Doha, 27 April 2016 – QNB, a leading financial institution in the Middle East and Africa, has recently hosted a group of Qatar University students at its SME Centre in Al-Shomoukh Tower to brief them on the latest initiatives the Bank has done and the various SME services it offers.
The visit is part of a 4-day Nasmou Leadership Program, which was originally launched by Occidental Qatar Petroleum Company in collaboration with Qatar University and Silatech, the regional social organization that works on connecting Arab youth to jobs and expanding local economic opportunities’. It aims to help students in their personal development and transition to the workplace by equipping them with the skills, competencies and mind-set needed to be successful in their career.
The programme brought together 25 Qatar University students from across Engineering, Finance and Business disciplines to work on their leadership and soft skills. They have been seta Challenge of ‘How can SME’s play an important role in diversifying the economy in Qatar?’ To understand the Challenge better, the students met senior leaders from QNB and other institutions to get a sense of what role these organizations play in the development of SME’s in Qatar.
Speaking during the event, Mr. Yousef Al-Neama, GM Corporate and Institution Banking, said: “As the largest financial institution in Qatar, QNB has always designed innovative and state of the art solutions to support SMEs and its development in the country, as it believes that SMEs are drivers of the national economy and prime contributors to the Qatar 2030 Vision.”
QNB Officials also explained that QNB’s bespoke products exceed the growing demands of SME customers, while giving them enhanced finance facilities in collaboration with the bank’s partners from both the public and private sectors.
In particular, students were introduced to QNB’s recently unveiled package for SMEs, which includes a 24 hour decision time for Account Turnover Facilities and Professional Loans, tailored products for Manufacturing, Tourism, Education, Medical and Healthcare sectors and the introduction of a dedicated SME Business World Credit Card. The initiative follows on from the successful launch of “Business Banking” and re-affirms QNB’s commitment to the important role played by SME’s as “drivers of the economy”.
As part of its contribution to Qatar’s growing economy, QNB is committed to provide entrepreneurs with various services specially tailored to meet every SME's needs irrespective of their sector.
QNB Group’s presence through its subsidiaries and associate companies extends to more than 27 countries across three continents providing a comprehensive range of advanced products and services. The total number of employees is more than 15,300 operating through more than 640 locations, with an ATM network of more than 1,400 machines.