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July 24, 2017, Washington DC, USA— Ambassador Patrick N. Theros, President of the US-Qatar Business Council, has announced his intention to retire at the end of July 2017 after 17 years of committed service. “We thank Ambassador Theros for his service and dedication to the US-Qatar Business Council,” the Council’s Board of Directors said. Wayne Warwick, ExxonMobil Vice President of Production and Co-Chairman of the Council’s Board, added: "As a company with a strong and long-lasting partnership with the State of Qatar, we greatly appreciated Ambassador Theros' relentless efforts to promote bilateral business relations and ensure that the council served as a unique platform for positive engagement and exchange. We are grateful for his unmatched dedication and wish him the best."
"In either his terms as Ambassador to Qatar or as President of the US-Qatar Business Council, Patrick Theros has left lasting marks and a great impression on relations between Qatar and the United States. We are all thankful for his dedicated efforts, and we know that he will always be a friend. We will greatly miss him and wish him the best of luck as he retires." Said Mohammed Al-Rashid, Qatar Petroleum Director Public Relations and Communications and Co-Chairman of the Council’s Board. The official process for replacing the President is already underway, as Ambassador Theros informed the Board of his intent to retire at the beginning of 2017. “We expect to have a new President in the next few months,” the Board said. The Board consists of nine non-employee members representing the Council’s founding members. Ambassador Theros will continue in his private capacity supporting the relationship between the two countries. “I would like to thank Ambassador Theros for his dedication to USQBC over 17 years of hard work to further enrich bilateral business relationships between the US and State of Qatar. He has helped the Council become what it is today, and I wish him all the best in his future endeavors. I am sure he will continue to be a friend of Qatar, and a true advocate for enriching Qatari-American relationships on all aspects,” said Mohamed Fakhro, the CEO of Tanween, and a member of the Board. ###Background About Ambassador Theros
In March 2000 Ambassador Patrick Nickolas Theros assumed the office of President of the US-Qatar Business Council after a 36-year career in the United States Foreign Service. Ambassador Theros joined the Foreign Service in 1963 and, prior to his appointment as Ambassador to the State of Qatar, served in a variety of positions including Political Advisor to the Commander in Chief Central Command; Deputy Chief of Mission and Political Officer in Amman; Charge d’affaires and Deputy Chief of Mission in Abu Dhabi; and Economic and Commercial Counselor in Damascus. During this time he earned four Superior Honor Awards. In 1990, he was accorded the personal rank of Minister Counselor. In 1992, he received both the President’s Meritorious Service Award for career officials and the Secretary of Defense Medal for Meritorious Civilian Service. The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem honored Ambassador Theros with the honor of Knight Commander Order of the Holy Sepulcher. In 1999, His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifah Al-Thani awarded Ambassador Theros Qatar’s Order of Merit. Immediately before his appointment as Ambassador to Qatar in 1995, Ambassador Theros served as Deputy Coordinator for Counterterrorism at the Department of State, responsible for the coordination of all U.S. Government counterterrorism activities outside the United States. Ambassador Theros has the following affiliations:About the Council
Mission: The US-Qatar Business Council develops, supports, and advances the bilateral relationship between the United States and the State of Qatar. Vision: The Council envisions a seamless relationship between the US and Qatar; a permanent partnership built on a foundation of mutual interests and strong political, business, cultural, and security relations. The Council is the leading organization dedicated exclusively to enhancing the bilateral relationship between the US and Qatar. The Council achieves this vision primarily through improving the economic relationship between the US and Qatar. The Council offers business advisory services, consultancy services, and coordinates trade missions. Through partnerships, a weekly newsletter, events, and articles, the Council highlights Qatari happenings and engages stakeholders.