Doha, Qatar: The Rt. Hon. Lord Jonathan Marland, Chairman of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC), visited the Lulu Group office in Doha as part of his official engagement in Qatar.
The visit reflects CWEIC’s growing engagement with the private sector in the Gulf region and its focus on strengthening trade, investment, and enterprise collaboration across Commonwealth markets.
Welcoming Lord Marland and Prof. Asif Chaudry, Dr. Mohamed Althaf, Advisory Council Member of CWEIC, highlighted the value of the Council’s role in today’s global environment. He noted that Lulu Group, a proud member of CWEIC, has benefitted significantly from its association with the Council through access to senior business leaders and government stakeholders across multiple markets.
“The Commonwealth provides a rare and valuable platform in today’s increasingly fragmented geo-economic environment,” said Mohamed Althaf. “It offers stability, predictability, and trust, supported by a healthy mix of countries—large and small, developed and emerging. This balance makes CWEIC a highly effective forum for long-term collaboration.”
During the visit, discussions focused on trade resilience, food security, supply chains, and the role of private enterprise in supporting sustainable growth across Commonwealth economies. Particular emphasis was placed on the relevance of strong public-private partnerships in regions such as Qatar and the wider GCC.
Mohamed Althaf also encouraged Qatari companies to consider engaging with CWEIC, highlighting the Council’s role in facilitating meaningful cross-border partnerships and investment opportunities.
Lord Marland highlighted the shifting global trade landscape during a press conference held at LuLu Group’s Doha office. “We are seeing a new world order emerge as a result of steps taken by the United States, which is bringing trading groups closer together,” he said.
He added, “Our Commonwealth organisation represents 56 countries and a third of the world’s population. Sixty percent of that population is under the age of 30, and in Africa alone, 70 percent are under 30.
“The Commonwealth is being inundated with requests for opportunities and new relationships. We now have 14 offices around the world, ensuring that companies looking to enter new Commonwealth markets have reliable and supportive mechanisms to do so.”
“This is a very valuable visit. There is no reason why Qatar as a nation can’t be members of our organisation. Even though they’re not a Commonwealth country, they can be members of our business organisation. And we want to encourage a deeper relationship with that.”
Lord Marland’s visit to Lulu Group underscores the importance of practical collaboration between global enterprises and institutional platforms such as CWEIC in addressing shared economic challenges and unlocking future growth.
