• Home
• Financial Services
• News Article

Bob Wigley joins the Board of the QFC Authority

Appointment will help further develop Qatar as a regional hub for the asset management industry

Doha, Qatar, 7 February 2012: The Qatar Financial Centre Authority is pleased to announce the appointment of Bob Wigley as a Non-Executive Director. Previously Chairman of Merrill Lynch Europe, Middle East and Africa, Bob's current roles include being Chairman of Yell Group plc. He was appointed an Ambassador for UK Business by David Cameron, the UK Prime Minister, in 2011.

In line with the QFC Authority 's strategic focus on Asset Management, Reinsurance and Captives Insurance, a key part of Mr. Wigley's role will be to widely promote Qatar to the global fund management industry as a major regional hub for asset management.

Commenting, Mr. Abdulrahman Al-Shaibi, Managing Director of the QFC Authority , said:

"Bob's vast experience, both globally and in the Middle East, his contacts and his deep knowledge of financial centres and the asset management industry will be hugely valuable to the QFC Authority . This is an excellent appointment and we very much look forward to working with Bob over the next few years."

Bob Wigley said:

"I've been hugely impressed by Qatar as a country and Doha as a developing financial centre. The QFC Authority has a strong platform to build upon and a clear strategy as to how to attract leading financial institutions to the country. These are very exciting times for Qatar and I look forward to playing my part in ensuring that the global asset management industry is fully aware of everything we have to offer."

-Ends-

About Bob Wigley
Bob Wigley is Chairman of Yell Group plc, Expansys plc, Stonehaven Search LLP, is a Non-Executive Director of Orca Exploration Inc. and is an investor and entrepreneur. He was appointed an Ambassador for UK Business by the UK Prime Minister in 2011. In 2008, he chaired a panel of leading London financial services company CEOs for the incoming Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, producing a major report on how to maintain London's competitiveness in global terms for the decade ahead and he now sits on the Mayor's Panel of Economic Advisers.

In January, 2009, Bob resigned as Chairman of Merrill Lynch Europe, Middle East and Africa following the completion of the takeover by Bank of America. Since 2004, Bob had chaired Merrill Lynch's EMEA Executive Committee and sat on Merrill Lynch's Global Operating Committee and Client Coverage Council. During this time, he was a member of the Court of the Bank of England and of its Risk Policy and Audit Committees, was a member of the Senior Practitioner Committee of the Financial Services Authority, and the FSA's nominated representative on the Market Consultative Panel of the Council of European Securities Regulators. He sat on the boards of LCH.Clearnet plc (Chairing its nomination committee) and Euroclear plc (and its strategy committee), was a member of the UK Chancellor's "wise men" group representing key financial stakeholders in London, was a member of the Chairman's Committee of the London Investment Banking Association, a member of the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers (and its remuneration committee) and on the EU Advisory Panel of the London Corporation.

About QFC
The Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) is a financial and business centre established by the Government of Qatar and located in Doha. It has been designed to attract international financial services institutions and major multi-national corporations in particular those operating in the reinsurance, captive insurance and asset management sectors and to encourage participation in the growing market for financial services in Qatar and elsewhere in the region. The QFC operates to international standards and provides a first class legal and business infrastructure for those operating within the QFC. The QFC was created by Qatar Law No. (7) and has been open for business since 1 May 2005.

QFC Authority
The QFC Authority is the commercial, administrative and legislative body responsible for leading the expansion of Qatar's financial services sector, providing a uniquely sustainable platform for regional growth in reinsurance, captive insurance and asset management.

www.qfc.com.qa

For further information:
Qatar Financial Centre Authority
Stephen Carriere
Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications
Qatar Financial Centre Authority
Tel: +974 4496 7784
email: s.carriere@qfc.com.qa

Citigate Dewe Rogerson, Doha
Michael Prest: +974 4452 8335
Citigate Dewe Rogerson, London
Grant Ringshaw / Toby Moore: +44207 638 9571

© Press Release 2012