H E Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani & The Success Of Qatar Economic Forum

As a CEO of Media City, a subsidiary of Qatar Media Corporation, and the Chairperson of the Supreme Committee Organising the Qatar Economic Forum (QEF), His Excellency Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani has been instrumental in the success of one of the biggest events in the region: The Qatar Economic Forum, which is back in May after last year’s success.

According to GlobalData, a prominent data and analytics firm, the Qatari economy is projected to grow at an average annual rate of 3.1% from 2023 to 2025. With its strategic location and a business-friendly environment, Qatar has been able to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and expand its brand globally.

Qatar is going through a diversification of its economy, with initiatives aimed at reducing reliance on hydrocarbons. As a result of these efforts, Qatar has emerged as a promising investment destination. One of those initiatives is the Qatar Economic Forum,  now in its third edition. Powered by Bloomberg, the event is set to take place from May 23 to 25, 2023. Established as a platform for global business leaders to exchange ideas and formulate actionable steps towards economic growth, the 2023 edition is expected to attract even more influential business leaders, academics, and heads of government.

The Success Of The Qatar Economic Forum

In an interview with QNA, chairperson of the Supreme Committee Organising the Qatar Economic Forum (QEF) and CEO of Media City H.E. Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani noted that the previous QEF brought together approximately 1,000 participants, including CEOs, entrepreneurs, and other business leaders, with the aim of fostering meaningful dialogue and finding solutions to pressing global challenges. These challenges include the ongoing supply chain crisis and the gap between future job demands and current workforce capabilities in the post-pandemic world.

Under the patronage of H.H. the Amir, the Qatar Economic Forum (QEF) hosted a globally significant dialogue that attracted high-level participants and government officials. Over 75 keynote speakers and notable business figures, including Tesla founder Elon Musk, TotalEnergies Chairperson and CEO Patrick Pouyanne, and Shell CEO Ben van Beurden, as well as ministers and global dignitaries from around the world, participated in the QEF.

The Chairperson of the Supreme Committee Organizing the QEF and CEO of Media City stated that the forum's most crucial outcomes were the exchange of ideas and the discussion of the global economy's future and responsibility for achieving a comprehensive and sustainable recovery. During the forum, several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed, including those between Qatari and Egyptian finance ministers to coordinate financial policies and mechanisms.

The second edition of the QEF provided a platform to seek the opinions of notable personalities, including Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun, retired US Army General David Petraeus, KIA Board Member & Managing Director H.E. Ghanem Suleiman Al Ghenaiman, and Syngenta CEO J. Erik Fyrwald, among others.

“It was an opportunity to seek the opinions of prominent personalities, such as the CEO of Boeing Dave Calhoun, retired US Army General David Petraeus, and CEO of Syngenta J. Erik Fyrwald, among others.

The most important results of the dialogue at the Qatar Economic Forum were the exchange of views and the highlighting of the future of the global economy and the responsibility towards achieving a comprehensive and sustainable recovery,” he said.

And added: “Qatar Economic Forum serves as a media platform with a diverse agenda that brings together global business leaders to formulate actionable steps towards achieving economic growth. The Forum has been able to achieve this goal in each edition, and has become today an oasis for dialogue and exchange of views.”

“Qatar Economic Forum is held in Doha, which is a contact point between East, West and Africa. This enhances the Forum’s strategic role in the global business community, because Doha has become today a thriving financial and commercial centre that leads dialogues and provides the possibility of exchanging views with the aim of promoting synergies between the main players on the global economic scene,” Sheikh Ali indicated.

Over two decades of dedication

H E Sheikh Ali holds a Masters in Finance from The Johns Hopkins University and has held different executive positions at QatarEnergy, between 2002 and 2004 and in Shell, first as Financial Analyst and, then, as Commercial Advisor. He joined the Qatari government in 2015 as Head of Media Relations in the Communications Office, and then, he got promoted to Deputy Director of Government Communications Office in 2018.

In 2021, he was appointed as the CEO of Media City, a subsidiary of Qatar Media Corporation. Under his leadership, Media City has become one of the leading media production and broadcasting hubs in the region, attracting major international companies and producing high-quality content for audiences worldwide.