HEC Paris in Qatar yesterday launched a new Master’s degree in Financial Regulation and Leadership for Qatari employees in core business areas of Qatar’s three financial regulators.
The degree programme has been designed to develop employees of Qatar Central Bank, the Qatar Financial Markets Authority and the QFC Regulatory Authority – the three regulators. In addition, QNB also has students registered in the programme, a press statement said.
The Master’s degree in Strategic Business Unit Management (SBUM), with specialisation in Financial Regulation, took shape in 2016. Its purpose is to “support and build future Qatari regulatory leaders”, the statement notes, adding that the custom programme for financial regulators is the “first of its kind in the region, and one of only a handful worldwide”. 
The programme will be delivered by HEC Paris in Qatar and runs from November 4 until April 2019.
Eisa Ahmed Abdulla, COO of the QFC Regulatory Authority, said: “The Master’s degree programme was sponsored and supported by the Chairman of the QFC Regulatory Authority and Qatar Financial Markets Authority, and Governor of Qatar Central Bank, HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Saoud al-Thani. We look forward to seeing our future leaders in action in our sector, and delivering on Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Strategic Plan for Financial Sector Regulation.”  
In 2016, the three financial regulators initiated the Master’s degree programme as part of a strategic effort to create a legacy of financial regulation in the country. Representatives from the partnering organisations were appointed to a technical advisory panel, which met twice last year to review proposals from regional education providers. In December 2016, the panel awarded the contract to HEC Paris in Qatar.  
The SBUM, with specialisation in Financial Regulation, features 12 modules. Six of the modules are dedicated to financial regulation, including an online module on Islamic Finance. The programme will guide participants through leadership skills needed to effectively manage teams and organisations, address the importance of developing and implementing a sound strategy in challenging times and feature in-depth learning of financial regulation. 
The 17 members of the Class of 2019 will embark on a study tour to Germany, during which they will be given the opportunity to explore how banks and regulatory systems work in a different environment. Dr Nils Plambeck, dean and CEO of HEC Paris in Qatar and academic director of the SBUM, said: “Our programme, sponsored by the partnership of Qatar’s three regulators, is designed to further develop the leadership, management and technical competencies of the participants.”