The 14th floor of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce in Doha, Qatar has been transformed. Gone are the mahogany and leather Edwardian-style furnishings to be succeeded by a series of work stations each under its own futuristic parasol. The dark carpet has been replaced by one in the same pale colour as the sand around the foot of the building.
This is the headquarters for the new Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority (QFCRA). During the next few weeks Phillip Thorpe – appointed as chairman and CEO of the QFCRA on 10 March – will be joined by the first batch of his newly recruited staff to run the authority. These staff are expected to bring with them a wide range of regulatory experience from various major markets and institutions.
