Doha

It is mandatory to have an office in Qatar to be able to trade in the country. This office needs to be registered with the municipality and receiving the agreement can be a long and difficult process. Serviced offices, on the other hand, are already individually approved before being rented out, which makes for an easy and hassle-free option. Co-working and virtual offices do not grant you the right to register your company in Qatar to trade.

Doha is a booming city with a fast-growing economy, and there will be many new developments from now until the FIFA World Cup they are hosting in 2022. While the serviced office market in Doha is strong, only a few providers have entered the market – but this is expected to change as new centres open.

For foreign businesses establishing themselves in Doha, West Bay is highly recommended, as the most iconic and westernised area in a very traditional country.

Costs

Prices for serviced office space start at around QAR 5,000 – 6,000 per person. The prices will vary according to location and requirements while costs are inclusive of amenities, which can cover Internet, meeting rooms, IT and administrative support, lounges and kitchens, car parking, videoconferencing and AV equipment, among others.

Office sizes

A good proportion of requests are relatively small – one to three desks – as many corporations start out with a limited number of people when establishing themselves in Doha.

Instant offer a great variety of flexible office solutions across a range of sizes, and are able to accommodate most enquiries, from one person through to 100 or more, depending on the specifics. Serviced office providers can be flexible with the layout of the workspace, and are happy to discuss partitioning to fit a particular requirement.

Why choose Doha?

Establishing a business in Doha is an easy way to enter the Qatar market, and indeed, the region as a whole. It is a fast developing country with a strong economy and huge potential – as well as its oil and gas assets, there are a number of lucrative projects under development attracting foreign investors. It also has all the desired amenities of a modern city, with luxury hotels and apartments, numerous shopping centres, and attractive leisure facilities. The new airport, along with the upcoming Doha Metro and Doha Light Rail System, will completely revolutionise transport in the city.

• The name of the city comes from the Arabic ‘Ad-Dawha’ which translates to ‘the big tree’
• Wile Arabic is the nation language, due to the high number of expatriates here English, French, Urdu, Malayalam and Tagalog are all commonly used
• Qatar will be the smallest country ever to host the Football World Cup in 2022, although it has never qualified for the tournament before with a team
• The cost of petrol in Doha is approximately 17p per litre 
• Foreigners are permitted to invest in businesses in the country but 51% of the company must be owned by a Qatari

These are the most popular areas in which to rent office space:

West Bay

The West Bay central business district (CBD) is characterised by modern buildings and skyscrapers, including the sought-after Burj Doha, and is situated in the heart of Doha’s Diplomatic Area at the north end of the picturesque Corniche. There are a number of five-star hotels, restaurants, banking facilities and shopping centres in the area. The Qatar Stock Exchange is based in West Bay, along with the Qatar Financial Centre, Ministry of Economy & Commerce, City Centre Mall, Ministry of Justice and Qatar International Exhibition Centre. The Qatar Financial Centre is a business centre established by the Government of Qatar, designed to attract international financial services institutions and major multinational corporations and provide them with first class legal and business infrastructure. West Bay is therefore an ideal location in which to establish a business presence, allowing firms to connect with other multinational corporations populating this prestigious area.

Downtown

Downtown Doha is located close to the international airport, and thus very convenient for business and leisure travellers. It was developed as an alternative to the CBD, and is based around Airport Road. Road links provide easy access to the rest of the city. The Doha Light Rail System, scheduled for completion in 2017, will have a station close by, providing workers and residents with easy access to a modern public transport system. Multinational corporations such as HSBC, General Electric, Toyota and Schneider Electric have offices in the area. Major Qatari businesses including Commercial Bank, Doha Bank, IBQ bank and the Gulf Times newspaper are also situated in Downtown Doha.