The British Embassy hosted a reception for a delegation of technical staffing experts from the UK last night, with the feedback from their visit being described as “100% positive.”
The Association of Technology Staffing Com-panies (ASTCo) delegation represents a number of businesses which offer specialist staffing services on a consultancy basis.
Speaking to Gulf Times at the reception, delegation leader Ann Swain said: “This has been a very interesting trip and has given the companies the chance to see whether setting up in Qatar is a viable and attractive option.”
She explained that the trip was organised following a forum held by ASTCo in the UK where Qatar was voted as the country that most companies would like to visit.
“There is a definite need here for the skills our companies offer, whether it be for developing infrastructure for government organisations, or for corporations,” Swain said.
“The technical staffing industry in the UK generates some £26.6bn of turnover with ASTCo companies contributing around £8bn of that,” she explained. “In Qatar it seems a much smaller industry, and one that can certainly grow in the future.”
And although the trip was planned well in advance of the credit crunch, and is about geographical expansion as opposed to financial problems, Swain pointed out that the global financial crisis made Qatar and the region an even more attractive prospect.
“In staffing, you need to be able to attract people to a country, and I think this is a very easy place to sell,” she added.
British Ambassador John Hawkins welcomed the delegation, saying that “developing economic and business relations is a key element of what the embassy does here, and part of that is bringing companies from the UK to Qatar.”
“I am delighted to welcome such a strong delegation here, and am sure that Qatar offers them many fantastic opportunities,” he added.

Courtesy of Peter Townson - Gulf Times

• See Gulf Times coverage of the event (15 Oct 2008)
• See Gulf Times coverage of the event (16 Oct 2008)