EYES ON CHINA GOLD - Qatar Olympic Committee

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o o o o o o o o o PARTNERS IN SPORT Qatar National Bank has been sponsoring sports events FOR two decades and is now a key supporter OF QATAR’S NATIONAL STRATEGY It’s not unusual for blue-chip brands to support their local sports industry through sponsorship and official supplier agreements. But you definitely get the sense with Qatar’s leading companies that they like to go the extra mile. Over and above their commercial objectives, there seems to be a genuine desire to participate in Qatar’s great nationbuilding agenda. A great case in point is QNB – the Qatar National Bank which has been sponsoring set-piece sports events for the best part of two decades. Whether it is football, tennis, motorsports, traditional sports or flagship events like the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, it’s a given that QNB will have played a pivotal role. In recent years, the driving force behind the bank’s emphasis on sports sponsorship has been QNB chief executive Ali Shareef Al Emadi. And he has made it clear on numerous occasions that QNB’s commercial success goes hand in hand with Qatar’s prosperity as a nation. For Leading from t him, sports sponsorship is not just about articulating the bank’s core values, it’s about fulfilling its responsibility to the wider Qatari community. Aside from QNB’s commitment to achieving its own commercial objectives, Mr Al Emadi’s approach to sports sponsorship consists of three main elements. Firstly, a desire to put Qatar on the international map by sponsoring iconic events. Secondly, a commitment to developing young Qatari talent. And thirdly, an attempt to keep the local population healthy and active by supporting local community sporting events. The classic example of how to achieve all three of these goals at the same time was QNB’s support for the 2006 Asian Games. A brilliantly-executed event, QNB’s 36.5 million Riyal (US $10 million) financial contribution was undoubtedly a key element of Doha’s success. But just as important to the smooth running of the overall planning process were the bank’s logistical expertise and sponsorship experience. For QNB, active involvement with the Asian Games actually began in early 2005 when it signed its deal with the local organising committee [DAGOC]. Straightaway, Mr Al Emadi set up a permanent supervising committee to manage the bank’s preparations for the Games. By overseeing the committee himself, Mr Al Emadi sent out two messages. Firstly, that the bank’s sponsorship strategy would not be executed in a way which would affect its core banking services. And secondly, that the Games really Above: QNB was at the heart of the action during the 2006 Asian Games. Below: QNB Chief Executive Ali Shareef Al Emadi awards Maria Sharapova with the Qatar Open trophy. mattered to the bank (something he also demonstrated by taking part in the Doha torch relay). Indeed, QNB made sure its involvement with the Games touched the bank at every level. For example, it issued a special credit card to commemorate the Asian Games - donating part of the card’s revenues to the Reach Out To Asia campaign. It also worked with DAGOC to create an Information Emergency Centre – equipped with state-of-the-art technology to help tackle any emergency. As the Games approached, QNB employees became part of a vast field force of volunteers which ensured the Games ran smoothly. In terms of maximising exposure for both the bank and the event itself, QNB sponsored the official uniforms of 10,000 volunteers from 93 nations. The bank’s commitment to the success of the event also required a lot of activity around arrivals from abroad. Temporary bank branches within the Athletes’ Village, the temporary airport and the main media centre were all built to serve QNB clients and to promote the Bank’s products and services. QNB also ran a well-organised corporate hospitality programme. This played a key role in showcasing the capabilities of both the bank and Qatar to partners. Of course, it would be wrong to suppose that QNB’s interest in sport was limited to a few weeks at the end of 2006. Mr. Al Emadi has often stressed that the bank’s role in supporting the 2006 Doha Asian Games was not an 26 QatarSport Q3.08
he front isolated one-off - but an integral part of its wider strategic efforts to bolster Qatar’s sports sector. For many years, QNB has been a key supporter of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) – a partnership which was re-affirmed in 2006 when the bank signed an agreement to became the exclusive sponsor of Qatar’s major championships in football, basketball, volleyball and handball (a deal which factors in existing support for leading Qatari soccer events - the Emir Cup and the Heir Apparent Cup). Worth QR 25 million over three years, the deal is the first time a single Qatari institution has undertaken an initiative of this magnitude. And it couldn’t have come at a better time – providing local athletes with the kind of stable support they need in the run up to Beijing 2008. Not only that, but QNB’s Olympic link has allowed it to reach out and engage with Qatari consumers once more. For the first half of the year, it ran a credit card promotion with Visa (an IOC TOP sponsor), which will enable six lucky winners to attend the Beijing Olympics. In doing so, it found a way to keep up the momentum created by Doha 2006. Often, investment in a new area of sponsorship leads to cutbacks in existing commitments. But QNB has been careful not to turn its back on long-established arrangements. It continues to sponsor the Qatar’s Men and Women Tennis Championships – ATP and WTAendorsed events which attract world-class talent. QNB’s commitment to tennis is part of a long-standing partnership with the Qatar Tennis Federation, which dates back to the early 1990s. Explaining the rationale for the sponsorship, Mr Al Emadi said: “Our focus has been on giving Qatar the boost it deserves in order to receive international recognition, and we truly believe that supporting Tennis will help achieve this objective. We have been partners with QTF for 14 years, during which time this relationship has blossomed to a stage where Qatar’s tennis tournaments are recognised all over the world.” QNB has also played its part in the motorsports revolution sweeping across the Middle East. Through its partnership with the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF), it is the sponsor of both the QNB Losail Motorbike Race and the Qatari Middle East Rally Champion, Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah. Once again, Mr Al Emadi is keen for QNB to lead from the front: “This agreement falls in line with QNB’s plan to be actively involved in sponsoring and supporting local sport in Qatar. It allows us to strengthen our involvement in the development of motorsports, which enjoys widespread popularity in Doha. “This last comment is a reminder of how important the local population is to QNB’s strategy. QNB, for example, has stayed loyal to traditional favourites such as horse racing and camel racing. As Mr Al Emadi concludes, “Maintaining a strong link with the past will enable the country to move forward with confidence.” Q3.08 QatarSport 27
Page 1: QatarSport Q3.2008 the official mag
Page 4 and 5: Sheikh Saoud Bin Abdulrahman Al-Tha
Page 6 and 7: News in Brief Young Qatari athletes
Page 8 and 9: News in Brief ASPIRE students earn
Page 10 and 11: A visiting delegation from the Asia
Page 12 and 13: o o o o o o o o o LIFE - Be part of
Page 14 and 15: o o o o o o o o o beijing 2008 GREA
Page 16 and 17: o o o o o o o o o beijing 2008 The
Page 18 and 19: o o o o o o o o o beijing 2008 “A
Page 20 and 21: o o o o o o o o o beijing 2008 “w
Page 22 and 23: B A C D E Rashid Shafi Bital Adusri
Page 24 and 25: o o o o o o o o o STARS IN QATAR WH
Page 29 and 30: o o o o o o o o o HEALTH AND SOCIET
Page 31 and 32: Asian Optimist Sailing Championship
Page 33 and 34: World sports rankings Clockwise fro
Page 35 and 36: The PGA European Tour Chief Executi

EYES ON CHINA GOLD - Qatar Olympic Committee

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