
PwC Middle East in Qatar accelerates SME momentum in support of NDS-3 priorities
Doha, Qatar – As Qatar redefines growth under its third National Development Strategy (NDS-3), PwC Middle East brought together local CEOs and SME leaders to unlock new opportunities for SME innovation, resilience and long-term impact. The session underscored the critical role SMEs play in driving economic growth, and the importance of robust public-private partnerships (PPPs) in enabling the advancement of local businesses.
Held at PwC's Doha office, the exclusive gathering served as a platform for aligning private sector ambitions with national priorities, reinforcing the essential role of SMEs in achieving economic transformation. The event marked another milestone in PwC Middle East's long-term strategy to act as a catalyst for public-private collaboration and to drive value creation across key sectors.
PwC leaders shared forward-thinking insights, from market dynamics to digital reinvention, emphasising the critical role of data, AI, and strategic funding in unlocking SME potential. The discussion highlighted how resilient business models and bold digital shifts can help SMEs adapt and lead in a rapidly evolving economic landscape.
'SMEs are at the heart of Qatar's transformation', said Bassam Hajhamad, Qatar Country Senior Partner and Consulting Lead at PwC Middle East. 'We're here to fuel that momentum, bringing leaders together to spark bold ideas, share practical insights, and accelerate progress. By creating a space and platform for real dialogue and collaboration, we're helping business leaders turn ambition into impact, aligned with the goals of NDS-3.'
Rami Nazer, PwC Middle East's EMEA Government & Public Sector Leader, led a high-impact panel that tackled key growth levers, regulatory enablement, access to funding, digital transformation, and competitiveness, all core pillars of NDS-3. The discussion brought together influential voices from local private companies, global SME funds, and public sector representatives. They each offered perspectives on what it will take for Qatar's SMEs to lead the next wave of economic growth.
As a strategic partner of both public and private sectors in Qatar, PwC Middle East in Qatar is committed to helping SMEs adapt and lead. Through strong collaboration and deep expertise, we aim to accelerate progress so businesses can continue shaping the future with confidence.
About PwC
At PwC, we help clients build trust and reinvent so they can turn complexity into competitive advantage. We're a tech-forward, people-empowered network with more than 370,000 people in 149 countries. Across audit and assurance, tax and legal, deals and consulting we help build, accelerate and sustain momentum.
Established in the Middle East for over 40 years, PwC Middle East has 30 offices across 12 countries in the region with 12,000 people.
PwC refers to the PwC network and/or one or more of its member firms, each of which is a separate legal entity.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Arabian Business
7 hours ago
- Arabian Business
Qatar launches World's largest 3D-printed construction project with new schools
Two giant new schools are being built in Qatar using ground-breaking 3D-printing technology. UCC Holding and Qatar's Public Works Authority (Ashghal) have begun the printing phase of the 3D-Printed Schools Project, marking the start of the largest 3D-printed construction development ever undertaken globally. The pioneering project involves the construction of 14 public schools, including two being fully built using 3D-printing technology, each covering 20,000sq m — a combined total of 40,000sq m. 3D-printed schools in Qatar The developers say this makes the project 40 times larger than any existing 3D-printed building in the world, cementing Qatar's leadership in construction innovation. Each of the two 3D-printed schools is designed as a two-storey structure, situated on 100m x 100m plots, showcasing a scalable, sustainable model for educational infrastructure both in Qatar and across the region. To achieve this scale, UCC Holding partnered with COBOD, a Danish global leader in 3D construction printing, to deploy two custom BODXL printers. Each printer is 50m-long, 30m-wide, and 15m-high—comparable to the size of a Boeing 737 hangar—making them the largest construction printers ever built. Extensive groundwork preceded the launch, including site prep, equipment assembly, and more than 100 full-scale test prints. A dedicated UCC 3D construction team, comprising architects, engineers, material scientists, and printer technicians, worked for eight months at a Doha-based trial site to perfect the process. They developed localised concrete mix designs, engineered custom print nozzles, and studied performance under extreme climate conditions. In May 2025, the team completed intensive hands-on training with COBOD engineers, learning advanced techniques in print sequencing, structural layering, and real-time quality control. Beyond the scale, the project offers significant environmental and operational advantages. Compared to traditional methods, 3D printing: Reduces raw material waste and concrete usage, cutting carbon emissions Minimises on-site noise, dust, and transportation needs Accelerates construction timelines with round-the-clock automated printing To optimise performance and protect materials from Qatar's intense daytime heat, printing operations are scheduled primarily at night, a move that also enhances energy efficiency and worker safety. The schools' architecture draws inspiration from Qatar's desert landscape, with flowing, dune-like walls made possible only through 3D printing's geometric freedom. Such parametric, organic designs would be difficult or prohibitively expensive using conventional methods. The schools are expected to be completed by the end of 2025, reinforcing Qatar's commitment to sustainable urban development, advanced construction technology, and a smarter, greener future for public infrastructure.


Arabian Business
8 hours ago
- Arabian Business
Trump's Middle East visit brings an order windfall for Boeing in May
President Donald Trump turned out to be the man with the magic touch for Boeing, as the American manufacturer reaped a rich reward from his trip to the Middle East, which eventually resulted in the Arlington-headquartered company enjoying its highest monthly order intake in more than a year. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg was among corporate leaders accompanying the US President on his trip to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE. During the visit, Qatar Airways signed an agreement for 160 firm orders – 130 787s and 30 777Xs – worth US$96 billion. Two days later, in Abu Dhabi, Etihad Airways placed a US$14.5 billion order for 28 aircraft – a mix of Boeing 787 Dreamliners and 777Xs. There were also reports that Saudi Arabian sovereign fund, Public Investment Fund (PIF) also booked 30 Boeing 737 MAX jets, for its aircraft leasing company AviLease. Bloomberg is now reporting that the aircraft manufacturer won total orders for 303 aircraft in May, its largest month since December 2023, according to data on its website. The planemaker also delivered 45 aircraft during the month, including 32 jets from its narrowbody 737 family. The May tally included a record order for 120 787 Dreamliners and 30 777X jets from Qatar Airways. Boeing also sold 146 737 Max models during the month, with unidentified buyers accounting for 119 of that total, Bloomberg added. It was an indicator that the company was finally coming out of safety and regulatory concerns that has plagued the aircraft manufacturer since two 737 MAX crashed within the space of five months between October 2018 and March 2019, resulting in the deaths of 346 people. The spotlight will be on Boeing next week during the Paris Air Show, even though the limelight is mostly hogged by France's Airbus in that 'home' event.


Zawya
10 hours ago
- Zawya
Pakistan's plan to sharply increase growth faces headwinds, analysts say
Pakistan is aiming to sharply increase economic growth under its annual federal budget unveiled on Tuesday, but analysts are sceptical about the country's ability to meet its ambitious goals. The budget targets higher revenues and a steep fiscal deficit cut under International Monetary Fund (IMF) backed reforms. Yet, defence spending was hiked 20%, excluding military pensions, after last month's conflict with India. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said in a post-budget press conference on Wednesday that customs duties have been cut or removed on thousands of raw materials and intermediate goods. 'Industry here has to be competitive, competitive enough to export,' he said. But growth drivers remain unclear. The government is targeting 4.2% GDP growth in fiscal 2026, up from 2.7% this year, which was revised down from an initial 3.6% as agriculture and large-scale manufacturing underperformed. 'Pakistan's GDP growth projection of 4.2% appears ambitious given recent performance, and overly optimistic assumptions may place tax targets out of reach,' said Callee Davis, senior economist at Oxford Economics. Pakistan's past growth spurts were consumption-led, triggering balance-of-payments crises and IMF bailouts. The government says it now wants higher-quality, investment-driven growth. Aurangzeb said structural reforms are underway, pointing to East Asia-style pro-market transitions. 'This is an East Asia moment for Pakistan,' he said. The 17.57 trillion rupee ($62.24 billion) budget comes as Pakistan remains under a $7 billion IMF programme. Revenues are projected to rise over 14%, driven by new taxes and broadening the tax base. The fiscal deficit is targeted at 3.9% of GDP, down from this year's 5.9%. Key reforms include taxing agriculture, real estate, and retail, and reviving stalled privatisations. But revenue shortfalls this year have raised doubts, with both agriculture income tax and retail collections missing targets. Only 1.3% of the population paid income tax in 2024, government data shows. 'Pakistan's budget keeps the IMF and investors happy, even if it comes at a near-term cost to growth,' said Hasnain Malik, head of equity strategy at Tellimer. 'The political setup, with the military firmly in charge, also lowers the risk of protests.' While overall spending will fall 7%, defence will rise after the worst fighting between the nuclear-armed neighbours in decades. Including pensions, defence spending will total $12 billion, 19% of the federal budget or 2.5% of GDP, matching India's share, per World Bank data. The hike was enabled by a sharp drop in interest payments, as the central bank cut policy rates from 22% to 11% over the past year, easing domestic debt servicing costs. Aurangzeb said cuts in subsidies also helped create fiscal space. ($1 = 282.3000 Pakistani rupees) (Reporting by Ariba Shahid in Islamabad; additional reporting by Karin Strohecker in London; Writing by Ariba Shahid and Saeed Shah; Editing by Kim Coghill)