The Middle East

The state of Qatar, a peninsula located in the Arabian Gulf, is known for being one of the world’s foremost exporters of natural gas. Its economy has grown from a dependence mainly on pearling – that is, the harvesting of pearls from molluscs – to a strength in the production and exportation of hydrocarbons and other resources.

E-commerce is now well established in developed markets, where the majority of adults make at least occasional purchases online. However, levels of activity on the whole remain relatively low in emerging countries, as these markets are restrained by a wide range of challenges, among them less-developed financial and logistical infrastructure...

Qatar has one of the highest GDP per capita in the world. The retail sector has, therefore, benefitted considerably from high levels of disposable income, coupled with a large expat population. Furthermore, retail centres have established themselves as the primary choice for not only shopping but also leisure and entertainment. The country has...

Rising health care costs, ageing populations and changing lifestyles in emerging economies are stoking demand for medical technology (medtech) solutions. These entail not just smart devices that remotely monitor and transmit biometric data, but any instance of technology that helps to deliver health services. These initiatives are happening...

First established in 1954, Qatar’s health care sector has emerged as the highest-ranked system out of 20 countries surveyed in the MENA region, according to the Legatum Prosperity Index 2018, which measures a country’s performance on basic physical and mental health, infrastructure and preventive care. The past 10 years have seen particularly...