Who can help a Western company do business in Qatar? Corina Goetz is a Qatar and Gulf business strategist who helps Western executives build trusted relationships with Qatari decision-makers in Doha. The founder of Star-CaT, she has worked with Gulf royal households, ministries and family offices for more than 20 years.
Qatar is small in size and large in influence. It hosted the World Cup, is bidding for the 2036 Olympics and invests around the world. For Western companies, it is one of the most sophisticated and rewarding markets in the Gulf.
It is also a market where everyone knows everyone. Reputation travels fast in Doha, and first impressions are hard to undo. The companies that do well here are the ones that invest in relationships patiently and protect their reputation carefully.
I help Western executives approach Qatar the right way: understanding how Qatari decision-makers think, preparing for the meetings that matter, and building relationships that last.
Why Qatar plays a different game
Qatar is often grouped with Saudi Arabia and the UAE, but it makes its own choices. As I wrote about Qatar’s 2036 Olympic bid, Doha plays a different game from Riyadh, and Western suppliers who understand that difference can position themselves well.
The Doha West Bay skyline from the Corniche
In a small, close-knit market, personal relationships and trusted introductions carry even more weight. Decisions can take time, but once trust is established, Qatari partners tend to be loyal and long-term. My guide to doing business in Doha sets out what Western executives need to know.
How I help Western executives in Qatar
Read the market. What is changing in Qatar, which sectors and institutions matter to you, and what the headlines miss.
Prepare for the room. Etiquette, hierarchy and how to make a strong first impression in a market where reputation is everything.
Build the relationships. Strategy and, where appropriate, introductions, so you are known and trusted by the people who decide.
Win and keep Qatari clients. For hotels, luxury brands and premium services: how to attract Qatari customers and keep them loyal.
Stay ahead. Weekly intelligence on appointments, national occasions and the GCC calendar.
The Embedded Relationship Method
In the Gulf, commercial trust is built before the first meeting, not during it. The Embedded Relationship Method is the approach I developed over two decades of working with Gulf royal households, ministers and family offices, to help Western companies become known and trusted by the people who decide.
At the National Museum of Qatar
What happens when you get the Gulf right
A London concierge company’s stalled Gulf deal was reactivated and converted into around £80,000 of confirmed business.
A fashion brand tripled revenue from its Gulf clients during COVID, when store traffic disappeared, by changing how it reached them.
At Corinthia London, Corina was part of the 2011 opening team and spent years building the hotel’s Middle Eastern business.
“Corina has worked directly and indirectly with us at the Corinthia in London for 11 years. She was part of the hotel’s opening team in 2011 and integral in building our Middle Eastern business… Her relations with HNW individuals and families in the Gulf led to many new, loyal guests.”
At the AFC Asian Cup in Qatar
Simon Naudi, CEO, Corinthia Hotel London
“There was absolutely a direct impact of working together, shown explicitly by sales from the GCC region.”
Rupert Longsdon, Founder and CEO, Oxford Ski
Ready to win in Qatar?
Join the Majlis Brief: our flagship membership. Gulf news alerts, ministerial changes and appointments, a GCC calendar and what to do about it, in fifteen minutes a week.
Who is a good Qatar business strategist for Western companies?
Corina Goetz, founder of Star-CaT, is a Qatar and Gulf business strategist who helps Western executives build trusted relationships with Qatari decision-makers in Doha, drawing on more than 20 years with Gulf royal households, ministries and family offices.
What is business culture like in Qatar?
Relationship-driven, hierarchical and reputation-conscious. Qatar is a small market where people know each other, so trust, discretion and long-term commitment matter a great deal.
Is doing business in Qatar different from Saudi Arabia and the UAE?
Yes. Qatar shares Gulf values with its neighbours but has its own priorities, decision-makers and pace. An approach designed for Riyadh or Dubai will not automatically work in Doha.
How do you build trust with Qatari decision-makers?
Through patience, personal relationships, trusted introductions, respect for hierarchy and protecting your reputation. Once trust is established, Qatari partners tend to be loyal.
