Key Qtel employees have strengthened their leadership credentials by graduating from an exclusive programme created by HEC-Paris in Qatar, the Doha branch of a leading executive education establishment. The three-module Value Leader Programme, which was delivered to a group of Qtel “high-achievers identified as strong candidates for leadership succession”, is indicative of the company’s comprehensive staff development strategy. “Central to this forward-looking process is the accumulation of a thriving pool of talent capable of taking on vital leadership positions in the coming years,” Qtel said. HEC-Paris in Qatar has emerged as the Middle East and North Africa region’s leading hub for Executive Education since becoming Qatar Foundation’s first European education partner and the first member of its Management and Education Research Centre in June 2010. With a history of more than 130 years, HEC Paris is ranked by the UK’s Financial Times media group as the number one European business school and the world’s most accomplished executive education establishment. Qtel’s support for the Value Leader Programme is part of its “Talent Development Strategy”, which aims to promote professional growth at every level of the organisation, with a strong focus on providing opportunities for Qataris to reach their full potential. HEC Paris in Qatar’s programmes and research activities build corporate competitiveness within the global economy and are fully aligned with Qatar National Vision 2030 to support the emergence of an advanced, competitive, and knowledge-based economy. Qtel Value Leader Programme graduates are now expected to put their newfound skills into practice as they seek to forge lasting and influential careers within the company. Qtel said its ongoing success story is largely fuelled by its workforce, who benefit from a dynamic, nurturing and performance-driven environment, as well as its Qatarisation strategy, which supports graduate development, specialised technician programmes, certification in leadership and management, marketing programmes, internships, scholarships and sponsorships.