29/05/2012 15:51 AST
The '2nd Middle East SME Forum 2012', with support provided by Al Khalij Commercial Bank (Al Khaliji) QSC in the form of Headline Sponsors, kicked off its activities at the Grand Hyatt Doha.
Held under the auspices of the Qatari Ministry of Business and Trade, the event will discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the regional SME sector and was inaugurated by keynote speeches by three Al khaliji executives, H.E Sheikh Hamad Bin Faisal Bin Thani Al-Thani, Chairman of the Board, Robin McCall, Group Chief Executive Officer and Mohamad Abdelkhalek, Group Head of Corporate and International Banking.
In his opening address, HE Sheikh Hamad not only focused on the importance of lending support to small and medium enterprises, but to the training of entrepreneurs themselves.
Young minds need help in development, and I encourage governments to include entrepreneurship skill-building classes at the high school level," said H.E. Sheikh Hamad. "That would, of course, involve providing the right tools and training to teachers in order to lead such classes. Naturally, this would entail partnerships between regional countries' respective education ministries with the educational institutions themselves."
H.E Sheikh Hamad also had a few suggestions for instilling the spirit of entrepreneurship in young hopefuls.
"Creativity in the classroom can inspire students to take an idea and go with it," continued H.E. Sheikh Hamad. "For example, collaborating with local industries and business to mentor or lecture students about their respective fields can significantly motivate students to find their own footing. Career days - or similar initiatives - can also serve to further excite students."
Group CEO McCall followed with an address summarizing the SME landscape in the region, drawing comparisons with the prominent SME role in Europe, along with al khaliji's extensive experience in the support of Qatari businesses.
"The German Economy is characterized first and foremost by around 3.6 million SMEs," said McCall. "Some 90% of all companies are SME enterprises and 70% of the German working population is employed by these businesses. These are predominantly family-owned and the companies are often handed down from generation to generation. There are many parallels with the MENA region - family-owned, handed down from one generation to another and extremely successful. However, the difference in concentrations, levels of employment, and contribution to GDP is a stark reminder when one compares the MENA region to more developed (Europe and the USA) or fast developing economies like that of China."
Al Khaliji's involvement in the forum goes beyond sponsorship, with three Al khaliji figures also hosting workshops and panel discussions: Mohammed Abdelkhalek, Group Head of Corporate and International Banking, lead a discussion on 'Al khaliji - a true business partner for businesses', while Abeer Al Kalla, Head of PR and Communications, moderated a panel discussion on women entrepreneur empowerment, and Mian Ehsanullah, Head of Public Sector and Liability Management, lead a panel discussion on 'facilitating investors with proper infrastructure for business start-ups.'
Al Khaliji's support for the event falls within the bank's general corporate responsibility strategy that aims to support education, enhance business knowledge, and build awareness in the local community.
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