From right, Christophe Payot, ambassador of Royal Embassy of Belgium, Sheikh Turki bin Faisal bin Qasim al-Thani and Luk Kelles, Chairman of BBCQ.
By Umer Nangiana
Belgium Business Club Qatar (BBCQ) is the first-of-its-kind community forum to register with Qatar Financial Center (QFC). It is registered as limited liability company and thus it can operate its own bank account and other financial transactions.
This was said by Luk Kelles, Chairman of BBCQ at “Belgium Meets Qatar”, a dinner organised by Royal Belgium Embassy in Qatar along with BBCQ to mark the first 1st anniversary of the club here at W Hotel Doha.
On the occasion the forum also celebrated the appointment of Sheikh Turki bin Faisal bin Qasim al-Thani as BBCQ’s honorary President, besides getting the under the umbrella of QFC.
The dinner was attended by a number of Qatari and Belgian business community members. The evening consisted of a seated dinner, a Belgian menu by a famous Belgian Chef, and a brief presentation about Belgium, its regions’ best and more exciting surprises.
Christophe Maters, Vice Chairman BBCQ, gave a presentation on bilateral needs and how the two countries could benefit from each other’s resources.
Ambassador of Belgium to Qatar Christophe Payot praised the contributions of Belgian Business Community in Qatar in strengthening bilateral trade relations between Qatar and Belgium.
The Belgian envoy said that a number of Belgian companies are involved in prestigious infrastructure projects of Qatar for which he feels pride as these companies are part of Qatar’s historical development.
Payot said Belgium nationals have expertise in number of sectors including energy, construction and renewable energy. Belgium, on the other hand, can also benefit from Qatar’s experience which will be helping in strengthening the bilateral relations, he added.
The Belgian Business Club was founded in 2014 as the brainchild of Herman Merckx, former Belgian Ambassador to Qatar, Luk Kelles, the current chairman of the club, and Charlotte Struye, Flanders Investment & Trade representative.
With the arrival and support of the new Belgian ambassador, Christophe Payot, activities really have taken off. The club organises monthly events for everyone who is interested in doing business, preferably within a Belgian-Qatari context.
This is an important year for the Belgian business community, especially with the Belgian high-level economic mission that recently visited Qatar and was presided over by Princess Astrid of Belgium, Representative of the King, according to the club.
The Belgian Business Club Qatar was closely involved with the organisation of this mission, which was a joint initiative of the Belgian Foreign Trade Agency, the regional institutions for foreign trade (Flanders Investment & Trade, Wallonia Trade & Investment, and Brussels Invest & Export), and the Federal Public Service of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation.
The BBCQ says its vision is to become a well-run, successful business club that puts networking between Belgian and Qatari businessmen and women at the heart of its activities.
It aims to promote Belgian businesses in Qatar and vice versa, as a not-for-profit organisation run for and by its members. It also intends to provide a networking forum for business people in Qatar and to support, connect and help navigate Belgian companies that are new in Qatar besides promoting trade between Belgium and Qatar.
