Saudi Arabia’s decision to weaken the link between hydrocarbons and economic growth, and pursue a policy of diversification has seen a wide range of projects come to fruition in the last several years. While at present the Covid-19 pandemic and the unprecedented plunge in oil prices are causing significant short-term uncertainty, the reforms that have been put in place in recent years should stand the Kingdom in good stead over the longer term.
Articles & Analysis | Insurance technology taps premium growth potential in emerging markets from The Report: Qatar 2020
Two of the biggest trends in global insurance in recent years are premium growth in emerging markets and the rising importance of technology across the supply chain. The latter has come to be referred to as insurtech, a potentially disruptive trend that heralds both threats to and opportunities for incumbents and newcomers alike. While...
Articles & Analysis | Qatar's insurance market driven by new regulations and wider economic growth from The Report: Qatar 2020
It was the domestic oil boom that first gave impetus to the Qatari insurance sector in the 1950s, when protection against risk in such operations became essential. Foreign insurers dominated the landscape in the early years, but the arrival of the first domestic insurer in 1964, Qatar Insurance Company (QIC), heralded a change in direction...
Interviews & Viewpoints | Abdulbasit Ahmed Al Shaibei, CEO, Qatar International Islamic Bank (QIIB): Interview from The Report: Qatar 2020
What role can Islamic financial services play in facilitating the country’s move towards sustainable economic development?
Articles & Analysis | Greater standardisation of Islamic banking regulations under way in Qatar from The Report: Qatar 2020
In 2019 the Qatar Central Bank (QCB) announced its plans to introduce standardised criteria for sharia compliance. The bank revealed that it was working with a consultancy firm to “prepare principles and standards that govern the various Islamic banking products and transactions, and the legal supervision thereof”. Qatar’s four local Islamic...
Interviews & Viewpoints | Bassel Gamal, Group CEO, Qatar Islamic Bank: Interview from The Report: Qatar 2020
In what ways will Islamic banks and their conventional counterparts continue to expand their influence over the short to medium term?