(MENAFN- Gulf Times) When the world gathers in Doha each spring for the 'Qatar Economic Forum, Powered by Bloomberg' (QEF), it is more than a conference. It has become a marker of how Qatar is positioning itself as a bridge between regions and a host of conversations that carry weight well beyond the Gulf 2025 edition underscored this in striking fashion.
More than 2,500 leaders from 95 countries, including 1,500 C-suite executives, gathered in Doha. Online, the Forum reached over 200mn views, with tens of thousands of executives tuning in live on LinkedIn.
When headline speakers such as Elon Musk and Mary Callahan Erdoes chose Doha as their stage, their conversations did not only touch on Gulf priorities, they helped steer the global economic agenda.
Every year, the Qatar Economic Forum leans into its position as the Middle East's only editorially led economic forum to deliver one of the world's most impactful convenings.
What makes QEF distinctive is not only its scale but also its outcomes. In 2025, leaders held 234 bilateral meetings and 79 closed-door sessions, resulting in 21 memorandums of understanding.
For an event that is just five years old, that level of deal-making speaks volumes. It demonstrates the Gulf's rising centrality to global business and Qatar's ability to transform conversations into partnerships.
Qatar has taken the same convening approach across many industries.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup showed the country's ability to host events that capture worldwide attention. Now, anticipation is building for Art Basel Qatar in February 2026 – the first Middle East edition of the renowned fair.
With institutions such as the National Museum of Qatar and Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art already magnets for international audiences, Art Basel will add a new dimension to this cultural landscape. Together with QEF, these moments show how business, culture and sport can complement one another to build influence and collaboration that lasts.
That convening power is amplified by Bloomberg's role in powering QEF. Bloomberg Live brings Bloomberg's global news-making authority to life, combining its strengths in journalism, data and media to deliver conversations that matter to decision-makers. The quality of conversations backed by deep industry knowledge, analysis and data is what sets QEF apart from many other global convenings. In this era of economic volatility, geopolitical tension, technological disruption and a widening global trust gap, leaders are not seeking more content; they are searching for clarity, credibility and genuine human connection. QEF embodies that model, offering intelligence-led convening underpinned by Bloomberg's editorial trust, global reach and deep industry insights.
Looking ahead, the Qatar Economic Forum will return from 12-14 May 2026 with a focus on innovation, sports and economic transformation – topics that resonate deeply with the Gulf's trajectory. The establishment of its Global Advisory Council further institutionalises its role as a convening platform of global consequence.
At a time when markets are unsettled and geopolitical uncertainty is the norm, the ability to bring decision-makers together is essential to global business and government leaders.
Through the Qatar Economic Forum, and alongside its cultural and sporting platforms, Doha has become a stage where global voices gather, and where the region's economic and cultural relevance continues to grow.
Leigh Gilmore is the Global Head of Bloomberg Live.

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