Business

Sunday, February 22, 2026 | Daily Newspaper published by GPPC Doha, Qatar.

Business

Walid Sheta, president of Middle East and Africa region, Schneider Electric.

Qatar positioned as regional energy transition leader, says tech firm executive

Electrification and efficiency are seen to be central to Qatar’s sustainability drive, a top official of Schneider Electric has observed, noting that investment in technology and digitalisation is essential to cut emissions and strengthen the economy.Qatar’s resources and partnerships can accelerate a more sustainable and inclusive future for the Middle East and Africa, stated Walid Sheta, president of Middle East and Africa region, in an exclusive interview.Sheta emphasised that sustainability is not a short-term project but a long journey requiring investment, technology, and intelligence. He said, “The path to sustainability is a long one that requires investments and energy to fuel the intelligence that will bring efficiency to the economy.At the same time, Sheta underscored electricity as the most effective driver of economic activity. “We believe that the most effective force to exert on an economic activity is electricity, so electrification is a road to sustainability,” Sheta explained.However, Sheta noted that electrification alone is not enough, pointing out that efficiency must accompany it to reduce carbon emissions.“For electrification, it’s not enough to electrify all the processes; you also need to have a lot of efficiency,” he further explained.According to Sheta, this dual approach — electrification and efficiency — forms the cornerstone of Schneider Electric’s vision for Qatar and the wider region. He emphasised that efficiency depends on technology and data-driven intelligence. “To do that, you need technology, and technology is driven by intelligence in data centres, for example,” he noted.Sheta noted that digitalisation is key to optimising energy consumption across industries and buildings. “You need energy and you need investment capabilities to upskill technology; digitalisation, to be able to bring efficiency to the consumption of energy in any economy. And that reduces the CO2 footprint,” he stressed.He also explained that Schneider Electric’s approach is to operate locally while bringing in global expertise. “When we operate in a country, we are very proud to be the most local of global companies,” he said.Sheta noted that partnerships are vital: “We are proud to have different initiatives with many of our global customers to make sure that we are bringing the competencies that are necessary for the industrial revolution toward digitalisation and sustainability to Qatar’s economy,” he said, adding that his emphasis on electrification, efficiency, and digitalisation resonates with Qatar’s national vision, which seeks to balance economic growth with environmental responsibility.

Tourism remained a key driver of non-energy growth in the fourth quarter of 2025, with full-year international visitor arrivals reaching 5.1mn, representing 3.7% growth compared with 2024 and reflecting sustained momentum into year-end, according to Cushman and Wakefield Qatar

Qatar's hospitality sector to focus on selective high-quality projects than broad expansion: CWQ

Qatar's hospitality sector is expected to focus on selective high-quality developments in core locations rather than broad expansion, according to Cushman and Wakefield Qatar (CWQ).In its latest report, CWQ said while hotel performance improved across 2025, private-sector appetite for new hotel development remained "cautious".Stressing that developers are waiting for visitor growth to translate into a sustained ADR (average daily rate) expansion before committing to large -scale new supply; it said "as a result, near-term pipeline activity is expected to remain focused on selective, high -quality schemes in core locations rather than broad-based expansion."Tourism remained a key driver of non-energy growth in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2025, with full-year international visitor arrivals reaching 5.1mn, representing 3.7% growth compared with 2024 and reflecting sustained momentum into year-end.From a financial perspective, not only did hotel occupancy levels increase, as occupancy levels averaged 71.3%, up 2.6% from the previous year, but ADR also saw an increase of 3.6% year-on-year, providing an improved economic performance within the sector from the preceding year, it said.The GCC (Gulf Co-operation Council) countries continued to represent the largest share of the tourist market throughout 2025, representing 35%, followed by European countries (25%), Asia and Oceania (22%), the Americas (7%), other Arab countries (8%), and the rest of Africa (3%).The long-term outlook for tourism strengthened through Q4-2025, following the approval of the GCC unified tourist visa, due to launch in 2026, alongside continued expansion of international air connectivity, including enhanced links between Qatar and Australia."Together with Qatar’s growing calendar of international events, these factors are expected to support sustained inbound demand into 2026," CWQ said.Qatar’s hotel market saw some notable additions in 2025, including Rosewood Doha, the OQ and Muse hotels in Lusail and Andaz Doha in West Bay. Supply has increased by just over 2,000 keys in the past 12 months, and now totals 42,500 keys.Three-star hotels continued to outperform, achieving 84% occupancy, reflecting strong price sensitivity and demand from regional and value-led travel.Serviced apartments saw a slight softening, with 68% occupancy between July and September, indicating reduced demand in longer-stay formats."Hotel operators are likely to continue prioritising occupancy and volume over aggressive rate growth in the near term, particularly outside peak event periods," the report said, adding hotel occupancy should remain "resilient" as events, business travel, and leisure demand continue to build on 2025 momentum.