ASSOCIATED PRESS

London - 27 March 2017

1. Tilt down from chandelier to stage at the Qatar UK Business and Investment Forum, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel

2. Close of audience

3. Various of Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, Prime Minister of Qatar, addressing audience

4. Close of audience member filming on her phone

5. Wide of forum

6. Wide of Ali Shareef Al Emadi, Minister of Finance, State of Qatar, on stage shaking hands with Xavier Rolet, CEO of London Stock Exchange

7. Close of Al Emadi addressing audience

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Ali Shareef Al Emadi, Minister of Finance, State of Qatar:

"We're looking at the UK as one of our top 10 trading partners. We think these platforms will bring business for both countries. I think the track record for both countries is extremely positive and well received. If you look at what we've done 10, 15 years in the UK it's been an absolutely great story for us."

9. Mid of Al Emadi in audience

10. Close of sign reading (English/Arabic) "Qatar - UK Business and Investment Forum"

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Ali Shareef Al Emadi, Minister of Finance, State of Qatar:

"Lots of opportunities for the British companies to look at things and others, especially on infrastructures, technologies, health sectors, sport sectors. So we really welcome them, they have really already done extremely well in our hydrocarbon sectors and we think that the opportunities is there for them in other sectors."

12. Wide of Liam Fox, British Secretary of State for International Trade, walking onto stage

13. Close of Fox addressing audience

14. Mid of audience

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Liam Fox, Secretary of State for International Trade, United Kingdom:++AUDIO AS INCOMING++

"We are looking beyond the boundaries of our own continent, ready to embrace all the opportunities of this new era. This of course means forging new ties and building new relationships with other nations. But perhaps more importantly, to strengthening our commitment to our oldest friends and allies. Qatar is one of the most valued of these."

16. Various of Qatar Airways stand

17. Various of Shell stand

18. SOUNDBITE (English) H.E Sheikh Turki Bin Faisal Al Thani, Chairman of Al Sawari Holding:

"For us, the UK, it's a very attractive market because it's a very stable market, it's resistant to change. At the same time, it's a diversified market and for us it's also an international hub. So when our company invests in the UK, for us it's, our presence here exposes us to more international companies, allows us to develop a stronger network, to even get opportunities to be a part of business outside the UK, through the UK."

19. Various of woman painting at stand

20. SOUNDBITE (English) H.E Sheikh Turki Bin Faisal Al Thani, Chairman of Al Sawari Holding:

"Every country has a period of up and down. But we've been with the UK for many years now and I don't think this will change, I think we will continue to have a presence in the UK. As I mentioned, our investments are always long term so even though we can expect a bit of a dip in the coming years, that's not our vision, our vision is to look in the next 30 years."

21. Wide of seating area with falcon in foreground

22. Close of falcon

The conference room at the Grosvenor House Hotel is packed for the Qatar-UK Business and Investment Forum.

More than 400 British and Qatari business leaders and senior politicians are attending the event.

The Qatari delegation is led by Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, Prime Minister of Qatar.

It's a sign of just how important business is between these two nations - bilateral trade is valued at 5 billion pounds (6.3 billion US dollars) a year.

Qatar already has 35 billion pounds (44 billion US dollars) of existing investment in the UK.

And the country's finance minister has announced that will increase by an extra 5 billion (6.3 billion US dollars) over the next three to five years.

"We're looking at the UK as one of our top 10 trading partners," says Ali Shareef Al Emadi.

"I think the track record for both countries is extremely positive and well received. If you look at what we've done 10, 15 years in the UK it's been an absolutely great story for us."

And British companies have huge investments in Qatar too.

In 2015, UK exports to the Gulf country totalled 2.6 billion pounds (3.3 billion US dollars).

El Amadi says British companies have done "extremely well" in Qatar's hydrocarbon sector, but believes there are also opportunities in infrastructure, technology, health and sport sectors.

UK trade is likely to undergo massive change as it negotiates its exit from the European Union.

Exports of goods and services currently account for about 27 percent of the British economy, with almost half of exports going to the EU.

While some warn Brexit could harm British business, Secretary of State for International Trade Liam Fox believes it's a chance to look "beyond the boundaries" of Europe.

"This of course means forging new ties and building new relationships with other nations. But perhaps more importantly, to strengthening our commitment to our oldest friends and allies. Qatar is one of the most valued of these," he tells the forum.

Big brands like Qatar Airways are represented at the forum.

And Qatar is heavily invested in British companies too - high end retailer Harrods, Barclays Bank and the iconic London skyscraper The Shard have all received backing.

Private company Al Sawari Holdings has long had a presence in the UK. It has business in a range of industries including real estate, hospitality, construction and manufacturing.

Its chairman Sheikh Turki Bin Faisal Al Thani explains why Britain is such an attractive place to invest.

"It's a very stable market, it's resistant to change. At the same time, it's a diversified market and for us it's also an international hub," he says.

"Our presence here exposes us to more international companies, allows us to develop a stronger network, to even get opportunities to be a part of business outside the UK, through the UK."

And he's cautiously optimistic about post-Brexit Britain.

"Every country has a period of up and down. But we've been with the UK for many years now and I don't think this will change," he says.

"Our investments are always long term so even though we can expect a bit of a dip in the coming years, that's not our vision, our vision is to look in the next 30 years."