Business sentiment for 2011 is looking up according to global surveys and businesses worldwide are now nearly as confident of growth this year as in the boom years before the crisis. CEOs and business leaders are now faced with the challenge to achieve growth as world markets improve. Shifting strategies in innovation, working more closely with partners and governments and in particular areas such as talent appears to be the key to realizing growth. Will organizations have the talent they need when growth returns? How can companies get the most from their key employees?

The Lord Mayor of the City of London, Mr. Alderman Michael Bear, visited Qatar Finance and Business Academy (QFBA) to present certificates for the “Award in General Insurance” from the Chartered Institute of Insurance (CII) on Wednesday, February 9th. The certificates were awarded to local students who passed a two-hour exam on insurance principles after completing a three-day exam preparation program at QFBA.

Following the success of its first major introductory event in December 2009, QFBA – a learning and development organisation based in Qatar – is staging its second annual showcase meet for CEOs, managing directors and HR managers in Qatar, QFBA alumni and faculty as well as business associates on Wednesday, December 15th 2010 at the QFBA learning facilities in West Bay, Doha.

His Excellency Sheikh Khalifa Bin Jasem Al Thani, Chairman of the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, will open the Qatar National Talent Summit 2010 at the QFBA, Qatar Finance Center on November 7th this year.

In a concerted effort to support the growth of the capital markets industry in Qatar and the region through skills and knowledge development, Qatar Exchange (QE) in collaboration with QFBA organised an exploratory session to understand the learning requirements of the sector at the QFBA learning facilities in West Bay, Doha.

In a major step forward in positioning Qatar as one of the leading regional centres for financial services learning, Barclays Bank PLC, a major global financial services provider and the Qatar Finance and Business Academy (QFBA), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishing Barclays as QFBA’s first founding sponsor, and enabling both institutions to work together in helping transform Qatar into a knowledge-based society.

In support of the goals laid out in the country’s national vision 2030, QFBA is proudly launching ‘Aspirations for Success’ (AfS) – a 12-month leadership programme aimed at developing the skills required of future financial leaders in Qatar. Designed around a clear competence framework, ‘Aspirations for Success’ is an initiative by Qatar Financial Centre Authority (QFCA) and QFBA to underpin Qatar’s economic growth by creating a talent pool of strategic leaders. This unique learning journey will allow successful participants to build relevant skills while continuing in their current jobs.

In a clear demonstration of its passion for learning, QFBA has unveiled its new corporate website featuring a refreshing design plus enhanced features. Simple, elegant artwork combined with a calming colour palette creates a distinct ‘look and feel’ very much unlike other organisations’ often busy and cluttered websites.