His Excellency Mr. Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, Minister of Finance and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Qatar Development Bank, affirmed the State of Qatar’s constant endeavor to support the private sector and help reach competitive levels of the entrepreneurship system through its various directions, pointing to the state’s role in the competitiveness of the Qatari product and supporting and assisting exports by opening the doors Global markets, enable digital transformation of startups, and explore prospects for sustainability and green transformation. He added his happiness in his speech during the third edition of the ceremony "SME Excellence List Awards 2022"He said that the state continues this journey of success with greater responsibility than ever before, indicating that the state’s efforts at various levels have been reflected in economic indicators, as the Qatari economy maintained achieving positive growth rates during 2022, recording a growth of more than 4 percent during the second quarter. And the third, supported by the growth of non-oil sectors such as transport, trade, and manufacturing and operational industries. His Excellency the Minister of Finance and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Qatar Development Bank pointed out that small and medium enterprises are an important component of the Qatari private sector, as they represent more than 90 percent of private sector establishments and are a great source of employment, in addition to their role in promoting innovation and creativity in business activities, pointing out The initiatives and programs presented by the state for this category, including the initiatives of the Qatar Development Bank in cooperation with the concerned authorities, have contributed to enhancing the growth opportunities of these enterprises. His Excellency continued that these programs covered the basic needs of companies, including access to financing with its various tools, access to markets, education, training, incubation services, etc., as well as the continuous development of the business environment and work to meet the various challenges of the categories of small and medium enterprises. HE Mr. Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari explained that the achievements of these companies have been reflected in a number of international reports, such as the report of the Global Monitor of Entrepreneurship, as the State of Qatar came in the Monitor’s report for the year 2021-2022 in the 14th place in the world in the field of entrepreneurial activity in the early stage, and the first in the world in terms of The entrepreneurial activity of employees, and the State of Qatar ranked second in the Middle East and ninth globally in the local entrepreneurial environment index. It also ranked advanced in the indicators of the societal view of business owners, according to the latest editions of the Global Entrepreneurship Report. His Excellency continued that the male and female entrepreneurs in the fifty companies that were honored today were able to set an example of excellence and perfection in their work in various sectors by using international tools and standards from digital transformation to operational excellence and environmental care and preservation, which led to its positive growth and development, so they deservedly be included in the list. distinction this year. His Excellency Mr. Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, Minister of Finance and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Qatar Development Bank, referred to the exceptional achievement recorded by the State of Qatar last year in hosting the FIFA,Football,Soccer,Football,Soccer World Cup Qatar 2022, which managed to appear impressively in front of the world, expressing his pride in the bank’s small business partners. And the middle class who contributed to making this achievement, whether in infrastructure, technology or other fields. He expressed his happiness at honoring the distinguished Qatari small and medium companies for the year 2022, praising their efforts, exceptional performance and positive contributions to the growth of the national economy and their endeavors in achieving Qatar National Vision 2030, noting at the same time that the impressive success achieved by the Excellence List Awards for companies in the previous two editions created a motivational atmosphere. Among the participating Qatari companies. Today, Qatar Development Bank honored 50 small and medium companies that presented sustainable business models and contributed positively to the growth of the national economy in Qatar, during the third edition of the ceremony. "SME Excellence List Awards 2022". The list aims to provide a platform for small and medium-sized companies to showcase their successes, honor the highest performers among them, create a motivating atmosphere within the business community in the State of Qatar, and create a culture that adopts best practices and excellence in business, as this list contributes to enhancing the competitiveness of these companies and encouraging them to grow and develop. As many as 310 companies have applied for the award, representing 13 industrial and service sectors. These companies have undergone an independent, accredited evaluation to determine the best among them. This evaluation includes several criteria, including financial performance, sustainability, innovation, and other criteria. The sectors of the award-winning companies for this year varied between information technology, manufacturing, marketing, electronics, health care, education and other services, trade, navigation and transportation sectors, as well as fashion and design. For his part, Mr. Abdul Rahman Hisham Al Suwaidi, Acting CEO of Qatar Development Bank said "The importance of the award for us lies in the possibility of stimulating the national entrepreneurship system and pushing it towards new horizons, and our celebration today is nothing but a motivation for ambitious Qatari entrepreneurs, and in honor of their efforts and contributions in advancing and diversifying the national economy.". added "The Excellence List Award aims to enhance the position of small and medium enterprises in the Qatari market. The list also contributes to making the best SMEs more visible internationally. This, of course, is in line with what we always seek in Qatar Development Bank by accompanying us on the journey of male and female entrepreneurs through our various programs.". It is noteworthy that all companies that applied for the awards but did not reach the final list will receive detailed reports on their overall performance, in addition to field visits that helped them identify the most prominent areas of possible development for their business, which will help them in the future, and will reflect positively on the business system as a whole and achieve the goals of Qatar Development Bank in Supporting companies and supporting their growth.
