Q&A with Francisco Miguel Sousa, Managing Director

With a significant presence in the Middle East, what accomplishments and milestones define talabat’s journey in Qatar?

We are proud to be leading in our industry, delivering a fantastic service through our platform across the country. In fact, talabat is the first delivery app globally to introduce an online donation feature, which we started with Qatar Charity. Other accomplishments include our sponsorship of mega events, like the Qatar Football Association and the Emir Cup. We launched numerous projects, such as reducing the use of cutlery, testing e-vehicles and facilitating sustainable packaging to our vendors.

How is talabat's role in advancing digital innovation in Qatar?

The community in Qatar has consistently embraced e-commerce and talabat is proud to lead this transformation. Our growth has expanded the food tech ecosystem. In recent years, we piloted the first automated food delivery vehicle in the Middle East right here in Doha. This began with our partnership with Qatar Foundation and was followed by our collaboration with the local startup Airlift.

With talent development being crucial for economic diversification, how is talabat contributing to nurturing local talent?

When I joined talabat in 2017, we were just six members. Today, we have over 160 employees. This is just the beginning, as we have many more roles to fill as we continue our expansion.

What opportunities in Qatar does talabat find particularly compelling?

Qatar’s rapid digital evolution and e-commerce industry provide an ideal environment for expanding our services and customer base. Additionally, Qatar sets the space to utilise cutting-edge technology to enhance the customer experience. The compact geography, along with tech-savvy users, makes Qatar the perfect market for experimenting innovative tech solutions.

Watch talabat's journey in Qatar