Boundless Opportunities

About Qatar
Qatar is emerging as one of the most dynamic economies in the Middle East. It has the highest per capita income in
the world and enjoys one of the fastest growing GDPs, reaching 13.3% real GDP, and valued in 2008 at over US$80
billion.
The economy is rapidly expanding in practically every sector and industry. A combination of government investment and
the participation of multi-national companies is creating a culture of opportunity.
The government is using its vast oil and gas wealth to create a society that provides opportunities for all. It has
committed over US$140 billion for investment, infrastructure and expansion in a wide range of sectors, including energy,
health, education, transport, infrastructure and tourism.
Reliance on crude oil exports has been replaced by an ambitious and progressive approach to the management of
the nation’s economy, which focuses on developing Qatar’s huge natural gas reserves and its expansion of liquefied
natural gas, petrochemicals and condensates production. This is supported by a far reaching programme of economic
liberalisation and diversification into a more broadly based economy.
Qatar is quickly becoming the world’s single largest producer of LNG, and by 2010 will have a production capacity of 77
million tons per year. New oil capacity also continues to come on stream, thus boosting export volumes. By 2012, Qatar
will be producing the equivalent of 6 million barrels of oil.
The economy is characterised by low private consumption and a high national savings rate, making Qatar a very
attractive financial market within the GCC, with a high asset growth rate...
International Finance
The Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) has been created to support Qatar’s ambitious strategy to attract international finance
companies to support its investment and development programme. The QFC allows international finance companies to
take advantage of the business opportunities presented by Qatar’s rapid economic development, which has been led by
the oil and gas sector, and particularly the growth in demand for liquid natural gas.
Through the government’s careful investment management of over $130 billion over the next few years, supported by a
sound investment strategy, Qatar offers international finance companies numerous business opportunities for provision
of financial services.
International financial services firms are encouraged to set up in the QFC to meet the needs in the Qatari market for corporate
finance, venture capital, project finance, private equity, wealth management, insurance and re-insurance, investment
banking and Islamic banking, investment strategy, investment management and other financial services, which will
only continue to increase given the current rate of economic development.
To ensure that international finance companies operate in an environment governed by stringent standards, the Qatar
Financial Centre Regulatory Authority (QFCRA) independently authorizes and supervises firms and individuals. The practices
of the QFCRA are modeled on those used at major centres for international finance, such as London.
Through the QFC, Qatar is actively encouraging financial services companies to enter the market not only because of
its financial and business needs, but also to raise standards in investment strategy, investment management and other
financial services disciplines.