US-Qatar Business Council Leads Trade Mission to Qatar

> MARCH 7-10, 2015: The US-Qatar Business Council led a business delegation of senior executives representing ten defense, security, and cyber security companies from the State of Virginia to Qatar March 7-10^th. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) assembled and led the companies on a three-country tour through the Arabian Gulf visiting the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. The delegation included senior executives of Automation Precision Technology, Command Post Technologies, First Line Technology, G3 Systems, Germane Systems, Imperatis, MAC Aerospace, MarkLogic, Osen-Hunter Group, and TASC Management. The mission kicked off the afternoon of March 7^th with a briefing from the US Ambassador to Qatar, Ambassador Dana Smith, Defense Attaché Col. James Wiengartner, and Senior Commercial Officer Robert Dunn. This was followed by presentations from the CEO of Qatar Financial Center Regulatory Authority (QFCRA), Michael Ryan, and representatives of K&L Gates, an American law firm with offices in Qatar. Senior Officials from the Qatar Armed Forces welcomed the group to As Sayliyah base for a presentation about the defense community and a light reception and discussion. The delegation also visited ictQatar, the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology, to meet with senior officials about the role of the ministry and a light reception. The Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI) hosted the delegation at the W Hotel for a presentation and roundtable discussion with Vice Chairman Muhammed Bin Ahmed Bin Towar Al Kuwari, Director General Remy Rowhani, and over forty QCCI member companies. The US companies engaged in numerous one-on-one meetings with a wide variety of Qatari companies throughout the mission. The delegation also visited MEEZA and Qatar Science and Technology Park, entities of Qatar Foundation, to meet with senior executives and discuss opportunities in the IT sector. USQBC honored the business delegation with a reception at the W Hotel attended by over one hundred guests, including Qatari notables, AmCham Qatar members, and government officials. Ambassador Patrick Theros, President of USQBC delivered a keynote to the attendees about opportunities in Qatar and the benefits of these missions in building lasting relationships between the two countries. John Elink-Schuurman VALET Program Manager with VEDP and delegation leader thanked USQBC and highlighted the importance of such missions in developing a lasting partnership between Virginia and Qatar. USQBC is committed to maintaining a lasting partnership between the US and Qatar. For more information about VEDP please visit www.yesvirginia.org.