Author: Niyas Aboobacker

Media City Qatar lent its voice to the Eye on Qatar series, published by the Wall Street Journal in collaboration with the Investment Promotion Agency of Qatar. With a focus on Qatar's teeming opportunities and initiatives, the piece points to a dynamic and exciting ecosystem for media players.

CEO of MCQ, Sheikh Ali Bin Abdulla Bin Khalifa Al-Thani emphasizes the critical stage that Qatar's media ecosystem has reached, particularly after the global spotlight on the country in 2022: “We now find ourselves at a critical stage for Qatar’s media ecosystem. In 2022, sports and football gave us a global stage, enabling interaction with thousands of media representatives. MCQ is an emerging global home for media companies, innovators, and creative talent. Alongside global networks and streaming platforms, we have already launched Qatar Economic Forum to convene leaders and create new content. MCQ has also agreed on a multiyear deal with Group ONE Holdings to produce global content that spans original programming, studio shows, and eSports. These crucial partnerships aim to create a thriving media ecosystem that fosters the highest editorial and ethical standards, promotes open dialogue, and brings together the world’s most successful businesses, startups, and industry professionals.”

Link to full article: Qatari Media and Art Builds a Stage for Global Investors

MCQ has solidified its long-standing partnership with one of the world's most recognizable media brands, Bloomberg Media Group, through a new contract, signed on the sidelines of the 'Qatar Economic Forum, Powered by Bloomberg’ on 23 May 2023. The agreement, signed by Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah bin Khalifa Al-Thani, CEO of Media City Qatar, and Mr. M. Scott Havens, CEO of Bloomberg Media, secures several future editions of the Forum until 2027, making it a vital annual meeting point for global leaders.

Since 2020, MCQ and Bloomberg Media Group have partnered on delivering the Qatar Economic Forum, which has grown into a flagship business event. Its third edition concluded recently in Doha, bringing together more than 3,000 in-person attendees. Over the years, the Forum has attracted a roster of high-profile speakers, including His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani; Elon Musk, Founder of Tesla; Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies; Ben van Beurden, CEO of Shell; and Dr. Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA); among many others.

The 2023 edition was attended by some of the best and brightest speakers in business, government, academia, economics, and more, including more than 200 government officials, nine Heads of State, and 44 Ministers and diplomates. It garnered immense interest with over 5,000 in-person and virtual registrations.

The Forum promotes forward-looking economic cooperation at all levels of leadership, encouraging joint efforts to arrive at sustainable solutions for the future. As the global agenda evolves, the partnership between MCQ and Bloomberg Media Group will continue to drive the conversation forward and shape the future of the global economy.

MCQ held a successful workshop with Amazon Web Services (AWS), a subsidiary of Amazon that provides on-demand cloud computing platforms and APIs, in May 2023. With the goal of strengthening Qatar's media ecosystem, promoting digital transformation in the industry, and fostering collaboration with the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MCIT) and the Investment Promotion Agency of Qatar (IPA Qatar), the workshop brought together several local players, including the Qatar Free Zones Authority, Qatar Development Bank, Ooredoo, Al Jazeera Media Network, and MEEZA.

Starting with an introduction to Amazon’s culture of innovation, the two-day brainstorming workshop touched on important areas of customer targeting, empathy maps for audiences, and strategies to visualize the customer experience and translate big ideas into visual journeys.

A number of Qatari entities have built ties with AWS in recent years, including the MCIT and IPA Qatar, who signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the cloud service provider on the sidelines of the Qatar Economic Forum, Powered by Bloomberg in 2022.

As Qatar’s emerging global home for media, MCQ is set to become a catalyst to develop these collaborative efforts and drive the country’s digital transformation and tech development, unlocking new opportunities for businesses and entrepreneurs from around the globe.

With the successful completion of the third edition of the 'Qatar Economic Forum, Powered by Bloomberg', MCQ forged a new partnership with Katara Hospitality. This multi-year agreement will see the two entities working closely together to facilitate future editions of the Forum, inviting prominent global figures, including business leaders, Heads of State, and influential voices, to share their insights on the global economy at some of Qatar's most prominent location in Lusail City.

The 2023 Forum marked the beginning of this collaboration, with the event having taken place at the 'Iconic Towers' owned by Katara Hospitality in Lusail Marina District, home to the Raffles and Fairmont Doha hotels. The Forum convened over 1,000 participants in thought-provoking discussions and offered fresh perspectives on the issues shaping global boardroom conversations.

For MCQ, this partnership represents a step towards its goal of creating a world-class media hub and dynamic ecosystem in Doha that fosters exceptional ideas and content. Through its collaboration with Katara Hospitality, MCQ is expanding its network of local partners, who share its vision for the country’s future growth.