The Qatari Businessmen Association (QBA) on Monday organised a roundtable with representatives of three leading French investment funds during which ways to further strengthen Qatar-France business ties were discussed.
The roundtable was attended by representatives of three of France's leading investment funds, Ardian, Iris Capital and LBO France and held in co-operation with the French Embassy in Doha and in the presence of Franck Gellet, French ambassador.
The QBA was represented by Sheikh Faisal bin Fahad al-Thani, Abdulsalam Abu Issa, Sheikh Khalid bin Nawaf al-Thani, Mohamed Althaf and Ihsan al-Khiyami.
Also, Sheikh Nawaf bin Jabor al-Thani, managing director, Al Jabor Trading attended, in addition to representatives from distinguished private sector companies such as Al Mana Group, Al Sawari Group and Al Balagh for Trading.
Representatives from Qatar Free Zones, Qinvest, BNP Paribas and Invest House besides QBA deputy general manager Sarah Abdulla attended the roundtable.
Sheikh Faisal reiterated that Qatari businessmen were aware of the great potential the French market offered. Qatari businessmen are always in search of profitable investments and successful partnership opportunities to expand their business.
The meeting highlighted the strength and the diversity of the French private equity industry with the participation of the three leading fund managers.
Gellet thanked everyone for the meeting and stressed his aspiration to build on the very strong strategic relationship between France and Qatar. He added that the current economic environment in Qatar opened new areas of opportunities for Qatari-French co-operation in various sectors.
Amine Chaehoi, head, Commercial Department, Business France, presented the economic environment in France and the growth prospects as well as the export indicators and investment incentives provided to attract investors.
Amine pointed out that France was ranked second after England as the best destination for attracting foreign investments, followed by Germany, while occupying the first place in Europe as a destination for R&D and industrial projects.
His presentation also highlighted France's reforms to lift investment constraints and accelerate development; these reforms include corporate tax reduction and low capital taxes, creating a flexible labour market to promote employment, working to achieve regional equality through sustainable transport bill, deployment of 4G networks across the country and using fibre networks by 2022.
Issa talked about the French-Qatari relations, pointing out that France is one of Qatar’s largest economic partners. The two countries have close economic and trade relations and that both countries have a firm economic policy in trade and investment.
As for the investment funds, the representative of Ardian gave a brief presentation on the most important investment areas of the fund, which includes five main areas with a value of $96bn as managed assets. These include “Fund of Funds” with a value of $53bn, “Direct Funds” with a value of $19bn, “Infrastructure” $16bn, private debt worth $7bn and real estate worth $1bn.
He pointed out that the fund's investments covered most important European capitals and economic cities in the world such as London, Paris, Frankfurt, Zurich in addition to New York, Beijing, Tokyo and Singapore among others.
As for Iris Capital Fund, the team also gave a presentation in which they spoke about the privileges of French investment funds, especially with regard to academic excellence designed to stimulate entrepreneurship and strong financial and tax incentives that support the establishment of companies.
The representative of LBO France explained how the fund works as a unique investment platform that offers strategies for private equity, real estate, investment capital and debt.
He also reviewed the most important sectors in which the fund has invested: Luxury and leisure, industry, F&B and consumer goods, information technology and healthcare.
France is one of the favourite destinations for Qatari investors where the Qatari investments are estimated at $30bn, of which private investments amount to $10bn.
Also, France is Qatar’s seventh economic partner and Doha is one of France's leading trading partners in the Gulf region. It is also a destination for French companies with more than 200 such firms investing in various sectors in the Qatari market.
Special contracts were signed between the two countries worth more than €16bn in several fields.
The QBA was represented by Sheikh Faisal bin Fahad al-Thani, Abdulsalam Abu Issa, Sheikh Khalid bin Nawaf al-Thani, Mohamed Althaf and Ihsan al-Khiyami.
Also, Sheikh Nawaf bin Jabor al-Thani, managing director, Al Jabor Trading attended, in addition to representatives from distinguished private sector companies such as Al Mana Group, Al Sawari Group and Al Balagh for Trading.
Representatives from Qatar Free Zones, Qinvest, BNP Paribas and Invest House besides QBA deputy general manager Sarah Abdulla attended the roundtable.
Sheikh Faisal reiterated that Qatari businessmen were aware of the great potential the French market offered. Qatari businessmen are always in search of profitable investments and successful partnership opportunities to expand their business.
The meeting highlighted the strength and the diversity of the French private equity industry with the participation of the three leading fund managers.
Gellet thanked everyone for the meeting and stressed his aspiration to build on the very strong strategic relationship between France and Qatar. He added that the current economic environment in Qatar opened new areas of opportunities for Qatari-French co-operation in various sectors.
Amine Chaehoi, head, Commercial Department, Business France, presented the economic environment in France and the growth prospects as well as the export indicators and investment incentives provided to attract investors.
Amine pointed out that France was ranked second after England as the best destination for attracting foreign investments, followed by Germany, while occupying the first place in Europe as a destination for R&D and industrial projects.
His presentation also highlighted France's reforms to lift investment constraints and accelerate development; these reforms include corporate tax reduction and low capital taxes, creating a flexible labour market to promote employment, working to achieve regional equality through sustainable transport bill, deployment of 4G networks across the country and using fibre networks by 2022.
Issa talked about the French-Qatari relations, pointing out that France is one of Qatar’s largest economic partners. The two countries have close economic and trade relations and that both countries have a firm economic policy in trade and investment.
As for the investment funds, the representative of Ardian gave a brief presentation on the most important investment areas of the fund, which includes five main areas with a value of $96bn as managed assets. These include “Fund of Funds” with a value of $53bn, “Direct Funds” with a value of $19bn, “Infrastructure” $16bn, private debt worth $7bn and real estate worth $1bn.
He pointed out that the fund's investments covered most important European capitals and economic cities in the world such as London, Paris, Frankfurt, Zurich in addition to New York, Beijing, Tokyo and Singapore among others.
As for Iris Capital Fund, the team also gave a presentation in which they spoke about the privileges of French investment funds, especially with regard to academic excellence designed to stimulate entrepreneurship and strong financial and tax incentives that support the establishment of companies.
The representative of LBO France explained how the fund works as a unique investment platform that offers strategies for private equity, real estate, investment capital and debt.
He also reviewed the most important sectors in which the fund has invested: Luxury and leisure, industry, F&B and consumer goods, information technology and healthcare.
France is one of the favourite destinations for Qatari investors where the Qatari investments are estimated at $30bn, of which private investments amount to $10bn.
Also, France is Qatar’s seventh economic partner and Doha is one of France's leading trading partners in the Gulf region. It is also a destination for French companies with more than 200 such firms investing in various sectors in the Qatari market.
Special contracts were signed between the two countries worth more than €16bn in several fields.
