Qatar’s thriving business environment offers opportunities for Filipino entrepreneurs, says industry expert

The State of Qatar’s flourishing entrepreneurship culture and vibrant business environment are presenting a wide range of opportunities for Filipino entrepreneurs to establish their own companies or startups here, an official of the Doha-based Overseas Filipino Investors & Entrepreneurs Movement (OFIE-M) has said.
According to OFIE-M auditor and chairman on Training and Development Jyerex Go Abrasado, while Qatar has long been known for its hydrocarbon industry, the country has been making significant strides in supporting entrepreneurship and innovation in recent years through the Qatar National Vision 2030.
Abrasado has lauded Qatar’s strong government support for entrepreneurs and for building world-class facilities that promote the growth of entrepreneurship, citing Qatar Development Bank (QDB), Digital Incubation Centre (DIC), Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP), Qatar Business & Incubation Centre (QBIC), and other similar public and private entities, among others.
“Aligned with the objectives of the Qatar National Vision 2030, the country is moving towards becoming a knowledge-based economy, thus entrepreneurship and innovation have been identified as key drivers of economic growth.
“These are some of the significant factors that Filipino entrepreneurs, both here and in the Philippines, should carefully consider as there are many business opportunities in Qatar that are waiting to be explored,” Abrasado told Gulf Times Friday.
Abrasado, who is also CEO of Business Partners Consulting, which is headquartered at the Sport Accelerator Qatar Business District in the Aspire Zone, stressed the need to raise awareness in the Philippines to promote Qatar’s business and investment climate among Filipino businesses and investors.
Earlier this year, a large delegation of companies representing food and beverage (F&B) as well as cosmetics and personal care products from the Philippines was in Qatar for the ‘Outbound Business Matching Mission (OBMM) to GCC countries’, which was organised by the Philippines’ Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
During the OBMM, Glenn Penaranda, assistant secretary and officer-in-charge of the DTI Trade Promotions Group, said: “Qatar is a key export market for Philippine F&B, personal healthcare, and related products.”
“There is more to Qatar than just employment for Filipinos. There is a growing potential for Filipino entrepreneurs to tap into the Qatari market and benefit from the country's thriving business environment.
“Promoting the ‘Made in the Philippines’ trademark here will play a significant role in helping to create new opportunities for Filipino entrepreneurs in Qatar and the region,” Abrasado pointed out.
He noted that his company is working closely with the Philippine embassy in Qatar and other stakeholders to raise awareness of the potential benefits of establishing a business in the country, as well as to encourage more overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to consider this option.
In an earlier statement to Gulf Times, OFIE-M president Ferlita Pabalan said she envisions Qatar to have expanded completely in the next five years, as well as opening larger areas in other parts of the country for entrepreneurs.
“With the continuous support of Qatar and the Philippine embassy, we are seeing more Filipinos who are successful entrepreneurs in multiple industries. Those who already have their businesses will have better strategy and diversity; they have reached their companies’ vision in five years, allowing them to create a better business portfolio going forward,” Pabalan said.
She added: “The strength of Filipino entrepreneurs is their attitude towards work. They know what they want. They are creative thinkers, who are focused and determined. They take failure as a positive challenge to do better, and they know how to work as a team to succeed.
“In Qatar, Filipino entrepreneurs will become more prominent in the fields of hospitality, food, trade and industry, health and wellness, manpower and professional services, and financial technology.”