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Dame Susan Langley the Lady Mayor of the City of London told the Qatar News Agency that the economic partnership between Qatar and the United Kingdom is strong trusted and built for the long term. In her first visit to Doha which the Qatar Tribune reported on October 12 she outlined plans to link Qatari investors with credible projects in the UK while supporting British companies seeking partnerships in Qatar. Langley emphasised expertise in investment insurance technology and professional services as tools to finance new industries protect major projects and help businesses expand internationally. The discussions focused on turning historic ties into practical collaborations across multiple sectors.
Langley pointed to real scope to do more together in green growth FinTech and Islamic finance according to the interview published by the Qatar Tribune. She noted that London can help raise private capital for green infrastructure and clean-energy projects while its FinTech ecosystem can support Qatari firms developing new services and growing internationally. The City of London leader also highlighted opportunities to connect Qatar with innovative UK companies in financial technology clean growth and life sciences. These areas align closely with the diversified knowledge-based economy at the heart of Qatar National Vision 2030 the Qatar Tribune reported.
The visit comes months after the UK and Gulf Cooperation Council concluded a free trade agreement in May 2026 that the UK government said could boost the British economy by an estimated 3.7 billion pounds every year. Langley told the Qatar News Agency that once the pact enters into force it will reduce barriers improve access for services and digital trade and make it easier for companies to understand the rules in each market. She added that the agreement matters particularly for smaller businesses which often have fewer resources to navigate complex requirements giving SMEs in Qatar and the UK greater confidence to export form partnerships and invest in each other’s markets.
A UK government factsheet published in September 2026 places total trade in goods and services between the UK and Qatar at 5.4 billion pounds in the four quarters to the end of Q1 2026. The document from the Department for Business and Trade shows UK exports to Qatar reached 3.9 billion pounds in that period while imports from Qatar stood at 1.4 billion pounds. Bilateral investment ties remain significant with total bilateral investment recorded at 18 billion pounds in 2024 according to separate UK government data that also notes Qatari stakes in critical infrastructure such as Heathrow Airport.
The latest push builds on a financial services memorandum of understanding signed between the UK and Qatar as well as the first UK-Qatar Financial Services Working Group held in November 2025. That meeting focused on collaboration in capital markets sustainable finance fintech and pensions a UK Treasury response to parliament noted earlier this year. Langley expressed hope that in a decade London and Doha would be even closer partners in finance technology and sustainable growth with more joint investment stronger business ties and capital and expertise flowing confidently in both directions the Qatar Tribune reported.
Qatari and British officials have identified artificial intelligence digital innovation and support for technology start-ups as additional areas for joint work in line with both countries’ economic diversification goals. The discussions in Doha underscored the strategic value both sides place on deepening cooperation beyond traditional energy trade. Industry assessments from the UK government project that the free trade agreement could increase bilateral trade by nearly 20 percent once fully implemented.
