As part of Ooredoo’s talent development programme for Qatari nationals, a team of executives has returned from a fact-finding and personal development programme in Norway, organised by the HEC Paris Value Leader Programme.

In total, 27 managers and senior managers took part in the visit, which enabled them to learn more about human capital development in Norway through a series of special lectures, visits and training exercises.

Ooredoo CEO Sheikh Saud bin Nasser al-Thani said: “One of the major aims of the trip was to encourage executives to think about their leadership styles and consider which elements could be adapted from the people management practices of other leading organisations. We are working to create a culture of excellence throughout Ooredoo and develop a new generation of Qatari national leaders; this visit played a key role in that.”

During the visit to Norway, the Ooredoo executives toured the headquarters of Telenor, a major Norwegian telecommunications company which has – like Ooredoo – experienced significant international growth in recent years. As part of their field activities, the participants also visited the offices of PwC Consulting to hear case studies on human capital development from around the world.

Mohamed Jassim al-Kuwari, chief corporate services officer at Ooredoo, said: “In partnering with HEC Paris in Qatar, the best business school in the country and one of the top institutions in the world, we are enhancing our efforts to be the leading employer of choice in Qatar.”

In a bid to encourage teamwork, the Ooredoo delegates also participated in activities such as glacier climbing, sea-kayaking and abseiling.

Buthaina al-Ansari, senior director of human resources at Ooredoo, said: “Participants in the HEC Paris Value Leader Programme learned a lot about the practices of peer companies in other countries, experienced life in a different culture and united as a team. Our support for this programme is one of the ways to ensure that we are a great place to work (in).”

The Norway trip was part of the ongoing HEC Paris Value Leader Programme in which Ooredoo is taking part throughout the year. As one of Ooredoo’s core initiatives for enhancing training and development, the value leader programme plays a key role in the company’s long-term Qatarisation strategy.

In addition to the value leader programme, Ooredoo has launched a range of professional development programmes for Qatari nationals.