The third annual GWC Forum, titled ‘Fostering Legacy – Empowering MSMEs in the Digital Era’, highlighted the bright future for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Qatar.
Ahead of the forum, GWC and Qatar Development Bank (QDB) announced a co-operation agreement which will see the entities work together to support MSMEs in Qatar.
During the hybrid forum, the delegates explored the legacy of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and discussed how Qatar’s enterprising momentum will inspire growth across the region as the nation builds towards the National Vision 2030.
Ranjeev Menon, Group CEO, GWC, said: “This is an exciting time for MSMEs in Qatar. As we work towards Qatar National Vision 2030, we are seeing strong growth and expansion as the country prioritises the development of the private sector.”
In his keynote speech, Dr Hamad Mejegheer, executive director of Advisory & Incubation, said: “Qatar’s journey in hosting the FIFA World Cup was nothing short of remarkable, transforming a sporting tournament into a cultural event that resonated globally and left a lasting impact on our country that accelerated the growth of our entrepreneurship eco-system.”
The first panel session, titled ‘Enabling Growth’, explored the impact of the FIFA World Cup on regional growth and sustainability, with particular focus on empowering MSMEs through sustainable logistics, the circular economy, education, and attracting foreign investment for long-term prosperity.
Contributors included Syed Maaz, GWC; Dr Christos Anagnostopoulos, HBKU; Engineer Salim al-Thuhli, Khazaen; and Joelle Yazbeck, UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia.
Maaz said, “The World Cup was a major milestone for Qatar and GWC. Qatar delivered the best-ever World Cup – and GWC delivered a strong backbone logistical support. There was not a single failure or incident. Historically, Qatar has been an importer of goods. But now, MSMEs are being creative and developing opportunities to supply and provide various activities.”
Yazbeck said, “The World Cup not only reinforced digitisation, it also extended beyond e-commerce to include data collection and data analytics. MSMEs will have to learn to embrace digital technology and leverage data collection and data analytics to better understand their customers and improve their experiences to the point where they will eventually be able to make better decisions and enable growth.”
The second panel session, titled ‘Digital MSMEs’, explored tech and innovation to boost MSMEs in the digital era, leveraging AI, exceptional customer experiences, and e-procurement for better service, increased sales, and operational efficiency, leading to prosperity in the digital landscape. The panel included Jawaher al-Khuzaei, GWC; Aysha al-Romaihi, QDB; and Mohamed al-Delaimi, SkipCash.
On day two of the forum, the ‘Future Ready MSME Workshop’ presented a strategic approach for businesses preparing to navigate upcoming challenges effectively. Following a keynote speech from GWC, HBKU delivered a data-rich and interactive workshop focused on the opportunities and challenges facing MSMEs.
During the hybrid forum, the delegates explored the legacy of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and discussed how Qatar’s enterprising momentum will inspire growth across the region as the nation builds towards National Vision 2030.
