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UK construction firms eye 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar projects

UK construction sector firms are being urged to attend an event outlining commercial opportunities linked to the development of US$140 billion worth of infrastructure projects in Qatar ahead of the Gulf state’s hosting of the 2002 FIFA World Cup. During MEED’s Qatar Infrastructure Projects conference, being held at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel in London from July 2-5, Middle East company formation experts The Links Group will provide insight to companies interested in entering the Qatari project market.
June 27, 2012 Read time: 3 mins
UK construction sector firms are being urged to attend an event outlining commercial opportunities linked to the development of US$140 billion worth of infrastructure projects in Qatar ahead of the Gulf state’s hosting of the 2002 FIFA 1556 World Cup.

During 6041 Meed’s Qatar Infrastructure Projects conference, being held at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel in London from July 2-5, Middle East company formation experts 6043 The Links Group will provide insight to companies interested in entering the Qatari project market.

John Martin St. Valery, founder and chief executive of The Links Group, will give a presentation to delegates on July 4, and dissect the options for establishing a commercial presence in the Gulf state, highlighting the benefits and pitfalls for each.

“We are very much looking forward to engaging with UK and European companies looking to capitalise on the many opportunities coming up in Qatar, and being able to participate in this exciting knowledge exchange about the Qatari market,” said St Valery. “The tight timeline for Qatar 2022 requires an urgent investment in international expertise, engineering excellence and manpower – all things the UK can easily export.”

Operating in Qatar since 2005, The Links Group claims to have seen a significant increase in the number of enquiries – up by 50 per cent from last year – from organisations considering establishing a base in the Gulf state. As the country prepares for 2022, The Links Group anticipates unprecedented growth in British investments into Qatari infrastructure and foreign direct investments to surpass the country’s record of US$8.12 billion in 2009.

With sport being a central element to Qatar’s US$140 billion construction boom, investments will be mostly allocated to hotels, leisure, tourism, recreation, and infrastructure projects. While the conference will focus on Qatar’s planned mega projects, The Links Group said lucrative opportunities also abound for support services in each of these sectors.

In addition to its conference presentation, The Links Group will host a special pre-conference masterclass on July 2, on how to do business in Qatar. Led by Stuart Curtis, managing director of The Links Group, and Wayne Merrick, General Manager Qatar, the master class will provide international delegates with a comprehensive understanding of the opportunities, challenges and ways of doing business in the buoyant Qatari market. The masterclass will also include presentations from Edmund O’Sullivan, chairman of MEED events; Alex Lambeth, director at British Expertise; and Jason Majid, corporate partner at Clyde & Co Qatar.

“The masterclass session will explain the legal and regulatory framework for businesses in Qatar, how to effectively choose the right business vehicle, new developments in immigration and sponsorship and much more,” said Curtis.

The four-day event will be opened with a keynote by the Rt Hon Lord Marland, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department of Energy and Climate Change, and chairman of the British Business Ambassadors (of UKTI).

For more information on companies in this article

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