Qatari Entrepreneurs Shine At QDB's 2016 SME Excellence List Awards The ranking program has brought to light the growing maturity within the private sector, as well as the ability of the budding SME sector in Qatar to generate large incomes.
By Aparajita Mukherjee •
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Qatar's Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, H.E. Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani, in November awarded 50 of the country's top small and medium enterprises for their inclusion in the 2016 SME Excellence List, an event that happens every two years. Presented by QDB, in collaboration with Qatar Chamber, the awards are designed to showcase exceptional local SMEs to an audience that consists of ministers of state, heads of diplomatic missions, and distinguished private and public sector leaders.
In a statement, QDB CEO Abdulaziz bin Nasser Al-Khalifa commented on the selection of the award winners, saying, "QDB has shortlisted 50 outstanding performers of the local private sector, from amongst a collection of more than 800 SMEs. Our team distinguished these finalists on the basis of stringent criteria– a testament of their success is that the total income achieved by these 50 SMEs amounts to nearly 1 billion Qatari riyals."
Al-Khalifa also noted how the ranking program had brought to light the growing maturity within the private sector, as well as the ability of the budding SME sector in Qatar to generate large incomes. He also explained that a key objective of the ranking program was to foster a culture of transparency and competition in the economic system by ranking top SME performers on a defined set of criteria, and thereby providing a roadmap to success for other SMEs to follow.
Related: Enterprise Challenge Qatar 2016 Aims To Encourage Entrepreneurship Among The Nation's Youth
The Top Five In The 2016 SME Excellence List
1. Computer Station Company was set up in 2001, and is a system integrator of parking automation and security product systems in Qatar and the Middle East region, providing both hardware and software solutions to its clients.
2. Qatar Windows and Doors Systems began as an aluminum fabricator over 30 years ago, and has now incorporated unplasticized polyvinyl chloride (UPVC) windows and doors, windows roller shutter lift and slide doors, etc.
3. Kaafe Chocolatier manufactures handmade chocolates with an oriental taste, with same-day delivery services in Qatar.
4. Qatar International Consolidated Company is a homegrown manufacturer of oil and gas equipment.
5. Green Energy and Environmental Services is a consulting and training firm providing feasibility studies on waste management, environmental site assessment, and health, safety and environment procedures.
Related: 5th Euromoney Qatar Conference Discusses The Future Of The Region's Financial Landscape
