Private Sector Qatar - April 2012

qatar tourism

green business

trade rules

APRIL 2012 www.privatesectorqatar.com/en

technology for business the advantages of going virtual

the internet society

angel investment

business setup

CONTENTS April 2012

Case Study 26 RAISING THE BAR With cloud computing being the new trend for organisations, we take a look at Qatar First Investment Bank’s experience with the cloud, and its impact on their business.

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Business Setup 28 IS it FOR REAL? Mark Dixon, Global CEO, Regus explains how a virtual office could transform business, and offers SMEs some tips for success.

Doing Business 30 GET STARTED If you want a slice of the buzz in Qatar then you need to know how to set up your business in the country. Wayne Merrick, Company Formation Specialist, Links Group tells us just that and more.

Get your house in order

SMEs 32 WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY The available estimations regarding share of SMEs in Qatar’s GDP indicate significant opportunities for the growth of this sector. Kurian Kuriakose, Managing Partner, Sohila and Kuriakose, gives an overview of the various initiatives to support SMEs.

News

Technology

10 UPDATES

16 A society for internet users

Get to know about the latest events and happenings in Qatar that will have an impact on SMEs and large enterprises.

Private Sector got talking to Fadel Salem Al-Enazi, Chairman, The Internet Society (Qatar chapter) to know more about the initiative.

Shelf Life

Human Resource

Corporate Governance

12 Products

18 START AHEAD STAY AHEAD

36 GET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER

We talk to INJAZ Qatar to find out how students can benefit from their programmes and get a head start to achieve their dreams and passion.

Corporate governance has emerged as a key buzzword for corporations and governments worldwide. Qatar Development Bank explains the concept to us and what it means for the small and medium enterprises.

About town

Trade

Environment

14 TECHNOLOGY FOR GROWTH

22 TRADE WINDS

38 GO GREEN

Take a look at new launches that make your work life easier. It’s not like you need an excuse!

Doha was a hub of activity in March with the QITCOM and the Connect Arab Summit highlighting the importance of ICT for the youth in the region. Private Sector brings you a synopsis of the discussions.

In part two of the interview, Pascal Lamy, Director-General, World Trade Organisation (WTO) talks about the controversial Doha talks and the trade affairs of the Middle East.

With concerns about climate change and global warming, Aparna Shivpuri Arya got talking to Alex Amato, Chairman, Research and Innovation Committee, Qatar Green Building Council to know about their work in Qatar.

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Women in Business 40 MARS VS. VENUS Carolin Zeitler, Director, Arcata explains to us what makes women different and helps us understand how they function at the workplace.

Export 42 AS SOUND AS A DOLLAR Schuyler D’Souza, CCO, Export Credit Insurance Company, explains to how export credit insurance helps eliminate the risk of not getting paid by a buyer.

Sector Study 46 take in the sights

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With the FIFA World Cup 2022, Qatar can expect a boost in tourism. Basel Al-Bannoud sheds light on what impact it will have on the economy.

Investment 48 are you ready?

Angels Den, an angel investor network in Qatar, talks to us about what issues a startup, looking for finance, should keep in mind.

Entrepreneurs 50 what are you looking for?

Peter Moore, Entrepreneurial Mentor, CNA-Q, shares with us his search for the next entrepreneur in Qatar.

Legal

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52 WATCH YOUR STEP Do you know the advertising regulations in your country? Mark Hill and Fiona Robertson, media lawyers, therightslawyers, take a first look at some of the many issues that arise in relation to advertising throughout the Middle East.

Marketing 54 THE LAUNCH SITE Advertising is an important aspect of doing business. People will only buy your product or service if they know about it. Stefan LindbergJones, Founder, Think Big Qatar talks about what is unique about his concept and how can enterprises make use of it.

Publisher Dominic De Sousa Group COO Nadeem Hood Managing Director Richard Judd richard@cpidubai.com +971 4 440 9126 EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL

Editor - English Aparna Shivpuri Arya aparna@cpidubai.com +971 440 9133 Editor - Arabic Basel Al Bannoud basel@cpidubai.com +971 440 9140 Contributing Editors Mike Byrne mikeb@cpidubai.com +971 440 9105 Meghna Pant meghna@cpidubai.com +971 440 9130 ADVERTISING Commercial Director Chris Stevenson chris@cpidubai.com +971 4 440 9138 Sales Director Francis Morgan francis@cpidubai.com +971 4 440 9163 CIRCULATION Database and Circulation Manager Rajeesh M rajeesh@cpidubai.com +971 4 440 9147

A walk in the cloud The impact of what is happening in the Middle East is far reaching.

The underlying cause of this is first, about 60% of the population in the region is below the age of 30 and second, this population is tech savvy.

Technology is a tool, which breaks down social, cultural and location barriers and, if harnessed in the right way, can bring growth and development. This is what this region needs right now – a focused and positive use of technology.

Our April issue has tried to highlight the various links between technology on one hand, and entrepreneurs and businesses on the other hand.

OPERATIONS AND DESIGN Operations Director James Rawlins jamesr@cpidubai.com +971 4 440 9108 Production Manager James P Tharian james@cpidubai.com +971 4 440 9146 Art Director Kamil Roxas kamil@cpidubai.com +971 4 440 9112 Head of Design Fahed Sabbagh fahed@cpidubai.com +971 4 440 9148 Photographer Cris Mejorada cris@cpidubai.com +971 4 440 9108 DIGITAL SERVICES www.smeadvisor.com Digital Services Manager Tristan Troy Maagma Web Developers Jerus King Bation Erik Briones Jefferson de Joya Louie Alma

March started with QITCOM and the Connect Arab Summit 2012, and we were there to feel the pulse of the region. There is no denying that the Internet has given everyone an equal platform and an opportunity to entrepreneurs and startups to realise their dreams. These events encouraged entrepreneurs to take risks, to not be afraid to fail. As Steve Jobs said- be hungry, be foolish!

Taking this theme of technology further, we bring you some interesting stories- Qatar First Investment Bank’s experience with cloud computing puts forth some remarkable points. We must understand that virtualisation is no longer only beneficial to large enterprises – in fact, it can provide a competitive edge for small and medium-sized businesses. And if everything is virtual, then why not your office? Turn through the pages to find out how to set up a virtual office in Qatar.

Adding a little variety, we get talking to INJAZ to know about its initiatives for young entrepreneurs.

We realised it’s never too early to start working on your business plan. An important aspect of business is advertising. We ask Think Big Qatar to tell us how our readers can make use of their platform to advertise. It is indeed very unique!

We believe this issue will make a very interesting read and keep you hooked on a range of issues – from technology to environment to corporate governance.

Please don’t forget to give us your feedback. We would love to hear from you.

online@cpidubai.com +971 4 440 9100 Published by

Aparna Shivpuri Arya, Editor (English), Private Sector Qatar

1013 Centre Road, New Castle County, Wilmington, Delaware, USA

Branch Office PO Box 13700 Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 4 440 9100 Fax: +971 4 447 2409

Printed by

Al Warq Printing Press, Qatar

Distributed by

Dar Al Sharq Distribution © Copyright 2012 CPI All rights reserved While the publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors therein.

Talk to us: E-mail: aparna@cpidubai.com Twitter: @PrivateSectorQA Facebook: www.facebook.com/PrivateSectorQatar LinkedIn group: Private Sector Qatar

QDB BriDgeD the gap to starting my own Business through aL Dhameen.

Do you have a promising business or new business idea? But do you also have trouble finding the funding that you need? Ask us about Al Dhameen Indirect Lending Program from QDB. We will guarantee up to 85% of your business loan *, leaving you free to focus on developing your business. Click on www.qdb.qa or visit one of our partners listed below.

* Guarantees of up to 85% are for new businesses. Exiting businesses can get guarantees of up to 75%. Terms and Conditions apply.

advisory Board Ms. Amal Al-Mannai

Dr. Hessa Al Jaber

Ms. Al-Mannai is the Executive Director of the Social Development Center (SDC).

Dr. Jaber is the Secretary General of ictQATAR.

Gail Gosse

Dr. Eulian Roberts

Gail Gosse, is the Dean of the School of Business at College of North Atlantic-Qatar.

Dr. Roberts is the Managing Director of Qatar Science & Technology Park.

Professor Nitham M. Hindi

George M. White, Ph.D.

Professor Nitham M. Hindi, is the Dean of College of Business and Economics at the Qatar University.

Dr. White is Associate Teaching Professor of Entrepreneurship at Carnegie Mellon University-Qatar.

Abdulaziz N. Al-Khalifa

Hamad Al Abdan Al-Marri

Mr. Al-Khalifa is the Executive Director, Strategic Planning and Control at Qatar Development Bank (QDB).

Eng. Hamad Mohamed Al Abdan is the Chief Business Operation Officer at Enterprise Qatar.

Raed Al-Emadi

Bassam Salman

Mr. Al-Emadi is the Deputy CEO, Silatech.

Mr. Salman is Executive Assistant, Qatar Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

For more information, please visit www.privatesectorqatar.com/en

News

the necessary funding from the local banks, through a complete package that works on promoting and motivating the banking sector to give SMEs the loans they need with simplified terms, and on solving the problems that may arise between the banks and SMEs or individuals asking for funding.”

Abdulaziz pointed out the importance of the programme and its timing, as these great financial facilities being dedicated to the SMEs in Qatar, come out in a time where similar sectors around the world are facing mounting difficulties in the aftermath of the global economic crisis.

Al Dhameen fourth feedback session Al Dhameen is an indirect lending facility set up by QDB to guarantee commercial bank loans to private sector businesses. QDB recently held the 4th Al Dhameen feedback session at the Diplomatic Club, to assess how the programme has been doing and to interact with the partner banks. The feedback sessions aim to enhance Al-Dhameen service through communicating to understand the expectations that both the partner banks and potential customer have regarding Al-Dhameen. The feedback sessions aim to enhance AlDhameen service through communicating to understand the expectations that both the partner banks and potential customer have regarding Al-Dhameen.

The session was opened by Dimitros Critcos, who highlighted the new developments in the

programme since the last session. He mentioned that a new marketing campaign was started in December 2011 and is still going strong.

They have also created a simplified FAQ on Al Dhameen to help people better understand the programme and what it offers. A separate Al Dhameen Department has been created with the sole aim of promoting Al Dhameen.

Dimitros also mentioned that there has been an increase in the Al Dhameen network of partner institutions to 14 and that they will be introducing the concept of a dedicated Al Dhameen Relationship Manager (RM) in each partner bank.

Abdulaziz Bin Naser Al Khalifa, Executive Director of Strategic Planning and Control, QDB, said, “QDB had launched the Al Dhameen programme in the aim of helping SMEs to secure

Abdulaziz explained, “Constant reviewing is an effective tool in evaluating companies’ performance, be it the current or the past one, in addition to forecasting future performance.”

Jawaher Hamid Al Nuaimi, director of the Al Dhameen programme in QDB said that the programme has an important effect on the rise and development of the private sector in Qatar, especially SMEs. In 2011, Al Dhameen received 200 applications and its target for 2015 is 1366.

QDB would like to discuss its targets with each of its partner banks separately to know what their targets are and how QDB can help achieve those targets.

Andre Van Zijl from the Qatar National Bank (QNB) took the floor to talk about what QNB has done and how their collaboration with QDB is working. Giving reasons for supporting the programme, Andre said that he believes that the programme will help in growing QNB’s asset base, turning today’s SME customers into large corporates. He also highlighted that by supporting Al Dhameen, they are supporting the National Development Strategy (NDS) 2011-2016 and Qatar National Vision. SMEs are a big focus for Qatar today and QNB wants to play its part in supporting and promoting them.

QNB has submitted 50 applications to QDB since December 2010, 38 of which have been approved and booked, totalling to QAR 62 million. There is business out there, we just have to be proactive and go and find it out there.

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APRIL 2012

News

Talking about how QNB goes about it, Andre said that there is 50/50 split between walk-in customers and sourcing of new business from our team. Also, QBD and QNB staff work together to improve the programme parameters, with frequent meetings. They also ask for referrals from existing programme customers to know how and where they can improve. “We understand the needs of the Al Dhameen programme and we can come up with a detailed feasibility report, which are simple. It is important to understand the synergies between the two credit departments of Al Dhameen and QNB,” said Andre.

Entrepreneurs do not have access to finance even though initiatives are there, so QNB has also met up with Silatech representatives to discuss the various initiatives and programmes in order to support the SME strategies of the NDS. Both, Bedaya Centre and Silatech guide and nurture the entrepreneurs in Qatar to realise their dreams and provide a step by step guideline on how to set up and sustain a business.

Post QNB, there was discussion on the latest changes in the programme and their impact. QDB is continuously striving to improve all aspect of its business and is aware of collecting information, improving the quality of feasibility studies and making the programme easier to conduct both for the bank and their clients.

The Al-Dhameen satisfaction survey highlighted that it serves as a link between commercial banks and private companies.

The feedback session also witnessed a sneak peak of the SME Toolkit, which is a joint venture between QDB , IFC and IBM. IFC has provided the template for the information that entrepreneurs all over the world require. QDB has worked on customising it to meet the needs of entrepreneurs in Qatar. The Webiste targets potential and existing startups and entrepreneurs. The toolkit will help individuals who want to learn about the steps involved in setting up a business, who are serious about a business and have a business plan but don’t know how to proceed and third for individuals who already have a business but are looking at expanding. It will be launched officially in April 2012.

There was also a presentation by Richard Judd, Managing Director, CPI, about Private Sector magazine, where he talked about the objective of the magazine and how it works to support and promote small and large enterprises in Qatar.

The session ended with a survey form presented to the partner banks to get their opinion on what should be the next steps and how has their experience been.

Number of partner banks 1. Qatar National Bank 2. Qatar Islamic Bank 3. Masraf Al Rayan 4. Al Khaliji 5. Commercial Bank Qatar 6. Barwa Bank 7. International Bank of Qatar 8. Doha Bank 9. QIIB 10. Ahlibank QSC 11. Mashreq 12. Al Jazeera Finance 13. First Finance 14. Qatar Finance House

Tourism to contribute USD 1.1 billion to Qatar economy in 2012 Qatar has embarked on an aggressive infrastructure spending programme as it prepares to host the FIFA 2022 World Cup, and beyond.

The direct contribution of travel and tourism to Qatar’s GDP is expected to reach USD 1.1 billion in 2012, compared to USD 800 million in 2009, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council.

“The economic conditions are excellent. We see Qatar as a crucial addition to our GCC portfolio and look forward to seeing our core brand Radisson Blu make its entry into the market in 2012. The country has certainly become a key hotel investment destination,” commented Kurt Ritter, President and CEO, the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group.

Over the next five years the Gulf state will invest around USD 65 billion in new transportation schemes. These include the new USD 11 billion Doha International Airport, the USD 6 billion Doha port project and a USD 25 billion metro and railway.

Qatar is investing USD 20 billion alone into tourism infrastructure for

its World Cup preparations according to the Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), with most of this investment going into building new hotels.

The Gulf state plans to have 30,000 hotel rooms by 2013, up from 15,500 late last year, and aims to add 5,000 new hotel rooms each year up until 2022, bringing the total number of hotel rooms to 75,000, according to QTA.

APRIL 2012

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News

From mobile phone to credit card Qatar National Bank (QNB) Group, Qtel, Oberthur Technologies and MasterCard Worldwide announced the launch of the first mobile Near Field Communication (NFC) payments program in Qatar

This announcement signifies the introduction of the first mobile contactless MasterCard PayPass payments programme in Qatar via an NFC-enabled mobile phone and the first programme to also offer

consumers a contactless PayPass ‘sticker’ in the Middle East and Africa. The trial launch of the mobile NFC programme took place in line with this year’s QITCOM Conference and Exhibition in Qatar.

QNB and Qtel customers in Qatar will soon be able to easily turn their mobile phone from Qtel into their credit card. The mobile contactless payments program, will allow consumers in Qatar to make daily payments with just a tap of their NFC-enabled mobile phone.

Save the date!

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march 2012

Date

Event

Location

1-5 April

Qatar Career Fair 2012

Qatar National Convention Center

2-3 April

Qatar Alternative Energy Investors Summit 2012

Grand Hyatt Hotel

4 April

Iwed

Doha Exhibition Center

4-7 April

Beautex - Beauty and Fitness Expo 2012

Doha Exhibition Center

7-9 April

5th Annual Exploring ICT in Education Conference

College of the North Atlantic

13-14 April

Qatar TESOL Conference

College of the North Atlantic

16-20 April

TEDx Summit 2012

Doha Film Institute, Katara

16-19 April

Exhibition of Small and Medium Industries

Doha Exhibition Center

21-26 April

Thirteenth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD XIII)

Doha

22-24 April

10th Gulf Water Conference

Grand Hyatt Doha Hotel

30 April- 3 May

Project Qatar 2012

Doha Exhibition Center

7-8 May

2nd Annual MEP Summit and Awards

Intercontinental Hotel, Doha

10 May

Made in Italy 2012

Doha Exhibition Center

21-22 May

Qatar Construction Logistics

QNCC, Doha

22-24 May

International Exhibition of Toys

Doha Exhibition Center

23-25 May

Cityscape Qatar

Qatar International Exhibition Centre

24-26 May

Mother, Baby and Kids Show

Doha Exhibition Center

27-30 May

FTTx Summit Middle East

Oryx Rotana Hotel, Doha

28-29 May

The 2nd Middle East SME Forum 2012

Grand Hyatt Doha Hotel

APRIL 2012

shelf life

Affordable and compact

Epson announced the Middle East launch of a new range of projectors packed with features usually only found on more expensive models. While the EB-X11 and EB-S11 models are aimed at education users, the EB-S01, EB-S12, EB-X14G and EB-S02 are ideal for business use. All offer user-friendly functions and a high-quality picture.

Designed specifically for use with computers, the 2,500-lumen EB-S01 is easy for office users to set up, and needs only one cable for visuals, audio and page up/down control.

The 2,800-lumen EB-S12 will be of particular interest to businesses on a budget wanting a high-quality SVGA projector with an affordable price tag, as it offers high-end features such as PC-free presenting and Epson’s new horizontal keystone slider. The projectors feature a direct connection to the Epson ELP-DC06 USB Visualiser. The ELP-DC06 allows documents and objects to be shared via the projector, saving users’ time by eliminating the need to photocopy, photograph or scan materials

Small is beautiful The BlackBerry Mini Keyboard is ultra portable and comes complete with a stylish convertible case that doubles as a stand for the tablet. In addition to a full QWERTY keyboard, it offers an integrated touchpad that allows users to navigate and control the BlackBerry PlayBook as easily as using the touch screen on the tablet itself. When the keyboard is active, the PlayBook tablet’s virtual keyboard remains hidden, freeing up 100% of the display for the task at hand. The BlackBerry Mini Keyboard connects to your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet via Bluetooth, and features 128-bit encryption to keep the data passed between keyboard and tablet secure. It comes equipped with a touchpad that supports BlackBerry PlayBook gestures. The touchpad also

Combining performance with style

offers additional gestures similar to the standard mouse and touchpad controls on a laptop, including a single tap to simulate a mouse click, a two finger tap to right-click, and a two-finger up or down swipe to scroll vertically.

Nokia ushered in a new era in high-end SmartPhone imaging with the Nokia 808 PureView. This is the first SmartPhone to feature Nokia PureView imaging technologies, bringing together high resolution sensors, exclusive Carl Zeiss optics and Nokia developed algorithms.

The Nokia 808 PureView features a large, high-resolution 41 megapixel sensor with high-performance Carl Zeiss optics and new pixel oversampling technology. At standard resolutions (2/3, 5 and 8 megapixels) this means the ability to zoom without loss of clarity and capture seven pixels of information, condensing into one pixel for the sharpest images imaginable. In addition to superior still imaging technology, the Nokia 808 PureView, also includes full HD 1080p video recording and playback with 4X lossless zoom and the world’s first use of Nokia Rich Recording. Rich recording enables audio recording at CD-like levels of quality, previously only possible with external microphones.

About town

Technology for growth Doha was a hub of activity in March with the QITCOM and the Connect Arab Summit highlighting the importance of ICT for the youth in the region. Private Sector provides an overview of the sessions and the issues discussed.

Q

ITCOM 2012, the pre-eminent platform for the information and communication technology (ICT) sector in Qatar, was held from 5th - 7th March at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC).

The first day began with the opening of the conference, lead by Dr. Hessa Al-Jaber, Secretary General, ictQATAR, Mr. Rashid Al-Naimi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, MEEZA, Vice President Administration, Qatar Foundation, and Dr. Hamadoun Touré, Secretary General, ITU. It continued with a range of informative and motivating sessions including entrepreneurship in the Arab World, next generation Broadband, Internet TV, broadcasting and IPTV and social TV. The QITCOM 2012 Conference was designed to respond to key ICT industry trends and topics particularly relevant to the Middle East.

The first session had an expert panel talking about the link between ICT and entrepreneurship in the Arab region. The panel, which included experts from Google MENA, Yahoo! MENA, Silatech, ictQATAR, UNESCWA, Qtel, and the Jaidah Group, discussed a number of issue ranging

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APRIL 2012

from the opportunities for women, the role of the government and the need for a change in the ecosystem to promote entrepreneurship When asked what the secret of being an entrepreneur is, Mohamed Jassim Jaidah, Chief Development Officer, Jaidah Group, said that it is all about finding the opportunity and believing in it. “You learn from your failures and take your chances.”

Google and Yahoo! MENA talked about how they help startups and entrepreneurs in the region.

According to them technology levels the playing field and allows any organisation, whether large or small to reach their customers. It also lowers the barrier to entry and sustainability. Mohamad Mourad, Gulf Regional Manager, Google stated that any company with less than ten employees can use their products for free. Christos Mastoras, Director of Business Development, Yahoo! MENA quoted that there are 70 million people online in the MENA region and Yahoo! believes in actively contributing to the market by working with startups, outsourcing work to entrepreneurs and through M&A with local enterprises.

The entire panel recognised that ICT can act as

an enabler for entrepreneurs and startups and help people become a part of the value chain. However, government needs to play a very important role. According to Tarek Yousef, CEO, Silatech, government has to become a player instead of a facilitator. “Government policies matter – infrastructure, education, rule of law cannot be ignored. We need the government to transform education into entrepreneurship. We need a whole ecosystem of changes.” Yousef encouraged the youth to take measured risks, which do not lead to a system failure.

Both Yahoo and Google run programmes that help the young, especially women to use ICT to achieve their goals. For instance, Google has the Ambassador’s programme and Google days that focus on students and entrepreneurs and collaborate with universities to give pep talks.

Yahoo follows a top-down and a bottom-up approach to engage the youth by mentoring and coaching the youth and at the same time working with organisations such as ictQATAR to develop the 2020 portal.

Talking about the gender gap in the region, Yousef highlighted that the gender gap is because of the historical and social norms and we need the

About town

organised by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in partnership with the League of Arab States, and hosted under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar and ICT Qatar.

It was the third in a series of regional summits, with previous summits held the Africa (2007) and the CIS (2009) regions.

The aim of the summit was to bring together key global and regional players in the ICT sector and to help mobilise human, financial and technical resources needed to support ICT growth.

Panel discussion at The Connect Arab Summit

debate on gender equality to evolve and talk about the role of the state, NGOs, family and so forth, to figure out what is working and what is not.

to meet with the youth, support and motivate them to innovate, in order to create a new active generation in this digital world.

ictQATAR was also quick to point out that they are working on the automation of all business processes to register and get a company up and running. This will make it easier and faster for entrepreneurs and startups to do business.

Saleh Al Khoulaifi, Director, Bedaya Centre elaborated about the Innovation Theater , “Our participation in the Innovation Theatre was two fold. We were involved in running this theatre; we did the business plan and helped in choosing the participants and narrowing them down from 70 to 20. We trained those 20 participants on how to study and present their ideas. On the first day, all 20 students were given a minute to present their idea. Then we judged the ideas and narrowed the participants down to ten. On the second day, we chose five of them, and on the last day the winner was chosen out of those five.”

Dr. Fouad Mrad, Executive Director, United Nations ESCWA Technology Centre, talked about how his centre offers complimentary exchange of regional information on ICT. Giving their final word on the connection between ICT and entrepreneurship in the region, the panellists believed that the region is ready for change. Yousef stated that ICT can be a critical factor to reform the region and have better outcomes. “The Internet allows the youth to benefit from the abundance of information and to link their work to the needs of the region.”All the panellists encouraged the youth to take risks, not be afraid of failures and have a burning passion for whatever they undertake.

During QITCOM 2012 young innovators also got to meet and connect with decision makers in the ICT field in addition to participating in workshops and seminars. On the other hand, the Innovation Theatre 2012 provided a space

The second fold of their participation in QITCOM 2012 was in organising workshops with the youth. They asked the participants about the obstacles they are facing and discussed what policies need to be amended.

QITCOM also witnessed the soft-launch of QDB’s SME toolkit, which has been developed in collaboration with IBM and IFC. The toolkit is aimed at providing business solutions to the private sector in Qatar.

Complimenting QITCOM was The Connect Arab Summit, held in Doha, on the same dates,

“The ITU Connect Arab Summit is an important opportunity for Arab States to collectively work towards improving ICT development in our region and Qatar is pleased to be hosting this important event. The Arab world must leverage ICT to promote business opportunities, entrepreneurship and innovation and empower various social groups,” said Dr Hessa Al-Jaber, Secretary-General, ictQATAR. Day one of the summit included a roundtable discussion regarding youth participation in the future growth of the region, the challenges they face and offered solutions that would enable positive steps to be taken.

Private Sector was present for the much anticipated Summit opening address from HH Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar.

Day two began with open debates concerning the deployment of ICT to accelerate economic growth, with further roundtable talks regarding ICT and education and harmonising policies to attract investment.

The final day of the summit attracted a large turnout for the roundtable debates regarding cyber security, developing Arabic content and culture, and fostering innovation through the youth and entrepreneurship.

Both the events were a great source of information and inspiration to the youth who are keen on following their passion and want to leverage ICT, to be entrepreneurs. Jaidah summed it up all by putting forth a quote by Steve Jobs – Be hungry, be foolish.

APRIL 2012

15

technology

A society for Internet users The Internet Society (Qatar Chapter) is working to make the World

Wide Web an accessible and accommodating place for everyone in the country. Private Sector got talking to Fadel Salem Al-Enazi, Chairman, The Internet Society (Qatar chapter) to know more about the initiative.

Q

atar is rated as the 25th most network-ready nation in the world, according to the Global Information and Technology Report 2010-2011. As increased economic growth has visited the country in the past few years, the adoption of ICT has increased tremendously as well.

Along with rapid ICT growth have appeared several challenges related to web accessibility, lack of Arabic language content, privacy, and affordability that can allow everyone to enjoy the internet. “The Internet Society chapter in Qatar was recognised in August 2011. There were 52 founding members and we are all involved in putting together various Internetbased programs for the country. We did a whole lot of ground work before starting this chapter. We spoke to representatives from other chapters across the world, and understood the programmes that they were working on before starting work on our own,” says Fadel Salem Al-Enazi, chairman of the Internet Society (Qatar chapter).

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environment for technical discussions, to a platform for internet users from the country to voice their opinions and concerns to relevant authorities.

“We want to become the organisation that is able to represent the unified view of multiple internet users from Qatar. We want to be the one organisation that is able to present this view to the relevant authorities, and to move legislation to fit the changing demands of the internet user in the country,” says Al-Enazi.

He adds, “This year, since we have just launched, one of our main focuses will be on creating and growing awareness in the country on internet use. We are working together with the Supreme Education Council (SEC) in Qatar to launch these programs and to communicate it across all the participants of the internet economy of the country.”

The vision of the Internet Society (Qatar Chapter) is to make the web inclusive and accessible to all. The Society believes that such widespread access will encourage individuals and groups to become active participants in society, thereby helping them enrich their personal and professional lives.

Eventually, the Internet Society in Qatar intends to create a vibrant environment for technical discussions and conferences that will help drive innovation, besides bringing together organisations in the technology sector to provide opportunities for young people in the country. The Society also intends to provide technical and non-technical training opportunities abroad, for its members. . Most importantly, it will also work to raise awareness and promote local web content in order to make the internet more accessible to all members of the society.

The goals of the organisation are varied, and include everything from creating a conducive

“Qatar is heading towards a knowledgebased economy and the Internet is a critical

APRIL 2012

component for the future, so it is essential for the people in the country to have an organisation that gives them a voice to express their internet issues and concerns. There should be an active and involved technical community in the country that can be its representatives to international audiences during conferences and shows. That is what the Internet Society in Qatar is aiming towards,” says Al-Enazi.

The chapter, which was launched just around a month ago, already has around 220 members. This has been received as a good sign by its board. Al-Enazi believes that in Qatar, and with the work done by SEC and IctQATAR, people are well aware of the importance of the internet and have a big interest in its role.

“Most of these members are just individuals, normal end-users who want to enjoy and profit from using the internet. By that we already represent a diverse society – really all who use the internet can be a part of this community.

We want to use this platform to work with the government and non-government entities to provide feedback that can be used in addressing issues and concerns for the Internet users in Qatar that would enhance the lives of people in the country,” says Al-Enazi.

The Internet Society in Qatar, though young, has ambitions that are likely to see it growing in leaps and bounds in the next few months, and as it grows it is likely to push the standards of internet usage in the country to new heights.

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Human Resource

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Are you a young aspiring entrepreneur looking for guidance? Look no further! Aparna Shivpuri Arya talks to Aysha Al Mudehki, Executive Director, INJAZ Qatar, to find out how students can benefit from their programmes and get a head start to their dreams and passion.

Please give us a brief background about the organisation.

INJAZ Qatar is an affiliate of JA Worldwide (Junior Achievement), which provides hands-on, experiential learning in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and work readiness to 9.7 million students annually. We are part of a network of 14 Arab countries working on a common mission to prepare and inspire young Arabs to succeed in the global economy.

University and Community College of Qatar.

We have also attracted some 250 corporate volunteers from around 30 organisations including, Citi Deloitte, Exxon Mobil, Nasser Bin Khaled, Blue salon, AMWAL, Qatar Development Bank, Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority, Qatar Financial Centre, State Street, Qatar First Investment Bank, Emcor Facilities Services, Qtel and HSBC Qatar, which devote their time and expertise to help INJAZ Qatar run its programmes.

We started our operations in Qatar in 2007 and have since reached over 5000 students across 21 schools, thanks to 25 corporate partners. Now entering its sixth year in Qatar, INJAZ Qatar prepares and inspires youth to succeed in the global economy.

Let’s talk a bit about the programmes. Tell us what does INJAZ offer to students?

INJAZ Qatar runs a number of programmes for students between grades 8-12 as well as undergraduate university students.

Programmes focus on entrepreneurship and equipping students with the skills needed to be successful in business. The primary objective of all our programmes is to motivate

We have already reached 19 independent and two private schools as well as Qatar

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and encourage Qatari youth to become successful entrepreneurs of the future. A few of our programmes are I Camp is a dedicated entrepreneurship programme, equipping students with the essential skills needed to become successful entrepreneurs. A precursor to the Company Programme, I Camp divides groups of students into teams of up to ten who compete against each other to solve complex business challenges within a limited time frame.

Company programme analyses and explores personal opportunities and responsibilities within a student-lead company. Participants experience the full life cycle of a company from setting up the board, raising capital, developing a business plan, producing, selling and competing against other student-lead companies in a national event.

Human Resource

Business leader campaign provides a platform for CEOs and senior level executives to visit secondary independent schools which partner with INJAZ Qatar. This is a unique opportunity for students to meet senior level executives and hear about their business journeys, challenges and success stories while receiving valuable life and career advice.

Students are required to raise capital between QAR 550 and QAR 3,650 through selling shares. They must develop the organisation structure, select a product or service, prepare a business plan and run their business over a 3-4 month period. Students meet once a week across the duration of the programme, receive guidance and mentoring from professionals

Banks in action teaches students the principles of the banking industry and introduces them to the challenges of successfully operating a bank in a competitive environment. The programme includes an online banking simulation and competition.

More than money teaches students about earning, spending, sharing and saving money, and businesses they can start or jobs they can perform in the future.

Be entrepreneurial is a seven hour course introducing students to the key elements of successful startups whilst teaching them how to develop an effective business plan.

INJAZ Qatar has two main programmes focussing on entrepreneurship, Innovation

Camp and Company Programme, how do these programmes help an individual prepare to be an entrepreneur?

Innovation Camp challenges students to think innovatively and introduces them to the fundamentals of entrepreneurial thinking: inspiration, innovation, problem solving, teamwork, leadership and business planning.

Company programme is designed to help students understand the complex financial and managerial aspects of establishing a company.

Despite these figures a 2012 Gallup poll states that one in three Qatari nationals between the ages of 15 and 29 say they plan to start a business in the next 12 months.

of several local and multinational companies across Qatar.

In 2009, 65% of young Qataris found that accessing funds to start a business was extremely difficult. The number decreased significantly in 2011, to 45%. It continues to get easier for young startups to access capital. The main challenge remains having the appropriate skills set and mind-set for entrepreneurship; two aspects that are at the core of INJAZ Qatar’s activities.

What has been the response in Qatar?

INJAZ began in 2007, partnering with three schools; we now work with 21 schools. Having increased the number of school partners in four years we have an average of 95% school retention from one year to the next.

Tell us about the INJAZ Qatar Annual Young Enterprise of the Year Competition.

INJAZ Qatar’s Young Enterprise of the Year Competition is the culmination of one of our core entrepreneurship programmes – the Company Programme. The

In a 2010 research study, Silatech found that 65% of Qatari youth prefer to work for the government, although 76% said that the community is a good place for entrepreneurs and 50% thought about starting their own business.

Success skills allow students to develop a range of interpersonal skills that are linked to the workplace such as working in teams, effective communication and so forth.

that the community is a good place for entrepreneurs and 50% thought about starting their own business.

The competition is held annually in over 100 Junior Achievement countries around the world, including 14 countries in the MENA region. Qatar’s competition will be held in May this year. Our winning team will then compete against champions from another 13 MENA countries at the regional competition scheduled to take place in UAE in October 2012.

What in your opinion are the challenges facing Qatari youth interested in becoming entrepreneurs?

The 2010 National Population Census found that 88% of Qatari nationals in the workforce are employed in the public and semi-public sectors. This is the main challenge facing young Qataris.

INJAZ Qatar is seeking to lure young Qataris into different fields by motivating them from a young age to be more interested in business and entrepreneurship.

In a 2010 research study, Silatech found that 65% of Qatari youth prefer to work for the government, although 76% said

competition is the annual celebration of the achievements of the students’ companies across Qatar.

Through the competition INJAZ Qatar enables competing companies to appear before a panel of independent judges who review how they have performed against a set of specific criteria. Company members must also demonstrate that they understand how and why the company performed as it did.

Judges look for evidence of innovation and the successful implementation of the new ideas.

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Human Resource

The competition is held annually in over 100 Junior Achievement countries around the world, including 14 countries in the MENA region. Qatar’s competition will be held in May this year. Our winning team will then compete against champions from another 13 MENA countries at the regional competition scheduled to take place in UAE in October 2012.

If young individuals want to start a business, what advice would you give to them? Which sectors offer the most opportunities? Are there any dos and don’ts?

We advise individuals to carry out research to select the right idea as market research is imperative before launching into any new business. Our programmes guide students on how to identify opportunities, and develop a business plan. The potential entrepreneur should identify a gap in the market and think about business solutions to address this gap. Once potential ideas are identified they should be well studied before selecting the best one It is also important to get advice – both legal and business. Students experience the important role of the mentor through our programmes, as the corporate volunteer acts as a mentor. Legal advice is also essential. It is important in the real world to make sure the company acts in accordance with the rules and regulations of the land.

Invest money into the right areas, develop and implement a strong online strategy and marketing campaign!

Since winning the 2022 World Cup Bid Qatar’s economy has boomed, presenting many opportunities for young entrepreneurs.

For examples, the services industry has openings in advertising, marketing and communication, and even food delivery.

Information and communication technology presents a number of opportunities in e-learning and e government.

Tell us more about your Banks in Action and Business Leader Campaign programmes?

Following Chairwoman Sheikha Hanadi bint Nasser bin Khaled Al Thani’s inspirational visit to Amna Bint Wahab Independent Secondary School for Girls, and that of Mr. Abdukl Hakeem Mostafawi to Al Wakra Independent School for Girls last year, INJAZ Qatar decided to roll out a full campaign of school visits by charismatic business leaders. We have received commitment from outstanding CEOs around the country who are interested in participating in this campaign.

The BLC campaign will run over the spring and fall semesters every year and we hope to reach around 1,000 students this year. It provides a platform for senior level executives to visit secondary independent schools which partner with INJAZ Qatar and share their professional journeys, success stories and challenges, motivating students about professional success and giving them valuable life and career advice.

The Banks in Action Programme was originally developed by JA Worldwide and Citigroup Foundation. It focuses on the banking sector, teaching students about the principles of the banking industry and bank operations, with topics including the history of banking, main products and services provided by banks, calculating spread, careers in banking.

Aysha Al Mudehki

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This is a great programme for secondary and university students who wish to learn more about the banking and financial sector.

Please share with us some success stories or testimonials that can be an inspiration to our readers.

Hissa Mohammed Jassem Al Thani, Graduate of Company Programme in 2008, VP Finance of Tres Jolie (winner of 2008 Enterprise of the Year Competition) “Before joining the INJAZ Company Programme I was hesitating between studying international affairs and business at university.

I made up my mind thanks to the Company Programme experience, I really felt business suit me and being the VP of Finance I decided to major in Finance as I loved that subject!.”

Hissa is now a student at Qatar University, in the school of Business and Economics, doing a BA in Business Administration with a major in finance. After graduating she will work with Qatar Petroleum (QP) for two years as she has a university scholarship from the company.

After completing her internship with QP Hissa wants to set-up her own company Aisha Al Sultan- Graduate of Company Programme in 2008, VP Public Relations of Tres Jolie (winner of 2008 Enterprise of the Year Competition) “The Company Programme experience improved a lot my communications skills and self-confidence while enlarging my social network both thanks to the experience in Qatar and also participating in the regional company competition in Oman” says Aisha.

Aisha graduated from school in June 2009 and joined Georgetown University in Qatar whilst studying International Politics students.

“In my course at Georgetown we do a lot of presentations and public speaking and I can say that Company Programme definitely helped me become more self-confident, a better team player and communicator”.

In 2010 INJAZ Qatar asked Aisha to be Master of Ceremonies for its annual National Competition. Two years after graduating from the Company Programme, Aisha was on the competition stage again introducing the new student company teams to the jury and to all guests attending the event.

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trade

Trade winds In part two of Trade and Export Middle East’s interview, which is a sister publication of Private Sector, Pascal Lamy, Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) talks about the controversial Doha talks, the trade affairs of the Middle East, as well as the role that global trade and the WTO will play in this region.

As per a WTO estimate, successful conclusion of Doha talks could boost global trade by upto USD 200 billion within a year. In order to end the impasse of the talks, what steps can be taken by the WTO? Is bringing the talks to an end, as suggested by a section of trade leaders, the best way forward?

Not one country, not one delegate has suggested this. What everyone has said is that we need to explore new approaches.

Perhaps that means trying to gain agreements piece by piece, in specific areas, rather than concluding this entire behemoth of a negotiation at once. But we will have to see what the members can agree this year in terms of the approach.

The US and other developed countries are seeking more market access in developing nations, including India, while these nations are trying to protect their fledgling agricultural and industrial markets. What do you think is the best way to resolve such a conflict of interest?

In fact, this is the essential question. Within the trading system today there are different views as to what constitutes a fair balance of rights and obligations among Members with different levels of development. What is the right share in the contributions and aspirations of advanced economies and emerging markets? What is the right combination of reciprocity among trade partners with similar levels of development and flexibility, which would provide weaker Members with space

More open trade can contribute to growth and job creation in the Middle East region. Make no mistake, trade opening will continue; the question is: will it happen here at the WTO?

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to adjust to greater competition? These are essentially political questions that will need political answers.

What are your expectations of non-oil trade from the Middle East and more specifically the Gulf countries? What do you feel needs to be done in order for the Gulf countries to increase their level of non-oil exports?

Many highly export-oriented Arab countries are very dependent on oil and gas exports. These are vulnerable sectors in an interdependent world. With fast-growing populations, Arab countries need to find ways of creating more, and better paid jobs.

These can’t be found in the energy sectors alone, so more attention should be paid to developing industries in the services and manufacturing sector.

Recent studies illustrate that several Arab countries have embarked on this path and the result of these reforms and strategies are now bearing fruit, particularly in the Gulf countries.

trade

Those Arab countries, particularly in the Gulf, with critically anchored trade policy and trade priority areas – either in overall national development plans or in strategies for poverty reduction – are certainly becoming more dynamic.

The diversification that has taken place sees growth in specific sectors, such as tourism, transport and construction.

Which are the most trade-dynamic countries in the Middle East and the Gulf, and why?

Those Arab countries, particularly in the Gulf, with critically anchored trade policy and trade priority areas – either in overall national development plans or in strategies for poverty reduction – are certainly becoming more dynamic. In the absence of effective integration of trade into development planning and

strategies for poverty reduction, trade cannot work for development.

How would you assess the WTO’s role in the Middle East region?

A feature of this region is that a number of countries are still negotiating their accession to the WTO. This is the case of Lebanon, Syria and Libya. Some others are newcomers to the WTO family, such as Saudi Arabia and Oman. WTO is the means through which this region can integrate more fully into the global trading system and through that help diversify these economies. More open trade

can contribute to growth and job creation in the Middle East region.

What specific role has the WTO played in the Middle East in order to boost trade, especially non-oil trade?

The current Doha negotiations offer a unique window of opportunity for Arab countries to integrate more fully into the multilateral trading system, as well as expand and diversify their exports. And of course, consumers and import businesses would benefit if the relatively high bound tariffs that many Arab Members still have in place are lowered. We often forget that the impact of tariffs is borne by domestic consumers, as well as user industries in the form of more expensive goods and services. The poorest of consumers tend to be the hardest hit and user industries become less competitive.

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trade

Regional trade agreements, such as the Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Customs Union, can be a good thing, and besides they are a reality of the international trading scene.

Do you think that countries in the Middle region should further liberalise their economies and open them to more foreign investment and trade?

It has been widely recognised that trade opening could make a tremendous contribution to development. However, trade opening is not an end in itself. When supported by appropriate policies, including, stable macroeconomic policies, pro-growth regulation and competition policy, investments in infrastructure, human resource development, good governance and the rule of law, it makes an essential contribution to pro-poor growth and sustainable development.

These measures enhance a country’s access to goods, services, technologies and knowledge.

And by stimulating the activities of the private sector, they create jobs, foster learning processes, attract investment, increase foreign exchange earnings and generate resources for sustainable development and alleviation of poverty.

Moreover, Arab countries are not identical in their levels of development, structure of economies and trade priorities though they have considerable common ground on policy that warrants a great deal of coordination among them. It is crucial that regional and multilateral initiatives are mutually supportive in building a more open world economy, rather than a world divided into protectionist trading blocks. And this is one of the most important challenges facing trade policy makers today. Regional trade agreements, such as the Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Customs Union, can be a good thing, and besides they are a reality of the international trading scene. The attraction – both political and economic – of securing deeper economic ties with neighbours and important trading partners is easily understood.

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Do you feel that the relative strengths of some countries in global trade, such as China, may endanger its future growth of exports?

No. China’s economic strength is based on a great deal more than exports and you are already seeing evidence of this. China’s trade surplus in 2011 was USD 155 billion, its smallest since 2005. Imports last year grew more sharply than exports and this is another indication that domestic demand in the country is growing. Exports will continue to rise in China – assuming overall economic conditions are reasonably stable – but so will imports and domestic sales. This is what happens when a country grows richer.

Some critics of the WTO claim that it is a problem and a tool of the rich countries to place trade above all other issues. How would you respond to such criticism?

There may have been some truth to this statement 15 years ago, but it’s actually an argument we hear less and less today.

Perhaps one of the reasons for that is that now developing countries, even the poorest among us, have a voice that is heard. This has been true since we launched the Doha round in 2001. Evidence of this could be seen in 2003 when we amended the intellectual property agreement to ensure access to essential medicines in the poorest countries. At the Ministerial Conference in December ministers took important decisions that granted Least-Developed Countries (LDCs) greater breathing space, as well as special treatment in areas pertaining to services, protection of intellectual property and the accession of LDCs to the WTO. We do not have weighted voting and we do not have a Security Council. Through the consensus system all our members have

equal say through which decisions are made.

Developing countries often work in groups, organised around shared geography or sectoral interests, and there is indeed strength in numbers. This explains the success of developing countries in shaping the WTO agenda across the spectrum. It also explains why so many developing countries feel more comfortable in the WTO environment than they do in bilateral or regional trading arrangements.

About Pascal Lamy has been the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) since September 2005. Lamy holds degrees from the Paris-based Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales (HEC), the Institut d’Etudes Politiques (IEP) and from the Ecole Nationale d’Administration (ENA).

He began his career in the French civil service at the Inspection Générale des finances and at the Treasury. He then became an advisor to the Finance Minister Jacques Delors, and subsequently to Prime Minister Pierre Mauroy.

In Brussels from 1985 to 1994, Pascal Lamy was Chief of Staff for the President of the European Commission, Jacques Delors, and his representative as Sherpa in the G7.

In November 1994, he joined the team in charge of rescuing the French bank, Credit Lyonnais, and later became CEO of the bank until its privatisation in 1999. Between 1999 and 2004, Pascal Lamy was Commissioner for Trade at the European Commission under Romano Prodi.

After his tenure in Brussels, he spent a short sabbatical period as President of “Notre Europe”, a think tank working on European integration, as associate Professor at the l’Institut d’études politiques in Paris and as advisor to Poul Nyrup Rasmussen (President of the European Socialist Party).

He was reappointed Director-General of the World Trade Organisation by its Members for a second mandate in May 2009 The World Trade Organisation (WTO) is the only global international organisation that deals with the rules of trade between nations. Its main function is to ensure that trade flows as smoothly, predictably and freely as possible. At its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by the bulk of the world’s trading nations and ratified in their parliaments.

The goal is to help producers of goods and services, exporters, and importers conduct their business.

case study

Raising the bar

With cloud computing being the buzzword in the IT world, we take a look at Qatar First Investment Bank’s experience with the cloud. Qatar First Investment Bank chooses the cloud to host its disaster recovery apps and data and finds that it could not have chosen better.

Q

atar First Investment Bank (QFIB) is a young company. And like any other young company in the bustling, economically-booming country of Qatar, its ambitions reach far and long.

Qatar First Investment Bank (QFIB) is a young company. And like any other young company in the bustling, economically-booming country of Qatar, its ambitions are reach far and long.

The team at QFIB realised even when they were setting up, that information technology would have to be a basic pillar that supports them not just in their immediate activities but in their future growth as well.

“We started planning in 2008. We had the business plan in place and knew strategically where we wanted to be in five years’ time. We built the IT base on that strategy – to get us to where we wanted to be,” says Mahmood Shaker, CIO at QFIB. “We wanted our infrastructure to be scalable – something that would stretch from three to ten years. We did not want to be repeatedly spending

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money on this and so we built our data centre with those requirements. We also chose technology solutions that would last us for five years. Keeping this in mind, we partnered with Microsoft for a range of solutions. We also chose Temenos as our core banking solution as we found that it had all the functionality that we needed. The beauty of this infrastructure is that we built all of this almost by ourselves,” says Shaker with pride.

recovery (DR) site for our operations, we began to look at cloud technologies because by then they were more well established,” says Shaker.

QFIB operates on a core infrastructure model that utilises Active Directory with Exchange and SQL for databases. It also hosts its core banking service and utilises system management for server consolidation and virtualisation.

“We attended different seminars and conferences related to cloud technologies to understand the concepts and what the best approach was for us. We spoke to many providers and we reviewed a few scenarios based on our needs without losing sight of the ROI. We also worked with some vendors for proof of concepts (POC) on the cloud. We finally selected Microsoft, EMC and Symantec technologies to implement our cloud infrastructure and the outcome has exceeded our expectations,” says Shaker.

A working disaster recovery (DR) Being a young organisation looking to capitalise on any technology that can enable them to grow faster and become more efficient, the IT team found themselves getting increasingly interested in cloud technologies.

“In 2008, when we started on our main production environment, cloud was not a very mature set of technologies. But in 2010, when we began to seriously consider having a disaster

QFIB then began to investigate the technology options within cloud, called in concept presentations from vendors and took their time in conducting the research that would need to precede such an important decision.

QFIB’s entire DR project stands out for not just its uniqueness, but its absolute boldness as well.

For, unlike most other organisations that work with private cloud, QFIB moved mission-critical apps to the cloud that hosts its DR.

case study

QFIB then began to investigate the technology options within cloud, called in concept presentations from vendors and took their time in conducting the research that would need to precede such an important decision.

“We have put together some real high end servers from Dell. We use Microsoft to support us on the apps front, and we have EMC to help us with storage in the cloud. We started with some pilot services with the cloud. This included the e-mail environment and as soon as we concluded that the DR environment was working fine, was well managed and remains secure, we decided to move other apps to the environment,” explains Shaker.

Though the organisation started off using an existing vendor’s replication services, it realised that it needed something with higher capabilities.

Shaker then went looking for the right set of services, and even visited client sites for vendors across the region to ascertain the best solution for QFIB’s DR cloud. He finally decided on Symantec for the replication element in the cloud. The entire cloud is externally hosted at a service provider’s environment within Qatar, therefore separating it physically from the production environment.

“We have got it working so smoothly for us now, and the cloud apps, and its replication works so well, that our users can move from the production to the DR environment without knowing the difference,” says Shaker.

Stretching the cloud The DR cloud has worked so well for QFIB, that the organisation has currently stretched the cloud to cover parts of its production environment as well.

“We have achieved three things with this project – we have got the cloud; we have freed nearly eight servers in the production environment; and we have also had the opportunity to upgrade to the most recent OS on our infrastructure,” says Shaker.

The firm took four months to plan and select the vendors and four more for the implementation to take place. But this immense success did not come easy – as Shaker explains.

on every single aspect – we tested the output at every point and made sure that it was what we wanted. From the RFP, we did research on the technology, got feedback, checked references and the support available. In short, we did our homework and then started the project. That is the advice I would give other organisations in the region who are interested in cloud technologies to go about their project,” says Shaker.

He states that now that the challenges have been overcome and they have moved to the cloud, every new project will also find space in it.

Apart from the major cloud project, QFIB’s IT team also worked on several crucial projects in 2010 including a core banking upgrade to include corporate banking and Sukuk as well as implementation of standards such as COBIT, ITIL and ISO 27001 and get the ball rolling to achieve certification.

Mahmood Shaker, CIO of QFIB and Slim Bouker, COO of QFIB

“We had to confront challenges along the way.

First, we had to be really sure what kind of cloud we wanted – private or hybrid. I would suggest that all organisations considering the cloud should have this clarity in their minds before stepping into the area of cloud. The second major challenge we encountered was integration. Every big vendor pitches their own formula for cloud, but at the end of the day, many of their solutions do not work with each other or are not compatible with another vendor’s cloud concept. Sometimes, even solutions within the same vendor do not work with each other well in a cloud environment. Integration among apps is a very real challenge in a cloud environment and end-users have to be aware of this before investing in the same,” states Shaker.

Lack of proper integration also threatened the security elements of the cloud solution at QFIB. Shaker and his team had to work long and hard to get the anti-virus and basic security elements of the cloud sorted out.

Team work QFIB’s success in its IT projects is a combination of the vision of its founders, the strategic team work applied to the vision and the rigour of trial and effort. It is also a factor of the enormous management support provided to the team. “The management is very supportive of IT efforts. We discuss IT needs and projects regularly. We have a dedicated budget and an IT steering committee that meet regularly. We employ a specialist to look after information security across the organisation in order to maintain certain operating standards,” says the firm’s COO, Bouker.

Since IT is recognised as a business enabler at QFIB there is an IT strategy, IT steering committee and board approval process for budgets.

Technology investments are based on business needs and organisational requirements.

For 2012, the firm has already planned forits CRM (customer relationship management) and to go further with the cloud as a solution for the entire infrastructure. And for QFIB, that is far from being the end of the road.

Note: This article was first published in Computer News

“We had a lot of legacy apps and it took some time for us to get what we wanted from the cloud.

To get what we wanted, we did quality assurance

Middle East, a group publication of CPI. It has been written

by Sathya Mithra Ashok, Senior Editor, CNME.

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business setup

Is it for real?

With almost everything being available at the click of a mouse, it comes as no surprise that now we can have virtual office space with just a computer and a Web browser. Mark Dixon, Global CEO, Regus, explains how a virtual office could transform business, and offers SMEs some tips for success.

T

he Qatari economy has enjoyed one of the world’s highest GDP growth rates over the past decade and is top ten in the world in terms of GDP per capita leaving plenty of opportunity for startups. Demand for flexible workspaces in Qatar increased by 32% in the first six months of 2011 (Jan to June 2011) compared to the previous six month period (July to Dec 2010) according to a survey undertaken by Regus.

The company attributes this increase to home-based and small businesses looking for workspace support that is low cost, low risk, and can dramatically increase productivity.

All those services allow SMEs to project an impressive image to clients and customers, without the expense of leasing professional workspace, or hiring their own administrative staff. Some use their virtual office as a permanent arrangement; others use it as a staging post, before they expand to a physical presence.

Decisions about real estate are not the only challenge that companies face when they start out but they are certainly important. Get them wrong, and you risk your startup costs being eaten up by an inflexible lease on the wrong property.

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A virtual office won’t supply all the answers to how to succeed as a new enterprise, but it will certainly make it easier.

It’s one of the classic business archetypes; the entrepreneur who starts a business in a spare room, and ends up a global player. Larry Page and Sergey Brin, for example, famously began Google in a garage. Such stories sound great in hindsight, but not every spare-room business does so well. First impressions count, and these include your business address, if and how your phone is answered, and where you meet potential customers and investors.

Small business owners know all that, of course, but the dilemma is what to do about it. An impressive office costs money. How can you ensure those vital first impressions are positive, without saddling yourself with too many overheads?

For many companies, the answer is to go virtual. You assume the presence of a more established company at a fraction of the price, of leasing prestigious office space.

Why go virtual?

Virtual offices allow home-based, startup and small businesses to project a great image, without paying for expensive physical office space. For a set price a month, you gain a professional office address, a dedicated business phone number which is answered by a local receptionist, post and call management.

Another option is to use serviced offices.

These provide fully-equipped workspace for 1 to 100+ people with options to suit different budgets and needs. Depending on the provider, you can rent serviced physical space by the hour, the day or for longer periods of time.

Larry Page and Sergey Brin, for example, famously began Google in a garage. Such stories sound great in hindsight, but not every spare-room business does so well. First impressions count, and these include your business address, if and how your phone is answered, and where you meet potential customers and investors.

business setup

In Regus’ experience, people use their virtual and serviced offices for a variety of reasons. Why they use them governs how they use them, so it’s a good idea to consider which features would best suit your business.

• Many SMEs want a prestigious address. For example, our most popular virtual office locations globally are New York City’s Chrysler Building, London’s Berkeley Square and Sydney’s Citigroup Centre. Such an address on your letterhead can work wonders for your image, and is an impressive place to meet clients and investors.

• Some want a more professional image. For home-based companies, the nightmare scenario of a call from a major potential investor being answered by your three year old son is all too common. With a virtual office, you can have calls answered by a trained receptionist.

• Some use virtual offices for the flexibility. You can travel around the country, meeting clients or marketing your ideas, secure that the phone is being answered professionally.

• Others want to lose the distractions. As well as being costly, running an office consumes time. You have to manage support staff, equip and maintain the office, sign for mail deliveries, and so forth. Using a virtual office means someone else does those tasks for you, freeing you to focus on core activities.

• It’s a way to expand into new markets.

Many SMEs use a virtual office to establish a presence in another city. It is a great way to project a presence before you are ready to physically set up shop there.

• Some use a virtual office as a permanent arrangement, others use it as a staging post. They may then upgrade to a campus office (a private work area in an open-plan environment) or a serviced office. If you base your virtual office at a location that offers campus or serviced offices, you can grow without having to change your business address or find new premises.

A change that takes just minutes Setting up a virtual office can often be arranged with just a few clicks of the mouse. The benefits are obvious, but its worthwhile thinking about which features really matter to you. Do

you just want mail redirected from your business address to your actual office? Or do you want telephone answering as well? Do you want a desirable address in a global financial centre?

Or do you want somewhere closer to home, so you can use workspace, meeting rooms and video-conferencing facilities minutes from where you live?

Providers like Regus can cater for all these specific needs – you just need to work out which needs are yours. Then, a few days later, your business’s image and prospects, as well as the quality of your working life, could be transformed.

Operating a small business in Qatar Local entrepreneur, Greg Hunt owns Expatriate Planning Services and Corporate Benefit Solutions in Doha, Qatar. He offers personal financial planning advice to expatriates around the Middle East, most of them from Western countries.

His advisory services cover the whole range of financial challenges facing those who work in or relocate to the Middle East, including tax issues, expatriate health insurance, retirement planning, currency advice and offshore savings and investments.

Symptomatic of the nature of many start-ups, Greg knew from the outset that he had no need traditional office space: there was no point in renting, equipping and maintaining premises that would sit empty most of the time. At the same time, he did want the facilities and services that go with the traditional office: phones answered, mail forwarded, packages signed for and dispatched, and access to equipment like photocopiers to be in place. He needed the certainty that these aspects of the business would run efficiently regardless of whether he was travelling to meet a client or working at his desk.

One of Greg’s clients in Riyadh worked for Regus, so he was aware of the company. He knew it had a good reputation, and he knew its services went beyond providing physical workspace. So when he set up his own business, he decided to use the Regus virtual office service.

For a set fee each month, Greg gets a prestigious office address in Doha; telephone

Mark Dixon

answering; post and courier services; and administrative support from photocopying to document scanning to reception services. “I also use meeting rooms at the Regus business centre in Doha occasionally: it’s an impressive, well-known location, and easy to find, so it’s a good place to meet clients,” comments Greg.

“And though I don’t usually need to use Regus meeting rooms in other locations in the Middle East, the UK and elsewhere, I know they are there whenever I need them. Regus’s virtual office service offers my business convenience and efficiency. It lets me run my business and travel to meet clients, secure in the knowledge that the business is running smoothly.”

The flexibility of the virtual office opens a new realm of possibilities for entrepreneurs seeking to grow their businesses. With no long-term contracts, small firms can be more agile in the marketplace. Free from the high costs and constraints of traditional real estate, the virtual office may be the small business owner’s gateway to growth.

About Mark Dixon is the CEO and founder of Regus. Since founding Regus in Brussels, Belgium in 1989, he has achieved a formidable reputation for leadership and innovation. Prior to Regus he established businesses in the retail and wholesale food industry. Recipient of several awards for enterprise, Dixon has revolutionised the way business approaches its property needs with his vision of the future of work.

For more information, please visit: http://www.en.regus-qatar.com/

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doing business

For example, if you are looking to support the national oil companies, understand their procurement process and how your company structure will impact your ability to tender for their projects.

And if you are looking to be part of the infrastructure projects that are expected to reach USD 150 billion over the next five years, then you would need to bring to the table sustainable and green ideas.

Find the gaps in the market Qatar remains a price-sensitive market, especially when tendering for government-backed projects.

That said there is increasing recognition of the value that expertise and specialist services can bring to a project.

Get started In 2008, Qatar outlined its 2030 National Vision to become one of the

most attractive markets for foreign businesses. In December 2010 that ambitious growth strategy received a welcome boost when Qatar was confirmed as the host nation for the 2022 Football World Cup. Wayne Merrick, Company Formation Specialist, Links Group, advices on how to get a slice of all that action.

W

hile there is no shortage of infrastructure projects in Qatar, the Gulf state is also investing heavily in its healthcare, education and real estate sectors. According to the International Monetary Fund, Qatar is now the richest nation in the world.

There’s no doubt Qatar is one of the most attractive investment destinations for foreign

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companies. But, if you are considering setting up a business in Qatar, there are some important factors you need to consider.

Know the market Whatever the size of your business you first need to understand the demand for your product or service, to determine your market potential.

Research the market you are looking to enter and find out about the current supply and demand.

Then apply your business intelligence to predict what future demand will be.

In a price-sensitive market knowing how best to position your offering is crucial. If you can clearly differentiate your proposition through product excellence, you have a good chance of standing out in the bid process. Our advice is to make a point of highlighting your expertise, push your skill sets and levels of serviceability, then demonstrate your previous successes by opening up your order book. It sounds obvious, but local operators are increasingly motivated by proof of concept.

Know your competition Research is the mantra that applies to any business looking to expand into a new part of the world. In addition to really understanding the audience for your product or service, research the competition.

There is no shame in checking current competition by way of mystery shopping. Your local partner should be able assist you with this research.

Know your Unique Selling Points (USPs) Once you know the gaps in the market and understand your competition, decide on your USPs. This is particularly important if you are seeking finance from external sources. It should help to position your offering as an attractive investment proposition. Are you introducing a new-to-market concept that will improve efficiency and performance for the clients? Do you have in-depth knowledge and experience in the provision of technical support services to the industries? Or your

doing business

A 100% foreign owned branch office operation may be established in Qatar – however, unlike some other Gulf countries, this branch operation can only remain in place for one specific project. Once that project has been completed the license is rescinded.

Wayne Merrick

USP may not necessarily be the product you’re selling. It could be that you have direct contact with a number of key international players in the industry through your local partner agreement. What is going to make people sit up and want to do business with you?

Choose the right business format A 100% foreign owned branch office operation may be established in Qatar – however, unlike some other Gulf countries, this branch operation can only remain in place for one specific project.

Once that project has been completed the license is rescinded.

Be wary of barriers and pitfalls The Qatar Companies Law provides for a “proxy” position – whereby it is not possible to have simple “silent” local partners. Companies who do not abide by this legislation face the risk of fines, imprisonment or both.

Visa restrictions for both entry to and exit from the country are rigorously imposed on foreign nationals.

It is imperative that the chosen local partner is readily available at all times to facilitate this process.

Be prepared for challenges in generating finance At the moment, bank finance is rarely available in this region for startup operations, although some banks will assist in those businesses operating in government sanctioned priority sectors, such as oil and gas. Angel investment is an option worth exploring, along with private investment from a venture capital firm, and selffunding. Personal savings or loans from friends

Commercial side agreements and management agreements are commonly executed, enabling the beneficial ownership, management and operation of the business to remain exclusively with the foreign party.

Overcoming license restrictions Certain commercial activities are restricted to nationals only. In these cases expertise from foreign firms is often sought and delivered by way of a joint venture arrangement, whereby the foreign company provides the operational and support expertise while the local entity provides the licensing capability.

and family can be the most cost-efficient and hassle-free forms of financing.

Grasp the opportunity It is important that if you do set up a company in Qatar that you demonstrate a willingness to fit in while remaining assured and confident in order to fully grasp the opportunity. Integration to local supply chains can be challenging, but the rewards can be invaluable. Take bold decisions, they can reap rewards! Think on a wider scale; could your business work in other Middle Eastern markets? And importantly, are you aligned with the economic visions of those countries?

If you are looking to set up a division of your company in Qatar then it is essential to provide audited financials.

Once you have covered all these points, you will definitely be in a better position to make a decision – and a right one for sure.

The Qatar Companies Law provides for a “proxy” position – whereby it is not possible to have simple “silent” local partners. Companies who do not abide by this legislation face the risk of fines, imprisonment or both.

A more flexible option is the Limited Liability Company (or WLL in Qatar) that can remain independent and complete an unlimited number of projects. Links Group as a local partner, for example, is able to provide incubation office space. Ensure that you research your options, be flexible, and obtain professional advice right from the start. The wrong decision can be costly and there is more to consider in the financial plan than rent and stock costs. There are wages and utility bills, advertising costs, and unexpected business fees, such as municipality charges that you need to factor into your cash flow.

foreign company with 100% foreign ownership, but know the rules regarding where and how you can trade. Remember, in Qatar, a branch of a foreign company may only undertake one project.

Foreign compliance is essential Compliance with all legal and administrative procedure is essential. The standard way of establishing your company in these regions is to create a limited liability company which stipulates that a local partner will hold a minimum of 51% share. In Qatar, it is possible to set up a branch of a

About Wayne Merrick is the Country Manager, Qatar, Links Group. He advises clients wanting to set up a commercial presence in Qatar. For more information, please visit www.the-links-group.com

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31

SMEs

window of opportunity

The available estimations regarding share of SMEs in GDP of Qatar show a negligible proportion, indicating significant opportunities for the growth of this sector in the country. Kurian Kuriakose,Managing Partner, Sohila and Kuriakose, gives an overview of the various initiatives to support SMEs in Qatar.

T

he share of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is close to half of the total GDP in countries like the US (48%), Japan (56%) and the UK (51%) and above 60% in Hong Kong.

The benchmark of 50% share seems to be a safe estimate for desired proportion in most developed and developing economies.

The growth of GDP in Qatar galloped on the back of sustained LNG production increases, which has now peaked with most of the projects being operational. To ensure continued and sustained high growth for the economy, SMEs needed to play a significant role.

Qatar Vision 2030 Qatar vision 2030 is founded on four pillars namely, human development, social development, economic development and environmental development. The economic development pillar aims to develop a diversified economic base to secure and sustain high standard of life for the future.

The effective diversification of predominantly hydrocarbon dependent economy has been recognised as priority through Vision 2030.

The focus on SMEs is certainly one way to achieve this vision.

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QE Venture Market QE Venture Market is name of the second stock market in Qatar targeting SMEs. It is designed to fit within the country’s overall desire to support SMEs as a logical step towards implementing Vision 2030.

This initiative is expected to provide a dedicated route to market for small and mid-cap companies at the same time provide an effective focal point for both issuers and investors in the small and mid-cap space. This will facilitate economic diversification of the country as well as enhance the role of private sector in the economic development. Successful listing of SMEs will enhance the employment opportunities in the country especially targeting the national workforce.

Unlike the main market, which is designed for larger companies with established track records, QE Venture Market is designed for smaller companies with a more flexible disclosure and corporate governance regime. The characteristics of the newly created market entity allow SMEs to list and raise capital more easily, in more cost-efficient manner and with less stringent requirements compared to those in the main market while also retaining the trust of the investor base through a structured regulatory framework.

In practice, it will mean that there will be less stringent entry requirements; reduced information

requirements on listing; fewer on-going disclosure requirements and a modified corporate governance regime.

Some of the requirements for becoming a listed company in QE Venture include: • Must be a joint-stock company licensed by the Ministry of Business and Trade unless it is a foreign entity • There must be minimum free float of 10% • Subscribed capital should be QR 5 million or above • Must adhere to all Qatar Exchange rules and regulations • Having audited accounts of one year at least • Must publish an Information Memorandum approved by QFMA Enterprise Qatar (EQ) Enterprise Qatar is a newly created entity under the guidance of HH Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Emir of Qatar, and HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, and initiated by HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al-Thani.

The objective of the new body is to lead a new phase of development for this dynamic sector of the economy.

Enterprise Qatar is expected to serve as a gateway between companies and the financial support

SMEs

to 75% of the outstanding principal and financing limits of up to QR 8 million. Any financing over and above such limit is a discretionary decision of QDB. The exposure of the partner bank will remain constant for the term of the loan, while QDB’s guarantee level reduces as the term loan is repaid.

Kurian Kuriakose

they need to succeed. It will incorporate the key strategic principles of partnership, public purpose, performance and value.

By being an enabler for SMEs, EQ plans to bring financing, training and advisory for the companies brought under the programme. It is expected to have dedicated funds to participate in the capital for innovative business ideas requiring capital contributions. Part of its resources is also expected to be available for financing existing establishments brought under the scheme.

EQ is expected to strengthen the SME business environment, enabling SMEs to take a prominent role in Qatar’s economy. It will serve as SME sector’s representative within the Government; ensuring a voice for SMEs on key issues. It will become the SME gateway to business services by helping to remove the obstacles and barriers of doing business. Further it will act as the catalyst and principal driver of Qatar’s entrepreneurial spirit; supporting and mentoring entrepreneurship through the educational system.

Al Dhameen, Qatar Development Bank (QDB) In support of Qatar vision 2030 and its focus on diversifying the economy, QDB has taken several initiatives including the Al Dhameen programme.

Al Dhameen is an indirect facility whereby QDB offers to guarantee commercial bank loans to the private sector. In this manner QDB assists businesses which are unable to provide collateral securities to have access to funds for startup or for growing their businesses. Existing private sector businesses are eligible for guarantees of up

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Business owners can apply for credit guarantee while applying for a loan through any of the partner bank’s corporate branches. The partner bank decides on the application according to its own lending policies and norms. Based on the perceived need for a guarantee, the partner bank may apply to QDB for issuance of guarantee.

Tax law reforms The new income tax law was effective from 1st January, 2010 bringing several changes favouring the enterprises, entrepreneurs and potential investors in the State of Qatar.

There are many changes which favoured the businesses generally, including the SME category, the most commendable one is the reduction in tax rate. The new tax law replaced the earlier method of progressive tax bracket system (0% to 30%) by introducing a flat rate of 10% on the taxable profits. The introduction of flat rate has reduced the tax cost considerably for companies and simplified the computation of taxation liability.

Another significant development in the new tax law is the introduction of the withholding tax liability for certain payments for the services to non-residents, who do not have a permanent establishment in Qatar. Qatari companies whether or not liable to tax are required to withhold tax in respect of such payments. Such withheld tax need to be remitted to the tax department on or before 16th of the subsequent month. There are two categories of payments subjected to withholding tax, royalties and technical fees (taxed at 5%), and interest and other payments for services (taxed at 7%).

For the companies that do not have a permanent establishment in Qatar, withholding tax will be the final tax. However they may be able to take benefit of Double Taxation Agreement, if any, between Qatar and the country where they are resident.

Tax card has been made mandatory for all companies by the new tax law. The companies which fail to get a valid tax card within the prescribed time limits will be subjected to a fine.

The introduction of tax card has been a great relief to companies which under the old law were required to produce tax clearance certificate for obtaining retention released.

Under the new law, the tax retention money on contracts will be released upon the production of a valid tax card. This has helped the cash flow of such companies.

The support system The multi-prong measures like QE Venture Market, Enterprise Qatar, Al Dhameen and tax rationalisation/reforms will definitely support SMEs in Qatar. These measures are indicative of the vision and the determination of the state of Qatar that SME growth is a significant milestone in achievement of sustained economic growth for the country and social justice for its people.

With all the infrastructure developments in connection with Qatar Vision 2030 and those that precede the FIFA World Cup 2022, there are significant opportunities for small and medium business entrepreneurs to play a vital role in these developments. With multifaceted support from the State and its agencies, it is good time for entrepreneurs to kick-start living their dreams.

About Kurian Kuriakose is the Managing Partner for Sohila & Kuriakose Chartered Accountants and Chairman of Morison Menon Chartered Accountants LLC, independent members of Morison International, a global accounting, audit and tax association. He has over 24 years of experience in auditing, taxation and Finance.

He is a fellow member of ICAI (India) and a Certified Information System Auditor (USA). He holds double bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Law. He is also an MBA from Bradford University UK. His experience includes senior positions in Emirates Airlines, Air India and Budget Rent A Car. He is a member of the Board of Governors for IIA Qatar, Treasurer of IBPN Qatar and a past Chairman of ICAI Doha Chapter.

Kuriakose has been assisting SMEs to setup their business in Qatar as well as supporting them through provision of quality audit, accounting and consultancy services during the last five years he is in Qatar. He can be contacted on kurian@morisonqatar.com

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Corporate Governance

many people - shareholders, managers, directors, regulators, employees, investors, suppliers and clients to name a few. The OECD has the following working definition of corporate governance: “Corporate governance is the system by which business corporations are directed and controlled.

The corporate governance structure specifies the distribution of rights and responsibilities among different participants in the corporation, such as the board, managers, shareholders and other stakeholders, and spells out the rules and procedures for making decisions on corporate affairs. By doing this, it also provides the structure through which the company objectives are set, and the means of attaining those objectives and monitoring performance.”

GET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER

Corporate governance has emerged as a buzzword worldwide and has dominated policy agenda of governments for more than a decade now.

Qatar Development Bank’s Dialogue on SMEs explains the concept to us

and what it means for small and medium enterprises.

W

hen we talk about corporate governance, we are reminded of some of the colossal corporate failures like Enron and Parmalat in 1990s and more recently Stanford, UBS and SG. We also tend to think of corporate governance (CG) in the framework of large corporations, shareholders and compliance with statutory regulations. In fact, almost all countries in the world (Qatar included) have binding corporate governance codes for their listed enterprises and there is a plethora of other CG regulations and guidelines emanating from government and non-government organisations for big companies to follow.

The reason corporate governance has received so much attention is not hard to understand.

Corporate governance practices hinge on the

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principles of fairness, transparency, responsibility, and accountability as its core values and therein lies its essence of being the true driver of corporate performance.

But the question here is – how relevant is corporate governance for SMEs and does it have the same impact on them as large organisations?

We will first skim through some of the key corporate governance definitions and then delve into its main components. Then we will try to present a business case for relevance of corporate governance practices for SME’s specifically in the context of local economy.

Defining the term It is difficult to define corporate governance in very precise terms because it covers a wide array of concepts and economic relationships that affect

The King Report on Corporate Governance for South Africa, considered to be one the most contemporary guidelines on corporate governance, has identified seven primary characteristics of good governance – discipline, transparency, independence, accountability, responsibility, fairness, and social responsibility Our business case for SMEs will revolve round these basic corporate governance pillars.

Corporate governance and SMEs There are number of people who look at corporate governance practices as a concern for listed entities, large corporations and those businesses that have to comply as part of their statutory requirements. They don’t see any synergy with SME business model.

One of the forceful arguments is that SMEs are either family owned or have few employees – who are mostly well-known to the owner – and thus there is no separation of ownership and control which effectively means that there is no need for corporate governance ( as far as shareholder rights protection is concerned) in their operations. Also, the question of accountability by SMEs to the public is non-existent since they do not depend on public funds.

On the front of transparency, SMEs, especially the sole proprietorship businesses, do not necessarily need to comply with any disclosure. Members also disregard outcomes of organisational activities that will cause disagreement. All of these arguments make a lot of sense and could not be wished away just because we want to load the SMEs with guidelines that they think are not even relevant to

Corporate Governance

their businesses. If that be the case, then the whole essence of corporate governance will be lost.

However, we do believe that there is lot in the current corporate governance practices to invigorate the SMEs and help them generate positive value out of their CG initiatives. In fact, if we have a business to run and the objective is to maximise profits and positively impact our environment then corporate governance is certainly relevant and the lack of it could even prove to be symptomatic of a business failure.

To add to it, we need to understand the inherent imperfections in the way we define the SMEs. SMEs are a vast category in themselves with businesses ranging from small, sole proprietorship based one man enterprises to emerging corporates with a structure more akin to large corporates. For the latter group, we strongly believe that corporate governance is as relevant to them as it is for large corporates. The business case presented below is based on the businesses in the lower to middle end of the SME universe.

Business case study Going back to the very definition of corporate governance as “the body of practices that define how you create and run a business in the best interest of its owners and stakeholders”, one can’t help but agree that corporate governance practices merely reflect the manner in which a successful business is organised and run. Having said that, we also need to be alive to the basic truth that “one size fits all” approach for corporate governance practices cannot work and it has to be more contexts driven.

Let’s now look at a business case of a typical SME and track the relevance and many a times critical importance of corporate governance at different stages of its metamorphosis into a large organisation or an emerging corporate.

Day to day business The cardinal corporate governance principles of being fair, transparent and ethical in business are relevant for an SME regardless of its size, scale or capital structure and can be integrated into the day to day business activities. This can be as simple as keeping proper records of all its transactions in a manner consistent with accepted standards and

keeping an audit trail of all significant transactions.

SMEs are expected to keep proper financial records, and account for each and every transaction in its financial statements, and regularly and consistently prepare their books of account.

Business has also the responsibility to ensure that its activities are in line with the government regulations and are ethically conducted. Similarly, businesses should have well defined roles and responsibilities for its employees at least at a functional level (even if it means that one individual has multiple functions) with proper controls in place.

Communication within the business should be un-fettered and a proper incentive structure should be in place for positive performance. At the same time accountabilities should be defined and enforced to the extent possible.

Maintaining the growth trajectory As SMEs grow, so does their need to introduce professional managers and governance practices.

With this begins the separation between management and owners and the issues of agency relationship will now come to fore. Maturing to a higher level of corporate governance practices is now mandatory and these will include among other things, board composition and independence, identification and management of conflict of interest scenarios, management structure and control, internal auditing and risk management and so forth.

The implementation of all these practices will catalyse the metamorphosis of an SME into a corporate that will now be ready for the listing, if desired. Reaching this level of corporate governance opens a world of opportunities

But the question here is – how relevant is corporate governance for SMEs and does it have the same impact on them as large organisations?

Clamour for resources to grow More than any other enterprise, SMEs need access to resources for growth. They need qualitative resources in the form of inputs on business operations, technology and strategy. At the same time they need financial resources in the form of capital to support their growth. To overcome these constraints could be comparatively easier if a business enterprise follows robust corporate governance practices. Bringing in relevant experts as advisors or non-executive directors could help to bring in the much required qualitative inputs.

Non-executive directors could also introduce creativity and innovation through opinions and suggestions during decision making. Investors will be more willing to invest because of well-maintained books of account and transparent operations which reduces the risk of information asymmetry.

Stakeholders like the regulators and government will feel more comfortable about the nature of business.

Suppliers and clients will feel more assured of their business dealings resulting in an overall positive business environment for the company.

for the business enterprise and the issues like raising capital and availability of qualitative inputs will no more be a constraint. The enterprise will now be at a pedestal of higher growth delivering value for its stakeholders and promoting the overall financial stability and positive business environment.

Taking the above discussion as the cue, it is no surprise that various initiatives are currently underway to codify corporate governance practices for SMEs. In the region, Dubai government in collaboration with Hawkamah has recently come out with a comprehensive corporate governance code for SMEs in the country. Multilateral organisations like World Bank and IFCare actively promoting corporate governance among the SMEs and QDB being at the forefront of SME development in the state of Qatar is doing its bit to demystify corporate governance for SMEs and encourage its voluntary adoption

by SMEs. SME toolkit and our SME corporate governance and risk management dialogue are two such initiatives.

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37

Environment

Go green

With the ever-growing concerns about climate change and global warming, Aparna Shivpuri Arya gets talking to Alex Amato, Chairman, Research and Innovation Committee, Qatar Green Building Council, to know about their work in Qatar and what are the costs and benefits of going green.

Q

atar Green Building Council (QGBC) is a non-profit member driven organisation. It has a number of interest groups, such as water, solid waste, green infrastructure and so forth. All these groups focus on different aspect of promoting sustainability.

the urban environment is planned. Qatar has a good density of population to warrant an extremely efficient public transport system.

“In other words, we need to reduce the travel distance by cars. Doha is a little spread out and that is why projects like Heart of Doha are important because it’s a different way of urban organisation,” said Alex.

Business organisations are a part of QGBC because they want to network and know more about what they can do. More so because the country has nailed its aspirations to the mast that it is going to be a much more sustainable place in the future in accordance with the 2030 vision , and the 2011-16 National Development strategy. These initiatives have a firm commitment for environmental concerns and sustainability.

Elaborating further Alex highlighted, “The other thing that we could do again to tackle that problem is that we could build our houses and buildings to a better sustainable standard. In that respect we welcome the introduction of QSAS (the Qatar Sustainable Assessment System) into Qatar. We are hoping that in the near future it will be mandatory and that would ensure that

Talking about the environmental challenges faced by Qatar, Alex said that it is a pretty long list but can be narrowed down to first, an unenviable high CO2 footprint per head of population. It is partly because of the way

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there are more measures taken in the design of buildings, which will improve their energy performance. That’s another big area that will help reduce that CO2.”

There are other challenges that are equally important and one of those is the threat to Qatar’s unique biodiversity. And this is specially a problem for development. What QGBC wants to encourage is development that respects the biodiversity.

Talking about how organisations can be environment friendly, Alex stated that there are two ways of doing it – products and services. A number of companies, ranging from manufacturing to developers are making effort to be green.

Qatar is a golden opportunity, even though it is a relatively smaller market when compared to India or china. It is still a market where things can happen. Also there is a desire by the country to become a lot more sustainable.

Environment

For instance, Gulf Contracting, Green Gulf, Chevron are all involved in promoting sustainability and using renewable energy.

SMEs are also being encouraged and are taking interest in this issue. “Recently someone who runs an SME came to us and wanted to know how we can help. They had an idea for a water-saving product and wanted to know how they could get it off the ground,” recounted Alex.

QGBC can recommend the case to QSTP, which then can attract sufficient funding since QSTP is focused on delivering a good idea.

Also another way is to network and QGBC puts people in touch with each other. “We sometimes act as a facilitator, even though that is not our primary task. And one must not forget that it is not only about product and services. Companies also come to us, when they themselves in their operations, want to be green. What we hope to develop is a CO2 calculator for contractors so that they can calculate their carbon footprints for their organisations,” said Alex.

QGBC also guides companies if they want to go for ISO 14001 by putting them in touch with an organisation that provides the routes and guidance to achieve 14001, which is a company environmental policy programme.

When asked whether companies that deal with green products and services have opportunities for setting up business in Qatar, Alex was very optimistic and stated that “Qatar is a golden opportunity, even

Alex Amato

though it is a relatively smaller market when compared to India or china. It is still a market where things can happen. Also there is a desire by the country to become a lot more sustainable.”

Alex felt that there is always a constant tug-of-war between going green and the costs as the companies are in a dilemma about how to manage their costs. “I think we all have to accept that if you want a sustainable built-in environment, one has to pay a little more for it. The question is how much more and the truth is once the demand is there an industry gears itself to respond to that green demand and then the cost begins to fall. For example, in the UK there was a code for sustainable homes to be built. The

one looks at the carbon side effects, the payback period is short.

The new buildings being built in Qatar have a much higher standard of energy efficiency and legislations are being worked out. In the future, carbon footprint is something that the general public would like to know about and it will be a part of corporate social responsibility (CSR).

With the construction picking up due to FIFA World Cup 2022, Alex believes that the infrastructure being built will help Qatar to become more sustainable and reduce the usage of private vehicles.

The new buildings will most probably have to meet higher sustainability

Therefore SMEs do stand a chance to be environment friendly in Qatar. Initially there is capital expenditure, but then there is a pay-back period as well. SMEs would need to switch to more efficient equipment, reduce their costs of fuel, switchoff lights and AC, and manage vehicles more efficiently.

housing industry threw up its arms because it was going to cost thousands and thousands more to build these houses. What happened is that the two sides met somewhere in the middle and things worked out. Industry players geared themselves to deliver these in a cost effective way and the regulations came down a bit in their expectations. That’s the way the world works. “The point I’m trying to make is that, although industry always says it’s going to cost a lot more, in fact when they actually gear themselves up to deliver that service or product surprisingly the prices fall,” opined Alex.

Therefore SMEs do stand a chance to be environment friendly in Qatar. Initially there is capital expenditure, but then there is a pay-back period as well. SMEs would need to switch to more efficient equipment, reduce their costs of fuel, switch-off lights and AC, and manage vehicles more efficiently. Even though electricity is cheap in the Gulf, when

standards; however the challenge will remain with what to do with the existing infrastructure which is not environment friendly.

With so much on the plate, Qatar has a lot to accomplish and a good start has been made with organisations such as the QGBC. With the government promoting and supporting the agenda to be green, SMEs and large organisations have the opportunity to have a win-win situation of reducing costs and protecting the environment.

About QGBC is a non-profit membership driven organisation, leading and promoting environmentally sustainable practices for green building design and development in Qatar.

For more information, please visit www.qatargbc.org

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Women in business

Mars vs. Venus

It is often said that men and women are from different planets. Both gender function differently in every sphere of life – including the

workplace. Carolin Zeitler, Director, Arcata explains to us what makes women different and helps us understand how they function at work.

W

omen are different from men and these differences can best be capitalised when we see them as complementary rather than competing.

There are many influences on us – our family, culture, educational background, and more. Our gender is only one factor amongst many and we are still first and foremost unique individuals. On the other hand, there are somewhat prevailing tendencies in certain groups and those are what I want to speak about here as they pertain to women.

SMEs and women There is a reason that women-owned SMEs are a fast growing segment of the global market. It is a form of business that is practically tailor-made for women; it allows us to capitalise on our strengths.

In an SME you have a small number of employees, so everyone can know each other personally.

Relationships really matter to women and to the overall stability and success of a small business.

With a small number of people, relationships can be managed actively, even proactively, and employees have opportunities to showcase

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their strengths and talents directly to the boss.

An SME is also not too “greedy”. Furthermore, an SME can easily be part of the community since it doesn’t have the recognition and (sometimes intimidating) power of “big business”, an SME seems more approachable. Most SMEs also like to be involved in their local community, as it is a mutually beneficial relationship. All these characteristics attract women.

The power of “S” Systems, synchrony and synergy – these three words really summarise some of the main differences between men and women. Let me go through them one by one: Systems: Women tend to be more aware that they are part of a bigger whole and they don’t exist in isolation. Their family, their team at work, the society they live in is viewed as a whole that is bigger than the sum of its parts. In psychology this is called a “system”.

Any group of people that interact regularly form a system, a kind of organism, which is constantly striving for balance. Women thrive

in community and cooperation. Even a woman like me, who has often been described as a ‘lone wolf’, seeks the company of like-minded people, of ‘birds of the same feather’. We like to exchange and explore, bounce ideas around and let them evolve in the communal space. I’m sure that ‘win-win’ is a concept that was originally conceived by a woman. As a consequence, women think more in contexts; we connect the dots and look at how things influence each other.

Women rarely look at events in isolation.

Synchrony: From most women’s point of view, life is not about “either… or”, it’s about “and”. Judging and painting everything either black or white may give a sense of security and make it easier to make quick decisions but it is rarely fair and it doesn’t take the whole picture into account. Synchrony is all about realising that things are rarely cut and dry, good or bad.

Equality to most women means that everybody is equally entitled to be seen and heard - and treated as a human being. Treating every one in exactly the same way, i.e. going through the same motions with them, is rarely beneficial to everyone, it can only target the ‘average’ mass but what about all of those who are below or above average?

Women are by nature inclusive, rather than exclusive. Like a mother who loves her rebellious, delinquent teenage daughter just as much as her over-ambitious, “goody-two-shoes” son who

Women in business

There is a reason that women-owned SMEs are a fast growing segment of the global market. It is a form of business that is practically tailor-made for women; it allows us to capitalise on our strengths.

to commit and to kindle enthusiasm in those around them so the balance is maintained.

where ideas can evolve naturally, connections are made effortlessly and benevolence prevails.

Why a conference for women?

This community is built on trust and on the confidence that there is enough for everyone. We are more likely to see the woman next to us as a potential partner or client than as a competitor.

I often get asked why we organise a conference for women. Don’t we think that men need to be empowered to grow and succeed as well?

Not in the same way, I say. Men are groomed to compete and succeed. Most men feel it is their natural right to be successful. Most women don’t.

Carolin Zeitler

gets laughed at by his peers, most women can see beyond the surface and see the potential in others, what they might be capable of, if only they had the right encouragement.

So they coax out strengths and talents in their team members, try to allocate tasks so as to capitalise on their team’s potential.

Synergy: Women work in contexts, in communities; we function best when we have stimulating relationships, when the atmosphere is one of empathy, sincerity and inspiration. We thrive on exchange, mutual support and connection. We believe that there is enough for everyone, so we don’t need to elbow each other out of the way.

Employee engagement, organisational health and CSR have now become buzzwords, as the world starts to understand what qualities women can bring to the workplace. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying men don’t understand these things; I know there are some formidable male champions of CSR, employee engagement and organisational health out there and I salute them for their efforts and progress.

For a woman, the world is one big, intricate spider web of relationships. If you pull out any string in it, all the other strings are affected by it. So women naturally strive to engage,

Success is often associated with hard-nosed, politicised power struggles, where the person with the sharpest elbows and the fewest scruples comes out on top.

We are working on changing that image.

Success doesn’t have to look like that at all; success can be achieved by a community, benefitting everyone that is a part of it.

Business practices are changing around the world and the trend goes towards more employee engagement, corporate social responsibility and organizational health – not only because it creates a healthier work environment, but also because it makes good business sense and has an impact on the bottom line.

In other words, a business world is emerging where women will thrive; a world in which success is defined by how much the result benefits the greater good – a perspective that comes naturally to women.

As women, we tend to see ourselves more in context, as part of a greater whole. And that is exactly what our How Women Work conference taps into. We create a platform where like-minded women can come together and exchange ideas, find synergies, voice concerns, share experiences and ask questions and our delegates (95% of which are women) are visibly energised by it. They feel they have entered into a safe and inspiring environment,

As women we think about others as much – or even more - than we think about ourselves. Don’t get me wrong I’m not trying to stride upon some moral high ground or portray us all as saints; we think about others first because making others feel good makes us feel good about ourselves. We are groomed to care and nurture, so that is what we thrive on.

So at the conference we foster dialogue and exchange. We believe that sharing information and experience will benefit everyone to grow and develop. It enables collaboration and the evolution of ideas.

Women come in with the spark of an idea and leave with a plan.

About Carolin Zeitler inspires, encourages and empowers people especially women - to make a difference.

She has combined her experience from being an ITA* Therapist, a trainer for coaches and therapists, a managing director and a coach to create her unique coaching brand, Arcata, the How Women Work community with its annual conferences and the many spin-offs like the ‘How Women Succeed’ CSR Book project, an inspirational self-coaching book of which the proceeds are being used to provide free coaching for women of lower income.

Even in her free time, Carolin follows her passion as a core team member of the ‘Qatar Professional Women’s Network’ (QPWN) and the leader of the mentoring ring ‘Circle of Pearl’. She is also a popular motivational speaker and the author of several self-coaching publications, printed as monthly columns and, most recently, in the book ‘How Women Succeed - Inspiring women to create their own successes.

Carolin can be contacted at: carolin.zeitler@arcata.cc

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Export

As sound as a dollar Exports can greatly help expand a business, provided the exporter gets paid! Schuyler D’Souza, CCO, Export Credit Insurance Company, explains how export-credit insurance helps eliminate the risk of not getting paid by a buyer.

T

he word “credit” means different things to different people, from the acknowledgement of academic excellence to an individual’s personal contribution and dedication, talk time remaining on a mobile phone or, a credit card that lets shoppers spend money that they don’t actually have. In modern day trade, export-trade credit connotes the agreement to get paid for goods or services supplied to overseas buyers at a predetermined date after the goods or services are delivered to the buyer. It plays a crucial role of insuring exports against the associated risk of non-payment.

But, the essence of credit includes the elements of trust, and confidence that the buyer will pay. These two elements are very central to the sale of goods and services on credit terms, because this is what creates

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the business relationship which is vital to successful trade. Trust needs time to grow, so for businesses just starting up, exporters are unlikely to offer credit immediately, and may insist on full or partial cash in advance or cash on delivery as matter of prudence.

While, an insistence on cash terms has many drawbacks, it can also mean that cash discounts can be negotiated, and once a few successful transactions have given the exporter confidence in the buyer’s financial strength, the possibility of sales on credit terms can become a reality, leading to a host of advantages and some drawbacks too.

The advantages for a buyer: • A reduction in capital requirements • An improvement in cash flow • The opportunity to add value and sell goods at a profit before payment is due • The prospect of growth without the impediment of immediate payment

The advantages for an exporter: • Attractive terms of payment • Developing and sustaining long-term relationships with good customers The downside risk is that if a buyer defaults on payment obligations or delays payment, it will adversely impact an exporter’s cash flow.

Minimise credit risk, maximise gain Exporting successfully involves a delicate balance between minimising the risk of non-payment while maintaining a competitive edge. Exporting goods or services is a more intricate and complex process than trading domestically. While numerous parts of the sale process are common to both, there are many more issues and risks involved with exporting.

The two most important moments in any sales transaction occur at the beginning and the end. These are the negotiation of the sales

Export

The most straightforward and traditional way to mitigate non-payment risk is to ask the importer/buyer to either pay cash upfront or provide a Letter of Credit (L/C), which is confirmed by the exporter’s bank and can easily be discounted to obtain finance for that shipment (since payment risk is with the importer’s bank and not the importer).

contract and payment terms before goods are shipped or services provided, and the receipt of payments at the end of a transaction. The former will materially affect the fulfillment of the latter and, needless to say, without payment there is no profit. Therefore, mitigating credit or non-payment risk associated with exporting goods or services becomes critical.

The most straightforward and traditional way to mitigate non-payment risk is to ask the importer or buyer to either pay cash upfront or provide a Letter of Credit (L/C), which is confirmed by the exporter’s bank and can easily be discounted to obtain finance for that shipment (since payment risk is with the importer’s bank and not the importer).

However, both these options create impositions on the buyer, either to come up with cash upfront (and the financing costs involved with that) or incur the costs of setting up an L/C and tie-up bank credit lines.

The trend in international trade is increasingly towards exporters providing open account credit terms for up to 180 days.

This involves a higher risk of non-payment.

Moreover, the exporter’s bank will find it difficult to provide finance without security or investment grade guarantee.

In the current global financial landscape, open credit is difficult to obtain and exporter’s face pressure to offer this or risk losing business to a competitor. Hence, export credit insurance can provide maximum benefits to an exporter.

An export-credit insurance policy covering commercial and political risks is an important tool as it helps an exporter to accurately assess a buyer’s ability to pay, and eventually compensates the exporter if the buyer fails to

pay. In today’s times, it is a necessary precaution to take when dealing with high-risk buyers and countries, as it provides a safety net to exporters and their banks.

Banks and financial institutions may advance funds up to 80% of the invoice value against open account sales, and the exporter certainly stands a better chance of getting its case for financing approved by a bankor trade financier, if the exporter has an export credit insurance policy in place.

How does it work?

Export-credit insurance is a contract that protects exporters of goods or services against the risk of non-payment by their overseas buyers. It covers commercial risks as well as political risks. Commercial risks include buyer insolvency and late payment or protracted default, which is the failure on part of the buyer to pay within a set number of days (payment due date). Political risk involves non-payment on an export contract or project due to actions by an importer’s local government. These actions can range from subtle policy matters, like a change in licensing processes, to the full-scale nationalisation and expropriation of a business.

The distinction between political and commercial risk is sometimes hazy, and nowadays the two types of risks are more interrelated than

ever before. Export trade credit coverage of sales to major buyers in both advanced and emerging markets is a rapidly growing business that export credit insurers write, only if they deem the customer creditworthy.

The need for export credit insurance arises from the common practice of selling on credit. Outstanding payments from these sales generally represent around 40-45% of a typical company’s total assets. About 90% of the global trade is conducted on a cash basis, or with short-term suppliers’ credit of up to 180 days. In a competitive trading environment providing credit to buyers provides a more attractive proposition than demanding advance payment.

Furthermore, in international trade, buyers tend to be reluctant to make advance payment as there is a possibility that they may not receive the goods or services. Of course, foreign buyers can issue a Letter of Credit (L/C) through their bank but the costs involved tend to be relatively high. Therefore, more favorable terms of payment such as Documents Against Payment (DIP), Documents Against Acceptance (D/A), and Open Account (0/A) tend to play an important role in international trade to supplement product quality and pricing.

A business selling to a customer on open-account terms effectively grants credit just as a bank does. However, because businesses are rarely able to take as many precautions as banks before extending credit, they face substantial risks of buyer non-payment. Around 25% of all business failures in major OECD markets result from the payment default by customers. Growth in international trade accentuates the need for reliable business

An export-credit insurance policy covering commercial and political risks is an important tool as it helps an exporter to accurately assess a buyer’s ability to pay, and eventually compensates the exporter if the buyer fails to pay.

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Export

“Export credit insurance covers manufacturing, trading and service organisations against the risk of loss due to non-payment by their overseas buyers.”

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1

Insurance Policy

>> Cover can also be extended against political risks associated with exports, for example action by a buyer’s or seller’s government that impacts a contract, a war, or currency inconvertibility;

Buyer (Risk) Credit risk assessment & granting/ refusing credit limits to the Exporter/Seller

2

intelligence and protection against the risk of non-payment, as the opportunity to increase sales also increases the probability of such a risk occurring.

Apart from credit risk protection, export credit insurers provide services in related areas such as credit information and receivables management.

Schuyler D’Souza

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3

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Insurer (Risk Transfer)

EXPORT CREDIT

>> It offers protection against non-payment due to commercial risks (insolvency of customer) or late payment (protracted default) of trade debts;

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Ex p Co ort C ve red rin g n it Ins on ura -pa nc ym e P en oli t ri cy sk

Exporter/Seller (Insured Party)

APRIL 2012

>> It is a risk management tool, protecting a company’s balance sheet from the impact of losses due to bad debts.

Around 25% of all business failures in major OECD markets result from the payment default by customers.

As stated earlier, while more favourable terms of payment such as D/P, D/A and Open account increase sales, they also pose a much higher risk to exporters, given the higher probability of non-payment risk occurring.

Hence, due to increased non-payment risk, many exporters do not extend credit terms to their buyers and this has a corresponding impact on their export sales.

A logical option available to exporters is to extend credit terms to their buyers after having put in place an export credit insurance programme covering non-payment risk. Export-credit insurance is also known as Foreign Accounts Receivable Insurance – as already it protects an exporter against the failure of its overseas customer to pay debts, which can happen either because the customer (the importer) becomes insolvent or, because the customer fails to pay within the predetermined time frame.

It is important to note that the most profitable and lucrative countries tend also to be the most risky as far as payment is concerned. Therefore, export credit insurance can enhance the confidence of the trading community by ensuring that exporters holding an export credit insurance policy get paid.

About Schuyler’s extensive industry background includes several years of strategic marketing and business development.Schuyler is an MBA in Marketing and Sales from the Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies in Mumbai, and a Post Graduate in General Management from the prestigious Berufsakademie in Germany. He is a Certified International Credit Professional and a member of the ‘Association of Finance, Credit and International Business Professionals’.

Note: This article was first published in Trade and Export Middle East, a sister publication of Private Sector Qatar.

Partnership opportunities Private Sector (Al Kitaa Al Khass) is an Arabic and English magazine, presented and supported by Qatar Development Bank (QDB) and published

by CPI. It is aimed at business owners and senior executives in the private sector in Qatar. Armed with practical advice, it highlights key issues for the business community.

The driving force for regional economies is the private sector – a catalyst for growth, development and job creation. With the world’s spotlight on Qatar’s development activities and the buzz being created around 2022, this sector is going to grow by leaps and bounds. That’s great news if you’re targeting the private sector, which spans across almost all industry verticals, but the problem you face is identifying the most dynamic and competitive companies amongst a sea of competitors.

A key answer for the past half decade has been CPI’s UAE-based magazine SME Advisor Middle East, which has delivered valuable business information to leading SMEs across the region, helping them develop their businesses, putting them in touch with valued partners and fuelling growth even in a stalled global economy.

Now, with the support of QDB as our presenting partner, we have launched the same business values, tailor-made for Qatar in the form of the brand Private Sector. This will encompass magazine, events, online and several other initiatives to drive Qatari entrepreneurship and the private sector.

This is your chance!

This is a market you cannot afford to miss. This is a market that you can reach in an intelligent, focused way, working with the expert team that brought you SME Advisor Middle East and has now launched Private Sector magazine in Qatar.

For more information about advertising and other partnership opportunities, please visit www.privatesectorqatar.com/en For marketing ideas and opportunities, please contact richard@cpidubai.com

sector study

Take in the sights Qatar is witnessing an undeniable economic boom thanks to its ever-increasing production capacity of natural gas and its derivatives. However, the other sectors are not far behind. With the FIFA World Cup in 2022, Qatar can expect a lot of tourists coming into the country.Basel Al Bannoud sheds light on Qatar’s plans for its tourism sector and how this industry can alter the current economic seen of the country or even its social fabric.

Why tourism?

If approached in the right way, and with the right conditions (stability, suitable infrastructure and friendly social atmosphere), tourism can quickly become an effective source of income and a major generator of employment opportunities, either directly or through developing the support services that are typically associated with it (transport, hotels, restaurants).

Countries like Hong Kong, Singapore and Dubai have proved that a country doesn’t need a charming landscape and ancient history to have a thriving economy-boosting tourism sector. They proved that all you need is vision, will, a plan and resources, and Qatar, surely, does have plenty of these.

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How does it work?

There are different types of tourism each with its own set of customers, deliverables and requirements: • Business tourism • Leisure tourism • Medical tourism • Educational tourism And while some of these types are selfexplanatory, i.e. medical and educational tourism, others like business tourism and, mainly, leisure tourism are, truly, very general names under which many different types tourism are classified. Sports, cultural, sight-seeing, shopping and vocational tourism are all classified under the leisure tourism label, while exhibitions, conferences, seminars, panel discussions and meetings are all classified under the business tourism label.

Cultural tourism, for example has a set of requirements that is totally different to those of shopping or sports tourisms, and, in many cases, those types do overlap and, even, depend on each other.

Another important factor to be taken into consideration is the type of tourists a country would like to attract. Tourists from the GCC for example have different requirements to those of Western ones, in terms of both accommodation facilities and attractions. Westerners are mainly business tourists or lured in by specific entertainment, such as cultural attractions or sport events.GCC tourists, on the other hand, usually come in large families, prefer hotel apartments with three or more bed rooms and look for shopping, leisure and entertainment activities.

sector study

Another factor that needs to be decided from the beginning, is to what extent does a country want tourism to contribute to domestic economy and GDP. Although tourism is a major source of growth and income, it is also a very volatile industry that can crash down completely at the first hint of instability either within the country or in the region.

One more issue to consider is how much interference will a country allow tourism to have in the social fabric. Is it possible to maintain cultural identity and traditions and force tourism to work within this framework?

The direct contribution of travel and tourism to Qatar’s GDP is expected to reach USD 1.1 billion in 2012, compared to USD 800 million in 2009. Over the next five years, Qatar will invest around USD 65 billion in new transportation schemes.

through the activities of the Cultural Development Center (CDC) which is responsible for the management and development of two collections of national importance held by Qatar Foundation

Approximately 845,633 tourists from the GCC visited Qatar in 2011, compared to 582,134 in 2010, a 49% increase. International tourism also went up by 12%.

The Qatari vision Qatar has a very clear vision regarding its tourism sector’s role and the kind of tourists it is trying to attract. Ahmad Abdullah Al-Nuaimi, chairman of the Qatar Tourism Authority was quoted saying to Reuters, “For the last five or six years we’ve invested in high-end hotels and facilities, highend convention centres and museums. But we are not looking for it to be a revenue-generating industry. We are different from the neighbouring countries. They focus on tourism as a source of income. If the tourism market crashes, it makes no difference for us.”

- the Arab and Islamic Heritage Library and the Museum of Modern Arab Art. Both facilities are based on extensive collections originally compiled

by H.E. Sheikh Hassan bin Muhammad Al-Thani.

This is indeed a very clear vision, with clear targets and boundaries, but don’t think for even a minute, that discounting tourism as a source of revenue means limiting the resources or efforts allocated to this sector. On the contrary, Qatar will invest USD 20-25 billion in tourism infrastructure development over the 11 years separating the country from hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2022, which, in itself, is a global touristic event with no equal!

Out of the 845.633 visitors from GCC countries, almost 500.000 came from KSA alone, making Qatar one of the most popular destinations for Saudi tourists.

Qatar is, also, keen to preserve its Arabic identity and Islamic culture, a fact that has been reinstated and made clear through the inauguration of the Museum of Islamic Art in Qatar in 2008, and

The journey so far...

2011 has been one of the most successful years for Qatari tourism industry to this date, driven mainly by the sharp surge in the numbers of tourists from the Gulf region. Approximately 845,633 tourists from the GCC visited Qatar in 2011, compared to 582,134 in 2010, a 49% increase. International tourism also went up by 12%.

Asian tourists made 58% of the total visitors’ numbers, Arabs made 19.3%, Europeans 15% and visitors from various countries making the remaining percentage.

This surge in visitor numbers drove up revenues from four and five star hotels to top QR 5 billion and occupancy rate to increase by 19.25% to 60% in 2011, despite the increase in hotel room capacity from 9,574 in 2010 to 11341 in 2011, an 18.45%

increase. Eight new hotels opened in Qatar in 2011, bringing the total number of hotels to 74.

Promising future The future of tourism industry in Qatar is very promising, with many new developments and international events in the coming years. According to the QTA, 30,000 hotel rooms will be added by 2013 and 5,000 new hotel rooms each year till 2022, bringing the total count to 75,000 rooms. This in itself provides opportunities for huge investments made primarily by foreign and domestic private entities.

Mr. Al-Nuaimi says, “Big names are coming into the market, including four-star brands and furnished apartments. Five hotels at the Pearl will start coming in the next three years: Four Seasons, Nikki Beach Hotel and one boutique hotel. Every brand in the world will be in Doha.”Other major projects will play a major role in transforming the touristic scene in the country, mainly the new airport and a new deepwater seaport.

The direct contribution of travel and tourism to Qatar’s GDP is expected to reach USD 1.1 billion in 2012, compared to USD 800 million in 2009. Over the next five years, Qatar will invest around USD 65 billion in new transportation schemes. These include the new USD 11 billion Doha international airport and the USD 6 billion Doha port project.

Qatar is investing USD 20 billion in tourism infrastructure alone, for its FIFA Would Cup 2022 preparations, according to the Qatar Tourism Authority.

With al these developments, investment opportunities are knocking on our door.

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investment

We all like to believe that there is an angel watching over us. That belief can turn to reality with individuals ready to invest and fill that gap between startups and finance. Angels Den, an angel investor network in Qatar, explains the concept to us and the issues that startups looking for finance should keep in mind.

T

he first question you should ask yourself before you begin looking for funding is “Am I investment ready?” Your business needs to combine a good idea with a great execution plan which is commercially viable and will appeal to investors.

If you can’t be objective enough, seek advice from an impartial individual. The business angel network, Angels Den, recommends that before you spend any money on finding funding you should find a forum that gives you the opportunity to discuss your business in confidence with an

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expert who will advise you on whether you are ready to go through the investment process, and if not offer support and advice on how to get investment ready. What angels are looking for, is evidence of a market opportunity with growth potential, a strong management team and an exit strategy, including a list of possible acquirers, since the eventual sale of the companies they invest in, is how they make money.

Making a business plan Execution and planning are key to becoming a successful entrepreneur. Very often pushed to the bottom of the ‘to do’ list, however when it comes to seeking funding they are instrumental in getting Angels on board and letting them know your intentions for the business and confirmation that you have considered all aspects.

Intellectual property It is important to protect your intellectual property by applying for relevant patents, trademarks, copyrights and more.

What is angel investing ?

The term “angel” comes from the practice in the early 1900’s of wealthy businessmen investing in Broadway productions. Today

investment Sales Legal

“angels” typically offer expertise, experience and contacts in addition to money. Less is known about angel investing than venture capital because of the individuality and privacy of the investments.

Angel investors can be very difficult to identify and contact. They do not want to be deluged with business plans. And that is where a business network comes in play.

Angel investment involves a business securing funding through a business angel. These people invest money in a business in return for a shareholding in that business, either individually or as part of a group. As well as providing capital investment, angels often like to get involved in the business, offering their time and expertise to get the business

What angels are looking for, is evidence of a market opportunity with growth potential, a strong management team and an exit strategy, including a list of possible acquirers, since the eventual sale of the companies they invest in is how they make money.

If you are an entrepreneur in the Middle East and looking for a local angel investment network, there are business networks that have an established presence in Qatar. With options such as SpeedFunding events, startups and entrepreneurs get the opportunity to be able to individually pitch business idea to a selection of angels in one evening so they are ideal for anyone who is serious about getting funding quickly.

Pitching for funding

The term “angel” comes from the practice in the early 1900’s of wealthy businessmen investing in Broadway productions.

Today “angels” typically offer expertise, experience and contacts in addition to money.

to where you’re aiming for it to be, as quickly and effectively as possible. It is this expertise that many businesses find can be more valuable than the investment they were after in the first place!

Without the support of a business angel network it would be incredibly difficult to raise the investment in such a short time, unless you were incredibly well-connected. These networks offer a pain-free method of finding investment angels to pitch your business to. They help to increase the chances of entrepreneurs receiving investment by giving support from the beginnings of creating a business plan, through to advice on pitching; right up until the money is in your account.

There are key elements that take a pitch from being good to being great. You usually only get one chance in front of your business angel and it’s your job to impress and make sure yours is the business they remember!

Here are the top five tips on how to win angel finance for a business: 1. Financial forecasts – All financial information needs to be expertly produced, easily understood, realistic and justifiable.

It is essential to have robust financial forecasts and a proper valuation of your company. Mistakes here will cause a loss of credibility and interest.

2. The presentation – Those offering angel finance aren’t just investing in your business, they are also investing in you.

You need to be passionate and likeable, as well as precise and persuasive. This is your opportunity to sell yourself and build up a rapport with the angels.

3. Research, research, research – Find out all there is to know about your customers, competition and the potential of the business. You need to become an undisputed expert, and to be able to convey this knowledge to those around you.

4. Questions – A full and complete understanding of your business, its market, finances and strategy is essential as angels will expect those presenting to them to be able to answer any question thrown at them.

5. Talk to people in the know – Getting as much impartial advice about your business or startup idea as possible can be invaluable, when looking to start or expand your business.

About Angels Den connects business owners that need funding with Angel Investors (High Net Worth individuals.) It is one of the largest global Angel networks with over 4000 Angels registered worldwide.

Angels Den is the only company to offer pitching to Angels on a one-to-one basis through its unique and exciting SpeedFunding events. This is a great way to get your business funded with 90% of business owners finding at least one interested Angel at these events.

Angels Den also runs free business funding clinics where you can chat to an Angels Den expert and get advice on your business and whether you are ready to go through the investment process.

It is passionate that every business looking to grow, in any part of the world, should have the opportunity to access funding.

For more information, please visit www.angelsden.com

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Entrepreneurs

what are you looking for?

The axiom, fresh eyes upon old ways, is the subject of this article – to find the person who will be the next entrepreneur in this part of the world. Peter Moore, Entrepreneurial Mentor, CAN-Q, talks to us about his vision for the region.

A

ll over the world, countries are gasping under the weight of an economic model that is proving unsustainable. Therefore it comes as no surprise that everyone is talking about entrepreneurship.

In truth there are many great entrepreneurs who have provided immense boosts to economic activity and the creation of employment. But the fact is we don’t need more of the same, especially, operating within a model that’s unsustainable.

participants with additional reading material I ventured onto the Internet to inquire what others might have to say about the characteristics of an entrepreneur. Type that search statement and you’ll glean what seems like a billion hits!

I can promise you, entrepreneurs, or enterprising folk as I heard them referred to recently, cannot be pulled out of the woodwork

Fortunately or unfortunately, the evolution of the entrepreneur has reached its present day ambition. The entrepreneurial spirit has been reduced to the pursuit of money. But it was never intended to be that way. True entrepreneurs were never pursuers of money; they were problem solvers in search of a newer way or better way of providing for needs and necessities. It was only the consequence of their genius that produced something the people required in great numbers; wealth was inevitable.

In the fall of 2011, I facilitated a workshop called “Discovering your Self-Readiness for Entrepreneurship.” In the hope of supplying the

It occurred to me everything under creation is so ordered to evolve. Whether we look at the natural realm or the systems and such developed by human kind, everything evolves. With this thought afloat I started to wonder about entrepreneurship, the entrepreneur – what is their legacy?

And so where is the entrepreneurial spirit of the Middle East? I believe it is among us here in the Middle East; waiting.

Peter Moore

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In truth carbon-based fuels have created great wealth and afforded a means for those

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less fortunate to rise out of poverty. Yet we know it is only within handfuls of generations before known reserves are no more.

This spirit will come, it must come. The great challenge in the search for the [next] entrepreneur does not lie in building a better mouse trap. No, the challenge is the meshing of two completely opposite worlds. The comfortable, predictable world of the status quo and the dynamic world of the entrepreneur.

It is said those who possess knowledge know a lot of things. It is also said those who posses experience know what they are talking about.

And I think we’d be pleasantly surprised how healthy our planet would be, and, how for those among us who just want to live a simple life upon it – could.

About Peter J Moore holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree.

He has worked extensively as a consultant and mentor with micro and small business owners. Well versed in all areas of the business model Mr Moore’s specific area of expertise is strategic planning and business development. Mr Moore has experience as a business owner and has worked in the marketing and advertising field. He can be contacted at peter.moore@cna-qatar.edu.qa

legal

watch your step

Do you know the advertising regulations in your country? Are you sure that you are not infringing any copyrights or trademarks? Mark Hill and Fiona Robertson, media lawyers, therightslawyers, take a first look at some of the many issues that arise in relation to advertising throughout the Middle East.

A

ll businesses need to market themselves. Whether it is a small campaign run through social media or a large multi-platform campaign across numerous markets, the key is not just getting the message right, but making sure that you don’t make waves legally as well. So while we won’t be passing on our bright ideas for getting the brand message right, there are a few tips that we can provide in relation to the legal aspects of advertising your brand in this market.

Regardless of the jurisdiction that you are operating within, advertising regulations are there to reflect the cultural, social and moral norms of the particular society to which the advertising will be directed. In other words, it is there to reflect society’s inherent nature. So that is the simple starting point for looking at advertising regulation in whatever country (or countries) in which your campaign will appear.

Advertising regulation in every country around the world will simply find a different way to achieve this goal, depending on those cultural, social and moral norms. This is no different here in the Middle East to anywhere else. While there is a range of things to consider, we are going to address some key issues: • intellectual property rights (in particular copyright) and also the safe use of a third

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party’s intellectual property rights; • agency contractual issues; • making false or misleading claims; and • sales promotions and competitions.

So what is copyright anyway?

Qatar has enacted Law No 7 of 2002 on the Protection of Copyright and Neighbouring Rights. In creating advertising you need to be mindful of breaching someone’s copyright. As you might expect from the name, copyright is a right conferring on its owner an exclusive entitlement to copy and otherwise use certain kinds of work. In Qatar these will include many things, such as audiovisual works and sound recordings.

Copyright law plays a role in advertising in two key ways. First, it protects the work that you have made with the creation of the actual ads themselves. Second, it helps you to avoid infringing third party rights in relation to items that you include within the advertising itself, such as artistic works, photographs, extracts form books, songs or movies, brands, or even other advertisements.

Now a key question is what copyright protects.

First and foremost, it does not protect “ideas” – it can only protect the physical manifestation of that idea. That means the manner in which the idea is expressed – dialogue, copy, layout, photography, music or any other aspect of the actual expression used in the ad. In other

words, it is not the creative approach that is protected but what is actually said, performed, photographed, shot or shown on screen or page.

What does that mean for my campaign?

So, copyright law prevents third parties from copying anything that has the benefit of legal protection. In other words, if an ad is based on a pre-existing work which benefits from copyright protection or if it includes the copyright materials of third parties (such as photographs or extracts from books or movies or music) without permission then you are walking straight into a potential copyright infringement. Practically, there are a few key things to bear in mind.

First, somebody needs to take on the task of clearing any advertisement that uses or relies on any third party owned copyright materials.

Mark Hill

legal

In other words, if you ever get into this kind of activity, you should have a copyright clearance programme. Second, this practical ownership responsibility has contractual implications. If something goes wrong, who takes responsibility – the brand owner, the agency or the producers?? This must be dealt with contractually; at the very least the parties should agree on a mechanism to ensure that they all have to sign off on this issue before the ad will proceed.

The agency and the advertiser A fairly frequent area of difficulty that we see is the mess that clients and agencies often get into when something goes wrong. The problem usually arises because there are no formal (or even informal!) contractual arrangements between the parties and so there are no terms dealing with the issue of copyright in the work that was produced by the agency for the client or even by a producer for the agency. Take this as an example – the agency and the client have not been able to agree on the format of the ad but the clients like the characters which were created for use in the ad. In fact, they like them so much that it has given some the characters to another agency for them to prepare print ads using those characters!

This raises two problems. First, it’s likely that the agency has not been paid for the work it did in the first place (because the ad has not yet been cleared). Second, the agency thought it was agreeing to be paid for a specific job, namely the creation of characters only for use in a TV advertisement and not a print campaign. It is well

Fiona Robertson

known in the advertising industry that the client has to pay the right fee for the right job.

The problem is that nobody has considered the contractual position – who owns the copyright? There are laws which govern this but unfortunately this kind of a dispute takes you to a murky world of vagueness and uncertainty. The worst thing is that this kind of situation is easy to avoid as the ownership and use of copyright materials is fundamental to the agency or client relationship and should be one of the key points which is dealt with at the start.

Operating on unwritten or incomplete contracts is simply asking for trouble. “Good working partners” quickly cease to be “good” or in any way “working” when something goes wrong. So the answer is simple - get a proper contract in place dealing with at least the basic provisions that are critical to the relationship and including copyright ownership, approvals and use.

Advertising claims Making claims about your brand and product is usually a vital part of the process of advertising.

But you must always be careful – it can be a dangerous game to use claims that are designed to create confusion and mislead customers into believing that your product is somehow better or more unique that it actually is.

Running such a campaign might place you in breach of the laws in several countries. In Qatar particularly, you must be mindful of the Commercial Law No 27 of 2006. This law includes a clear statement that a trader may not publish facts that are not accurate or true in connection with their goods. It also states that you cannot resort to fraud and cheating when marketing products nor can you publish particulars tending to be prejudicial to the interests of another competitor trader.

These are serious matters so be careful and ensure that you not only understand your product but your competitor’s products as well – it can be easy to inadvertently breach this law by claiming that your product is, for example, the only one that has a certain feature when your competitor may also have that feature.

Competitions and trade promotions A popular way to market a brand is to undertake a prize draw such as those that take place constantly in shopping malls across the region. It may surprise many to find out that the law in the Middle East can actually be more liberal than in many other jurisdictions around the world.

There are certain practical things which you need to do to obtain the appropriate approvals to run such promotions. Practically this can be difficult, with several government agencies often involved, depending on what you are doing and where you are doing it, you may have to approach, for example, the Qatar Tourism Authority, the Consumer Protection Department, and the Chamber of Commerce.

Often the result will be “no permit is required” but it is always better to ask than to be found in breach of the regulations.

Remember that in other countries in the Middle East (such as Saudi Arabia or the UAE), it is not so easy to run prize draws so you should be well prepared if you plan to run a campaign across the GCC, for example. You need time to get these permits in place – in some case you need several weeks to do so.

Pulling it all together The point of all of this is that working with advertising is simply a matter of being practical; allow creativity and innovation to flourish while at the same time ensuring that you do so within practical boundaries. As with pretty much every other jurisdiction we have ever advised in, the rules are many, varied, and often vague! Let your common sense guide you and if you are still not sure, you could always ask a good lawyer!

About therightslawyers is the first and only boutique TMT (Technology Media and Telecommunications) firm set up in the Middle East to cater exclusively for the creative industries, businesses that are driven by or reliant on intellectual property rights (including brand and other IP rights owners, companies facing counterfeiting and IP infringement issues, franchise operations, pharmaceutical and biotech companies, and technology, IT and telecommunications Industries.

For more information, please visit www.therightslawyers.com

APRIL 2012

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marketing

The launch site Advertising is an important tool for doing business. People will only buy your product or service if they know about it. Aparna Shivpuri Arya spoke to Stefan Lindberg-Jones, Founder, Think Big Qatar, to find out what is unique about his concept and how can enterprises make use of it.

T

alking about his venture, Stefan said that Think Big Qatar aims to be a soapbox for both small and large companies to broadcast their services using video and the Internet.

Where before small companies could not afford to have their own video, now it is possible to have a professional video produced and broadcasted across the social media. It also allows clients and customers to see what companies have to offer from the comfort of their own home or office.

Talking about the beginnings, Stefan came up with the idea five years ago. “I found it very frustrating to not know what companies and shops had to offer here in Qatar. So I looked at how it would be possible to promote companies using video and still be cost effective. I could also see that companies here in Qatar were slowly acquiring their own Websites. These Websites would need content and one way to have content would be video.”

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Businesses and the public are able to see the people behind the product or service and learn about what the business is all about. It’s also very cost effective, as the companies can be videoed doing a presentation about their business or they can be interviewed about their business.

Each company has its own dedicated page on the site, which includes text about the business, the video, contact details and a map of their location.

“We also promote the video and the company across the social network and target key areas depending on the industry they are in. I see it as advertising in the 21st century just like TV or cable advertising was like in the 70,80’s and 90‘s,” highlighted Stefan.

When you are running a small business, and when you want to launch a new product or company, you need as much exposure as possible and that is where Think Big Qatar comes into its own.

The video presentation is for three minutes and depends on the company and the cliental they want to target. If a company wants to diversify from the basic packages, they have the option to do that and be more creative.

The more creative the video the more views it attracts on the Internet, which means wider coverage and more people talking and researching about the company.

“Since our launch in mid December our reach has been global. There is a lot of interest about Qatar across the world. The successful bid for the 2022 World Cup has been a huge part of that and people are taking an interest in the actual businesses that are based here in Qatar. Our clients to date are receiving enquiries from all over the world.”

Talking about success stories, Stefan mentioned Global Women Qatar. “Like most startup companies, they were busy trying to find women to send in their CVs. They came to us in the beginning and we advised them about what would be an effective advertisement to attract women here in Qatar and from abroad.

Once we produced the video, which took half a day to shoot in our boardroom and a couple of days to edit, we launched the page on www.thinkbigqatar.com, at the same time we blitzed LinkedIn and Facebook groups that were orientated towards the female agenda. The response was amazing and the company was swamped with CVs and client enquiries.”

Online advertising has the USP of having a high return on investment (ROI) as it can be viewed 24 hours, seven days a week and 365 days in a year. Let’s hope businesses, especially SMEs can make use of this cost-effective medium to promote their business.

About Stefan has been working in the TV industry for the last 18 years, working for such companies such as Quantel, Orbit Satellite Communications, ITV, Sky and Aljazeera English. Since moving to Qatar Stefan has help set-up two video production companies and has started a new production company called Ginger Camel. Off the back of this he launched a new business website called www.thinkbigqatar.com

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