CEO of Invest Qatar Sheikh Ali Alwaleed Al-Thani speaking during the event.
Doha: The Wall Street Journal Tech Live conference concluded yesterday after three days of high-profile panels, featuring distinguished global CEOs, technology leaders and investors. This marks the conference’s first-ever edition outside the United States and its debut in the Middle East and North Africa.
The event brought together global perspectives on the future of the digital economy and the trends redefining technology, media, sports, finance and entertainment. It showcased regional and international efforts to build business ecosystems, strengthen digital infrastructure, support startups and cultivate digital talent. It further served as a meeting point for tech leaders and investors, who shared insights on developing agile, globally competitive economies.
Director of the Government Communications Office (GCO)
H E Sheikh Jassim bin Mansour bin Jabor Al-Thani said: “We were pleased to welcome leading global figures in technology to the first edition of WSJ Tech Live outside the United States and in the MENA region. Hosting the conference highlights Qatar’s advancing position in the digital economy and its growing role as a hub for knowledge and shaping the future of technology.”
He added that: “the conference advances Qatar’s drive to build a sustainable digital economy and support entrepreneurship and innovation, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030. It creates opportunities for international partnerships, investment and collaboration between Qatari startups and global industry leaders, affirming Qatar’s position as a strategic destination for technology regionally and globally.”
The inaugural edition featured high-level panels on the future of technology across sports, entertainment, media, privacy, fintech, digital currencies, and space and defence technologies. Discussions also explored the rise of AI and its impact on different sectors.
CEO of Invest Qatar Sheikh Ali Alwaleed Al-Thani showcased the agency’s $1bn incentive program for key sectors, including advanced manufacturing, logistics, technology, and financial services. He noted that strategies under Qatar National Vision 2030 have charted a phased transition toward a knowledge-based economy: first, by developing primary industries and building national champions; then by accelerating major infrastructure investments ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022; and now by focusing on expanding the non-hydrocarbon economy and laying the foundations for a knowledge-based economy.
Grand Slam Champion Serena Williams spoke about leadership through the lens of sports and business, drawing on her distinguished athletic career and investment portfolio. She highlighted the shared “winner mindset” in sports and entrepreneurship, rooted in discipline and dedication.
Founder and CEO of Fanatics Michael Rubin commended The State of Qatar’s business ecosystem, noting, “I was able to do more business in the four days I have been here than I could have done in weeks in New York.”
The first edition of WSJ Tech Live Qatar in the MENA region has reinforced its status as a prominent international forum for technology and digital transformation, demonstrating Qatar’s capability to stage major global events and build an innovation-driven knowledge ecosystem.
Under a strategic partnership between the GCO and Dow Jones, publisher of The Wall Street Journal, the event highlights global confidence in Qatar as a hub for world-class specialised conferences and provides local talent with access to influential networks of technology and business leaders worldwide.
