Doha to Host Second Business Continuity and Resilience Conference Next November

Doha, June 24 (QNA) - Doha will host the 2nd Business Continuity and Resilience Conference under the theme "Towards a Reliable Economy on Monday, November 19, in which the focus will be on integrating best practices in business continuity, and the opportunity to benefit all participants. The forum will be held under the patronage of HE Minister of Economy and Commerce Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al-Thani, organized by Silah for Marketing and Exhibition with Qatari Businessmen Association as the Strategic Partner and Business Continuity Institute in UK and BCI Qatar Forum as the Professional Development Partners, after the success of the first Conference "Business Continuity ... stability and achievements" which was held in December 2017. The Chairman of Qatar Business Continuity Forum and Conference President Eng. Abdullatif Ali Al Yafei, said in a speech today during a press conference to announce the conference, that the second edition builds on the outcomes of the first conference, which adopted a participatory methodology by involving the attendant business continuity and resilience specialists in developing a number of recommendations in six important areas, namely Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), Cyber-security, networking, establishing links among BCR specialists, supply chain, and finally, the role of the governmental sector in supporting business continuity, disaster recovery and crisis management.. Through experiences that took place during the first conference, Al Yafei pointed out, it became evident that there is a need to integrate a capacity-building component in the Business Continuity and Resilience sector in Qatar focusing on establishing business community and resilience programs as well as risk management plans, in addition to participants keenness to establish connections and forge relationships among professionals. Unlike the first conference, which was dedicated to showcasing current practices and success stories in the Qatari market, the 2nd edition of the conference will focus on integrating international best practices, providing practical methods and an opportunity to benefit all participants. In line with the Forums belief that supporting companies and institutions operating in Qatar to develop business continuity practices and crisis management programs cannot be achieved without a real assessment of the needs of these companies as a key partner in nurturing the business continuity and resilience field at the country level, the topics to be discussed in the 2nd BC&R Conference "Towards a Reliable Economy" are based on three main pillars. The first pillar relies on providing a real platform for the exchange of experiences and best practices among BC&R specialists. The second pillar revolves around establishing links between BC&R specialists and decision makers in a number of important fields and disciplines based on a "Chimney Talk" format used for the first time in Qatar as a mechanism for discussions and recommendations. These fields were selected according to the recommendations made by the participants of the first BC&R conference as vital areas that intersect with, and fall within, several strategic plans to mitigate risks and ensure the continuity of business, namely the supply chain, building and construction materials, and cyber-security. The third pillar will focus on building the capacities of BC&R professionals by providing them with training and development opportunities in accordance with the highest international standards, and boosting the number of certified professionals in this field. Stemming from BCI-Qatar Forums aim to develop and nurture the BC&R field in Qatar, the Conference is designed to maximize participants' benefits by inter-linking the three pillars and adopting new discussion mechanisms to facilitate an unprecedented level of interaction among participants. Al Yafei said that the Conferences program will run for one day and will kick off with two plenary sessions: the opening ceremony which will be attended by HE Minister of Economy and Commerce Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al-Thani, and a number of dignitaries, company owners and businessmen. Followed by the first session which will address several important topics such as supporting SMEs in adopting business continuity and risk management systems, the relationship between business continuity, risk management and the ROI resulting from building the capacity of BC&R professionals, and the optimal place for Business Continuity Management in the organizational structure of companies. This will be followed by another session where participants are divided into three groups (in what is known as a "Chimney Talk", through which the Organizing Committee is keen to provide a unique experience for participants, with more details to be announced in the near future. The specialized training courses are set to support three levels of expertise based on the needs of the trainees. Eng. Al Yafei added that the Conference Organizing Committee had promised participants of the first edition that the conference will present annual awards to distinguished individuals and companies in the BCR field in order to stimulate institutional and individual excellence. Fulfilling the promise, this year's conference will present five awards following a transparent criteria and a clear mechanism for selecting the best applicants. The BCI in the UK will then evaluate nominations based on integrity and transparency standards through a committee of international BCR experts that is affiliated with the Institute in the United Kingdom. Applications will be accepted starting from end of July 2018, for five awards this year, which are, Continuity and Resilience Professional (Private Sector), Continuity and Resilience Professional (Public Sector), Continuity and Resilience Newcomer, Continuity and Resilience Provider (Service / Product), and Most Effective Recovery. It is expected that the number of attendees to exceed the previous year's and that the Conference will be keen to provide more distinctive and value-added content to participants, especially in light of the support of HE Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, Minister of Economy and Commerce and how his patronage of the Conference reaffirms that the resonance of the first conference and its recommendations as presented in the final report have gained the attention of concerned governmental institutions, which in turn encourages the BCI-Qatar Forum and the Conference Organizing Committee to do their utmost to serve the Qatari economy and the business community, as well as present all that is new in business continuity, disaster mitigation and crisis management. Salah Mohammed Al Jaidah, a member of the Qatari Businessmen Association, said that the association is always keen to provide all kinds of support to Qatari companies, urging companies to adopt international standards and quality systems, and establishing effective risk management, business continuity and corporate flexibility programs. Qatar Businessmen Association's member Saud Omar Al Mana said that the ability to respond effectively and address the effects of emergencies in a timely manner is a key factor in ensuring the sustainability of companies, the conference is therefore a great opportunity to identify the risks facing the business environment in Qatar, and how to confront them, especially with the emergence of many new threats in the region and in business. He expressed the hope that the conference would succeed and achieve the desired results and objectives, looking forward to the recommendations that will be presented to participants and interested parties to share with the members of the Association, businessmen and investors. The Business Continuity Institute-Qatar Forum (BCIQF) was established in 2014 as one of the 110 forums/chapters under the umbrella of the Business Continuity Institute in the United Kingdom. The Qatar Forum has become the national leading professional body for Business Continuity and Resilience (BCR). Since inception, the Forum has made remarkable achievements, including hosting the 2015 BCI Middle East Conference in Doha, launching the BCR Guide; the first of its kind to explain the global standards in the field of Business Continuity, and organizing the first BCR conference in December 2017 entitled "Business Continuity Stability and Achievements". As for the Qatari Businessmen Association (QBA) it has made considerable contributions to the development of Qatari private sector, the enhancement of national economy, and marketing the Qatari economy abroad via sponsoring and organizing several important economic conferences and meetings, as well as hosting many economic and trade delegations from different countries. With the aim of promoting Qatar as a business and professional hub in the region, introducing modern economic trends and approaching the latest opportunities, QBA has participated and organized more than 100 local, regional and international economic conferences and forums, and proudly, the Association has hosted more than 700 highly distinguished foreign business delegations. (QNA)