The Ministry of Labour in Qatar held its inaugural Qatarisation Award ceremony for the private sector on October 27, 2026, under the patronage of Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani. The event recognized leading enterprises and individuals contributing significantly to advancing Qatarisation initiatives aimed at empowering national talent within the private sector.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan bin Ali al-Thani presented the awards in various sector-specific and cross-cutting categories. The ceremony was also attended by Minister of Labour Dr Ali bin Samikh al-Marri, who chairs the Award’s Board of Trustees, alongside other senior officials including Sheikha Najwa bint Abdulrahman al-Thani, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Labour, and Khames Mohammed al-Nuaimi, Assistant Undersecretary for National Manpower Affairs in the Private Sector.
The inaugural edition of the award attracted 426 applications from both individuals and establishments across nine sectors, with individuals representing 59% of submissions, according to Dr al-Marri. He emphasized that Qatarisation efforts should not compromise private-sector efficiency or competitiveness. The ministry's role, he noted, is to develop policies and support mechanisms that align Qatarisation objectives with the growth needs of private enterprises while helping them recruit, develop, and retain qualified Qatari talent.
The evaluation process for the awards involved extensive field visits and personal interviews, with 56 visits to shortlisted companies and 59 interviews conducted with shortlisted individuals. Ultimately, 14 enterprises and eight individuals were recognized for their outstanding efforts. Dr al-Marri highlighted the strong performance of Qatar National Bank Group (QNB), which won five awards in total, spanning both institutional and individual categories, demonstrating the impact of integrating national talent into strategic planning.
However, two sector-specific awards in healthcare services and manufacturing were withheld due to submissions not meeting the established quality criteria. Dr al-Marri underscored this decision as a commitment to maintaining the award’s credibility and high standards, expressing hope for increased participation from these sectors in future editions.
Individual honorees included Ali Turk al-Subaie of the Education Above All Foundation (EAA) for leadership excellence and Khalid Ahmed al Sada of QNB for outstanding national talent with 16 or more years of experience. Other notable individual recognitions featured Dana Hussein al-Ishaq from Sidra Medicine, Haya Rashid al-Khater of Qatar Foundation, and Kholoud Mohammed al-Dosari from Qatar Rail, among others.
Among enterprises, Ooredoo was honored as the leading information technology and digital services company in Qatarisation, while Katara Hospitality and EAA were recognized as leaders in tourism and education respectively. Additional categories saw awards given to entities including Hassad Food in food and agriculture, United Development Company in construction, and the Economic Zones Company in logistics. QNB was further distinguished in the financial services sector as a leader in Qatarisation.
Core enterprise awards acknowledged QNB for excellence in attracting and hiring national talent and for its new employee programs targeting university and high school graduates. Microsoft Doha was recognized for flexible work arrangements, Commercial Bank for leadership development, Visit Qatar for empowering Qatari women employees, and the Qatar Red Crescent Society for preparing future talent.
Established under Amiri Decision No. 27 of 2025, the Qatarisation Award in the Private Sector forms part of the Ministry of Labour’s broader strategy to foster competition, enhance Qatarisation practices, and strengthen collaboration with private sector stakeholders in developing Qatar’s national workforce.