FAQ
Last Updated :
07 July 2010
What is QFINANCE?
QFINANCE is the brand name of Qatar Finance - The Ultimate Resource. Created by Bloomsbury Publishing and the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) Authority, QFINANCE is a dynamic and comprehensive financial knowledge base and reference source containing contributions from some 300 of the world's leading financial practitioners, visionaries, writers and educators. QFINANCE online (www.qfinance.com) will provide free access to the huge breadth and depth of its content which will be updated daily. QFINANCE will also be available as a reference book, which will be updated annually, and sold through leading bookshops internationally.
What does QFINANCE contain?
QFINANCE contains over 250 best practice essays by leading financial practitioners, academics and experts on the full range of issues that impact on the world’s financial system today. It also provides:
- A dictionary of 9,000 terms with quick, clear definitions
- Over 2,000 business-relevant quotes
- A library of 130 digests of the best reads in finance Biographies of 60 of the leading theorists and practitioners who helped create modern finance
- 103 countries and 26 sector profiles, providing essential primary research resource for direct or indirect investment
- A directory of 60 topics containing essential resources globally, from behavioural finance to budgeting
- Over 300 supplementary "how to" guides covering the everyday challenges facing the finance professional
Who is contributing to QFINANCE?
Among the 300 contributors and advisors are:
- Mike Moore, ex Director-General WTO and former New Zealand PM
- Mohammad Yunus, Nobel Prize Winner
- Ola Ullstein, former PM Sweden
- Augusto Lopez-Claros, IMF
- Jim O’Neill, Chief Global Economist, Goldman Sachs
- Norbert Walter, Chief Economist Deutsche Bank Group
- Justin Yifu Lin, Chief Economist, World Bank
- Prof Robert Merton, Harvard, Nobel Prize
- Jim Rogers, fund manager
- Sir Adrian Cadbury, Aston Business School
- Sir Howard Davies, LSE
- Professor Laura Tyson, Berkeley
- Prof Riccardo Rebonato, Royal Bank of Scotland
- Lord Peter Levene, Lloyds of London
- Sir Christopher Hogg, FRC
- Prof Stewart Hamilton, IMD
- Dr Paul Wilmott, Willmott Associates
- Dr Mark Mobius, Templeton
- Dr Diana Choyleva, Lombard Street
- Prof Zvi Bodie, Boston University
- Michael Ong, IIT
- Sir John Stuttard, PWC (and ex-Lord Mayor of London)
- V Balakrishnan, CFO, Infosys (India)
- Professor Frank Fabozzi, Yale School of Management
- Professor Aswath Damodaran, NYU Stern School of Business
- Professor Bridget Hutter, London School of Economics
- Professor Rodney Wilson, Durham University
Why has the QFC Authority co-produced QFINANCE?
The State of Qatar, through the Qatar Financial Centre Authority, has agreed to partner with Bloomsbury Publishing in the creation of QFINANCE, because it reflects principles that Qatar embraces as a nation.
It is progressive in that it gives to the world of finance a platform of knowledge that does not exist in one place anywhere else.
It is reliable in that those who have contributed to QFINANCE are all recognised as experts in their respective fields.
And it is educational, to ensure that this and future generations have the best sources of learning at their disposal.
The QFC Authority’s support for this immense and significant project underlines the importance that Qatar has placed on the development of its own financial sector, the adoption of best practice, and the engagement of Qatar in the regional and international financial system.
What is the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) Authority?
Qatar is one of the world’s fastest growing economies and the wealthiest country in the world measured by GDP per capita. The Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) lies at the heart of this small but dynamic country’s ambitious investment and development strategy. By attracting many of the world’s leading financial institutions to establish operations in Qatar, the QFC is supporting both the development of Qatar’s economy and the expansion of financial services in the region as a whole. The QFC Authority is committed to maintaining the highest international standards in its operations and activities.
Who is Bloomsbury Publishing?
Bloomsbury Publishing is one of the world’s leading independent, publicly quoted publishing houses with a reputation for a high quality management team and a highly valuable portfolio of intellectual properties including the Encarta World English Dictionary, JK Rowling’s Harry Potter, Margaret Atwood, John Irving, David Guterson and Ben Schott. Other databases include Who’s Who, Whitaker’s Almanack, Reed’s Nautical Almanac, Black’s Medical Dictionary, the Macmillan English Dictionary for Advanced Learners of English, Business: The Ultimate Resource and the RSPB Guide to Birds.
Which languages is QFINANCE in?
Initially QFINANCE will be in English. But plans are in place for it to be translated into Arabic, Chinese, German and other languages.
How will QFINANCE be managed?
The free access website will be managed by a team based at Bloomsbury Publishing that will further develop and update QFINANCE on a daily basis. The book will be reissued annually.
Who is QFINANCE aimed at?
QFINANCE is a unique and invaluable financial resource for all finance professionals from the most junior accountant or student to the most senior investment banker or CEO of a global conglomerate. It is aimed not only at the finance industry but also at business schools, universities, institutions and business writers.
When will QFINANCE be launched?
QFINANCE is being launched in Doha on 30 September 2009 as part of a series of conferences in partnership with the Financial Times, CNBC and CNBC Arabiya which are called the QFINANCE Debates.
Why is QFINANCE unique?
QFINANCE is the most comprehensive original resource of its kind. It has a database of over 2 million words, covering a huge range of finance-related topics, with over 300 best-practice, thought-leadership and viewpoint essays that distil and summarise the most important aspects of finance. It includes the thoughts of finance leaders and experts on the crucial issues and challenges facing finance managers, entrepreneurs and business executives. It is authoritative, reliable, and relevant.
How was the idea for QFINANCE conceived?
We believed there was a gap in the market for a truly comprehensive resource of this kind and wanted to create a new and unique knowledge bank that would provide vital information and act as a forum for students of finance and professionals.
Why has QFINANCE been produced now?
The events of the last two years have shown that financial systems are not infallible and when they do fail, they do so on a global scale. Financial professionals around the world are now being asked to question their practices and thinking, and it is crucial that lessons are learned and best practice is adopted. Fresh ideas need to be shared globally. Knowledge and education are key and for the first time a resource like QFINANCE.com endeavours to provide a global forum for best practice to flourish and new ideas and approaches to finance to emerge.
How can QFINANCE be accessed?
It is free to access QFINANCE through the website www.qfinance.com and it can be purchased as a book.
Who will use QFINANCE?
QFINANCE is a unique and invaluable financial resource for all finance professionals from the most junior accountant or student to the most senior investment banker or CEO of a global conglomerate. It is aimed not only at the finance industry but also at business schools, universities, institutions and business writers.
Why would anyone other than students studying finance use this resource?
Learning doesn’t just stop at university or business school. QFINANCE will act as a resource to facilitate lifetime learning in finance, acting both as a comprehensive reference tool to individuals at all stages in their career and as a thought-leadership platform. It will also be a very useful resource for corporates and C-suite executives striving for excellence in their professions and looking for a deeper and fresh understanding of the financial environment they are operating in and the risks they face.
How will QFINANCE continue to ensure its relevance over the coming years?
QFINANCE online (www.qfinance.com) will provide free access to the huge breadth and depth of its content, together with compelling additional daily content updates and functionality.
How much will it cost to access QFINANCE?
Access to QFINANCE is free, so everyone is able to benefit from the huge breadth and depth of www.qfinance.com database, together with compelling additional daily content updates and functionality.
What is the future for QFINANCE?
www.qfinance.com will be updated daily while the book will be updated annually to ensure that the best practice guidelines and insights are representative of the very best thinking to ensure it remains a global forum for best practice to flourish and new ideas and approaches to finance to emerge.