Doha's Progressive Businesswomen and the FIFA Cup

The first two weeks of September were a whirlwind. I visited four new cities, with barely 40 hours to spare each. From Indore -> Amritsar -> Doha -> Athens, it was an illuminating experience on entrepreneurship, culture, and the joys of solo travel.

As part of the FICCI FLO startup delegation lead by Jayanti Dalmia , visiting Doha was an exciting first. The best part? I was pleasantly surprised to encounter such progressiveness toward women entrepreneurs. I was prepared to find women taking a backseat in business matters, but was gladly proven wrong! I met a cohort of high-powered women entrepreneurs, leading large businesses in pivotal oil and real estate industries. They all cited supportive families as a big part of their journey. The highlight of our visit was meeting the honourable Sheikha Alanoud bint Hamad Al-Thani, Deputy CEO and Chief Business Officer of the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) Authority . Declared as a Global Shaper by the WEF, Sheikha Alanoud H. Al-Thani is a huge inspiration, especially with her work in providing opportunities for women in senior roles at the QFC.?Once business talks were done, it was time for the tours. Our hosts graciously took us to the famed venues for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the first ever to be held in the Middle East. As a huge football fan, it was a thrill to witness the glorious architecture of the stadiums in person. Moreover, we were lucky enough to catch an inaugural match between Egypt and Saudi Arabia. I can now say that I saw the iconic FIFA Cup in person -- here’s hoping that Argentine, my personal favourite lifts it in December!

With great hospitality, the Doha Chamber of Commerce has signalled a near optimistic future for diverse entrepreneurship, and collaboration between our countries.?

Next stop, Athens!