Industry Qualifications Ltd (IQ) has announced a partnership with ITC Kuwait to launch a joint venture company, IQ Arabia Ltd, to provide awarding organisation services to the gulf region.
Covering the countries represented by the Gulf Co-Operation Council (Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and the UAE), along with Yemen, Jordan and Iraq, IQ Arabia will offer IQ qualifications in the region.
Raymond Clarke, Chief Executive of IQ and chair of IQ Arabia, said: “This is the first of IQ’s international joint ventures. Not only does it provide a new sales channel for IQ qualifications, but it also provides opportunities for members of IQ Resources to distribute training and consultancy products as preferred partners of IQ Arabia. Taking the opportunity to assist our members to generate new business is a fundamental part of the IQ philosophy and our growing international network is yet another tangible manifestation of this approach.”
IQ Arabia has taken office facilities in Kuwait City and will be able to offer sales, development and assessment services at a regional level. Ahmad Alfaresi, Managing Director of IQ Arabia said: “Having spent a long period in the spring working with the IQ team in the UK, we are now ready to launch. We have built a highly competent team and will work with IQ to bring the same level of product excellence and customer service to the GCC countries, as is evident in the UK. By having a local presence, we will ensure that IQ remains responsive to the needs of its customers, offering qualifications and services appropriate to the needs of the region. We believe that IQ Arabia will become a highly visible and valued partner to employers in GCC countries and a significant driver for high quality assessment.”
IQ Arabia will be operational from mid-October, with a formal launch in advance of the American Society of Safety Engineers conference in Kuwait in November, when IQ Arabia is a platinum sponsor.
