As many as nine Qatari brands, including five listed banks and the national carrier Qatar Airways, feature prominently in the top 50 Middle East brands in 2020, despite the global pandemic Covid-19, according to Brand Finance, a global brand evaluation entity.
In its latest report, Brand Finance also said Qatar Airways is well-poised to bounce back from the Covid-19 turmoil.
QNB leads the charge as the country’s most valuable and strongest brand, up 20% to $6bn, said the brand evaluation agency, which assessed the impact of Covid-19, based on the effect of the outbreak on the enterprise value as on March 18, 2020, compared to what it was on January 1, 2020. 
“Of the Middle East’s top 50 brands, 21 are from the banking sector, with Qatar’s QNB leading the charge as the region’s biggest lender. QNB’s brand value has grown solidly since 2019 — despite a regional embargo on Qatar — as the bank has been pursuing expansion across new markets, with a notable strategic focus on Southeast Asia,” it said.
Ooredoo is the second most valuable Qatari brand with a value of $3.6bn and retains its top 10 ranking in the Middle East 50 ranking.
Qatar Airways soars 10% to $2.3bn and boosts capacity to cope with global pandemic Covid-19 passenger demand.
“Given the strong government support, its strong brand, combined with its active airline shareholdings, Qatar Airways is well poised to bounce back from the Covid-19 turmoil,” it said.
Brand Finance said three notable new entrants this year are Commercial Bank ($463mn), Masraf Al Rayan ($450mn) and Doha Bank ($443mn) — a testament to the growth of Qatar’s banking sector.
As the biggest lender in the region, QNB has expanded its portfolio to pursue new markets and its strong financial performance, and growing global footprint extends to more than 31 countries, where it provides a comprehensive range of advanced products and services.
Beyond the financial sector, QNB plays a key role in sporting sponsorships, such as the 2022 FIFA World Cup. It also supports Qatar on its path to self-sufficiency, across areas such as tourism, logistics and manufacturing.
In terms of ranking in the Middle East, QNB stood at the sixth position, Ooredoo (10), Qatar Airways (17), Qatar Insurance (28), Qatar Islamic Bank (34), Woqod (41), Commercial Bank (47), Masraf Al Rayan (49) and Doha Bank (50).
“Now is the ideal moment for Qatar’s brands to remain ever present in their stakeholders’ minds, engage across digital channels and show resilience and adaptability in these unprecedented times,” David Haigh, chief executive of Brand Finance, said.