GWC Forum 2022 set to highlight the role of MSMEs on the economy

Hosting the FIFA World Cup™ will significantly boost enterprise as the nation fulfils the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030.

Doha, 22 October 2022: The second annual GWC Forum, titled ‘Ready for the Game’, will be held on 1 November – coinciding with 20 Days To Go to the start of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022^TM, at The Westin Doha Hotel & Spa, Brazil’s national team base camp during the tournament.

The event follows last year’s inaugural forum, titled ‘Getting you in the Game’, which attracted more than 800 delegates from 59 countries. The successful 2021 forum generated extensive media coverage, with the hybrid nature of the event attracting strong online engagement amidst COVID-19 restrictions.

This year’s forum, which will be moderated by Al Jazeera Network’s Senior News Anchor Emily Angwin, will highlight the businesses’ benefit from Qatar’s hosting of the FIFA World Cup™, which will be held from 20 November to 18 December.

Leading the charge in the logistics and supply chain solutions space is GWC Logistics. As the Official Logistics Provider for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, GWC is playing a major role in tournament preparations. It is also helping to deliver an economic legacy by enabling Qatar’s blossoming micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

“Empowering Qatar’s MSME sector is one of our long-term goals and we look forward to sharing a range of insights from high-level local, regional and international participants during this year’s forum,” commented GWC’s Group CEO, Ranjeev Menon.

“We believe MSMEs will supercharge Qatar’s economy in the coming decades as the country leverages hosting the biggest sporting event on the planet,” continued Menon. “The FIFA World Cup^TM is bringing new opportunities to Qatar and is enabling economic growth across a range of sectors. As Qatar’s number one logistics and supply chain solutions company, we understand the significant role we are playing in capitalising on World Cup opportunities – and this is something we will illustrate during the forum.”

The hybrid forum aims to champion and enable MSMEs in Qatar by giving them a platform to showcase their successes and grow beyond 2022, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030. Special keynote message will be given by FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, who will address the forum on the vital role MSMEs play in building a nation’s economy and society.

GWC Forum 2022 partners include Hamad Bin Khalifa University (research partner) and beIN SPORTS (media partner).

A host of senior level speakers will represent the forum partners and other global brands, which will facilitate insightful discussions on the role of logistics at mega-events like the FIFA World Cup™. Panel sessions and workshops will offer a deeper dive into key subjects as delegates look to glean knowledge from the biggest sporting event ever to be held in the region.

Panel sessions

The first panel session will examine the direct and indirect impact of hosting the FIFA World Cup™ on MSMEs in various sectors of the Qatari economy.

The second panel session will delve into the trends and challenges faced by MSMEs by taking the discussion to major enablers of business transformation.

The workshops will focus on the education sector, design incubation and film entrepreneurship.

A special discussion focusing on business setup success and prosperity will be  delivered by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Menon added: “The lasting impact of the FIFA World Cup will be the wider economy. Our goal at GWC is to support a world-class MSME ecosystem – and this year’s forum will explain in detail how businesses, across a wide range of industries, can benefit from the opportunities that hosting a mega-event like the World Cup will deliver.”

Menon went on to outline the infrastructure already in place to support MSMEs in Qatar.

“GWC recently delivered phase-1 of the largest logistics park to-date – a 1,500,000m² one-stop-shop catering specifically for MSMEs. The site provides all their commercial needs, as well as affording an opportunity to network with like-minded or complimenting businesses. GWC acts as an enabler or catalyst between these MSMEs and the companies that will come during the World Cup. There are many success stories – some of which will be told during this year’s forum. Our challenge now is to help more businesses achieve their goals as the country aims to benefit from hosting the World Cup for many years to come.”