Head of Khaliji Bank Brings the Banking World to Georgetown Classroom

Head of International Banking at Al Khaliji Bank, Paul Maguire, met with students of a Money and Banking course at Georgetown University in Qatar yesterday to share his personal experiences in the banking industry, as well as to engage the students in a discussion about the workings of the banking regulation system in Qatar.

Executive Director of Outreach and Business Development, Jonathan Cartmell, stressed the importance of creating bridges between the academic space of a classroom, and the working space of the business world, saying “It’s not enough that we provide our students with the best education in their field of study. To boost the future success of these finance students, the opportunity to engage with a leader in the banking sector, such as Mr. Maguire of Khaliji Bank, gives them a unique opportunity to see beyond the classroom. Engaging the local corporate community creates a pipeline through which ideas and opportunities can be shared.

Paul Maguire started his presentation by asking students what they wanted to do after graduation, with answers ranging from banking, to consulting, to the ubiquitous “I’m not sure yet.” His response was reassuring. “When I was your age, I didn’t know what I wanted to do either. In fact, I fell into banking by accident.”

He recounted his experiences in the banking industry, from the first years working with filmmakers and artists seeking financing for projects, and onwards through the ranks of various international banks, and finally in Qatar. He kept the students engaged with frequent questions to the students throughout his presentation on how the Central Bank works in Qatar, the relationship of banks and the central financial authority, and what sets Qatar apart from other banks both regionally, and globally.

Georgetown Qatar senior Eilin Francis said “I’m studying International Economics, so transactions in international banking and a lot of the other financial instruments Mr. Maguire brought up in his very engaging presentation are things we have covered in class. The academic perspective is very important, but bringing in a professional perspective, so we know what it actually means for a country to have a pegged exchange rate, capital flows across countries, and the real implications of liquidity ratios-just brought all of that to life.”

Speaking on the importance of his visit to Georgetown University, Paul Maguire said “Generally, everything we do at Al Khaliji has a Qatari angle. That also means that we look for future stakeholders and prospective partners right here in Qatar. Working with the university, we want to engage these bright, talented students whom we hope will have a future with us.” He finished his presentation with an earnest invitation to the students to reach out to the bank, or to him personally, with any questions they may have about banking, or the financial sector in Qatar, saying simply that “We think Qatar is a great place to do business.”