Kit Gillet talks to Bassel Gamal, group CEO of Qatar Islamic Bank, about the role Islamic banking plays in Qatar today, the potential impact of the 2022 World Cup, and what is holding back the global adoption of Islamic finance.

As Qatar prepares to host the World Cup later this year, the country’s economy is set to receive a major windfall from higher gas prices.

The country’s banks are set for a bumper year, even as a heavy reliance on foreign funding raises concerns.

Al Rayan Bank’s CEO, Giles Cunningham, on the growth prospects for Islamic Finance in the UK, the bank’s pivot towards commercial property and the prospects for sharia-compliant banking in the UK.

Middle Eastern fintechs and neobanks are attracting investment from overseas, as the wave of mega-mergers among the region’s largest lenders grinds to a halt.

Despite the challenges of an economic blockade and Covid-19, Qatar's economy entered 2021 relatively unscathed. 

The chief executive of Qatar’s Doha Bank on getting through the pandemic and plans for 2021.

The Gulf country was well positioned for difficult economic conditions when Covid-19 hit.

Gulf state hopes economic independence because of blockade will help it withstand downturn.

Despite rising non-performing loans risk, confidence in banking system remains high.