Engineer Jassim Mohamed El-Khoury, CEO of the Media City- Qatar, stressed that the Qatar Economic Forum in cooperation with Bloomberg is of great importance to all those involved in the economy in the world and the Middle East region, which is witnessing an unprecedented dynamic, noting that the forum has become a vital platform to push economic dialogue and innovation, through the gathering of global leaders, strategic visions and sector leaders in Doha to work to form the future.
Al -Khoury explained, in a special interview with the Qatar News Agency «Qena», that the role of the forum is not limited to being a platform for exchanging ideas, but also contributes to supporting the Qatari economy, as its impact on GDP reached about 75 million riyals during the last version, as well as providing hundreds of job opportunities in various sectors, thanks to its broad economic impact.
He said that the Qatar Economic Forum, in cooperation with Bloomberg, is more than just an annual event, as it represents a major motivation for achieving the goals of the Qatar Vision 2030, and is considered one of the most prominent economic and cultural diplomacy platforms in Qatar, as it attracts a number of the most prominent international leaders and decision makers to exchange ideas, enhance integration between industries, and push the wheel of innovation.
He continued: «In its essence, the forum focuses on issues that contribute to the formation of the future, such as political geography and trade, the transformation of energy, technological innovation, sports and entertainment, and investment in emerging markets.
He explained that the 2024 version alone managed to collect more than 1500 international leaders, executives, and government officials, from 124 countries, noting that the percentage of participants from the level of executives amounted to about 70 percent, which enabled the forum to enhance dialogue across 15 different sectors, exceeding the areas of energy, financing and technology.
Global effect
He pointed out in a related context, that the 2022 edition witnessed the participation of more than 120 prominent speakers, while the 2023 version hosted nine heads of state, in addition to prominent commercial figures, which contributed to enhancing the influence of the forum in forming global economic discourse.
He added that the previous version witnessed the organization of more than 300 bilateral meetings, an increase of weakness compared to the previous year, as the discussion sessions attracted more than 1,000 participants, noting that discussions on growth in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and emerging markets have contributed to enhancing interaction and participation, while the forum achieved a marketing impact of 67.6 million Qatari riyals, and strengthened positive perceptions of Qatar by 18 percent.
Consolidation of cooperation
Engineer Al -Khoury pointed out that the role of the Qatar Economic Forum is not limited to linking companies only, but also contributes to enhancing the exchange of knowledge and consolidating the bonds of cooperation, as 20 memoranda of understanding has been signed that contributed to establishing strong ties between the local and international stakeholders.
At the end of his dialogue with Qena, the CEO of the Media City stated that the forum has become a gathering that reflects Qatar’s firm commitment to global economic leadership, as well as its attractiveness in various sectors, including technology, sports, and governance.
The fifth edition of the Qatar Economic Forum is held in cooperation with Bloomberg in Doha during the period from 20 to 22 May 2025.
roadmap
The forum aims to bring together global financial and economic thought leaders, policymakers, and business leaders, to develop a road map for the next stage of global economic growth, under the slogan “The Road to 2030: Transforming the Global Economy”.
The forum will focus on deep transformations in global money flows, and the role of the Gulf states as financial strength centers, with the approaching national visions of 2030 in Qatar and other countries.
Pioneer
For her part, Mrs. Karen Sallasser, CEO of Bloomberg Media, said that the 2025 edition of the Qatar Economic Forum in cooperation with Bloomberg is an important station in its development march towards becoming a leading platform for global economic dialogue, as well as highlighting the new areas of cooperation between business leaders, policymakers and innovators.
In a similar special dialogue with the Qatar News Agency «Qena», Salfser pointed out that this year, the forum highlights the deep transformations of global cash flows, after the emergence of the Gulf region as a major center for financial power and foreign direct investment, supported by reforms that enhance the business environment, in addition to the growing role of Gulf sovereign wealth funds as influential global financiers.
Economic issues
She explained that the forum focuses on five main axes that reflect the most urgent economic issues globally and regionally, namely: political geography, globalization and trade, energy security, technological developments, business and investment prospects, in addition to sport and entertainment, in order to ensure that dialogues of the most prominent current economic issues at the global and regional levels.
And she added that the convening of the forum at this strategic time, and just five years before the achievement of the Qatar Vision 2030, makes it an ideal platform for discussing future factors that will affect the local economy, especially in the areas of trade, investment and technology, indicating that the forum’s agenda has been designed to provide practical visions on the challenges and opportunities facing global economies, as well as enhance the local ties that contribute to developing influential and sustainable solutions.
Promote economic interaction
At the conclusion of her conversation with “Qena”, Mrs. Karen Sallasser, CEO of Bloomberg Media, stressed that the “Qatar Economic Forum” has established its position, over the past five years, as a platform to enhance the economic interaction in Qatar, as it gathered a number of the most prominent international leaders, companies and investors, and expected that these economic benefits will deepen during the 2025 version, which contributes to enhancing Qatar’s role in leading the discussions Which drives sustainable growth and enhances the ability to face global economic challenges.