Forthcoming analysis to explore country’s post-pandemic growth plans

Doha, September 19, 2021

Oxford Business Group (OBG) has relaunched its operations in Qatar following a one-year break necessitated by the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Its on-the-ground team is once again being led by Country Director Izabela Kruk, who has been overseeing operations for OBG there since 2016.

Kruk previously spearheaded the information-gathering process in several other regional markets covered by the group, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain, and additionally spent time leading OBG’s teams in the field across Latin America and Asia. 

In a separate development, Kruk was also recently appointed GCC Sustainability Director – a newly created role that she takes on in parallel and which reflects the added focus that OBG is giving to environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues in its research, at a time when business ethics and social responsibility are increasingly generating investor interest and shaping the global corporate agenda. 

She will now steer the compilation of research for the firm’s forthcoming project, The Report: Qatar 2022, and other related content.

Kruk said she was delighted to be returning to Qatar at what marks a significant juncture in the country’s history, with its drive to diversify the economy gaining pace and preparations to host the FIFA World Cup 2022 well under way.

“Qatar’s many macroeconomic strengths and robust public health system meant it was well placed to deal effectively with the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and begin reopening key sectors of the economy in a timely manner,” Kruk said. “I’m thrilled that we’re now able to resume our research here and look forward to meeting the decision-makers and thought leaders across both the private and public sectors who will be contributing to the next chapter of Qatar’s growth story.”

Jana Treeck, OBG’s Managing Director for the Middle East, added that the team’s return to Qatar coincided with international interest in the country reaching an all-time high and forecasts pointing to a strong economic recovery.

“Qatar’s deep foreign currency reserves and long-standing policy of economic diversification helped it to weather the unavoidable shocks associated with the Covid-19 pandemic better than many of its peers,” Treeck said. “Looking ahead, rising energy prices, improved relations with GCC members and next year’s World Cup are expected to bring about a swift rebound and produce a wide range of high-value investment opportunities that Izabela and the team will no doubt be exploring in their research.”

The Report: Qatar 2022 will mark the culmination of more than 12 months of field research by a team of analysts from Oxford Business Group. The publication will assess trends and developments across the economic sectors, including those in macroeconomics, infrastructure, banking and others. It will be available in print and online. The report forms part of OBG’s extensive suite of products which also includes other essential research tools, including its highly regarded country-specific Growth and Recovery Outlook articles and interviews.