VoPay Establishes Global Headquarters in Qatar, Strengthening Doha’s Role as a Global Fintech Infrastructure Hub
VoPay International Inc., a leading global financial infrastructure platform, has officially established its global headquarters in Qatar, positioning Doha as the company’s primary hub for advancing digital financial infrastructure across MENA, Africa, Southeast Asia, and other high-growth markets, while continuing to support operations in North America, Europe, and Latin America. The strategic move reinforces Qatar’s growing status as a regional and global centre for fintech, cross-border payments, and financial system modernisation, aligned with the country’s long-term economic diversification agenda. Doha as the Engine of VoPay’s Global Expansion From its Doha headquarters, VoPay will expand and operate core financial infrastructure that supports central banks, financial institutions, governments, public-sector entities, and large enterprises. The platform enables institutions to modernise legacy financial systems, improve interoperability, and connect regional markets with global financial ecosystems through secure, scalable, and intelligent infrastructure. As part of its long-term commitment, VoPay plans to hire more than 400 highly skilled professionals in Qatar over the next three years, spanning engineering, technology, cybersecurity, compliance, data, and platform operations—further strengthening Qatar’s role as a sustainable hub for financial infrastructure development. Alignment with Qatar National Vision 2030 VoPay’s decision closely aligns with Qatar National Vision 2030, which prioritises economic diversification, digital transformation, and the development of a knowledge-based economy under the leadership of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Commenting on the announcement, VoPay Founder and CEO Hamed Arbabi stated that Qatar offers a unique platform for scaling financial infrastructure that connects regions, institutions, and markets with resilience and intelligence—making it a natural choice for the company’s global headquarters. Strategic Support from Invest Qatar and QFC VoPay’s expansion into Qatar has been supported by Invest Qatar, which played a key role in facilitating the company’s market entry and long-term growth strategy. Operating within the ecosystem of the Qatar Financial Centre, VoPay benefits from a robust regulatory framework designed to attract global financial technology leaders. Sheikh Ali Alwaleed Al-Thani, CEO of Invest Qatar, noted that VoPay’s investment further reinforces Qatar’s commitment to building a diversified, innovation-driven economy and positioning the country as a global hub for advanced financial technologies. Qatar’s Rise as a Global Financial Infrastructure Platform By anchoring its global headquarters in Doha, VoPay is contributing to Qatar’s emergence as a trusted platform for digital financial infrastructure, enabling cross-border financial coordination, institutional collaboration, and large-scale interoperability across regions. The Doha headquarters will serve as a strategic coordination centre for initiatives supporting financial system modernisation throughout the Gulf, MENA, Africa, and Southeast Asia—enhancing capital flows, data connectivity, and secure financial operations across borders. Powering the Future of Finance from Qatar Through applied artificial intelligence, mature infrastructure technology, and global financial connectivity, VoPay’s platform bridges regional financial systems with international banking frameworks. This enables institutions operating from Qatar to integrate seamlessly with global markets, reinforcing Doha’s role as a convening point for resilient, intelligent, and future-ready financial infrastructure. As Qatar continues to attract global fintech leaders, VoPay’s decision marks a significant milestone in the country’s journey toward becoming a world-class hub for digital finance and financial innovation.
Smart City Expo Doha 2025 Joins the Inaugural MWC Doha, Showcasing the Future of Urban Innovation in the Middle East
The fourth edition of Smart City Expo Doha (SCE Doha)—organised by Fira de Barcelona in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT)—returns this year as a major feature inside the inaugural MWC25 Doha, marking a significant milestone for the region’s largest technology and connectivity event. From 25–26 November 2025, more than 30 global experts and thought leaders will converge in Doha to explore how digital transformation, AI, and next-generation technologies will shape the future of cities across the Middle East. Beyond Connectivity: A Digital Pathway to Smarter Cities Under the theme “Beyond Connectivity: A Digital Solutions Pathway to a Smarter, Thriving Future,” Smart City Expo Doha 2025 will spotlight the evolving intersection between technology and urban living—highlighting how intelligent innovation can unlock more efficient, sustainable, and inclusive cities. This year’s programme is built around five core thematic pillars: These focus areas reflect Qatar’s national ambition to become a global leader in digital transformation and smart governance, aligned with its long-term urban and economic development strategies. Global Thought Leaders Shaping Tomorrow’s Cities SCE Doha 2025 features an impressive lineup of speakers and innovators, including: Kent Larson – MIT A world-renowned expert in urban design, microhousing, and autonomous mobility. Larson will explore how technology, design, and human-centred planning can shape the next generation of cities. Jesús Serrano – AI & Innovation Specialist Serrano will outline how cutting-edge AI can move from concept to real-world application, delivering measurable impact in mobility, services, and urban operations. H.E. Reem Al Mansoori – MCIT Qatar The Assistant Undersecretary for Digital Industry Affairs will share insights into Qatar’s nationwide strategy for urban transformation and smart city innovation. Ghanim Al-Muftah – Entrepreneur & FIFA Ambassador Known globally for his inspirational journey, Al-Muftah will offer a powerful message on inclusion, accessibility, and universal design as essential pillars of future-ready cities. A Landmark Feature at MWC25 Doha For the first time, Smart City Expo Doha will be integrated into MWC25 Doha, the GSMA’s first-ever edition in the Middle East and Africa.MWC25 Doha is expected to draw: This synergy underscores Qatar’s rising influence as a global hub for innovation, smart infrastructure, and connected industries. Smart City Expo: A Global Movement SCE Doha forms part of the worldwide Smart City Expo ecosystem—centred around the flagship Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona, which recently gathered: In 2025, local editions are also taking place in major cities, including New York, Curitiba, Puebla, Santiago del Estero, Santiago de Chile, Kuala Lumpur, Cartagena de Indias, and Tomorrow.City in Shanghai. A New Chapter for Qatar’s Digital Urban Future Smart City Expo Doha’s integration into MWC25 Doha reflects Qatar’s strong commitment to advancing smart urban development, AI adoption, and next-generation digital solutions—positioning Doha as a global testbed for bold, future-ready city models. As the world’s brightest minds gather in the capital this November, Qatar stands at the center of a transformative movement shaping the cities of tomorrow—smarter, more connected, more sustainable, and built for the future.
Snoonu Attracts Top Talents From Global Tech Giants
As Snoonu accelerates its footprint across the Middle East, the Qatari-born tech powerhouse is attracting top-tier talent from global tech giants like DoorDash and Rappi, reinforcing its position as a rising leader in the region’s digital economy. With bold ambitions and a clear mission to deliver smarter, faster, and more human experiences, Snoonu has made two high-impact hires: Anastasia Zdoroviak as Chief Experience Officer (CXO) and Estefania Read Elizalde as Director of CX Strategy & Operations. These appointments mark a turning point in Snoonu’s journey as it builds a world-class customer experience (CX) organisation. The company’s latest strategic hires reflect its commitment to innovation, diversity, and creating unforgettable digital experiences. “Bringing in global leaders like Anastasia and Estefania is not just about expertise—it’s about perspective,” said Hamad Al Hajri, Founder and CEO of Snoonu. “Qatar’s tech ecosystem is becoming a magnet for global talent, and Snoonu is at the center of this transformation.” A seasoned CX leader with over a decade of experience across the U.S., Latin America, and Europe, Anastasia Zdoroviak brings an exceptional global lens to Snoonu. She previously led transformative customer experience functions at DoorDash and Rappi, two of the world’s most successful last-mile delivery platforms. With fluency in over a dozen languages and a passion for human-centered design, Anastasia is set to redefine personalised, tech-driven customer journeys at scale across the region. Meet Estefania Read Elizalde – Director of CX Strategy & Operations A U.S.-Mexico dual national and University of Cambridge MBA graduate, Estefania specialises in agile strategy and cross-functional CX operations. With a strong background in tech operations and new market scale-ups, Estefania is here to optimise Snoonu’s regional growth engine. Building the Middle East’s Most Multicultural Tech Team Snoonu’s CX team is now among the most diverse and multicultural in the GCC, representing a fusion of Silicon Valley mindset and Middle Eastern innovation. Backed by a new partnership with Jahez Group (Saudi Arabia)—one of the region’s leading digital platforms—Snoonu is fast becoming a central player in the Gulf’s integrated tech ecosystem.
App Snap: Bluesky – A good option to try!
Touted as the next-best alternative to X (erstwhile Twitter), Bluesky lets you carry your social graph – essentially your connections – with you across apps that adopt the protocol since it runs on AT Protocol For starters, Bluesky is growing fast with a swamp since the recent US election. December 2024 figures show that it has over 24 million users. It comes as a relief that Bluesky has no central algorithm feeding you posts based on some popularity contest but from genuine engagement: posts gain visibility based on how many users like. In Bluesky, feeds are user-created streams of content centered around specific topics. Bluesky’s blocking feature is quite strict. Users refer to it as a “Nuclear Block” because it effectively erases any connection between you and the blocked user in the digital space. Their verification method is that by default when you get a handle on bsky.social, you can register your own domain as a handle. Bluesky is ads free, as of now. Fueled by its decentralised protocol and vibrant user community, Bluesky’s rapid growth has raised questions about its financial future and whether it will embrace ads. Bluesky offers a variety of tools and apps to customise your experience. The official app is available on iPhone and Android, while iPad users can explore third-party clients.
Breathe easy with Breethe!
Breethe: Sleep & Meditation app is comprehensive enough to help users create a daily habit of mindful self-care, offering over 1,500 tracks of guided meditations and soothing music to help with sleep and modern life’s challenges. You may get to sleep quickly and don’t be surprised if you start meditating on your own soon after starting. Why Breethe is a must on your phone:
