Qatari Banks hosted a gala reception on the sidelines of the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in Istanbul, Turkey.
The reception held on the 4th of October 2009, brought together chairpersons, board members and senior management of GCC, Middle East and international financial institutions, as well as senior officials representing regulatory authorities from various countries of the world.
Guests also included representatives of government, blue-chip industry and commerce from the region and globally, as well as key Turkish business executives. The Qatari Banks delegation to Istanbul was led by the Minister of Economy and Finance H.E. Yousef Hussain Kamal, and Qatar Central Bank Governor H.E. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Saud Al Thani.
The delegation represented the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Qatar Central Bank, Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) and Qatari banks: ahlibank, al khaliji, Commercialbank, Doha Bank, International Bank of Qatar (IBQ), Qatar First Investment Bank, International Islamic, Qatar Islamic Bank and QNB. Every year, the leading banks from Qatar organize the “Qatari Banks’ Reception” in conjunction with the annual meetings of the IMF and World Bank which has become an important stop for many global businessmen, bankers and dignitaries, especially with the growth of Qatar’s economy in the recent decade.
Qatar is rated the Arabian Gulf region’s most competitive country, according to the latest rankings published by the World Economic Forum (WEF), and is 22nd overall on the list of 133 countries. The Qatari Banks’ Reception provides an opportunity for multilateral economic discussions and exchange of ideas and was hosted in partnership with the Qatari Embassy in Ankara.
The Boards of Governors of the World Bank Group and IMF hold their Annual Meetings to discuss a range of issues including international economic development and finance.
The Annual Meetings provide a forum for international cooperation and enable the World Bank and IMF to better serve their member countries. The Annual Meetings are usually held for two consecutive years at the IMF and World Bank headquarters in Washington, D.C. and every third year in another member country. This is the second time that Turkey is hosting the event, after having hosted the summit in 1955.