Chairman of TechnoBlue, Electronyat and Ghamdan and CEO and Board Member of HBK Holdings, Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Thani
In an interview, Sheikh Nasser underscored that the consumer electronics industry is undergoing a period of particularly rapid transformation, with traditional distinctions between products increasingly disappearing.
The rapid convergence of technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and consumer electronics is fundamentally changing the retail sector, while customers are becoming increasingly informed and demanding greater support throughout their purchasing journey, according to the Chairman of TechnoBlue, Electronyat and Ghamdan and CEO and Board Member of HBK Holdings, Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Thani.
In an interview, Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Thani underscored that the consumer electronics industry is undergoing a period of particularly rapid transformation, with traditional distinctions between products increasingly disappearing.
“I think the consumer business is in a very fast development now. The border between the different products is really merging, and that’s a big change,” he said. “I think suppliers are changing; they are adapting, and new technology is coming very fast. A TV is becoming a computer, a computer becoming a TV, and a phone is also joining everything else. So it’s a very transitional time for electronics.”
He described technology as a major force behind the changing consumer electronics landscape, particularly with the rapid development of artificial intelligence.
“It’s really a game changer. What’s happening with AI and the fast development of electronics is changing the life of people,” Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Thani said. “It’s affecting their behaviour, their way of life, their way of moving from different products and also gaining their knowledge and information.”
While innovation remains central to the technology sector, Sheikh Nasser said innovation itself should not be regarded as the ultimate objective. But its value depends on how effectively people adopt it and how it improves their everyday lives.
Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Thani said, “Innovation by itself is not a target; it’s the adoption of the people of this innovation, like how they’re using it, how it changes their life, how it improves their life, how to make it simpler for them and easier. That is really the innovation.” He highlighted that “Innovation by itself without changing the people is not effective at all.”
Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Thani also noted Qatar’s broader digital transformation and the role of technology in the country’s development plans.
“I think the vision of 2030 really put technology and adoption of technology as an important pillar in this vision,” he stressed. He pointed to the development of infrastructure and the increasing digitisation of government services as examples of the country’s transformation.
“And building infrastructure, changing the government now, are moving to information technology as you probably, everybody, everything is now on your mobile phone,” Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Thani said. “You can do a lot of the transactions that used to be handled manually electronically in a very easy way.”
The shift has also transformed consumer behaviour, particularly in Doha, where customers have access to more information than ever before.
“It’s changed a lot,” the official said. “Now the customers are very well informed. They can compare very easily by using the internet and by using AI, and they are very knowledgeable about the product, and it is very easy for them to select the product that they like.”
Meanwhile, for TechnoBlue Electronics and Gamdan, the growing sophistication of consumers represents an opportunity rather than a challenge, Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Thani said.
He stated, “I think this is a technology we consider an advantage to us. As you say, the customer doesn’t need only to know what he wants. He also wants the support, and this is our strength. We take his journey all the way from selecting his product all the way to supporting him after he owns it.”
The Chairman said having a local Qatari company close to customers gives the business an important advantage.
“Because that is really what is missing if you don’t have a local company, a local Qatari company close to the customer,” Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Thani said. “We understand their need, we understand their requirements, and also we give them the full support after they commit to the product.”
Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Thani said AI and other technologies would contribute to the continued convergence of different retail channels rather than simply replacing physical stores with online shopping.
He said, “I think it is merging the different parts of retail. It’s merging online retail with the hard store, with the mega store, and we are in all of these fields. Technoblue is available everywhere with major retailers, with our own show store, with high brand, and also in the e-commerce phase and also supporting all of these branches through our logistics and infrastructure.”
Despite the growth of e-commerce, Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Thani affirms that physical retail stores will not decline.
“I think there is a need for the customer to also look at the product physically. I mean, it’s very easy for him to search for it on the internet and other technology,” he said. “But there is a big need for them to come and have the feel and the touch, and also becomes more of an event for them and more of an environment that they can feel.”
According to Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Thani, TechnoBlue’s proximity to customers and its ability to provide ongoing support are among its most important competitive advantages in a market where many businesses can sell the same recognised technology brands. He said, “We are close to the customer. Our support is always there. They know us, we know them, and we are local. And we can support them at any time.”
“We support them throughout the full journey, all the way from selecting the product, buying the product, and also maintaining it, and be very close to them when they have any issues with these products,” Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Thani said. He emphasised that after-sales service is particularly important because it distinguishes local retailers from purchases made from companies located elsewhere in the world.
Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Thani said, “This is what differentiates between buying something from across the world and buying something locally. We are behind our product, we are here, and we can support it.”
“If there are any issues, we are very close, and this is our strength, and this is why we feel that our strength will actually be more favourable than just buying a product across the world, he said.
Furthermore, Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Thani mentioned that TechnoBlue’s strategy will centre on keeping pace with technological change while expanding its presence beyond Qatar.
“I think we have our vision is to change and to come and to go with the new technology. And this is what we are doing,” he said.
“We are planning to have more interactive, more of the AI for our customers and also expand around the GCC and also around the world,” he added.
