We offer you an insight into the various recent events in which Masraf Al Rayan has played a role.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
It is the sincere desire of Masraf Al Rayan to give back to the community it serves and, for that reason, we have a strong corporate social responsibility policy which encourages contribution to and participation in a variety of social, environmental, educational and sporting events:
School Olympics Day
We were proud to sponsor the Qatar National Olympic Committee’s 2008 School Olympics Day, which is the brainchild of His Highness The Heir Apparent, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, President of Qatar National Olympic Committee (QNOC).
The annual 8-event tournament – the first of its kind in the world – has schools competing in football, volleyball, handball, athletics, swimming, fencing and gymnastics, culminating in a closing ceremony held annually on 14th March – the anniversary of the establishment of QNOC back in 1979.
Under the banner “Sports for Health�, School Olympics Day, aims to raise awareness of sporting ethics; promoting the idea that sport is not about winning, but a chance to develop life skills, learn the benefits of teamwork and, at the same time, lead a healthy lifestyle.
Spring Family Forum
Another addition to Masraf Al Rayan’s corporate social responsibility programme was the Qatar Charity’s Spring Family Forum or Bahr wa Sama, a 4-day event which was held at Sealine Beach Resort during January, 2008, under the patronage of Her Excellency Sheikha Ahmad Al Mahmoud, Minister of Education. This event brought together 120 schoolgirls and their families to enjoy a program of activities, workshops and team-building exercises. In addition, the forum included an exhibition of photography and a junior parliament.
Sheikh Joaan Indoor Football Cup
In the summer of 2007, Masraf Al Rayan sponsored the Sheikh Joaan Indoor Football Cup for Qatari students, under the auspices of His Excellency Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani. Over a ten day period, 200 students from various colleges and universities took part in the football tournament, which was organised by the Qatar Students’ Network.
Reach Out To Asia Gala Dinner
Masraf Al Rayan was delighted to be able to support the remarkable work of Reach Out To Asia as it helps provide education to the underprivileged and disadvantaged across Asia, by sponsoring their 2nd Gala Dinner in November, 2006.
The prestigious Gala Dinner – an occasion which has already established itself as a highlight of Qatar’s social calendar – is a fundraising event which attracts dignitaries, celebrities, sportsmen, politicians and VIPs from around the globe. The evening features an exclusive auction during which many unique and highly desirable lots come under the auctioneer’s hammer, raising record amounts and achieving enormous publicity for the cause of the high-profile charity.
The 2006 event, which was hosted by The Heir Apparent, His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani and his wife, Her Excellency Sheikha Jawaher Bint Hamad Bin Suhaim Al Thani, was attended by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, five times Tour de France winner Eddy Merckx, French footballer Christian Karembeu and former England football managers Sven-Goran Eriksson and Glen Hoddle, MotoGP star Troy Bayliss and renowned designer Philippe Stark.
Funds raised at the event helped to support Reach Out To Asia’s work in helping the victims of the 2004 tsunami and the devastating earthquake in Pakistan, as well as numerous other projects which help those experiencing serious social difficulties and lack of access to quality basic education.
CONFERENCES
In its relatively short history, Masraf Al Rayan has been invited to addess or participate in a number of prestigious conferences related to the world of banking and finance. Some of the most noteworthy have been:
MEED Qatar Conference 2008
An event which brings together regional and international decision makers to discuss industry trends and discuss business opportunities; it was also an opportunity for our corporate and investment bankers to network with key players interested in doing business in Qatar, and for Masraf Al Rayan to showcase the latest innovative banking products on offer.
2nd World Islamic Infrastructure Finance Conference (WIIFC)
The invitation for Masraf Al Rayan to address the 2nd WIIFC in Doha was a further indication of Masraf Al Rayan's position as one of the region's leading Shari'ah compliant banks. The 2-day conference, which has quickly established itself as the leading international gathering focusing on the Islamic finance project infrastructure market, attracted 250 senior executives from the world of Islamic finance and banking in the Middle East, North America, Europe and Asia.
3rd Annual World Islamic Funds & Capital Markets Conference
This conference has established itself as the pre-eminent platform for debate
and discussion on the latest market developments, growth and new product opportunities in the investment funds and capital markets landscape. Masraf Al Rayan received an invitation to participate in a panel discussion on the topic of the booming market for Islamic Private Equity. The accompanying exhibition showcased market-leading Islamic banks and other financial institutions.
World Islamic Banking Conference:
Masraf Al Rayan announced its participation in the World Islamic Banking Conference (WIBC) in Manama, Bahrain, 8-10 December 2007, with over 1400 delegates from 35 countries attending. Masraf Al Rayan was invited to give a presentation on “Evaluating the industrial growth trend in Qatar for investment opportunities�.
The exhibition at the WIBC highlighted the latest developments of the banking industry and showcased the retail and corporate products and services of the participating financial institutions.
