Business Network International (BNI) commemorated its ninth anniversary with the annual Business Awards on June 2, 2023, celebrating the remarkable achievements of its members. The gala event was held in Doha, recognising 60 individuals for their exemplary performance over the past year.
At the helm of BNI Qatar are National Directors, Mohamed Shabeeb and Nima Nazarulla, who have been instrumental in the organisation’s growth and success. Shabeeb, an entrepreneur since 2003, joined BNI Qatar as their Executive Director in 2017 and is the current National Director. His expertise in business performance has led to the significant achievements of BNI Qatar over the years.
Nima, Co-National Director, shares a similar story of dedication and impactful leadership collectively serving the members to grow their business through a positive and result-oriented referral marketing system.
The awards night was graced with the presence of special guests from around the globe, including Christophe Ribaimont, Lorena Medina, and Arunoday Ganguly – National Directors of BNI in France, Mexico, and Bahrain respectively. Ribaimont and Medina imparted their knowledge on referrals and return on investment through networking in a special training session for BNI members conducted on 1st June 2023 that was attended by 80 people. This was followed by an exclusive networking lunch event with representatives of the business councils of Austria, Bangladesh, France, India, Mexico, the Philippines, and Ukraine.
The main awards of the night went to Prathap Sridharan, who was named Member of the Year, and the BNI Royals, which won Chapter of the Year.
The event was supported by Meica Qatar as Title Partner along with Savoy Insurance Brokers and Planet Engineering as Co Title Partners.
The last year has seen BNI Qatar members generate QR 165 million in business, contributing to a total of QR 755 million since its inception on June 5, 2014. This means, BNI members have been generating QR465,000 worth of business each day for the last 365 days. The organisation, with 180 members across 90 different business categories, has held 300 meetings over the year, in various venues around Doha, fostering an environment of collaboration and business growth. Globally, BNI members have generated $21.7 billion in business through referrals in the last 12 months.
BNI Qatar operates under the license of the Qatar Financial Centre and is part of a broader international network of BNI that spans 77 countries, bringing together 305,000 companies worldwide.
Apart from Qatar, BNI has had a significant presence in the Middle East for the past 18 years, starting in the UAE. It plans to launch in Bahrain and Oman in the next two months, providing members access to an extensive network of business professionals in the GCC. The event also had the participation of members from UAE, Bahrain, and Oman.
BNI, the world’s leading business networking and referral organization, is built on the ‘Givers Gain’ philosophy. It offers personality development training, marketing-development training, and knowledge-based access to BNI business build-up, contributing significantly to the growth and success of its members. When asked about how business owners and decision-makers of companies operating in Qatar can join this network, Shabeeb responded that interested individuals could easily approach BNI Qatar through the various social media channels and their website – www.bni.qa.
The BNI Qatar Annual Business Awards 2023 served as a testament to the organisation’s commitment to fostering a community that encourages business growth, networking, and mutual support, reflecting the true spirit of BNI’s mission worldwide.