A platform for substantive dialogue, rigorous analysis, and policy engagement.
Request a conversation The inaugural working groupFiscal conditions have tightened, government priorities are shifting, and the post-2030 national vision is taking shape. The government has signalled that the private sector must play a greater role in Qatar’s economic transition.
Policy decisions in the coming period will define the operating environment for the decade ahead. Yet private firms have few platforms through which to think through policy alternatives and engage in policy deliberations.
The Doha Economic Policy Initiative (DEPI) is an advisory platform through which Qatar-based firms engage substantively on the economic policy questions shaping the country’s future. It combines rigorous, evidence-based analysis, closed-door convenings with policy experts, practitioners, and government counterparts, and structured policy engagement.
Privately funded and intellectually independent.
Rigorous, evidence-based analysis.
Convenings under the Chatham House Rule.
Topics chosen for policy relevance.
Structured programmes of deliberation, original research, and policy engagement on questions co-created with member firms and government counterparts — resulting in actionable policy recommendations.
Private, curated discussions with government counterparts, issue experts, and visiting delegations on current economic developments — with analysis circulated in advance.
A quarterly Qatar Economic Outlook, policy briefs with proprietary analysis of current issues, a policy alert service, and custom briefings.
Initiative Members and Strategic Partners help shape the questions DEPI takes up, the issues it addresses, and the governance structure of the initiative.
Deliberately private-sector-only: a candid, confidential exchange among peer CEOs and senior executives under the Chatham House Rule.
A cohort of 8–10 firms across three private roundtables, producing a published report, targeted policy briefs, and a confidential briefing for each participating firm — and setting the agenda DEPI carries into its subsequent engagements.
The inaugural cohort is being formed now, ahead of scoping interviews in September and the first roundtable in October 2026.
Enquire about the cohortDEPI’s inaugural cohort is a small group of Qatar-based firms whose leadership brings substantive perspective and standing to the work. Three levels of engagement are available, reflecting how deeply a firm wishes to participate.
For firms that want to follow the substantive conversation: briefings, analysis, and early access to the Initiative’s research.
For firms that want a seat at the table: working-group participation, confidential firm-level briefings, and a voice in the agenda.
For firms that want to help shape DEPI itself: custom analysis, policy-engagement support, and a formal advisory role in the Initiative’s future.
Terms of membership are shared following an initial conversation. DEPI does not seek to earn a profit: all revenues are applied to the Initiative’s operating and programmatic costs.
Nader Kabbani is a development economist with thirty years of experience in policy research, advisory work, and convening across the Gulf and the wider Arab region. He served as Director of Research at the Brookings Doha Center and the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, and was the Founding Director of the Syrian Development Research Center. He currently serves as Senior Advisor to the Minister of Finance of Syria and has advised Qatar’s National Planning Council on the Third National Development Strategy (NDS3). He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Johns Hopkins University.
Nejla Ben Mimoune is a policy professional with a decade of experience in research, program management, and stakeholder engagement across MENA and the GCC. She has led policy roundtables, managed grant-funded research, and produced policy analysis on labor markets, education, and Gulf economic diversification. Her work has been published in academic journals and through multilateral organizations including the ILO, UNDP, and UN ESCWA. She holds a Master's in Development Economics and is fluent in Arabic and English and proficient in French.
Siraj Ibrahim works on public policy, economic development, and international affairs. He previously supported policy research, stakeholder engagement, and major multi-partner initiatives at the College of Public Policy, Hamad Bin Khalifa University. He is a graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.
The team is supported by a network of regional and international collaborators. The Initiative is delivered by Sustainable Solutions LLC, a Qatar Financial Centre–registered advisory practice.
Conversations are confidential and without commitment... an opportunity to explore whether DEPI is right for your firm.
membership@dohaepi.orgOccasional announcements on working groups, publications, and events... no more than monthly.
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