Qatari Businessmen Association signs 3 MoUs with HK entities

Qatar Tribune

12-05-2025

Tribune News Network
Doha
The Qatari Businessmen Association welcomed John Lee, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, and his accompanying delegation during a private roundtable, on the sideline of their visit to the country. During the meeting, 3 MOUs were signed between QBA and various economic and investment organizations in Hong Kong.
From the Qatari Businessmen Association, the meeting was attended bySheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani, QBA Chairman, along with QBA board members Sheikh Hamad bin Faisal Al Thani, Sheikh Nawaf Nasser bin Khaled Al Thani, andSaud Al Mana. Also from QBA membersOmar Al Fardan,Khalid Al Mannai, Salah Al Jaidah, Sheikh Mansour bin Jassim Al Thani,Nabil Abu Issa,Abdulsalam Abu Issa, Abdullah Al Kubaisi, Youssef Al Mahmoud, andHakan Ozedmir, In addition to Rashid Al Mansoori, CEO of Aamal Company, as well as Sarah Abdallah, QBA Deputy General Manager.
At the beginning of the meeting,John Lee, Chief Executive of Hong Kong, stated that Qatar's economy is strong and considered the best in the Gulf in terms of growth, saying that he regarded Doha as a prominent commercial and financial hub for business in the Middle East and that Hong Kong is similarly a major business center in Asia, equipped with numerous offices to help companies and investors benefit from the opportunities available.
Vital Sectors
During his note,John Lee invited members of the Qatari Businessmen Association to visit his country, pointing out that Hong Kong companies are looking to invest in vital sectors in Qatar, including infrastructure, information technology, fintech, and health and biotech technologies.
He also added that Hong Kong is home to a large number of successful entrepreneurs in these sectors. Lee expressed his desire to strengthen economic and financial cooperation between the two sides and to develop it to meet mutual aspirations. He affirmed that Hong Kong aims to become the world's number one hub for family offices by 2027.
For his part,Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani, Chairman of the Qatari Businessmen Association, welcomed the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, and said that Qatari companies have, in recent years, grown into major players in various sectors and have proven their capabilities through the successful implementation of mega projects—both domestically, as seen in the successful hosting of the Qatar World Cup 2022, and internationally through participation in numerous projects across different continents.
Joint Cooperation
Sheikh Faisal noted that QBA members are aware of the significant potential offered by Hong Kong's economy in the fields of services and tourism, as well as its openness to the world's largest markets, including China—one of Qatar's biggest trading partners.
He also emphasized that QBA's members have diverse investments across various continents and sectors including tourism, finance, agriculture, and retail—and are willing to explore investment opportunities with Hong Kong's business community and major companies and work together in both countries.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Hamad bin Faisal Al Thani, QBA board member, pointed out that Qatar, through its 2025–2030 national strategy, is shifting toward a knowledge-based economy that aligns with Hong Kong's key sectors like financial services, artificial intelligence, logistics, and tourism.
This, he said, creates diverse opportunities for bilateral cooperation, especially with the significant tax and legislative incentives Qatar offers to foreign investors.
He noted that QBA will work with the entities with which the MoUs were signed to identify specific economic sectors for joint efforts between the Qatari Businessmen Association and its Hong Kong counterparts, in a way that strengthens trade and economic ties, adding that QBA is ready to visit Hong Kong to explore available investment opportunities.
Family Offices
Sheikh Nawaf bin Nasser Al Thani, QBA Board member, stated that Hong Kong has a special program aimed at attracting family-owned businesses, especially from Gulf countries.
He mentioned in his intervention that Hong Kong is also working on easing capital investment entry requirements to support its efforts in attracting family offices and strengthening its position as a global wealth hub.
He inquired about the features of this program and whether it has succeeded in attracting Gulf-based family businesses in recent times.
Christopher Hui, Hong Kong's Secretary for Financial Services and Treasury, said there are more than 2,700 family offices in Hong Kong, including 200 large ones recently established.
He added that the country is encouraging these measures to attract more investors. 'This step could be added to the tax exemption system for family offices, thereby boosting the development of the family office sector in Hong Kong,' he said.
He also noted that the Hong Kong government offers residency to individuals who invest 30 million Hong Kong dollars (approximately $3.9 million). This represents the city's latest step in attracting wealth.
Memorandums of Understanding
In the presence of John Lee, Chief Executive of Hong Kong, and H.E. Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani, the Qatari Businessmen Association announced and exchanged three Memorandums of Understanding and agreements with 'Invest Hong Kong,' the Hong Kong Trade and Development Council, and the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong.
These MoUs aim to enhance economic, trade, and investment cooperation between the two sides and facilitate investment processes in both directions.
The meeting also reviewed prospects for bilateral cooperation between Qatar and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China in fields such as communications and information technology. Discussions included ways to strengthen partnerships in digital innovation, emerging technologies, and the exchange of expertise in developing digital infrastructure and smart government services.
The meeting also covered opportunities to benefit from the pioneering experiences of Qatar and Hong Kong in areas like smart cities and digital governance. It explored potential collaborations between digital startups and government and private institutions in both countries to support future partnerships that enhance the digital economy and accelerate digital innovation.