Turbulence, not calm, is the natural environment in which transformative businesses are built, a Doha-based fintech executive has said. Dr Devid Jegerson, the CEO of PayLater, Qatar’s first licensed Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) platform, emphasised that “uncertainty is not the enemy of entrepreneurship,” and further underscored that “it is the very environment in which great companies are built.”“Every transformative business in history was forged not in calm, but in turbulence. My message to every founder in Qatar right now is simple: your conviction is your competitive advantage. When the market is uncertain, the temptation is to wait. But the best founders move,” Dr Jegerson told 'Gulf Times' in an exclusive interview.He continued, “They listen to their customers with radical honesty; they cut what doesn’t work without ego, and they double down on what does. Qatar’s fintech ecosystem is young enough to be agile and supported enough to be resilient. That is a rare combination. Use it.”Dr Jegerson pointed to three qualities of Qatar’s startup community that stand out and provide confidence that it can overcome challenges and continue to thrive: grit, adaptability, and proximity to decision-makers.On grit, Dr Jegerson noted that the founders he met in Qatar “are not tourists in entrepreneurship.” He continued, “They are building with long-term conviction, not just chasing a trend.”He further explained the second quality, saying, “Qatar’s startup community has had to learn quickly, often without the playbooks that exist in more mature markets, and that has produced a sharpness of thinking that I find genuinely impressive.”“Third, and perhaps most importantly, proximity to decision-makers. Nowhere else in the region can a startup founder sit across from a central bank official, a sovereign wealth fund manager, and a government minister in the same week. That access, when used wisely, is a superpower. The community is learning to use it,” he pointed out.Asked what potential challenges or headwinds Qatar’s fintech industry could face, Dr Jegerson said: “Geopolitical uncertainty creates friction in cross-border capital flows, and fintech is an inherently cross-border business — from banking partners to payment rails to investor relationships.“Heightened risk perception can slow international investor appetite and complicate correspondent banking relationships. There is also the question of consumer confidence: in times of uncertainty, people become more conservative with their financial behaviour, which affects transaction volumes and credit uptake.”At the same time, Dr Jegerson also offered a counter-perspective: “Every major regional disruption in recent history has also accelerated fintech adoption, because it forces individuals and businesses to seek more resilient, flexible, and digital-first financial tools.“People who never thought they needed a digital payment solution quickly discover its value when traditional channels are stressed. Adversity, paradoxically, is often a fintech accelerant.”On how stakeholders can work together to ensure resilience, Dr Jegerson outlined three priorities. He said resilience is built through diversity and depth, not through any single intervention.“First, diversification of payment rails and banking partnerships, so that no single point of failure can take down the system. Second, open dialogue between fintechs and regulators — not just compliance reporting, but genuine partnership in scenario planning. The Qatar Central Bank has shown willingness to engage constructively with the industry, and that relationship must be deepened.“Third, a shared commitment to consumer financial literacy and trust. Consumers who understand and trust digital financial products are far more resilient in a crisis than those who have been underserved by opaque systems. The entire ecosystem benefits when customers are informed, protected, and loyal,” Dr Jegerson added.
Wednesday, April 08, 2026
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Daily Newspaper published by GPPC Doha, Qatar.
