Qatar National Committee for the World Petroleum Council Appoints QMDI as General Contractor for 20th WPC

07 December 2009, Doha - Qatar National Committee for the World Petroleum Council has appointed Qatar MICE Development Institute (QMDI), a joint venture company owned by Qatar Foundation as the Sales, Marketing & Exhibition Management contractor for the 20th World Petroleum Congress (WPC). The Congress will be held from 4-8 December 2011 at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) in Doha.

The contract was signed during a ceremony at the International Petroleum Technology Conference VIP dinner hosted by Qatar Petroleum at Sharq Village and Spa in the presence of H.E. Dr. Mohamed Al-Sada Minister of State for Energy & Industry Affairs and Dr Randy Gossen, President of the World Petroleum Council.

It was signed by the Chairman, Qatar National Committee for the WPC, Abdulla Salatt and Mohammed Al-Naama, Deputy CEO, QMDI.

QMDI will work with the Qatar Organising Committee on the sales and marketing of the event as part of an international roadshow to promote the event to potential sponsors, exhibitors and delegates. It will also manage the exhibition at the Qatar National Convention Centre.

"I am extremely proud that Qatar has the honor to host the 20th WPC. Bringing the WPC to this region for the first time will offer many their first chance to come to know more about the petroleum industry here. We look forward to working with QMDI to make this the best Congress ever," H.E. Dr. Mohamed Al-Sada, Minister of State for Energy & Industry Affairs said.

President of the World Petroleum Council, Dr Randy Gossen said: "We are privileged to be hosted by Qatar, a dynamic country whose importance in the global oil and gas industry is now very significant. At the World Petroleum Council, we are committed to supporting the efforts of the Qatar Organising Committee for the 20th World Petroleum Congress to deliver a relevant and memorable Congress."

This will be the first time in its long history, that the World Petroleum Congress will be held in the Middle East. Under the theme "Energy Solutions for All: Promoting Cooperation, Innovation and Investment", The 20th World Petroleum Congress will be held in the new Qatar National Convention Centre and will occupy the future venue's full capacity for the first time.

"Already we have in place under the Qatar Organising Committee (QOC) teams making preparations for the event. While it is still two years away, much is to be done to ensure it is remembered as the most successful WPC ever. I'm very confident that with the combined efforts of the QOC, Qatar Petroleum as host organization, and QMDI we will achieve this," said Abdulla Salatt, Chairman, Qatar National Committee for the WPC.

Every three years the World Petroleum Council, the world's premier oil and gas forum, organises the World Petroleum Congress hosted by one of its member countries. Qatar was selected as host country for the 20th World Petroleum Congress by the World Petroleum Council in a secret electronic ballot vote in Uruguay in 2007.

The World Petroleum Congress considered as the "Olympics of the Oil and Gas Industry". With attendees expected from over 100 countries and five continents, the event promises to attract a substantial amount of international and local attention as well as garner the support from many leading industry associations and government bodies. Over 4,000 delegates were registered at the 19th World Petroleum Congress in Madrid in 2008. In addition, the exhibition attracted over 500 exhibitors and more than 12,000 trade exhibition visitors.

QMDI was established in 2007. As the largest events company in Qatar, QMDI's professional event management services delivers international expertise coupled with extensive local market knowledge to produce dynamic and innovative events.

Rashid Al Naimi, Chairman of QMDI, said commenting on the event: "This is the most important event on the global petroleum's industry calendar and it gives us great pleasure to be a part of it. QMDI has the skills and the experience to make this event a memorable one for Qatar".

Mohammed Al-Naama, Deputy CEO of QMDI furthered, "This promises to be the most influential meeting place for the petroleum sector, with many of the world's most prominent figures in the industry gathering to set out the way forward for the global oil and gas industry."