During this phase, the students follow seven major rotations in pediatrics, and gynecology and obstetrics at HMC and Sidra Medical and Research Center; in surgery medicine, emergency medicine, and mental health at HMC; and family medicine at PHCC.

Enhancing Qatar’s health research

CMED focuses on research, especially in areas of national priority, covering the full translational pathway from basic 42 > QATAR TODAY > SEPTEMBER 2017

science to applied health research with the aim of advancing the healthcare sector in Qatar. CMED’s research agenda sits within the broader university-wide health research strategy, and aligns with both QU’s 5-year research roadmap and the National Health Strategy.

The college’s medical research includes four pillars: molecular medicine, clinical research, medical education and public health.

The molecular medicine research aims at improving patient care by combining basic research excellence with innovations in clinical practice. According to the college’s research strategy, the objective is to shift to translational medicine in addressing major diseases such as diabetes, cancer, inflammatory, metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases, as well as infectious diseases, such as enteric pathogens causing diarrhea (e.g.

Campylobacter), ulcer forming bacteria (e.g. Helicobacter), and several respiratory infections. In clinical research, researchers and biomedical scientists from QU Health Cluster are working closely with researchers across QU health programmes and from HMC, Sidra, PHCC and Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) to combine basic research excellence with innovations in clinical practice. One of the college’s research focus areas is in medical education research, with a special interest in developing agreed standards of professional competence and ethics, and also the use of technology to enhance learning and teaching, especially simulation technology in medical education. In the area of public health research, the college focuses on five interdisciplinary themes – epidemiological studies on chronic diseases, health promotion and healthy lifestyle, healthcare delivery systems, evidence-based healthcare and health informatics.

CMED established partnerships with healthcare providers in Qatar, especially those under HMC and PHCC, covering the area of research collaboration and aiming at further contributing to enhancing Qatar’s health research.

Promoting interdisciplinary collaboration

Following years of strong growth in all areas, QU has shifted its focus to drivers of excellence and best models for integration and cost-effectiveness. In January 2016, The university established a Health Cluster, which comprises the colleges of Health Sciences (CHS), Medicine (CMED) and Pharmacy (CPH), and the Health Clinic.

The QU Health Cluster is the national provider of higher education in health and medicine. Through high-quality interdisciplinary programmes, the three member colleges prepare competent graduates capable of shaping the future of healthcare in Qatar. Among other benefits, the cluster contributes towards enhancing inter-professional learning opportunities for students, boosting interdisciplinary research, and to achieving cost-efficiency through sharing courses, facilities and resources by members of the various related academic programmes of member colleges. In addition, the colleges leverage faculty expertise, share common resources, which include classrooms, laboratories, meeting rooms, lounges and equipment; and have shared strategic planning, joint outreach and engagement, and interdisciplinary graduate programmes. The cluster provides a healthcare systems professional educational system for the country and will be adding Physiotherapy (CHS) from this fall.

In May 2017, the cluster was awarded its first accreditation as Continuing Professional Development (CPD) provider by Qatar Council for Healthcare Practitioners (QCHP), part of the Ministry of Public Health

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IDEAS FOR SHAPING YOUR WORLD START HERE

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arnegie Mellon University (CMU) attracts a certain type of student: motivated, inventive, and driven to make a difference. Students come to Carnegie Mellon to learn, create and innovate with the very best. They leave with the passion, connections, credentials and lifelong friends that will help them change the world.

Work that matters

For more than a century, Carnegie Mellon University has challenged the curious and passionate to imagine and deliver work that matters. A private, global university, Carnegie Mellon stands among the world’s most renowned educational institutions, setting its own course with programmes that inspire creativity and collaboration. Consistently at the

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top, Carnegie Mellon has more than 13,000 students and 100,000 alumni worldwide.

A world-class education in Qatar

At the invitation of Qatar Foundation, Carnegie Mellon joined Education City in 2004 to deliver select programmes that will support and contribute to the long-term development of Qatar. Today, Carnegie Mellon Qatar offers undergraduate programmes in biological sciences, business administration, computational biology, computer science, and information systems. More than 400 students from 40 countries call Carnegie Mellon Qatar home.

Programmes of study

CMU-Q offers undergraduate programmes that are ahead of

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education, students acquire skills that transcend technological trends. The programme provides the fundamental skills to develop new technologies: mathematical reasoning, algorithmic thinking and programming. A strong theoretical component provides the formal tools to remain current as technologies change.

Information Systems: From programming, to project management, to creating new ventures, the field of information systems uses technology to generate, process and distribute information. Information systems professionals work in a variety of settings to analyze how things connect and work together, whether virtual or real, from small processes to large organisations. They design new ways to address problems and challenges, and implement ideas that improve productivity and efficiency.

Learn by doing the curve, in fields at the forefront of technology, innovation, scientific discovery and economic growth. All undergraduate majors require four years of full-time study, after which students earn a Bachelor of Science degree.

Biological Sciences: The undergraduate degree in biological sciences uses interdisciplinary approaches to provide students with intellectual breadth and depth of exposure to modern research biology. Students enhance their undergraduate laboratory learning through discovery-based research. The research experience helps students apply the critical thinking and problem-solving skills they learn in the classroom.

Students at Carnegie Mellon Qatar learn beyond the classroom through a slate of unique enrichment opportunities.

Most students choose to study abroad during their four-year education, and many travel on academic trips that enhance classroom work. Students who intern receive on-the-job experience, which adds an important dimension to their undergraduate education.

Research is part of the fabric of a Carnegie Mellon education. Students engage in a wide variety of research endeavours, such as independent studies, senior and honours theses, summer internships, and funded projects as junior researchers.

Small campus, big spirit

Business Administration: The degree in business administration is based on the Carnegie Mellon model of management science, developed more than 50 years ago, that emphasises analytical decision-making in complex business environments. The programme accentuates a quantitative, analytical approach to the core areas of accounting, finance, economics, marketing, operations, management information systems and business communications.

The CMU-Q student body is exceptionally diverse, representing 40 nations. Students form a busy and active community, participating in clubs, organising large-scale events, traveling for service and academics, and competing in local and international contests. The low student-to-professor ratio means students receive unparalleled individual attention.

Computational Biology: At the forefront of scientific discovery, computational biology is driving advances in biomedical imaging, genomics and proteomics. Carnegie Mellon realised the potential early on, offering one of the first degree programmes in the field. A selective and rigorous programme, the curriculum is grounded in the disciplines of biology and computer science, with a strong component of physical science and mathematics.

Graduates from CMU-Q are highly sought-after: most choose careers in top organisations, while a significant number pursue graduate studies at international institutions. With ten graduating classes, the total number of alumni is nearly 700.

The CMU-Q alumni are a growing influence, with most working in industry, the government of Qatar, and across the region. You will find our alumni in organisations like Ooredoo, Qatar Airways, Qatar Shell, McKinsey and Company, KPMG Siemens and ExxonMobil. In the budding entrepreneurial sector in Doha, the CMU-Q alumni are a driving force, creating start-ups, mentoring current students, and contributing to an emerging community of young innovators

Computer Science: Carnegie Mellon’s School of Computer Science is one of the world’s top-ranked programmes. For decades, CMU graduates in computer science have been driving powerful advances in the field. Throughout their 46 > QATAR TODAY > SEPTEMBER 2017

Graduates who make a difference

APPLYING TO UNIVERSITIES ACROSS THE GLOBE STUDENTS AT ACS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS, WHICH HAS THREE CAMPUSES IN THE UK AND ONE IN DOHA, GRADUATE TO UNIVERSITIES ACROSS THE GLOBE. LAST YEAR’S COHORT WILL NOW BE STARTING THEIR FRESHER YEAR AT HIGHER EDUCATION ESTABLISHMENTS IN QATAR, AS WELL AS ARGENTINA, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN, THE NETHERLANDS, RUSSIA, SPAIN, THE UK AND THE US, TO NAME JUST A FEW.

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esearch conducted by ACS International Schools into the future pathways of its alumni revealed that almost all respondents felt that their international education had prepared them well for higher education:

“My academic time at ACS was the best possible launching pad for my future academic career. By the time I left ACS, I was so significantly further ahead, it put me at the forefront of consideration with every college and university I applied to.”

“The education that I received at ACS prepared me to excel in my academic pursuits in high school and university. The small class sizes and engaged faculty provided an environment that fostered my learning beyond most educational institutions.”

International schools are highly experienced in helping students apply to universities around the world and foster an environment where it is routine to consider global choices.

At ACS, students aged 16 to 18 are supported by the school’s dedicated ‘university and college counsellors’, whose role is specifically to support students with their study skills and university applications. Many of the school’s counsellors have lived and worked in other countries, and most have worked within a university. Here are some of their insights students could consider when applying to universities around the world.

What are top universities looking for?

Top universities are looking for students to demonstrate key attributes such as an ability to think and work independently, a real passion for their chosen subject, and a positive attitude towards study. Research conducted by ACS amongst UK university admissions officers revealed these traits are undoubtedly universal, but there are also some important differences in what universities in different countries look for. American universities, for example, really value an entrepreneurial mindset and an ability to work well in groups. Yet, most importantly, it is imperative that students think first about their own needs and learning styles when choosing a university.

Shortlisting potential universities

When shortlisting potential universities, students should first find out how courses and modules are delivered and whether it will suit their learning style. For instance, some universities deliver all their learning through lectures to 300 - 400 students, while others will opt for tutorials in small groups.

Universities also differ in the number of contact hours each student receives with the teaching staff during a week, and

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some students might value individual attention more than general lectures.

Once students have identified whether a university fits their learning style, there are other practicalities to take into consideration, e.g., how big is the campus? Extroverts may thrive in a large university while introverts might prefer a smaller campus setting. Are the right courses offered in the appropriate language? An increasing number of European universities offer all their courses in English, such as the leading Dutch universities, while many science and medical courses in Eastern Europe are offered in English.

Geography should also be taken into account; it might be important for some students to have quick access to family and friends and for some, even the weather might make a difference. Some people will like the extreme winter weather experienced in Boston, for example, while others will prefer to know that they will be studying in the year-round sunshine of the Gulf.

Reflecting on what students wish to gain from their time at university is essential as this will change depending on the university and country. Most US universities will guarantee accommodation on campus for every year of study, but students are expected to immerse themselves fully in college life. Contrast this with Qatar and many universities in European cities where a more ‘open’, less intense campus experience is experienced. Similarly, if students do not yet have a clear idea of a career path or profession, they may prefer higher education in a country that encourages a trial of different subjects before committing fully.

Applications

Once students have done their shortlisting, it is time to consider the application process. Few countries offer a centralised system like the UK University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), so it is important to check how university admissions work for each country.

In the US, France, Germany and Spain candidates apply to each university individually and could, in theory, apply to as many universities as they wish. Ideally, applicants should narrow down their choices to around six universities. It’s also important to be aware that the application cycle has shifted in countries such as Australia and Japan where the academic year starts in January.

In the US, because applications are decentralised, most schools advise their students to submit their applications

by November, and regular offers are made in January or February. The decision deadline in the US when you must commit to a university is typically May 1, when your deposit for accommodation and tuition fees for the following year is required

development > tech talk

GOOGLE, OREO LAUNCH ANDROID OREO

G STRATEGIC COOPERATION:

HUAWEI AND MICROSOFT

Huawei and Microsoft signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MOU) on cloud service under which Microsoft applications will be released on Huawei Cloud.

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he two companies will initiate in-depth cooperation on the public cloud to provide the optimal experience of cloud services for enterprises and help them implement digital transformation.

Huawei and Microsoft already enjoy a time-honoured and deepening cooperation in the field of cloud computing as the Huawei Cloud has provided Windows Server and RDS for SQL Server. In this new strategic cooperation, Huawei and Microsoft will bring more Microsoft enterprise-level products online.

Joint innovation by the two parties provides customers with trusted hosting and various enterprise applications as a service. Facing promising prospects in the global market, both companies will jointly carry out market expansion and marketing activities on schedule.

ENJOYING MEMORIES WITH FACEBOOK Facebook has started a new experience that packages your recent memories in a delightful way for you to enjoy and share. For recent memories, it will bundle the photos into a monthly or seasonal memory recap story.

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oogle revealed that the next version of its mobile operating system, Android, is named after the world’s favourite cookie – Android Oreo. Historically, Google has named each successive Android release after sweet treats like Eclair, Ice Cream Sandwich and, most recently, Nougat.

The Android Oreo release marks a global collaboration between the Oreo brand and Google, which kicked off with the debut of the Android Oreo superhero – a new character who personifies the powers of this iconic duo and the features of the new operating system.

Poised to be a pop culture icon, Android Oreo channels the playfulness of Oreo and intelligence of Android to spread joy throughout the world. And, like all iconic superheroes, Android Oreo originated from a wondrous and unique moment in time: the 2017 total solar eclipse that touched the United States.

here are two types of moments where you may see these celebratory messages – when you make a notable number of friends on Facebook, and when your friends have liked your posts. Facebook plans to launch more messages like this in the next few months.

Additionally, these messages are currently shown only to you, but they will become sharable in the near future.

In addition, Facebook has invested a lot in developing ways to filter content that will select photos which may be most relevant and enjoyable to you, and avoid the ones that spark negative emotions.

GARTNER MAGIC QUADRANT

HITACHI LEADING THE WAY

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itachi Data Systems (HDS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE:6501), announced it has been positioned in the Leaders Quadrant of the July 2017 Magic Quadrant for Solid-State Arrays by Gartner, Inc., a leading global research firm. Hitachi believes its significant growth and enhancements to be its all-flash Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform (VSP) F Series product line, which resulted in the company improving its position, moving it from Challengers Quadrant to Leaders Quadrant.

“Hitachi takes pride in bringing continuous breakthroughs to the market that help our customers to be as competitive as possible in the digital age,” said Ryuichi Otsuki, CEO of Hitachi Data Systems. “We are pleased to be recognised as a leader in the solid-state array industry and we will continue to challenge industry standards while positioning our customers to succeed.”

90% OF CIOS TO INVEST IN IOT BY 2019

WORLDWIDE WEARABLE DEVICE SALES TO GROW 17% IN 2017 Gartner, Inc. forecasts that 310.4 million wearable devices will be sold worldwide in 2017, an increase of 16.7% from 2016. Sales of wearable devices will generate revenue of $30.5 billion in 2017. Of that, $9.3 billion will be from smartwatches.

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n 2017, 41.5 million smartwatches will be sold. They are on track to account for the highest unit sales of all wearable device form factors from 2019 to 2021, aside from Bluetooth headsets.

By 2021, sales of smartwatches are estimated to total nearly 81 million units, representing 16% of total wearable device sales.

“Smartwatches are on track to achieve the greatest revenue potential among all wearable devices through 2021, reaching $17.4 billion,” said Angela McIntyre, research director at Gartner.

With 90% of organisations investing in the Internet of Things (IOT) by 2019, business transformation enabler SAP will showcase how IOT can drive Middle East digital business competitiveness at GITEX Technology Week 2017.

By 2025, research firm IDC predicts there will be 80 billion IOT devices worldwide, enhancing productivity, efficiency, and customer experience. To boost digital competitiveness, 90% of companies plan to invest in IOT projects over the next 12-24 months.

“World-class digital business competitiveness requires collaboration and co-innovation [sic] across every industry,” said Steve Tzikakis, Regional President, South Europe, Middle East and Africa at SAP. “GITEX Technology Week is an exciting and strategic platform for SAP to showcase transformational cloud business models and exchange innovative Internet of Things best practices to enhance citizen experiences and enable smart cities in the region.”

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affairs > auto news

EXPERIENCING MASERATI GENUINE ACCESSORIES

Alfardan Sports Motors, Maserati’s official dealership in Qatar, is offering a range of genuine accessories for its owners. With design and practicality in equal measure, Maserati’s Genuine Accessories add distinction and a unique touch to each of the brand’s luxury models.

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n exclusive set of accessories is available for every car within the Trident fleet. Owners can invest in special car care gear, including car covers, protective films, floor mats, battery chargers and even a touch-up paint stylus kit, adding an additional layer of defence to the vehicle’s elegant styling. Owners can also choose to customise the wheels of their vehicle with a range of Maserati rims, coloured brake callipers and branded valve covers.

Alongside the brand’s unrivalled levels of comfort, Maserati places the safety of every passenger as a top priority. Owners can choose from the Maserati-branded pushchairs and child seats, as well as Italian-designed emergency kits and jumper cables, which come with elegant compact cases that fit seamlessly in the luggage space.

SETTING THE BENCHMARK FOR SUSTAINABLE MOTORING

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yundai is leading the way for a more environmentally sustainable motor industry by moving towards electric vehicles. The company’s Head of Operations for Africa and the Middle East, Mike Song, says there is a tendency for companies to focus too heavily on a limited choice of technologies. As a result, the products in development may not be suitable for all markets or all uses.

Hyundai is taking a different approach. Instead of committing to one form of technology, the Korean company is now manufacturing models using four different approaches: fully electric, hybrid, plug-in, and hydrogen fuel cell.

“Most major carmakers are developing cars with electric motors, and there is a general understanding in the industry that this is the future, and that electric cars are essential to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and limiting the effects of climate change,” says Song.

“Electric power has always been possible, and in many ways it’s better than internal combustion, but energy storage has always been the limiting factor.”

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HARLEY-DAVIDSON’S BIG TWIN CUSTOM REVOLUTION

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o celebrate Harley-Davidson’s 115th anniversary, the motor company is launching a complete custom revolution: eight all-new Softail models that merge the hard-riding performance of the Dyna line with the unparalleled custom look of the Softail line.

Designed under the largest Product Development Project in company history,

the new bikes feature a stiffer and significantly lighter frame built to harness the high torque output of the new dualcounterbalanced Milwaukee-Eight 107 and 114 engines.

“The new Softails are the result of the most extensive research and development programme in the company’s history,” said Paul James, manager of Product Portfolio,

Harley-Davidson Motor Company.

“Thousands of hours of research and testing were put into the complete groundup design of these new cruisers. We focused on taking the total rider experience to a higher level, where authenticity, heritage and soul meet the modern edge of technology for a ride that must be felt to be believed.”

CAYENNE: PORSCHE LAUNCHES THIRD GENERATION

THE FERRARI PORTOFINO REVEALED The Ferrari Portofino is the new V8 GT, which is set to dominate its segment thanks to a perfect combination of sportiness, elegance and on-board comfort.

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errari has chosen a particularly evocative moniker for this versatile drop-top car, referencing one of Italy’s most beautiful towns. Portofino is renowned for its charming tourist port and, over the years, has become internationally synonymous with elegance, sportiness and understated luxury. The launch colour of the new Ferrari has also been dedicated to this marvellous town: Rosso Portofino.

Capable of unleashing a massive 600 cv and sprinting from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.5 seconds, the Ferrari Portofino is the most powerful convertible to combine the advantages of a retractable hard top, a roomy boot and generous cockpit space.

The Ferrari Portofino’s all-new chassis features significant weight saving over the California T it replaces. Thanks to the extensive use of modern production technologies, all the chassis and body-in-white components have been redesigned with a consequent reduction in weight despite an increase in torsional rigidity.

Porsche is introducing the third generation of the brand’s SUV Cayenne. A completely new development from the Stuttgart-based sports car manufacturer, the Cayenne combines Porsche performance with everyday practicality.

Powerful turbo engines, a new eight-speed Tiptronic S gearbox and new chassis systems, alongside an innovative display and control concept with increased connectivity take both sportiness and comfort to the next level.

At the launch, there are two newly developed sixcylinder engines to choose from: the Cayenne’s 340 hp (250 kW) three-litre turbo engine delivers 40 hp (29 kW) more than the previous model.

The 2.9-litre V6 biturbo engine in the Cayenne S, which reaches speeds of up to 265 km/h, brings it up to 440 hp (324 kW) – an increase of 20 hp (15 kW). Equipped with the optional Sport Chrono Package, the new Cayenne S accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in less than five seconds.

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business > marketwatch SAVE ROOM FOR ‘SHROOM’ Shake Shack came out with a special offer for its customers in August.

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ts fans in the Middle East can now for a limited time only, enjoy Shroom - the mushroom Swiss burger (QR35 SNG Size) – a 100% all-natural Angus beef burger topped with Swiss cheese, sautéed wild mushrooms, crispy shiitake mushrooms.

“There is something really special about the combination of a juicy burger paired with sweet and nutty Swiss cheese and savoury, sautÈed mushrooms,” said Mark Rosati, Shake Shack’s Culinary Director. “The flavours complement each other to form a perfectly balanced and delicious burger. We can’t wait for you to try it.”

To sweeten the deal, Shake Shack is also coming up with three limited-edition ‘concretes’: blueberry, chocolate, and apple pie blended with vanilla frozen custard. The ‘Pie Oh My’ concretes were available through the month of August.

ONEPLUS SMARTPHONES NOW IN QATAR OnePlus has officially entered Qatar with an exclusive distribution agreement with Digital Innovation WLL. Created around the ‘Never Settle’ mantra, OnePlus creates devices with premium build quality and high-performance hardware. OnePlus thrives on cultivating strong bonds and growing together with its community of users and fans.

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he OnePlus will be available at Spark Lifestyle Electronics at Dar Al Salam Mall, all Jumbo Electronics showrooms, Monoprix at Doha Festival City, and select hypermarkets.

The OnePlus is currently available in two models – the OnePlus 3T and the OnePlus 3. Staying true to the company’s ‘Never Settle’ mantra, the OnePlus 3T builds on the success of the OnePlus 3, offering key hardware and software updates inspired by feedback from the active OnePlus community.

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NANDO’S CELEBRATES DFC VENTURE

LG Q6 INTRODUCES FULLVISION EXPERIENCE

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G Electronics’ (LG) newest smartphone featuring the proprietary FullVision display is now available to consumers in Qatar. The LG Q6 is designed to meet the needs and expectations of discerning millennial customers worldwide.

The Q6 is the first model in LG’s new Q series of smartphones and was designed for consumers who want a device that offers the technology of LG’s flagship smartphones at an exceptional price. The Q6 shares DNA with the award-winning G6, the first smartphone

to offer LG’s FullVision display. With FullVision, LG is able to offer a large screen in a phone that can be used comfortably with one hand.

The standout feature of the LG Q6 is its 5.5-inch FHD+ FullVision display.

Not only does this unique display offer maximum space, it also allows for easy multitasking as the screen can be divided into two square windows, viewable either vertically or horizontally. The phone also comes with Face Recognition technology that lets you unlock the phone by just lifting it and looking at it.

Doha Festival City (DFC) recently announced that household favourite Nando’s has opened its doors at the mall. Nando’s is the first restaurant to welcome visitors at the newly-opened ‘casual dining’ area on the first floor, adjoining VOX Cinemas and what will be its cutting-edge Family Entertainment Complex.

In its 16th year of operation in Qatar, this is Nando's ninth restaurant located in pockets across Qatar. The new Nando’s at DFC will also be home to 31 bespoke pieces of art. Sourced specifically for the restaurant from up-and-coming South African artists, the artwork complements the bold design that is synonymous with the brand.

Commenting on the new opening, Trevor Hill, General Manager, DFC said: “Our new casual dining area is set to welcome several new outlets over the next few weeks, but we are delighted to be kicking it off with Nando’s, which we know is a popular crowd-pleaser here in Qatar.”

THE RITZ-CARLTON’S UNIQUE BRUNCH CONCEPT

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ollowing the successful launch of Picnic Friday brunch and the Super Hero Picnic-themed brunch last year, The Ritz-Carlton, Doha continues to raise the bar and innovate on the brunch concept with its Farm to Table Brunch which commenced on Friday, September 8, 2017.

Adding to the experience are the exciting interactive indoor and outdoor happenings which the whole family can look forward to – from the highly awaited petting zoo where kids and adults alike can interact and feed the live farm animals, to a farmer’s market that will showcase the local seasonal products available – crops, herbs, spices, seasonal fruits and vegetables.

Additionally, freshly baked homemade pies and bread stations will be complementing a variety of jam and honey products. Moreover, guests can enjoy indoor and al fresco dining as children will be thrilled with highly entertaining activities such as face painting, a bouncy castle, farm games and a lot more.

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affairs > marketwatch

CONFECTING PERFECTION In an exclusive interview with Qatar Today, chocolate chef Jean Galler provides an insight into the confectionery market of the country.

BY KHADIZA BEGUM

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“IT IS FAIR TO SAY THAT DOHA TRULY IS A ‘CHOCOLATE CAPITAL’.

THE CONSUMERS IN QATAR ARE EDUCATED IN QUALITY AND ARE VERY DISCERNING.”

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t the young age of 16, Jean Galler knew that chocolate would become his enduring passion.

As he progressed along the pathway towards becoming a master confectioner, he trained under top confectionery tutors in Basel, Switzerland, and at Gaston Lenôtre in Paris, France. His youthful ambition was matched only by his dedication to what would become, for him, an art form that would demand creative imagination, skill and dexterity.

The young chocolate chef soon discovered that he possessed a flair for innovation and this, coupled with his youthful enthusiasm and a willingness to adapt, change and learn enabled him to bring his own unique style to the world of Belgian chocolate. In 1974 he was elected the "best bakery/pastry chef apprentice in Belgium" – a remarkable accolade, but his confectionery adventure truly began in 1976 when he founded his very own chocolate workshop in his home city of Liège, Belgium. This gave him his own space within which to work his own particular brand of confectionery and entrepreneurial success.

Galler Qatar The iconic Belgian chocolatier recently opened their first boutique and tea room

in the GCC in Mall of Qatar, the country’s signature retail mall, writing the latest chapter in the brand’s successful history by providing the country’s first truly world-class venue for gourmet chocolate aficionados. Galler says that Qatar, like so many other countries in the region, has an affinity with chocolate and that Doha is home to a wide variety of chocolate shops.

He adds: “It is fair to say that Doha truly is a ‘chocolate capital’. The consumers in Qatar are educated in quality and are very discerning. They are more receptive to high-end international chocolates, such as Galler for instance, because we produce top-quality Belgian chocolate and offer the full taste experience through a collection of exclusive artisan recipes in original shapes and eye-catching colours.

“Since 1974 we have also become a brand renowned as a symbol of high-quality chocolate, primarily because our products are made without preservatives – with only cocoa butter and no other vegetable oil.”

Upon visiting the Galler Qatar boutique it becomes quite obvious that the chocolates are works of art in themselves. The colourful confections are displayed in a way that encapsulates the founder’s passion for unique style and artistic achievement.

‘Happy’ chocolate Over the past twenty

years

food

consumers have gained vast knowledge regarding the origins and sources of the ingredients in their food, and this discernment is particularly evident in the world of chocolate. Customers are increasingly selecting products where style is accompanied by substance. The use of organic ingredients, often locally sourced and seasonally selected, is key to the success of master chocolatiers like Galler, who pride themselves on using only the best quality ingredients to produce the ultimate in artisan handcrafted confectionery creations. Through constant research, Galler is always examining the latest industry trends and customer needs.

“Demand for dark chocolate is currently on the rise, perhaps because its consumption makes people feel less guilty, and also because of the proven health benefits of small amounts of dark chocolate.

However, that rise in demand conversely increases demand for and consumption of milk and white chocolate, because they remain products of indulgence.”

Galler adds: “More broadly, we are observing several different consumption trends developing in the Qatar market compared with the rest of the world. For instance, a sense of ‘the natural’ coupled with nostalgia or going ‘back to their roots’ has resulted in the expression by customers of a desire to reconnect with more ‘real’ 57 > QATAR TODAY > SEPTEMBER 2017

affairs > marketwatch

“DEMAND FOR DARK CHOCOLATE IS CURRENTLY ON THE RISE, PERHAPS BECAUSE ITS CONSUMPTION MAKES PEOPLE FEEL LESS GUILTY.”

tastes. So the purity of ingredients – their organic credentials – has become vital to consumers who want a more natural product created in a sustainable way.”

Galler believes that people increasingly want to know what they eat and are more conscious and selective regarding chocolate products whilst still craving luxury and indulgence. “The trend of ‘happy’ chocolate (less sugar, less fat, reduced calories) concerning mostly dark chocolate remains niche because it contradicts the primary driver of the market – indulgence.”

Innovation is key Innovation is key to delivering relevant, compelling consumer experiences as well as building a fast-growing firm in an oldfashioned market. Consumers are hungry for new products, services and experiences, 58 > QATAR TODAY > SEPTEMBER 2017

so innovation is seen as being a vital practice at Galler, whether through the creation of a whole new form of chocolate or developing a new way to produce it.

“Innovation has always been a priority and primary focus for Galler. We are continually refining existing recipes to offer new and real experiences in taste and texture, developing different flavours and constantly seeking to innovate in respect of the DNA of the brand. We keep in touch with pioneering trends in marketing, consumer R&D and ethically produced, environmentally friendly packaging.”

He further says: “You must listen to the market and give people what they want. Galler is confident of retaining a good share in the Qatari market, which is very competitive. However, by remaining coherent and true to the natural identity

and values of the brand, we will be well positioned to stay ahead of the curve.”

Be sweet Jean Galler draws strength from his values: a passion for chocolate, a continuing appetite for creativity, and pure perfectionism, and even after forty years in the profession, he remains true to these values. Galler concludes with some tips for those who would like to start their journey in the chocolate business: “First, you must have a real passion for chocolate, and second, you must acquire the resources to make success possible.

Finally, accurate market analysis, constant adaptations of your products, and a focus on trusted partners, product providers, and most importantly, trusted employees are key.”

city life > doha diary

QSF’S LONGEST-EVER EDITION CONCLUDES The Qatar Summer Festival (QSF) came to a close after more than two months of exciting celebrations across the nation.

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he QSF centrepiece and family favourite, Entertainment City, alone attracted 145,000 visitors to its activities held at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC).

The QSF Mega Raffle draw included over 305,000 vouchers. The conclusion of QSF marks the end of a series of vibrant festivals held in 2017.

“We are very pleased to have our

QATAR POST JOINS HANDS WITH ASPIRE Qatar Post recently signed an MoU with Aspire Zone Foundation (AZF) to forge a new partnership that will serve as the basis for collaboration opportunities, including a new creative outdoor gallery and a mobile Qatar Post kiosk at Aspire Park, as well as the launch of a new stamp collection outlet.

The agreement was signed at Aspire in the presence of Qatar Post Chairman and Managing Director Falah Al Naemi and Abdullah Nasser Al Naemi, Director General of AZF, as well as Khalid Rustom, Head of Arab Postal Stamps Museum, Katara.

Under the new agreement, a retail kiosk will be opened at Aspire Zone to expand Qatar Post’s services to the local community. Qatar Post will also launch the Aspire Sport Stamp Collection to celebrate the core mission of AZF as a global reference for sports excellence, in addition to many other planned initiatives in the future.

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longest-ever edition of QSF mark the end of a year of successful nationwide events in 2017,” said Saif Al Kuwari, Director of PR and Communication, Qatar Tourism Authority.

“Creating such a vibrant calendar of annual events would not have been possible without the innovative and collaborative efforts of our partners in the private and public sectors,” he added.

HEC PARIS TO OFFER 3 EXECUTIVE SHORT PROGRAMMES

STRESS BUSTERS COURTESY OF BANANA ISLAND RESORT With the aim of providing additional comfort to its visitors, ‘Balance Wellness’ at Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara introduced group corporate programmes to relieve stress at work.

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alance’ is a first of its kind, fully dedicated destination wellness centre in the Middle East. Balance Wellness offers its guests a variety of wellness programmes focused on rejuvenating the mind, body and spirit, customising each programme to the individual’s unique requirements to achieve personal goals.

The Urban Wellness and Relieving Stress Programme, incorporated for groups of 15-20 people in either a one-day or two-day activity, is designed to help identify stress signals and provides stress reduction and management techniques. It also identifies personal and professional priorities and works on strategies to create sustainable success, including a short stretching and breathing routine.

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EC Paris has announced three Executive Short Programmes for the fall of 2017. The programmes aim at providing short, two-day courses on management and finance in an effort to cater to the demanding schedules of successful executives.

‘Managing people to create impact’, ‘Decision-making in an uncertain world’, and ‘Demystifying Finance’ are courses designed to help business executives and managers keep up with the challenges that confront them. These courses will be delivered in interactive workshop formats to help create an active learning environment for attendees.

“We at HEC Paris have always sought to offer courses that are relevant to our regional market,” said Dr Nils Plambeck, Dean and CEO, HEC Paris in Qatar.

“Successful people often find themselves confronted by new challenges as they seek out different responsibilities or tasks.

Further developing and learning new proficiencies will help them stay informed in the face of the changing environment.”

The new Reserved Kids collection is a combination of sports and hip-hop style with rogue charm – trends that have dominated the boyswear and girlswear brand lines in the upcoming season.

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city life > doha diary

THE ‘100 DAYS OF BLOCKADE’ ART INITIATIVE

The Doha Fire Station unveiled five graffiti artworks created by its citizens and residents as part of Qatar Museums’ ‘100 days of blockade’ art initiative.

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he medium of choice was graffiti, evoking its origins as a form of activism and self-expression, which is easily accessible by the broader community.

“Artists are always inspired by their environment; they’re typically moved by a significant moment or event, such as the one we’re all experiencing now – the unfair blockade on Qatar,” said Khalifa Al Obaidly, Director of the Fire Station.

“These five talented artists used their creativity to produce fantastic works that best express how they feel about the present political situation, through an art form driven by the need to speak out and share one’s opinions in expressive and accessible ways,” he added.

QOC PARTNERS WITH OLYMPIC REFUGEE FOUNDATION The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced the launch of the Olympic Refugee Foundation at its session in Lima, Peru, with the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) confirmed as a founding donating partner.

The Foundation is aimed at pursuing the work undertaken throughout the Olympic Movement over recent years to support refugees around the world, and is a further major initiative that has emerged from the strong and longstanding partnership between the IOC and UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

Giving his views on the developments, President of QOC, HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, said: "The Qatar Olympic Committee has made a donation to the Olympic Refugee Foundation to support the International Olympic Committee and the UN Refugee Agency in the valuable work that they are doing to improve the lives of young refugees around the world through the power of sport."

QFBA LAUNCHES ‘KAWADER’ FOR 5TH SUCCESSIVE YEAR

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n light of its ongoing successes, Qatar Finance and Business Academy (QFBA), in cooperation with the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) Authority and the country’s banking sector, is launching the new academic term of its Kawader programme for the fifth consecutive year, which kicked off on September 10 and will conclude on December 14, 2017.

The Kawader programme adopts a unique approach that combines theoretical and vocational training in the workplace, giving students an in-depth look at the institutions of the financial services sector in which they are poised to be recruited in the future. It empowers them to contribute to the development of these institutions, enhance their professional careers, and effectively participate in accelerating the wheel of economic development in Qatar towards the realisation of Qatar National Vision 2030.

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