By Peter Alagos

Business Reporter

The presence of a large number of Qataris in business networking events showcases a keen interest to expand local businesses to a global level, chairperson of the Italian Business Chamber in
Qatar has said.

Speaking to Gulf Times on the sidelines of the Back2Business (B2B) Networking 2014 recently, Palma Libotte underscored the difficulty of meeting with business professionals from the various sectors of the country.

She said the B2B networking activity had gathered more than 600 international and local companies in one event to allow companies to expand their footprint in the country and overseas.

“What is important is that this year, we have a lot of Qataris (participating in the event) and we’re very happy about this because in Qatar, it is very difficult to meet business professionals due to their hectic schedules; their working hours are very long and you cannot go out every night for meetings. So, to meet so many business professionals in one night and in one venue is a very powerful platform,” Libotte said.

This was echoed by Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) deputy CEO Yousuf Mohamed al-Jaida, who said that the Qatari people, particularly young entrepreneurs, are very aggressive in terms of business.

“Young Qataris are very aggressive in terms of investments and they are very shrewd when it comes to business,” al-Jaida pointed out.

When asked about the growing number of Qataris joining events like the B2B, al-Jaida said: “Well, it only goes to show that there’s a booming economy going on.”

He added that the increase in the demand for the B2B event attests to the growing interest of investors coming to the country even as he noted that the QFC provides “a perfect platform for companies that want to do
business in Qatar.”

“We’ve seen a lot of demands from various companies. So, a forum like this allows a lot of networking between Qatari and foreign investors and this facilitates joint ventures between local and international investors,” al-Jaida noted.

Aside from the Italian Business Chamber in Qatar, the B2B Networking 2014 was also organised by the Turkish, French, German, British, Scandinavian, Australian-New Zealand, Spanish, and Dutch business
councils.

The event served as a melting pot of sectors from public relations and events, oil and gas, construction and building materials, professional services, hospitality, transportation and logistics, interiors, and financial, among others.

Libotte said the formula used by the organisers was to create a casual, no-frills atmosphere where businesspersons could interact with their respective colleagues in a relaxed and
informal mood.

“We have learned that a business event in Qatar must have an atmosphere where both Qatari businessmen and their counterparts feel at ease. B2B remains casual but respects the local culture and follows the protocols of business events in Qatar,”
Libotte added.