Doha has all the ingredients to create successful global companies like Amazon, Alibaba, Google and Facebook, aided by Qatar government’s fast paced innovations and information technology, according to a former top official of a global e-commerce giant.
Impressed by the effective response of Qatar to exigencies, such as the ongoing economic blockade, Alibaba former vice president Porter Erisman said Doha has also proved that “every crisis is an opportunity,” considering that it has strengthened its food and dairy sectors.
Highlighting that in the Internet era, all that is needed to create global business is the connectivity and human brains; he said “I can honestly say that they can come from here in Doha.”
He made this remark at a speaker series, jointly organised by the Qatar Development Bank and Qatar Business Incubation Center (QBIC).
Overwhelmed by Qatari government’s speed in innovation and its priorities for the technology sectors, he said such efforts would go a long way in harnessing entrepreneurship for Internet-based businesses in the country.
Qatar already has high Internet and mobile penetration, which makes it a fertile ground for the technology and other sunrise sectors.
“My message is to take advantage of it” (initiatives from the sovereign), especially in the technological front, according to Erisman, who is a consultant to e-commerce companies in the emerging markets (EMs).
Highlighting that this is a golden era for e-commerce companies in the EMs, he said such entities favour smaller companies over the bigger ones and also encourage women entrepreneurs, hence they have potential, especially in this part of the region.
Stressing that e-commerce is border-less, he said globally $600bn-$1tn sales are done electronically and this offers tremendous opportunities for the region.
Erisman: Qatar has made every crisis is an opportunity.
