Author: Niyas Aboobacker

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.

MCQ and ONE Championship™ (ONE), the world’s largest martial arts organization, wrapped filming of Season 2 of “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition” reality series in Doha this March 2023.

The new season of the popular Netflix show features prominent local business leaders, including Ooredoo MD and Group CEO Aziz Aluthman Fakhroo and Doha Film Institute CEO Fatma Hassan Alremaihi. Produced and directed by Refinery Media from Singapore, and Resolution Films as the local production support from Doha, filming took place across several iconic locations in Qatar, including Katara Hospitality’s Raffles Hotel in Doha.

In the show, participants compete for the grand prize of a one-year, US$250,000 job offer to work directly under ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong at ONE’s headquarters in Singapore. The upcoming season also features celebrity appearances by Australian Muay Thai legend John Wayne Parr and current ONE superstars Stamp Fairtex, Liam Harrison, and the Ruotolo brothers, among others.

Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah bin Khalifa Al-Thani, CEO of Media City Qatar, said: "It was an honor to welcome the ONE Championship team and to bring ‘The Apprentice’ to Doha in a unique opportunity to showcase our country along with its growing media production landscape. Driven by our mission to create a powerful and innovative media ecosystem in Qatar, we are grateful to our partners for helping us host this globally relevant production to Qatar, and we look forward to the show's worldwide release."

Fatma Hassan Alremaihi commented: “This is another milestone in the evolution of Qatar’s creative ecosystem, highlighting the growing interest of the global community to explore the exciting opportunities that our country offers. Through our world-class talent, iconic locations, and robust infrastructure, people across the world are discovering our country, and learning more about our rich culture and heritage. The Doha Film Institute proudly continues to support and promote the growth and establishment of Qatar as a major creative production hub and is excited for this further expansion into unscripted serial content.”

Extending its collaboration with ONE, MCQ worked with local and international partners to bring the global show to Doha, including Qatar Airways, Ooredoo, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, Katara Hospitality, and TUMI. For MCQ, it is also an opportunity to showcase the country along with its growing media production landscape to global audiences.

MCQ entered a strategic long-term partnership with ONE in 2022 to collaborate on the production and development of global content across multiple media sectors, such as “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition,” as well as original programing, studio shows, and Esports.

MCQ concluded a successful eSports workshop in March 2023. The workshop featured Mr. Carlos Alimurung, Chief Executive Officer at ONE Esports, in addition to Hari Vijayarajan, Group Chief Commercial Officer at ONE Championship and ONE Esports. Similarly, there were representatives from Qatar Free Zone Authority, the Doha Film Institute, Qatar Tourism, Ooredoo, and Qatar Esports Federation.

A platform for open dialogue on the future of the eSports sector in Qatar, the workshop delved into the exciting multi-year partnership between MCQ and Group ONE Holdings, the parent company of ONE Championship. The two entities are collaborating on the production and development of global content across various media sectors, including original programing, studio shows, and eSports. Carlos, an industry expert, shared insights and expertise on the growth and potential of eSports in Qatar and globally.

As Qatar continues to establish itself as a hub for sports and entertainment, the event also highlighted the importance of eSports as a rapidly growing industry with immense potential. The collaboration between MCQ and Group ONE Holdings is poised to bring new opportunities and innovation to the eSports landscape in Qatar, with a focus on creating compelling content and delivering an enhanced experience for eSports and gaming enthusiasts.