QFBA honours 25 graduates of Kawader program

Doha: Qatar Finance and Business Academy (QFBA) held yesterday the graduation ceremony for the sixth cohort of the ‘Kawader’ program, under the patronage of the Minister of Finance H E Ali Shareef Al Emadi, marking the completion of yet another successful term of its renowned national development program.

Al Emadi and Minister of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs H E Yousef bin Mohammed Al Othman Fakhro have honoured the graduates at the ceremony held at Four Seasons Hotel Doha. The event was attended by CEOs of top banks and financial sector institutions, senior HR executives, parents and the media.

The ceremony saw the graduation of 25 outstanding young Qataris, bringing the total number of participants in ‘Kawader’ since its inception to 149 students, who have been primed to contribute effectively to the human capital development of the country’s financial services sector, the national economy’s progress, and to the realisation of the Qatar National Vision 2030.

Addressing the ceremony, Dr Khalid Al Horr, CEO of QFBA, said: “It is indeed a proud moment for us to see our graduates showcasing excellence and being ready to take the next leap forward by applying that knowledge into practice. They are now better equipped to further advance their successful careers in the financial sector, and helping to diversify Qatar’s economy”. 

“I would also like to personally thank Minister of Finance  H E Ali Shareef Al Emadi and the financial services sector in the State of Qatar for their continuous support, as well as the world-class institutions that hosted our interns and enriched their learning. It is with such initiatives and capacity-building programs that QFBA reaffirms its role in supporting Qatar’s 2030 vision, by empowering the Qatari human capital. Once again, congratulations to our graduates and we wish you further growth and success in your careers,” he added.

Yousuf Mohammed Al Jaida, Chief Executive Officer of QFC Authority, said: “Kawader, with its unique training program, is one of the main sources to provide the financial services sector with young, talented Qatari professionals with the right set of skills and knowledge to go on to play important and vital roles in the economy. Graduates from previous cohorts are proving themselves in the jobs and positions they are occupying and are contributing to the sustainability and prosperity of Qatar’s economy, which indicates the success of the program in achieving its objectives.”

The QFC Authority CEO also added: “We are proud to support the Kawader program. We look forward to further success and achievements by qualifying talented Qatari students to take a significant role in the revitalisation, development and progress of our beloved Qatar and its economy.

The Kawader program is sponsored QFCA, QNB, CBQ, Barwa Bank, Ahli, Doha Bank, IBQ, Khaliji, QDB, standard Chartered, QIB and Masraf Al Rayan while the program partners include PWC, McKinsey, QFMA, Bank of Tokyo, QFCRA, QIA, Al Koot, QSE, and Qinvest.

During the three-month program, all 25 students interned in top international and local organisations while two candidates were successfully employed during the program in the Qatar Central Bank and Qatar Financial Centre. 

Furthermore, all the 25 students completed certification studies in IISI and in Business Banking and Conduct. 

Kawader differentiates itself by offering an intensive and holistic training program that combines academic learning with practical, on-the-job training under one course, offering students direct access to world-leading financial institutions and a collection of carefully-crafted, specialised courses backed by world-class professional accreditations that encompass several aspects of the financial sector.

Applications for the next term of Kawader will open in March-April 2019 and the program is expected to run from September to December.