Qatar, London eye deeper investment relations as lord mayor visits Doha
Tribune News Network
Doha
The Qatari Businessmen Association (QBA) hosted Lord Alastair King, Lord Mayor of the City of London, and his accompanying delegation for a luncheon held on the sidelines of his visit to Doha. The event was attended by His Excellency Neerav Patel, the British Ambassador to the State of Qatar, and was welcomed by Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani, QBA Chairman.
Also the luncheon was attended by Sheikh Nawaf Nasser bin Khaled Al Thani, QBA Board member, along with QBA members: Khalid Al Mannai, Sheikh Mansour bin Jassim Al Thani, Nabil Abu Issa, Youssef Jassim Al Darwish, Sheikh Turki bin Faisal, Faisal Al Mana, Abdulrahman Al Darwish, Youssef Al Mahmoud, Mohammed Althaf, and Sarah Abdallah, QBA Deputy General Manager.
Lord Alastair King praised the visit of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir of the State of Qatar, to the United Kingdom last December, describing it as a celebration of the strong commercial, financial, and cultural ties between the two nations.
Lord King emphasized that the United Kingdom views Qatar as a key investment partner and expressed gratitude for Qatar's trust, as demonstrated through its substantial investments across various British institutions and businesses. He noted that these investments extend beyond London to several parts of the UK, including South East England, where numerous investment opportunities are available.
During the meeting, Lord King discussed a new joint initiative — the Mansion House Accord — launched by the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA), the Association of British Insurers (ABI), and the City of London Corporation. The initiative involves commitment by 17 pension schemes and providers to allocate at least 10% of default Defined Contribution (DC) funds to private markets, with no less than half of these investments directed toward UK assets by 2030. According to the UK Treasury, the agreement is expected to mobilize over £50 billion in the next five years, including £25 billion for UK-based investments.
He also highlighted efforts to encourage UK businesses to explore and expand into new markets like Qatar, stressing Britain's expertise in sustainable finance and project financing. He expressed interest in engaging Qatari investors in some of the UK's cutting-edge technological sectors.
He added, 'London and Doha share a very close relationship. Several Qatari banks and institutions operate actively in London, engaging in significant business activities. It's equally promising to see British banks well represented in Qatar, while Qatari capital is also being invested in other British financial institutions, some of which are present in Qatar and attracting British investments.'
He also touched on the UK's trade relations with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), stating that projections suggest bilateral trade will grow by 16%, reaching nearly £57 billion. He emphasized the exceptional opportunities that exist between the UK and Qatar.
'There are many investments coming from Qatar related to green finance — an area where the UK considers itself a market leader,' he said. 'We currently manage £91 billion in green investment funds, and Qatar is participating in these funds.'
Lord Alastair King invited members of the Qatari Businessmen Association to visit London to explore a wide range of investment opportunities across various sectors, assuring them that he would facilitate all investment-related processes for the Qatari business community within the City of London.
For his part, Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani, Chairman of the Qatari Businessmen Association, described London as a preferred investment destination for Qatari businessmen. He emphasized the historic and exceptional bilateral relationship between Doha and London, which has seen significant growth in economic and commercial ties in recent years. He confirmed that QBA members have diversified investments in the UK across sectors such as tourism, retail, construction, education, healthcare, and other productive industries.
Neerav Patel, praised the strong and fruitful relationship between the UK Embassy and the QBA. He emphasized the UK's commitment to enhancing bilateral cooperation across all sectors, which he described as having reached their highest levels.
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