Category Archives: Oryx Quest 2005
After Dinner Talks
I have been asked if I do my talks about our experiences in Qatar as well as my motivational talks? The simple answer is yes!! I can pass on a lot of practical advice about doing business in Qatar and … Continue reading
Qatar – the daftest World Cup venue ever!
Another great piece in the Daily Mail ’Your guide to the daftest venue in World Cup history’. Will Qatar be stripped of the World Cup (hopefully) and America be awarded the 2022?
Qatar ‘bought’ the World Cup
So, finally the penny is beginning to drop that the Qataris are not nice people to do business with! I would like to congratulate the media elements that have had the courage to stand up and say what any of … Continue reading
Top Tips for doing busines in Qatar
Top Tips for doing business in Qatar…….apart from the obvious one – DON’T!
Brief
So, this is a really brief look at what happened whilst I decide what to do next…………….
Settling down to life in Doha
In April 2004 Quest Project Manager, Mike and I had moved to Doha and set up the Quest office
HSBC Sponsorship
In July 2004 we finally signed the £3million sponsorship agreement with HSBC
The Skippers Conference
The Oryx Quest Skippers Conference – May 2004 At the beginning of May we invited all the skippers who were interested in competing in the Oryx Quest 2005 to attend a conference in Qatar.
Maiden II arrives in Doha
On May 4th 2004 after four gruelling weeks at sea, which included bribing their way through the Suez Canal, fighting off Pirates with sub machine guns and bazookas (the pirates not the crew!), off the coast of Yemen and dodging … Continue reading
Oryx Quest Qatar Launch
The Oryx Quest is announced in Qatar In April 2004 QSI finally decided that it was ready to announce the event in Qatar and to that end they gave us a stand at the annual QSI Expo
The Good the Bad and the Ugly
The Good the Bad and the Ugly I remember the first time I flew into Qatar. As we flew in over the flat featureless desert I wandered what I was getting myself into. The war in Iraq had just started … Continue reading
The Second Agreement!
So, with the sponsorship agreement signed and the payment schedule to be agreed, the commute between London and Doha intensified
The First Agreement!
On the 14th October 2003 a £6million sponsorship deal was signed with Qatar Sports International.
Al Jazeera
In answer to your question “Is there anything good about Qatar?”
Introduction
Hindsight is a wonderful thing. But when things started to go horribly wrong in Qatar during the lead up to the Oryx Quest 2005 we were so embroiled in the project and so committed to making the event a success, … Continue reading
Happy New Year
Happy New Year! I hope that everyone had a fantastic Christmas and New Year despite the doom and gloom………
From the Begining!
This portion of the blog brings you, finally, the true and hitherto untold story of the Oryx Quest 2005,
Chronological order starts with oldest post first
Please note that this blog starts with the oldest entry first. This is to ensure that the reader is taken through the sequence of events starting from the beginning.