QFCA in pact with CISI to facilitate upskilling of workforce

The Qatar Financial Centre Authority (QFCA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI) as part of upskilling the workforce.
The MoU with the largest and widely respected professional body and education charity for the securities and investment profession in the UK and financial centres globally was established to facilitate the upskilling of the workforce within the QFC and the broader financial services industry.
Under the agreement, the QFC and CISI will implement training and certification programmes, workshops, and awareness sessions to enhance comprehension of the QFCA mandatory qualifications framework, foster continuous learning, and cultivate expertise within the QFCA.
Through these initiatives, QFC and CISI will promote knowledge exchange and facilitate networking and collaborate among diverse stakeholders within the industry. Training for certifications will be in English, with exams available in both English and Arabic.
The arrangement includes access to CISI membership for QFCA staff. Staff will then have access to the CISI platform, which contains over 2,000 learning items curated by subject or type, allowing upskilling and continuing professional development.
The CISI learning platform includes live webinars on CISI TV, recorded content on CISI’s YouTube channel, podcasts and cutting-edge articles in CISI’s The Review magazine.
"This strategic alliance underscores our dedication to cultivating a knowledgeable workforce and building up talent within the financial industry. Through this MoU, we aim to leverage the expertise and resources of both entities to elevate industry standards and create unparalleled opportunities for professional growth and development," said QFCA chief executive officer Yousuf Mohamed al-Jaida.
Matthew Cowan, regional director (Middle East and North Africa), CISI, said it has been working with regulators in the region for more than 10 years and has its own regulatory qualifications with the QFCRA (QFC Regulatory Authority) and QFMA (Qatar Financial Market Authority), among others, across the Gulf Cooperation Council.
"We embrace this opportunity to work more closely with the QFC and build on our relationship with regulators, firms, individuals and CISI members in the region. We look forward to continuing to raise awareness of the importance of knowledge and skills with CPD throughout our partnership with the QFC, to help build capacities for Qatari citizens as part of the Qatar 2030 vision,” he added.
Abdulla Mohamed al-Hajri, chief operating officer, QFC, said with this MoU, "we advance our shared aspirations for creating a brighter future through continuous education.”